Our Founder and Managing Director, Stella, headed off to TIA Wellness Resort in Da Nang in Vietnam. * Stella visited at the time when TIA Wellness was Fusion Maia. Fusion Maia got re-branded to TIA Wellness in 2021.
Fusion Maia in Vietnam had been on my personal wish list for a while, and I finally managed to get there in 2017. I had high expectations. Some resorts have amazing photography – serene and beautiful girls meditating and doing yoga on an even more beautiful beach, mouthwatering healthy food, luxurious contemporary suites – you get the picture. A skilled photographer can often make reality seem a bit of a disappointment, but I can wholeheartedly say that is not the case here. I was inspired to take so many more photos (though not as professional) to capture the thoughtfulness of the place.
For me, the main theme was the detail. Without wanting to sound sexist, I could see that the General Manager is a woman through the details. The stunning flower arrangements, the welcome pack in the room with an inspirational message, the flower served with tea at the spa, and the gentleness of the staff. All beautifully feminine. Now, that’s not to say that men don’t feel comfortable here or are not welcome. There were plenty of them indeed, but these details were very pleasing to my eye and not necessarily noticed by my husband! When I pointed out these details to Michelle Ford (the awesome General Manager), she was grateful that I noticed, but also told me how being mindful is integral to the staff training at Fusion Maia. Even though I travelled with my husband and it's a great place for couples, I would happily return here on my own as a place to rest and rejuvenate.
Here are my top 3 personal highlights:
The Energy Treatments
Having trained as a Reiki practitioner, I have a personal interest in how energy treatments can help you to rebalance and heal on a subtle level. I also know that these types of treatments are about much more than hands-on training and, therefore, not readily available or delivered well at most spas. The energy treatments at Fusion Maia blew my mind, and the therapists were incredible. Emilie (the spa & wellness manager) puts this down to the purity of the Vietnamese people, and I have to say that one of the best energy treatments that I have ever had was delivered by the resident Reiki Master, who used to be a gardener (and very much at one with nature) before he trained as a therapist.
To keep the energy flowing, the daily yoga and Tai Chi classes are also a must and expertly delivered in the gardens at the spa or on the yoga platform by the beach, which I loved. There were lots of other fitness-type classes available, too, and I tried the Fusion Circuit class, which was fun and challenging.
I was so inspired by the quality of these treatments and activities that we put together our own Wellbeing Escapes Balance & Connect programme, which focuses on these treatments in addition to other, more traditional hands-on treatments.
The Food & The Any Time, Anywhere Breakfast
Vietnamese Food is clean, light and tasty and is readily available at Fusion Maia, presented in the usual appetising way. I tried the plant-based menus for a couple of days, which were delicious and even convinced my husband, a confirmed carnivore, to give it a go as they have an 'ease-in' option with only 20% of the ingredients from animal products. They also have a juicing option and a raw food option, where you can eat raw until 4.00 pm and have the more easily digestible cooked dishes after that. No matter what I ate, it was beautifully presented and very tasty.
I have to say, though, that I had a real thing going on for the breakfasts. The breakfast buffet was fantastic with a huge colourful array of fresh fruit, juices, smoothies and cooked options. As someone who doesn’t like to eat too much too early, I also love the 'anytime anywhere' concept and one day we were served breakfast by the beach at noon. With this concept, you can easily get by with half board only and have a small snack in the afternoon if you get peckish.
The Location
My Khe beach is absolutely gorgeous and is frequently voted as one of the best in the world. It goes on for miles, so it's definitely good for a power walk or run in the morning or a leisurely walk in the afternoon. I also loved the proximity to Hoi An, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and easily reachable by shuttle bus from Fusion Maia. I would definitely recommend visiting for an afternoon and evening for the museums, shopping and restaurants, and Fusion Maia even has a cafe there that you can visit and use the complimentary bicycles. It really gives you a real Vietnamese flavour.
Finally, I would say that if you have the time, do speak to us about adding on a 3-day Junk Boat Cruise in Halong Bay, as it really is a fabulous experience and one that I would highly recommend.
For personalised advice, please call our expert wellness team on 0203 735 7555 or email info@wellbeingescapes.com.
