Above: The lobby terrace at the Princess d’Annam resort overlooks Ke Ga Bay.

Vietnam Ease After its much-delayed grand opening, the all-villa Princess d’Annam Resort & Spa (Hon Lan, Binh Thuan Ham; 84-62/3682-222; princessannam.com; doubles from US$534) is proving well worth the wait. With a fishing community and century-old lighthouse for neighbors, this French-managed hideaway sits beachside on Ke Ga Bay, an undiscovered gem 150 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City. Singapore’s Tan Hock Beng has created a Modernist take on French-colonial architecture and infused it with traditional motifs, while all 57 villas (some with their own plunge pools) offer sublime bathrooms and a generous lineup of amenities. Other attractions include a fine French dining room, a palatial 1,800-square-meter spa, and gardens of rare ginger plants, making this a very welcome addition to Vietnam’s budding luxury-resort scene. –Samantha Coomber

Originally appeared in the May 2009 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“What’s New Around The Asia-Pacific Region”)