INTO THE River of Stars

It's not hard to immerse in nature and gastronomy at the breathtaking Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

- IAN LEE

I'll be honest. When I received my invitation to visit the Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, I was a little hesitant. Here's why: During my first visit to Vietnam last year, I came down with food poisoning the night before a cruise to Halong Bay, effectively ruining the trip as it took me more than a full day to recover. That was Hanoi and this is Danang, I subsequently thought to myself. Ultimately, I decided to give Vietnam a second chance — and I'm glad I did.

After settling into a beautifully and quirkily furnished Club Terrace Suite in the late afternoon, I set off for the property's gym — I just had to squeeze in a quick workout before the five-course dinner that was waiting for us. The 10-minute trip to the beach-side fitness centre was a treat that I did not expect — stunning views of the resort's forest-covered hills, private beach and ocean; whimsical hues and design touches of famed architect Bill Bensley (the man responsible for the greenery in the latest season of White Lotus); and maybe best of all, the rare sights and sounds of brightly coloured primates known as the red-shanked douc langurs, which are critically endangered and endemic to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.