Whale Island Resort ^unique

Our brief comments:
Whale Island Resort is a ‘get-away-from it all' hideaway, the only buildings on a sand island 80km north of Nha Trang. It's small and basic but exclusive and comfortable – a bit more expensive than a hotel, but as all meals, transfers, the use of sailboards, small catamarans, and equipment and a motor boat for snorkelling are included, it's good value.

As you can see below, the resort lacks almost every amenity of a conventional hotel. There are no telephones, no television, and no bathrooms (you get a pleasant en-suite extension to your bungalow with a modern flush toilet and a shower fitting instead). There are also no traffic noises, no canned music and no unwanted distractions! Electricity is generated on the island, and available only when it's dark.

This is a place for relaxing au naturelle!

You'll share your shady wooden bungalow with a few geckoes and insects, but mosquitoes are effectively kept at bay by attractive nets (when we were there, there was no signs of 'mozzies' - as there's virtually no accessible standing fresh water on the island, they're unlikely to be a problem anyway). The furniture is simple, but well-designed and comfortable.

There is a pleasant bamboo restaurant serving a limited mixture of Vietnamese and international cuisine with a decent wine list. Catering standards are high, but expect plenty of seafood as all other provisions have to be transported from Nha Trang.

A bar on a rocky promontory serves drinks at sensible prices, and an adjacent lounge and terrace overlooking the sea has billiard tables and other indoor pastimes.

You can dive at Whale Island – the coral is considered better than in Nha Trang. Rainbow Divers (Five-star PADI) has a booth at the resort, so you can book and pay locally when you arrive.

Whale Island isn't to everyone's taste, but if you're looking for peace and quiet on an isolated tropical island with comfortable accommodation, good food and enough things to do to avoid boredom, it's hard to beat. We certainly enjoyed our time there!

Inspected 2002 - feel free to contact us for an update

Room facilities (? = awaiting data from hotel)

Room Categories	Standard Room	Traditional Bungalow
Number of rooms	?	?
Air-conditioner
Satellite television
Shower or bath
Bath with shower
Bath + separate shower
Personal safety box
Coffee/tea facilities
Laptop connection
Free broadband access
Extra bed
Child's cot
Room size (m2)	?	?
View	?	sea

Additional room facilities:

Hotel facilities:

Outdoor pool		Non-smoking floor(s)
Covered pool		Non-smoking rooms only	?
Fitness/health centre		Vietnamese/Asian restaurant
Sauna		International restaurant
Massage		Patisserie/coffee shop/cafe
Jacuzzi		Business centre

Additional hotel facilities: non-motorised watersports activities and equipment, free motorboat transport to coral areas for snorkelling, diving at extra cost