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Six Senses Con Dao is one of the most singular and exclusive resorts in Vietnam. It’s an azure island getaway within close proximity to Ho Chi Minh City. Six Senses was a pioneer of the luxury international resort in Vietnam. Now, the brand is part of IHG Hotels and Resorts. You can find Six Senses resorts in some of the most unique locations in the world including the reclusive Kingdom of Bhutan. In Vietnam, they continue to make strides in an increasingly sophisticated and competitive market.
- Location: Google Maps
- Address: Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Town, Côn Đảo, Bà Rịa
- View on the web
Redefining the Singular Experience with Six Senses
Six Senses is a brand with a difference. Its hotels and resorts are not about extravagance nor indulgence in the usual sense. Their focus is holistic wellness as a means to fully awaken all six senses. This reconnection to body, heart, and mind is also anchored in empathic hospitality and environmental sustainability.
Many of Six Senses resorts are found in places of exquisite natural beauty. Their empathic design blends and harmonizes to the natural or urban cultural surroundings.
Depending on the resort or hotel, there are a range of wellness and rebalancing programs you can partake in. There are also multi-day care packages available.
These usually start with non-intrusive wellness screening. Programs can range from sleep therapy to detox, fitness, yoga, meditation, balanced eating, and more.
Six Senses in Vietnam
As of 2022, Six Senses has three properties in Vietnam. One, of course, is their prized Con Dao Villas and Residences. The other is Six Senses Ninh Van Bay which is a unique hideaway north of Nha Trang City. The third is the Evason Ana Mandara — the only hotel and spa in downtown Nha Trang with direct and private beach access.
Here are some highlights and differences between Six Senses Vietnam properties:
| Six Senses Con Dao | Six Senses Ninh Van Bay | Evason Ana Mandara |
| Private beach | Private beach | Private beach |
| Villas & residences | Villas | Single rooms & suites |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep therapy & tracking | Kids Club |
| Immunity booster | Fitness program | Complimentary babysitting |
| Mind and body | Detox & yoga | Shirodhara & acupuncture |
| Multi-day programs | Multi-day programs | Single-day spa treatments |
Evason Ana Mandara was actually Six Senses’ pilot property in Vietnam. It opened doors in 1997 as Vietnam’s first international luxury resort. Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa is no longer under Six Senses management but an independent establishment.
Six Senses Con Dao Island
The unique exclusivity and bespoke service of Six Senses set it apart from other resorts. Six Senses Con Dao is also a participant in the Six Senses Residency program. This means you can purchase a villa and also rent or let it outside of your personal use as a profit-taking investment.
Your Villa and Pool
At Six Senses Con Dao, every villa of choice comes with a private infinity pool. The airiness and freshness of the villas stem from their all-natural wood interiors. This includes wall panelings, furniture, and ceilings. The open ventilation is also a great comfort.
The Duplex Villas are the most basic. Even so, their spaciousness is as inviting as the ocean view. Book an Oceanfront Duplex and stay just meters away from the sandy shores. Duplexes have plunge pools, but deluxe and multi-roomed villas upgrade to lap pools.
The ultimate in homeliness, however, are the three-bedroom villas. These come with two master bedrooms and a kitchenette with the privilege of in-villa dining. A one-of-a-kind offering is an exclusive four-room villa, also with private dining.
Niceties include a Bose sound system, espresso machine, and a wine cabinet. One of the most appreciative things though is the luxuriant bathtub, especially where it has a view of the ocean.
An Escape to Wellness
The natural grace, tranquility, and calm of Six Senses Con Dao is peace-and-mind in and of itself. However, not fully immersed in one of their bespoke wellness programs may leave you wondering what more there is to life.
Immunity Booster is a great way to start your stay at Six Senses Con Dao. It incorporates breathing exercises, yoga, detox, and focused nutrition. From a wellness screening, you can receive life enhancement recommendations.
Alternatively, you can regain focus with Mind Your Brain. This awakens you with singing bowl meditations, yoga, and Ayurveda therapies. Need help letting go? Love Your Heart will take you through guided meditations, chakra balancing, yoga, and holistic massage treatments.
The wellness center welcomes you to their outdoor yoga and meditation pavilion. There’s a full range of spa offerings available. Noteworthy are the Vietnamese and Thai massage, hot stones, and a special detox massage.
Other highlights are the wonderful hot herbal compresses and ritual spa journeys. You can book private sessions for yoga, guided meditation, singing bowl meditation, and crystal chakra rebalancing.
Bespoke Dining
The breakfast beachfront buffet is quite sufficient, and it includes Vietnamese street food specials. The menus are comprehensive and include plentiful fare for vegans and vegetarians. Grass-fed and organic free-range meats are also featured.
However, there’s a lack of the more exotic local fare that can be had downtown. Even considering the bespoke experience and location, some menu items are somewhat unreasonably priced. The free ice cream, available all day, is a nice touch though.
With prior reservation, you can also tailor a personalized menu with sommelier wine pairing. Apart from foods from the char grill, you can also request private barbeques. The Vietnamese Kitchen is a must-visit for its smorgasbord of typical urban delights.
Splash Bar by the main pool features unique local distillations including craft beers. There’s Japanese sake, fermented health drinks, and lovely gin infusions. At the Elephant Bar you can enjoy all-day light dining.
Experiences and Younger Guests
There’s plenty to keep you busy and relaxed on Con Dao Island. Even so, Six Senses provides you a guest experience manager (GEM) to manage it all for you.
Whether you want a bicycle, a motorbike, or even a tour guide to go along, it can be arranged for you. The resort is relatively secluded, and sometimes the costs of rentals or getting out and about are unnecessarily surcharged. The free shuttle into town is not so frequent.
Activities can include private boat charters for snorkeling, diving, fishing, and romantic sunset getaways. Kayaks and paddle boards are non-charge. You can choose cultural and eco-community activities, cooking classes, or coconut oil workshops.
For younger guests, there are enough activities to last an extended stay. Craft workshops, fun things like sand painting, kite flying, and movie nights are all complementary. Cooking classes for youngsters are at an extra charge.
How to Get to Con Dao Island
Con Dao is the main island of the Con Dao archipelago which consists of about 16 mountainous islands and islets. It’s some 230 km from Saigon as the crow flies, and it also has its own local airport.
You can fly there from all major Vietnamese international airports such as Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Danang, or Cam Ranh. It’s less than an hour’s flight from Ho Chi Minh City and about two and a half from Hanoi.
From Vung Tau, you can also catch a ferry and enjoy a jaunty sea breeze. The ferry ride is about three hours and a one-way ticket is between 500 000 VND and 1 200 000 VND.
Other things to do on Con Dao Island
Con Dao was once one of the most infamous prison islands in the world. You can escape the paradise island setting and spend some sober time in the island museum. Additionally, learn the horrors of ‘tiger cages’, and visit graves of some national heroes.
There are an array of stunning beaches – both white sandy shores and rocky tidal bays. The often calm and crystal clear waters offer good diving opportunities. All depending, you may see dugongs, dolphins, green sea turtles, and hawksbill sea turtles.
There are eco tours, tours around Con Dao National Park, and quite a number of hiking trails. One of the most exciting things to do is to try exotic Con Dao seafood.
Discover more about Con Dao Island
Why Choose Six Senses Con Dao Island
Six Senses Con Dao Island is a resort and concept beyond the norm of 5-star expectation. It’s an oasis of tranquility and natural simplicity that belies a deeper richness. The price point is understandably matched to the level of bespoke singularity. All considered, perhaps generosity could be realized as the more profitable spirit. For some, Six Senses may offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience that cannot easily be replicated. For others, its uncomplicated holism is an achievable way of life.
The Hits:
- A truly singular stay
- Villas with pools
- Idyllic location
- Bespoke wellness
- Tailored dining
- Eco-cultural engagement
- Sustainable focus
The Misses:
- Needless surcharges
- Restaurant price points
- Infrequent shuttles
