Along the wind-carved curve of Ke Ga Bay, Azerai Ke Ga Bay does not stage its stillness, it simply steps back and lets an untouched coastline, a fisherman’s tide and centuries-old banyan roots set the pace. In conversation with Wanderlust Tips,, General Manager Julian Moore reflects on a philosophy built into every villa, treatment and shared meal, and on why real rest, here, is offered rather than programmed.
Wanderlust Tips warmly thanks Julian Moore, General Manager of Azerai Ke Ga Bay, for taking the time to speak with us about the art of slow travel, as part of our special feature, The Art of Slow Travel. We are delighted to share his reflections below.
The ‘Slow Travel’ trend is more than simply travelling at a leisurely pace; it is about establishing a deep connection with the resort environment. How does Azerai Ke Ga Bay weave this philosophy into its architecture and landscape design to create an immediate sense of relaxation upon arrival?
Guest consideration in architecture and landscaping is often set aside in favour of design and visual impact alone. In creating Azerai Ke Ga Bay, our founder was instead driven by the guest’s perspective, using this to shape an impactful architectural design supported by a sympathetic, soothing natural landscape that fully showcases our location. The modern world, by its nature, can be confronting, and in creating the Azerai Ke Ga Bay product, we sought a seamless integration between nature and design, embracing rather than confronting guests, to address our shared need for consideration and care. We view our resort as a large contemporary residence where guests join our community and share our destination. This approach allows guests to fully relax in a safe and secure space, made possible through experience-led design, lush yet tailored gardens echoing the beauty and majesty of the tropics, and a discreet floral theme in green and white throughout to soothe the eye. The interior colour palette has been inspired by our destination, mirroring gentle browns, natural wood finishes, sand-coloured furnishings and hints of the orange hues of iron seen in the neighbouring beach monoliths. The interior decorations, in turn, have been inspired by the roots of the banyan tree, the leaves of the resort’s plants and the fishermen’s nets of the local village.
Amid the fast pace of modern life, what elements at Azerai Ke Ga Bay enable guests to truly ‘slow down’ and disconnect from daily stress?
Azerai Ke Ga Bay’s original owner was inspired to create a unique architectural style for each of the resort’s three zones, and this has proven to contribute significantly to guest relaxation. Discovering the shift between each design as you arrive engages the creative rather than the organising mind, moving you into a new space where the rhythm of the trees in the wind, the dappled sunlight along the Ginger Forest Walk, and the shadows on the villas by night each set the tone for calm. This is further enhanced by contemporary sofas dotted throughout the resort, where guests relax, take in a view, read a book, or simply share time together. This ease of resort living, moving from handcrafted games to an al fresco lunch overlooking the bay, to lazing by the pool or nestling on an outdoor sofa while gazing across the ocean as sunset lights the lighthouse or the sand dunes, combined with the warmth of our team, quickens the process of slowing down.
Which specific wellness treatments or activities at Azerai Ke Ga Bay are tailored to maximise the ‘Slow Travel’ experience for guests?
Recognising that the slow travel experience is personal to every guest, we provide a diverse range of wellness options. Those seeking inner calm may explore different styles of yoga, soothing and nurturing body treatments, or even spend time in our fitness, sauna and steam facilities.
For those desiring a deeper experience, we recommend our personalised meditation, breathwork or tailored yoga sessions. These are offered in yoga studios with the comfort of air-conditioning or the freshness of ocean air, according to guest preference, each overlooking the waters of Ke Ga Bay. Guests are invited to guide the approach that best assists them in achieving their own goals, whether to reset, relax or reconnect.
How does Azerai Ke Ga Bay weave local cultural elements, such as Binh Thuan cuisine, fishing villages and the Ke Ga Lighthouse, into its offering to create a meaningful, immersive journey?
Azerai Ke Ga Bay has developed close relationships with the dragon fruit and salt farmers of the region, with tours guided by a member of our own team for whom Ke Ga township is home. Local elements are also strongly woven into our own offerings, with our team leading private local fishing experiences where guests learn the philosophy and skills used by the fishermen of our nearby village. This private experience focuses on two traditional local fishing styles: net fishing and basket boat fishing. We also witness regular community activity on the beach in front of the resort, where local net and basket fishermen work the hotel’s shoreline, a community fishing event takes place once a year when the bait fish arrive, and each day a farmer moves his cattle past the resort to graze further along the beach. This everyday animation, blended with the rhythmic sway of the boats in the bay, lulls guests into a calm mood as they enjoy breakfast on the terrace.
Gastronomy plays a vital role in slow travel. How does the culinary philosophy at Azerai Ke Ga Bay’s dining outlets celebrate local ingredients and encourage a more mindful style of dining?
Vietnam has a culture of unique regional dining, from north to south. Our community enjoys southern Vietnamese cuisine, and we use regional produce, local fish and seafood wherever possible, to continue to showcase and support this region. Our chef has lived in this area since the age of five and knows the dishes intimately, enabling him to produce truly authentic Vietnamese dishes for the enjoyment of international travellers and locals alike. Experiencing the dining styles of each region of Vietnam offers a deeper understanding of the history and cultural influences that shaped its style and its people. This is shared with guests as part of the individual cooking classes held with our resort chef.
In Azerai Ke Ga Bay’s observation, which guest demographics are currently seeking ‘Slow Travel’ experiences the most, and how have their holiday habits evolved?
Our slow travel market sits within the 30-50 age demographic, made up of individuals in high-responsibility roles or intense work and living environments who are seeking a reset. This market is growing significantly as the world becomes more demanding and individuals become more reliant on technology. The speed of day-to-day life and work creates tension within many people and motivates them to seek a retreat from the noise, and to rebalance, while on vacation. Our offering suits this need extremely well, as we do not programme our guests but instead offer a selection of experiences for them to enjoy, letting them choose how, or whether, they would like to take part.
Some travellers worry that slow travel might feel monotonous. How does Azerai Ke Ga Bay strike a balance between tranquillity and engaging guest experiences?
This is a contrast often experienced by couples, where one seeks peace and the other activity. In this situation, we take the approach of ensuring both needs are met within the resort’s offering. Tranquility offerings range from spa and wellness to culinary experiences, while those seeking more engaging experiences can travel to historical sites, discover the giant sand dunes, engage with the community, or learn more about local culture through immersive fishing experiences or village walks.
How does Azerai Ke Ga Bay integrate sustainability and coastal environmental protection into its operational practices?
Azerai Ke Ga Bay embraces coastal protection and actively maintains our beachfront daily, and we have also invested in building a seawall to minimise historical beach erosion. Sustainability is a critical consideration across all of our operational practices. Our design approach uses open layouts in many public spaces to embrace natural airflow, and wide awnings to reduce cooling energy usage. We also maintain our own on-property solar farm, which supports our demand for generator-based energy. We sterilise and bottle high-quality filtered water in recyclable glass bottles, limit non-essential lighting pollution to maximise the enjoyment of the night sky, and remove forever plastics from day-to-day operations. We are also committed to sourcing our recruitment locally wherever possible, and 95% of our team is from our own province, ensuring that the income generated returns, where possible, to our home community.
What role do local team members play in delivering authentic hospitality and a sense of serenity to guests at Azerai Ke Ga Bay?
Our team members are really the key to the Azerai Ke Ga Bay experience. They are people from our community and province who can share their own experiences of living and growing up in this location. This is embraced strongly by our international guests, as it fuels their quest to gain a better understanding of modern Vietnam. Being in a regional area, our team are open and friendly, as is so often the case with people from rural regions around the world. They are warmly welcoming to guests and take a genuine interest in them, creating a strong bond. In shaping our service standards during training, we embraced this humanity and individuality in their interactions, enabling our team to communicate in their own authentic style.
If Azerai Ke Ga Bay could use just three words to describe the ultimate ‘Slow Travel’ experience at the resort, which words would be chosen, and why?
‘Calming’, as our design scheme sits naturally within its surrounding environment, limiting sharp contrasts so the experience flows without interruption.
‘Renewing’, as guests can renew physically through a relaxed and open service approach with high standards throughout. Our experience also offers ways to fuel the body, nurture the soul with nature, and use wellness practices to clear the mind.
And ‘Connecting’: a calm mind paired with a restored body allows guests to relax and engage more fully, opening the way to new levels of interest and curiosity.
Wanderlust Tips sincerely thanks Julian Moore for sharing these valuable insights into the art of slow travel at Azerai Ke Ga Bay. We wish him and the entire team continued success.
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