Pureandcure review: Kim and Claudia in Vietnam

What TIA and Namia have in common

The concept is the same at both resorts. You book a stay including breakfast and daily spa treatments. These are included in the price, so you do not have to decide what to book and what to skip. If you want more, you can add extra treatments. Every villa has its own pool. After a few days, that turns out to be the greatest luxury. After a long day, you slip into the water without meeting anyone. If you prefer a larger pool, there are shared pools. At both resorts, they were quiet almost all the time.

At both resorts, breakfast is a reason to set the alarm. The buffet is so extensive that an hour passes easily. If you would rather have something else, there is an à-la-carte menu all day. Our advice: do not skip the buffet. 

Then there is the daily programme: yoga, tai chi, workouts and breathwork. Both resorts also offer their own guest experiences. Children are welcome at both, so these are not adults-only resorts. Good to know beforehand.

TIA Wellness Resort: on the beach, with an extensive spa menu

TIA sits on My Khe beach in Da Nang. It is a lively place: hotels stand side by side along the promenade, the city is around the corner, and Hoi An is about 30 minutes away by free shuttle bus. The airport is a 20-minute drive. You are there quickly, and once you are through the gate, you notice little of the surroundings. The resort has existed since 2010, under the name Fusion Maia, and was the first spa-inclusive resort in the world. That experience shows in the details. The villas are modern and sleek, in black and white, luxurious without trying to impress. The 1-bedroom Pool Villa measures 106 m². That is generous, especially with a private pool and garden. The spa menu here is much more extensive than at Namia. The spa has 22 treatment rooms, a large outdoor pool with a waterfall, and hydrotherapy rooms with steam, sauna and ice bath. You choose from massages, scrubs, aromatherapy and reflexology. Trying something different every day is genuinely possible.

An hour without time (Claudia)

One of my favourite moments was the sound healing session. After a quiet morning with a massage, I was collected and taken to a room above the spa, with a view over the gardens. I lay on a mat, tucked under a blanket. At first almost too warm, after a few minutes very pleasant. The therapist played singing bowls in all sizes and walked through the room as she did, so the sound seemed to come from a different direction each time. I drifted between sleeping and waking, with vivid dreams. The hour felt like five minutes. Afterwards, I felt as if I had had a power nap. I went for a swim in the sea and ordered a fresh coconut, which I drank on the terrace with my feet in the sand.

What makes TIA special?

Beach, spa and city in one. You can spend the morning on the beach, choose a treatment in the afternoon and have dinner in Hoi An in the evening. The food follows the ‘Eat Light, Feel Bright’ concept: light, nourishing dishes with plenty of plant-based options.

Namia River Retreat: on an island, with herbs

Namia feels like another world. The resort sits on the small island of Cồn Ba Xã, in the Thu Bon River, among nipa palms. It is the only resort in Hoi An with exclusively private pool villas. You see and feel that. The 60 villas measure 62 m² and are built with thatch, warm wood and neutral colours. The private pools are generous, and the sunken bath in the open bedroom invites you to stay. It is quieter and more luxurious than TIA. The heart of the resort is Vietnamese herbal medicine, Thuốc Nam. Every treatment begins with a ritual. You receive 90 minutes of spa every day: 30 minutes in the hammam and a 60-minute treatment. The menu is smaller than at TIA, with four signature treatments: Vietnamese massage, cupping, facial reflexology and acupressure. What it lacks in choice, it makes up for with a more personal experience.

Choosing your own herbs (Kim)

Kim was welcomed with a cup of tea and collected by her therapist. Together they walked to the herb station, a kind of apothecary with rows of herbs. She chose the herbs for her massage herself. They were placed on a woven basket and ground with a pestle. Then came the hammam, a steam cabin where she lay for 30 minutes. It got warm, but it smelled wonderful. Just as she began to drift off, she was collected for the Vietnamese massage. First, her feet were washed. Then the therapist held a warm herbal stick near her face, which smelled like thick incense. The massage followed, with the herbs Kim had chosen herself. Her therapist was small, but with strong hands. The treatment room was luxurious and neat, and the table so comfortable that Kim fell asleep almost immediately. The next day, she chose the same massage again.

By bike to Hoi An (Claudia)

My favourite moment was the bike ride, early in the morning, before dawn. With the free bamboo bikes, you reach the old centre of Hoi An in about ten minutes. I saw the town before it woke up. It felt special, and a little bit typically Dutch. In the afternoon, we took the shuttle boat to town. By then it was busy, and the small streets were full. We walked around for a while and then returned to the island, where it was quiet again. That balance between calm in the resort and bustle in the town is what makes Namia special. You can taste Hoi An in the food, too. Restaurant The Merchant is open all day and serves Vietnamese dishes that refer to the town’s trading history. The Fisherman, for hotel guests only, focuses on fish and seafood, by the pool and the river.

Which resort is for whom?

• TIA suits you if you want to be by the sea, like to choose a different treatment every day and prefer a slightly lower price. The resort is suitable for solo travellers and couples. You do not have to arrange anything and you are still close to town.
• Namia suits you if you want privacy, like your treatment to be personal, and want Hoi An close by without staying in it. It is suitable for couples and for families, who can choose a two-bedroom villa.

You do not have to choose, by the way. The two resorts are about 30 minutes apart. We stayed at both: first the river, then the sea.

The differences at a glance

Location

• TIA: on My Khe beach in Da Nang
  
• Namia: on the island of Cồn Ba Xã, near Hoi An

Atmosphere

• TIA: lively, on a promenade with other beach hotels
  
• Namia: secluded, private and quiet

Style

• TIA: black and white, sleek and modern
  
• Namia: warm wood and thatch

Villa

• TIA: 1-bedroom Pool Villa of 106 m²
  
• Namia: Nipa Pool Villa or River Pool Villa of 62 m²

Spa menu

• TIA: extensive, with 22 treatment rooms
  
• Namia: more compact, centred on Vietnamese herbal medicine

Distance to Hoi An

• TIA: free shuttle bus, about 30 minutes
  
• Namia: bike, shuttle boat or taxi, about 10 minutes
  

Price

• TIA: from € 214 per person per night
  
• Namia: from € 280 per person per night
  

Practical

TIA Wellness Resort

• Price: from € 210 per person per night, including breakfast and at least 80 minutes of spa treatments per day
• Fly to: Da Nang (DAD)
• Transfer time from the airport: 20 minutes
• Check-in: 2 pm / check-out: 12 noon
• Suitable for: solo travellers, couples
• Children: welcome, in the spa from age 12

Namia River Retreat

• Price: from € 280 per person per night, including breakfast and 90 minutes of spa treatments per day
• Fly to: Da Nang (DAD)
• Transfer time from the airport: about 45 to 50 minutes
• Check-in: 2 pm / check-out: 12 noon
• Suitable for: couples, families
• Children: welcome, with a separate children’s pool

About Kim and Claudia

This blog was written by Kim and Claudia, both working at Puurenkuur. Kim has been with the company since 2012 and is now Operations Manager. Claudia joined in 2018 and is Marketing & Product Manager. With her international background and eye for detail, Claudia is a valuable link within our team. Together they visit various Puurenkuur destinations (health resorts, spas and retreats) and share their experiences in our blogs.