We have found a White Lotus-worthy resort ... but minus the exy price tag

Reclining by the beach, sipping on a fresh coconut and wearing a strange-looking pair of compression boots, it dawns on me: I might actually be a resort person. Coastal resorts have never really appealed to me the same way a holiday in the middle of a bustling city does. But a stay at the Westin Resort and Spa Cam Ranh in Vietnam has me convinced that "resort people" might actually be onto something. This luxury spot, which opened in mid-2024, pitches itself as a wellness resort for holidaymakers whose idea of relaxation extends beyond cocktails by the pool.

An hour's flight north-east from Ho Chi Minh City, Cam Ranh was once a military base but the past 15 years has seen it rapidly transform into a resort strip. One of the biggest drawcards for this emerging holiday destination is the fact that its high-end resorts are a mere 10-minute drive from Cam Ranh International Airport, with flights arriving several times daily from Ho Chi Minh. I was eternally grateful for the short transfer when my flight landed at 9pm after a day of travelling.

Flight delays and stuffy airport waits instantly become a distant memory the next morning when I pull back the curtains in my luxury villa, revealing my own personal plunge pool right outside.

Also a distant memory is the sub-zero temperatures I had left behind in Canberra, as I wander the mere 100 metres to the beach, where a handful of resort guests are enjoying a morning swim. The resort grounds are immaculate and vibrantly green during my visit; evoking scenes of White Lotus with towering palm trees and lush lawns.

Nineteen villas are scattered throughout the property and while they're positioned fairly close to each other, well-placed trees create a sense of privacy. The villas are incredibly spacious, with a separate living room and kitchenette that can be closed off from the bedroom and bathroom, complete with a standalone bathtub. Wellness touches like lavender balm and an eye mask are a thoughtful addition during turn-down service. The friendly staff offer to deliver breakfast in the morning, insisting I sleep in and enjoy the villa on my first day. It's a proposition I'd have been silly to refuse because a breakfast platter with pastries, fruit and fresh juice eaten poolside is an indulgent experience everyone must try once in their life. Other mornings I'm delighted to find banh mi and pho at the breakfast buffet.

The Westin's wellness theme runs through its menus; fresh vegetables and lean proteins feature heavily. But it's dishes like grilled beef wrapped in betel leaf, lobster with banana blossom salad and Vietnamese seafood soup that best achieve the resort's wellness mandate. Each are light morsels that hero local ingredients and are packed with flavour, leaving me satisfied but not stuffed.

Because stuffed is not how you want to feel when you're booked in for a full body massage shortly after. I opt for a bamboo massage, during which the masseuse uses warmed up bamboo rods for a deep-tissue massage. Afterwards I'm given herbal tea and chocolate to help me emerge from my state of deep relaxation.

Not all days are massages and buffet meals, though. Another morning I opt for a run and am delighted to find the resort has mapped out a route on the running app Strava, removing all the guess work from my workout. Afterwards, I cool down by swimming some laps in the fitness pool, which boasts even better views than the main pool, with almost a bird's-eye view over the resort and out to sea. The resort takes its wellness focus seriously, offering tennis, pickleball and basketball courts and equipment for guests to book, as well as kayaking and beach volleyball.

After a few days settling into the property, the nearby city of Nha Trang, known for its fresh seafood and bustling beaches, is calling. A 40-minute drive north from the resort, our travel group stops for lunch at Ot Hiem, a two-level Vietnamese restaurant that is heaving with diners.

There is barely room left on the table for our ice-cold beers as plate after plate arrives featuring grilled prawns, roast pork, papaya salad and crispy spring rolls, to name a few.

Later we join the hundreds of tourists filing into Do Theatre to watch Life Puppets, a modern take on a traditional water puppet show. With no dialogue, the performers use puppetry and acrobatics to create a spectacular show that captivates both the kids and the adults in the audience.

Beyond the city centre, Nha Trang's floating fishing villages are worth a visit to see fresh seafood being hauled in and cooked for hungry visitors.

Back at the resort, I sweat through a morning yoga session on the beach and afterwards, I'm offered a pair of compression boots from the much-hyped sports brand Hyperice, which guests can get delivered to their door. The boots inflate and deflate at timed intervals, compressing my legs in what is said to help increase circulation and speed up recovery.

While I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to my workout, it doesn't really matter; I am in a state of bliss, relaxing by the ocean and far away from a brutal Canberra winter. In that moment I decide the key to being a resort person is in the resort you choose. For me, one that blends good food, plenty of activities and moments of luxury is easy to get onboard with.

The writer was a guest of the Westin Cam Ranh