Anantara is not only one of Asia’s leading luxury hotel brands, it is also a pioneer in sustainability. Anantara now invites guests to discover Southeast Asia the slow way, with a series of experiences designed for sustainability-minded travelers.
Mekong Kingdoms is a three-day, two-night journey along the Mekong River.
Sustainable travel in Asia
For years, Anantara has worked to preserve the destinations in which it operates, contributing to social and environmental projects and supporting local communities through local engagement. Some of its most notable initiatives include a coral reef conservation project in the Maldives and an elephant conservation programme in Thailand.
The brand is also constantly looking for new ways for its customers to interact more sustainably with their travel destinations.
The Vietage by Anantara is the only luxury railway experience in Vietnam.
Sustainable rail travel in Vietnam
Train travel is making a comeback around the world, but Anantara has been at it for a while. This year, one of its most popular experiences, a luxury train that takes visitors on a slow journey through Vietnam, was extended to include a second route.
Vietage by Anantara now operates a second railway carriage, offering a daily round trip between the southern Vietnamese coastal resort of Nha Trang and Quy Nhon, a former fishing village known for its pristine beaches and beautiful coral reef.
The new line is an extension of the existing rail service between Da Nang and Quy Nhon. Together, the two lines offer a one-of-a-kind luxury trip to explore Vietnam’s south-central coast, not just a way for people to get from point A to point B, as explained Kate Jones, Anantara’s PR director in Vietnam.
Vietage by Anantara offers a rail connection between UNESCO-listed Hoi An and Da Nang in the north … [+]
From Da Nang to Nha Trang, via Quy Nhon
“It’s an added experience as part of your overall vacation, allowing you to see parts of the country you never would have been able to glimpse from 35,000 feet, an experience reminiscent of a nostalgic way of traveling in a sophisticated, moving at a slow pace, while enjoying refined service with silverware and the option to dress for the occasion,” she says.
The two six-hour journeys slowly wind through the Vietnamese countryside, allowing passengers to spot water buffalo, Vietnam’s national animal, as well as lotus ponds, rice fields and all the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia. This, in addition to long stretches of coastline and glistening bays facing the East Sea, before the train heads inland to the mountainous province of Phú Yên, home to one of the communities of the Champa people of Vietnam.
Watch daily Vietnamese life unfold from your private cabin aboard Vietage by Anantara.
“There’s nothing quite like it!” exclaims Kate Jones. “Sit in your private booth drinking a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee cà phê sữa đá or a locally inspired cocktail, while watching daily Vietnamese life pass by, from fishermen casting their nets to lotus ponds in full bloom and rice fields in bloom ready for harvest.”
The experience connects two of Anantara’s most popular hotels: Anantara Hoi An Resort, with its postcard-perfect setting in the heart of Hoi An Ancient Town, the world heritage-listed ancient town of UNESCO, famous for its colorful lanterns and fairytale riverboats, and Anantara Quy. Nhon Villas, one of the most luxurious resorts in Vietnam.
Anantara has partnered with Loy Pela to offer river cruises along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok.
River cruises and Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand
In Thailand, Anantara has partnered with Loy Pela to offer a magnificent river cruise along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. Sailing along the historic River of Kings, guests have the opportunity to experience Thailand’s natural beauty, culinary delights, cultural heritage and past. This journey offered by Anatara Riverside Bangkok connects Thailand’s vibrant modern capital, Bangkok, with the ancient capital, Ayutthaya.
In northern Thailand, specifically in the remote mountainous province of Chiang Rai, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort invites guests to embark on a three-day, two-night journey along the Mekong River from Anantara Luang Prabang to Laos. The journey aboard the Gypsy, an exclusive 134-foot rice barge with just two luxury cabins, is filled with local activities and festivals, as well as visits to remote elephant camps, silk weaving villages and ancient caves.
Back at Anantara Golden Triangle, guests can also bond with the elephants in the resort’s guardian village and even sponsor one of them. There is a jungle spa offering healing treatments inspired by local wisdom and designed to enhance well-being.
Dining under the canopy at Anantara Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai.
Canopy is another popular experience in Anantara’s Golden Triangle. It is a treetop dining experience, where breathtaking jungle views provide the backdrop for a unique culinary adventure. Diners enjoy panoramic views of the region where northeastern Myanmar, northwestern Thailand and northern Laos meet, known as Thailand’s Golden Triangle, from a treetop pod.
