Inaugurated at the end of 2022, the Hamptons Pier in Ho Tram on the south coast of Vietnam is claimed by its owners to be Asia’s longest. Standing at the wind-battered end of it, the word “folly” comes to mind. After all, that is exactly what it is.
It looks like a working maritime pier, but it is pretty much ornamental. The 270-metre jetty is built purely for leisurely enjoyment of sunrises and sunsets. Resort life, Vietnam style .
.. the Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort Vietnam.
At the land end of it is the open-air Hamptons Plaza. Where the pier and mall meet, there’s a beach club with a pool, behind which is an avenue of shops and eateries. It’s all a bit generic – nothing about it says Vietnam, and nothing about it says Hamptons, either, for that matter, other than that name.
In an age when authenticity of experience is a ubiquitous goal in tourism development, the disregard for that gives me pause for thought. But the Vietnam tourism industry isn’t pausing – at least, post-pandemic. The South-East Asian nation is going gangbusters when it comes to tourism.
With 12.6 million international visitors in 2023, the country’s Tourism Development Strategy is targeting 18 million arrivals by 2025 and 35 million by 2030. Your Hamtons-esque villa awaits (for a fraction of the price).
Ho Tram is an undiscovered gem that’s ripe to play a big part in that. There are a few big-name resorts here, but more are coming. That includes a casino resort, with 9000 rooms and an 18.
