Amanoi’s home is in Núi Chúa National Park. Thanks to its status as a Unsecos Global Biosphere Reserve, the resort rests at the heart of a destination working to conserve and regenerate biodiversity. A tropical paradise overlooking Vinh Hy Bay, the hotel team focuses on responsible dining, waste reduction, and the promotion of indigenous culture efforts to improve the quality of life for the wider community on Vietnam’s South-Central Coast.
Waste reduction
Plastic waste is a global problem but Vietnam as a nation is cited as one of the worst affected, responsible for more than 1.8 million tonnes of plastic waste, as referenced in a 2019 report from Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Typical plastic bottles for water take more than 450 years to biodegrade — sidestepping single use brings many benefits. The resort’s new water-filtration bottling plant allows delivery of fresh, filtered water to both guests and team members served in glass bottles. To ensure guests can be serviced at all times of day, bottles have been designed in a number of shapes and sizes and finished with the Aman logo.
Participation in litter pick up events with neighbours from the surrounding region is a weekly occourance for the Amanoi team, providing an opportunity to both interact with other members of the community, work together, and help clean up the beautiful area that the resort calls home. Attending the weekly events also raises awareness of environmental issues within the team that we hope they will take back to their homes - 35% of which are from the local Vinh Hy fishing village - and help to inspire the next generation.
By offering à la carte menus, steering away from buffet-style dining and through careful consideration of food waste, Amanoi is striving to be significantly greener. By way of example, when it comes to food efficiency, the resort’s kitchen follows a nose-to-tail philosophy, aiming to use all parts of each ingredient to create interesting dishes, or alternatively testing new recipes in the staff canteen. In fact, this is part of the resort’s continued efforts to ensure all team members are consuming robust meals and have healthy, balanced diets.
Culinary
Agriculture is a typical way of life for many of those in the small villages around Amanoi. Many local farmers don’t engage with modern techniques, and so by supporting them through supply chains, these Vietnamese rural residents stay in agricultural jobs and are not compelled to move to the city in search of new opportunities. Organic asparagus is just one popular ingredient among Amanoi guests, and the culinary team has relished the opportunity to visit local farmers to learn how they are growing their world-class produce on a small scale.
When compared with favouring local vegetarian ingredients, cutting down meat consumption is gentler on the environment, limits the contribution of methane from cattle to the overall volume of greenhouse gases and helps eliminate emissions in the required transport and storage of animal products. Locally sourced food also supports a community’s economy better, too. Amanoi’s fresh produce and farm-to-table approach to cuisine ensure that all ingredients used across the resort’s dining venues are as rich in flavour and high in nutrition as possible. At Aman, travellers with specific dietary requirements and preferences are always catered for, but in Vietnam it’s especially easy to eschew meat and dairy and feel sated by plant proteins.
Community & Culture
Celebrating the Cham people has always been an important part of Amanoi’s spirit and storytelling. One of 54 recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam, their lost kingdom was called Champa. Today, welcome gifts for guests are are made in a way that supports traditional Cham craftspeople, with the resort organising several experiences that introduce travellers to their culture, including a Cham Village Tour and Sacred Cham Dinner. At end of the dinner, a ceremony is performed by Cham Master following which, guests are often curious to learn more about this Indigenous culture. Furthermore, Amanoi is proud to have many local Raglai people running the resort’s trekking tours and hosting adventures in the national park. 10% of Amanoi team members are from a Cham or Raglai background.
Supporting schoolchildren has always been a priority, with many young people in the province receiving regular schooling. In line with Goal 4 of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Quality Education, the resort is also helping local schools by giving stationery and books, offering English lessons and providing scholarships, offering vocational training for students. Children of Amanoi employees are also invited for an annual day of workshops and site inspections, allowing them to explore and learn about their parents’ workplace. This helps to give a meaningful introduction to hospitality and tourism with the aim of inspiring future careers.