Namia River Retreat, Hoi An: where Vietnamese herbology meets the river

Courtesy of Namia River Retreat

On a quiet islet in the Thu Bon River, a short boat ride from Hoi An’s lantern-lit old town, a local son’s homecoming project offers private pool villas and a 90-minute wellness ritual every day, and won One MICHELIN Key in 2026.

The setting

Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s great beauties, and one of its busiest. The old trading port, with its yellow-walled merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls and lanterns reflected in the river, draws crowds in every season. Namia River Retreat offers a way to enjoy it on your own terms. The resort sits on Con Ba Xa, a quiet islet in the Thu Bon River, looking out over water and a forest of nipa palms, yet a short boat ride or bicycle ride from the centre.

It is a homecoming of sorts. Owner Tran Thanh Nam grew up in the village, and the resort says his memories of that childhood are woven through the place. Lumina Wellbeing, led by CEO Michelle Ford, manages the resort with a vision of wellbeing as “a way of life in every part of your stay”. Small Luxury Hotels of the World notes that the islet had eroded and was regenerated using mangroves as a natural retaining wall rather than concrete. The grounds are planted with indigenous species around a bio-pond for birds, bees and butterflies, and the lighting is designed to protect the night sky. Namia opened in 2024 and gained One MICHELIN Key in the 2026 Vietnam selection.

The rooms & villas

Namia is made up entirely of private pool villas; the resort describes itself as the first and only five-star, 100 per cent villa resort in Hoi An. Each villa looks over the Thu Bon River or the nipa palm forest. SLH describes lofty ceilings, neutral tones and sunken bathtubs throughout, with terraces leading to a private pool and outdoor dining area.

The one-bedroom villas, with forest or direct river views, have 62 square metres indoors and 86 square metres of pool and terrace. They come with king or twin beds and indoor and outdoor showers. Two-bedroom family villas, with forest or river views, have 210 square metres in total. The showpiece is the honeymoon villa: 300 square metres with 180-degree river views, a private pool, a sauna, a jacuzzi and an in-villa spa treatment room for two, plus candlelit dinners in a riverside sala.

Much of what fills the rooms comes from close by. According to SLH, the furniture was handmade within 50 kilometres of the resort, and local artisans’ work is displayed throughout.

Eat & drink

Hoi An was once a port where merchants traded spices from East and West, and Namia’s kitchens draw on that history. Ingredients are sourced locally: vegetables from the organic Tra Que village, herbs foraged from the Cham Islands, and produce from nearby fishermen and regenerative farmers, alongside the resort’s own herb garden.

The Merchant is the bustling all-day restaurant and cocktail bar, serving authentic Vietnamese food across two floors with an outdoor terrace and dining pods. Begin the day with a traditional phin filter coffee. A market display sells locally sourced spices, single-origin Vietnamese coffee and handicrafts. The Fisherman, inspired by the waters of Cua Dai Beach and the fishing grounds of the Cham Islands, serves modern seafood, garden-led plates and fire-grilled dishes by the pool, and SLH notes sushi and yakitori too. For a special occasion, The Merchant River Cruise takes dining onto the Thu Bon at sunset or after dark.

Wellness

Wellness here is the point, not an add-on. Namia calls itself a wellness-inclusive resort: every guest receives a 90-minute wellness journey every night of their stay, with a 30-minute hydrotherapy session and a 60-minute traditional therapy. The program draws on Southern Herbology (Thuốc Nam), the folk remedies that many Vietnamese families still use every day.

At Lumina Wellbeing & Spa, each journey begins with a visit to a traditional apothecary, where you choose herbal remedies for the steam. A river-view terrace pairs a cold plunge pool with a sauna, and there is a hammam. Treatments include Dien Chan facial reflexology, Vietnamese massage and cupping. SLH also describes circadian lighting in the interiors, designed to reinforce natural cycles of day and night.

Wellness here is the point, not an add-on.

Daily yoga, breathing and meditation classes add to the rhythm, as does a wishing-tree ritual to start the day with good intentions.

Beyond the resort

Namia’s daily program is built around Hoi An’s people and crafts. Guests can visit the workshops of local woodcarvers, potters, weavers and bronzesmiths, and join full-moon light rituals with the Hoi An community. Bamboo bicycles are available for trails through the nipa palm forest, and there are basket-boat paddles around the islet, Vespa tours through the riverfront and countryside, cooking classes with the chefs and sunset river cruises.

Then there is the old town itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complimentary boat shuttle makes it easy to slip in for the lanterns at night and slip back out to the quiet of the islet.

When to go

Hoi An is at its best from roughly February to April, when days are warm and mostly dry. June to August is hot and humid, good for the pools and early-morning cycling. The rainy season runs from about September to December, bringing heavy rain and, in some years, flooding along the riverfront in the old town. Each month, on the full moon, Hoi An dims its lights for its lantern evenings, and Namia’s own full-moon light rituals tie in with that tradition.

Who it’s for

Namia is for travellers who want to slow down properly, with wellness as the main event, and for those who love Hoi An but prefer to retreat from its crowds. Couples will be drawn to the honeymoon villa and river views, and the two-bedroom villas make it easy for families. Its hyper-local approach, from staff to sourcing, will matter to guests who care where their money goes; SLH notes that most staff live within 20 kilometres.

It is not a beach resort. The nearest beaches are a drive away, and the experience is about the river, the spa and the town.

This guide was researched independently from published sources; Cosmopolitan Courier was not compensated.