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HOT SPOT
I
t took about an hour to get to the
resort from Hanoi and once I was
there, the smell of grass and flow-
ers as well as the quietness made
me feel a lifetime away from the urban
hustle and bustle.
At the foot of an acacia forested
hill is the reception which stands in
the midst of 123ha of space. I took an
electric car for a trip around the resort,
but had I had time I would have opted
for a peaceful cycle ride around its four
peninsulas and small island.
The undulating terrain of hills,
lakes and forests creates a stunning
background. We drove between colour-
ful flower fields and trees. The driver
told me that the flowers are seasonal,
hence each time people come here they
can see the place in a different light.
On the right side was a yellow and
green band of pinto peanut plants set
aside two long rows of trees creating a
poetic scene.
So far, the developers have built 26
lake-view and hilltop villas which are
ready for lease. However, Flamingo Dai
Lai is actually a vacation home resort
with many Hanoians coming to buy
a piece of land to build their second
home. And here they are dream homes:
a white villa in classic European archi-
tectural style sits in a yellow daisy gar-
den, while nearby a Vietnamese palace
with the symbol of a lotus on the front
door is surrounded by many sculptures.
From each villa, views of a wide
open scene of colourful flower gardens,
green forests, the immense lake and
the looming mountains of Tam Dao are
visible.
Many facilities have been integrat-
ed, such as a golf course, gym and spa,
a conference hall and restaurants.
I saw many people walking alone
or in groups and every face showed
pure relaxation and joy. The natural
landscape has been kept pristine and
thanks to the lakes, mountains and
nearly 10,000 hectares of forest, the
air is so pure that every breath is a pre-
cious gift.
As the car turned onto a red soil
road within a pine forest, I gazed over
a large lawn nearby Dai Lai lake. The
lawn would be a perfect outdoor place
to organise a vibrant event for up to
1,500 people, or a memorable private
place for lovebirds to enjoy sweet time
together.
Not far from there is a boat station
where you can go kayaking or cruising
on the beautiful lake and a beach with
sand and clear waters. Nearby, the pine
forest is home to a wonder park with 40
smart wooden playthings for children.
29 year old Oanh Dang spent one
day in the resort taking pre-wedding
photos: “I have travelled a lot and seen
most landscapes in Vietnam, and I have
lived in the UK and Singapore, but the
beauty of this resort still left a great im-
pression on me. We did not need to set
up much because the place has almost
all we need for terrific photo shoots.”
It would be a very big mistake not
to mention the two buildings which
helped create the resort’s fame: the
conference hall and Bamboo Wings
Café and Restaurant. They are mas-
terpieces of architecture, designed by
the young talented architect, Vo Trong
Nghia, who has received prestigious in-
ternational architectural awards.
The Dai Lai Conference Hall looks
like a fortified blockhouse with a long
rustic stone wall along the outside and
a luxurious and sophisticated interior
with bamboo bounded and interlaced.
Meanwhile, Bamboo Wings is elegant
and charming, with curved bundles of
bamboo shaped like bird wings. Bam-
boo Wings is surrounded by water and
smooth green lawns.
It is a rare feat to achieve this bal-
ance of modernity and nature, but the
splendid five star Flamingo Dai Lai Re-
sort has made this dream come true. I
feel like this is not really a dream land
for quick visits however, it is a land in
which you will wish to spend a lifetime.
A LAND OF DREAMS
Hong Nguyen
takes
a trip to Flamingo
Dai Lai Resort and
finds everything she
has ever imagined a
dream home to be
22
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