Weekly Coconut Harvesting Experience

At most luxury resorts, a drink begins behind a bar. Yet at The Anam Cam Ranh, it begins up in a tree. The Indochine-era inspired resort on Vietnam’s Cam Ranh peninsula encourages guests to take part in a new weekly coconut harvesting experience, held every Thursday from 10am – 11am at the entrance of the resort’s wellness and recreation precinct, that involves drinking fresh coconuts, eating their flesh and then some.

Gardeners scale the resort’s coconut palms to harvest mature coconuts in full view of guests before demonstrating how to properly trim and open, a notoriously difficult skill as many first-time visitors to Vietnam discover. Guests are guided through the different stages of coconut growth, how long coconuts take to mature, the signs of peak ripeness, and why younger coconuts produce sweeter water while more mature coconuts yield thicker flesh.

Opened within minutes of harvest, the coconuts offer lightly sweet water naturally rich in electrolytes including potassium and magnesium. Guests also learn about the nutritional benefits of coconut meat, which contains healthy fats and fibre and has long featured in Vietnamese cuisine and traditional wellness practices.

“A freshly harvested coconut, in my opinion, resonates more than a glass of champagne,” said The Anam Group’s General Manager Laurent Myter. “We have received great feedback from our guests so far about this simple yet authentic experience. Learning the story behind the humble coconut further connects you to Vietnam’s remarkable landscape.”

The coconut harvesting experience forms part of The Anam Cam Ranh’s wider wellness and recreation precinct that includes an organic farm, running track, 18-hole mini-golf course, driving range, tennis court, soccer field, and more.

Fresh eggs collected from the farm appear at the resort’s breakfast service. Fruit, vegetables, and herbs harvested from the farm are incorporated into Vietnamese and international dishes on offer. Red amaranth, for example, is used in prawn broth, Vietnamese pennywort features in traditional salads, and morning glory appears in the resort’s beef salad at Lang Viet Restaurant. Passionfruit, cucumber, mint, and green calamansi are also used in sauces and cocktails served at Lang Viet, The Beach Club, The Indochine, The Colonial and Saigon Bar.