The Best Honeymoon Dinner Spot… Ever

Just imagine the situation. You’ve said the vows, you’ve got the big, white dress to prove it (hopefully without a red wine stain) and you’re finally on the honeymoon. Everything’s going well – great in fact (you’re in Vietnam – so not much to complain about there), when suddenly Mr New-Husband leads you to not just the best dinner spot in the restaurant, but one of the best dinner spots in the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the inverted conical hat table!

This table, designed like an upside-down conical Vietnamese hat, is suspended off the side of Citron restaurant in Da Nang, which is built into the cliffs. When you’re sitting inside it (with 180 degrees views of the ocean in front of you), it feels a little like you are hovering over the Sea on a magic carpet of sorts. Can you imagine eating one of the world’s best cuisines at a table like that?! It really is quite magical.

The table, and restaurant for that matter, are part of the Intercontinental Sun Peninsular Hotel in Da Nang, central Vietnam, which is really quite a spectacular hotel in itself. I have to admit it proved me wrong. I tend to turn my nose up at the big hotel names and chains, in favour of smaller boutique hotels – but after visiting the Intercontinental in Da Nang last year I was forced to eat my words (at an upside-down conical hat table).

But this hotel has all the charm and character of any brilliant boutique hotel. Set on a private beach on a stunning peninsular, the hotel is a wicked mix of Vietnamese traditions and modern creativity – I mean how else could you come up with idea to eat in an upside down hat?!

Set on a hilly terrain over four levels; heaven, sky, earth and beach are connected by a cable car in the shape of a boat. The resort boasts two swimming pools, a beautiful spa, and five restaurants and bars. All the rooms are decorated just as creatively and play with the shapes of local forms such as the geometric silhouette of paper lanterns and the wood-spindled windows of traditional temples and aristocratic residences, while having the latest mod-cons including flat screen TVs and iPod docking stations.

And if eating with your loved one in a hat isn’t enough, you can even gaze into each others’ eyes while sitting in a boat-swing. Like this one here. What more could you want?!

Later this week, I will be teaming up with my colleague Kate again, to give lots more ideas of what you (or your groom!) can do to make your honeymoon in Asia extra special… because let’s be honest, you deserve to be spoilt.

PS Rooms at the Sun Peninsula start at about £220 a night – for more details click here. If you would like me to help organise your stay at The Intercontinental Da Nang as part of your holiday in Vietnam, then please do take a peek at my travel agency page or contact me on here.