Situated on Au islet (Con Au), Azerai Can Tho offers a tranquil river island retreat in the heart of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Whether you need a break from city life or need a base or stopover when exploring the Mekong Delta, Azerai is a perfect place to stay.
Can Tho isn’t a well-known name on travel maps, but the beautiful and unique setting of this recently opened resort makes me want to come back to it as a destination on its own. We will explain what we like (almost everything), what we don’t like (almost nothing) and how to get there in this Azerai Can Tho review.
After living in a quiet and peaceful town in Illinois for a long time, it’s quite difficult for me to get used to the hustle and bustle of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). We badly needed a laid back vacation, away from city noises and chaotic traffic. Azerai Can Tho came up in my search for a secluded resort near Ho Chi Minh city. It turns out Azerai is a new hotel chain established by Adrian Zecha, founder of the famous Aman chain. If you need a secluded oasis vacation while not ready to pay Aman price yet, come to Azerai Can Tho.
How to Get to Can Tho and Azerai
Azerai Can Tho is only accessible by boat and the resort has their own boats to take you from the arrival pavilion in Can Tho to the islet. So you just need to figure out how to get to Can Tho city :).
From Ho Chi Minh city (HCMC), the only transportation option is by car and the journey takes about 3.5 to 4 hours depending on traffic.
My partner’s cousin, who runs a travel company in Hanoi, put us in touch with a private driver in HCMC. It cost us 2,500,000 VND (approximately $110) for a round trip to Can Tho in an SUV. The resort can also arrange transportation in an SUV for you, which will cost you $150-200 one way.
There are also coaches and DCar 9-seat limousines running multiple times between HCMC and Can Tho daily. Prices range from 100,000 – 200,000 VND per ticket each way.
The road can get bumpy or congested during some parts of the trip but it isn’t too terrible. I would give the level of comfort of the ride in a Toyota Fortuner a score of 7 out of 10.
Direct domestic flights to Can Tho depart from Hanoi (2 hours), Danang (1.5 hours), Phu Quoc (1 hour) and Con Dao (1 hour). I personally try to stick with Vietnam airlines when flying domestically.
First Impression of Azerai Can Tho
Our driver picked us up a little after 6 and we arrived at Azerai pavilion at almost 10. The arrival center is spacious, bright and airy with a high ceiling. We enjoyed some fresh fruits while staff checked us in. We were then taken to the pier where an Azerai boat was waiting to take us to the islet. The boat ride was only 2-3 minutes and very comfortable.
Upon reaching the dock on Au islet, staff greeted us and took us to the lobby. Since we came early, our room wasn’t ready yet. Resort staff showed us around and provided info about activities onsite and in Can Tho. Everyone we met upon arriving was kind, helpful and trying their best to make us feel welcoming.
After having a short walk around the lobby and pool area, we decided to sit down for a late breakfast at the Cafe. My inner self was screaming with joy to see how peaceful and quiet this place is. A beautiful idyllic oasis set amongst charming banyan trees and lush gardens!
Public Areas
Azerai is derived from the Persian word “caravanserai”, which means a resting place laid out around a central courtyard. The central courtyard at Azerai Can Tho is the pool area, surrounded by the lobby, restaurants, spa and villas.
All the buildings are tastefully designed with light and natural finish, blending well with the setting of the island. Nothing looks heavy or busy here. The banyan trees on the islet make the place very charming and atmospheric. I felt as if time stood still here and I could enjoy slow island life, completely ignoring what was going on in the outside world.
Accommodation
Lake view room at Azerai Can Tho
Azerai Can Tho has 60 rooms, with choices of garden, lake or river views. Each room is 35 square meters and I think they all have the same layout. Garden view rooms offer the least amount of privacy. Although river view rooms have more privacy, someone in the neighboring villa can still see you if you lounge on the outdoor terrace. They upgraded us to room #9 which has river view.
Though I enjoyed every minute of our stay, the room was what I like the least about Azerai Can Tho. The room seems quite basic to me, but everything is new and clean. The TV is placed on the wall next to the bed which seems so weird.
Bedroom at Azerai Can Tho. The TV is on the left wall.
I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable staying inside the room for a significant amount of time since it’s quite small. Good thing is there is an outdoor covered terrace with loungers to relax, enjoy the greenery and fresh air and listen to birds chirping. We even spotted 5 monkeys from our terrace. At this price point, given how exclusive the setting is (which I enjoy a lot), I’m okay with the smallish room and somewhat basic in-room amenities.
