I found Vietnam's best-kept secret: a serene port town with sun, sea and heritage

Cam Ranh isn't a name that rolls easily off everyone's tongue - not yet anyway. But maybe that's part of its charm. It still feels like a secret. In fact, before my trip, almost everyone I told about Cam Ranh responded with a puzzled look, not because I mispronounced it (I hope), but because they simply hadn't heard of it. Even a friend who'd been to Vietnam three times was stumped, unsure where exactly it was on the map.

Cam Ranh is a port city in southern Khanh Hoa Province, located in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. Known for its long, sandy beaches and clear emerald waters, it's an emerging travel destination just south of Nha Trang.

From Ho Chi Minh City airport, it's a quick one-hour flight to Cam Ranh and then just a short drive to my destination - the Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh - where the promise of beaches, warm breezes and a slower pace awaits.

After checking in, it doesn't take long to settle into the relaxed rhythm of life at the resort. Whether it's unwinding at the tranquil spa, catching ocean views from the fitness centre, or trying your hand at kayaking, yoga, or a game of tennis, the resort makes it easy to do as much - or as little - as you like.

For me, a massage is my ultimate travel indulgence. At the resort's ESC Spa, the deep tissue massage had me cracking in places I didn't even know could crack, while the aromatherapy treatment left me feeling like jelly and smelling fresh enough to bottle.

Every room and suite at the resort comes with a balcony and sweeping ocean views, while the pool villas offer a little extra indulgence with private terraces, a cabana and your own pool. When it comes to dining, there's no shortage of choice. The six restaurants and bars, plus room service, mean you're never far from something delicious.

For me, it was all about going back and forth between two favourites: Blu Lobster, with its freshly caught seafood, and Sunrise, just off the lobby, serving up a global mix of flavours that kept things interesting each day. And if you're after a quiet spot with a view, the Executive Lounge on the 13th floor offers the best seat in the house, with panoramic views across Cam Ranh Bay.

I was told the resort was at 70 per cent capacity during my stay, yet it never felt that way. The layout is so thoughtfully spaced, with quiet corners and private pathways, that it was easy to feel like you had the place almost to yourself. Even in shared spaces, there was a calm, unhurried atmosphere.

The water, wherever I found it, whether in the private plunge pool at the villa, the gently lapping sea or one of the resort's serene public pools, felt more like a bath than a bracing dip. It wasn't quite refreshing in the traditional sense, but it wrapped around me in a way that seemed to lift the weight of the heat.

But Cam Ranh isn't just sand and sunrise. It's also sound. And as I moved inland, one detail hummed constantly: the horn. I often heard a gentle rhythm of beeps from scooters, trucks and drivers pulse through the roads, like a rolling Morse code saying, "I'm here" or "I'm coming around." It felt worlds apart from what I was used to back in Australia, where the horn is usually reserved for frustration or emergencies.

Amid the dusty roads and long stretches of farmland, sits an ancient mango orchard, where the trees are older than many of the nearby buildings and heavy with fruit. I had never really considered mangoes beyond the glossy supermarket versions - sliced, juiced or diced into sticky rice.

But this visit shifted everything.

Here, mangoes aren't just fruit, they're heritage. They become dried snacks, soft candies, drinks and even cakes, the last of which I helped shape by hand. There's something quietly special about peeling, mixing and pressing mango pulp under the trees that grew it.

And then, that drink, a chilled mango juice, pure and slightly tart, was easily one of the most refreshing things I've tasted in Vietnam's midday heat.

When curiosity pulls you beyond the coastal town, Nha Trang waits.

Lang Nghe Truong Son offers a vibrant immersion into Vietnam's rich heritage. Here, artisans demonstrate traditional crafts such as mat weaving, conical hat making, music and fishing net knitting.

The writer was a guest of the resort