A rambling thought, in the resort area by the old lighthouse.

Ke Ga Cape is located about 30 km from the center of Phan Thiet city in Binh Thuan province. It's not a popular choice for tourists visiting Binh Thuan due to its remoteness and lack of amenities; however, it will be an attractive destination for those who appreciate tranquility, antiquity, and history. Standing proudly on the rocks in the sea here is the Ke Ga Lighthouse – the oldest lighthouse in Vietnam.

Standing 65 meters tall and operational since 1900, it is recognized as the tallest and oldest lighthouse in Southeast Asia. Azerai Ke Ga Bay, where we stayed in Ke Ga, is also the only 5-star resort with a panoramic view of this lighthouse.

***

The bartender's cheeks flushed.

5 PM, the sky was overcast.

- Could you choose a really strong cocktail for me?

- And I'd like this mocktail, blended with a shot of vodka.

The waiter seemed somewhat confused by the request from the only two guests in the lounge. We were equally confused when we realized he wasn't a professional bartender.

"If you want something 'strong,' how about a Long Island Iced Tea?" the waiter suggested to V, my boyfriend. "As for your order... I'm afraid adding vodka would make it hard to drink."

But…

Okay, please wait a moment, I'll call the bartender over.

We sat in silence, looking at each other, waiting. The plan for a "sunset afternoon" was ruined. Outside, it looked like it was about to rain, and the atmosphere inside the lounge was equally awkward.

After two minutes, the bartender appeared. A man in his thirties, reserved and gentle. What particularly caught our attention was his rosy cheeks and a perpetual smile on his lips. He looked like someone tipsy. Immediately, we exchanged delighted glances: this was exactly what we needed for our drinks – that intoxicating, euphoric feeling that not every bartender possesses!

The cheerful bartender took the order – Mai Tai for V and an alcoholic mocktail for me – then stepped back behind the bar. The moment his figure disappeared, a new stage appeared outside the window: a herd of cows proudly strolling by, their tails drawn to the sunset stretching across the beach.

We both forgot about our drinks and rushed straight to where the herd of cows was leisurely parading. There were only two villagers leading the procession, with a line of easily fifty cows following behind them. At the back were a few playful calves, stopping every now and then to enjoy the sunset, until they realized they had left their herd far behind, at which point they sprinted off like the wind.

Somewhere in the sky, the gloomy gray clouds still lingered – a looming threat of rain. But never mind, the stage before us was now illuminated only by the sunset. Not as glorious as the sunny days, but still majestic.PeopleThe aura it emitted was still enough to make us take our hats off in admiration. And so it continued.PeopleIt stole away the moment, leaving us motionless and immersed in the sand.

"Oh no, the drinks!" – I suddenly realized I'd forgotten about another reality in the lounge. Turning around, I saw two staff members standing in the distance, having been watching us for some time. One was holding drinks, the other was holding complimentary food. Upon catching our hurried gazes, they both chuckled and approached with their drinks. All communication was done through eye contact.

And so we had an ideal "sunset" like in any romantic story. And the two drinks? There was nothing to criticize, and no memories to compare them to. They were a gift from the sea, from the resort, and from the gentle people here; we received and savored the wine with gratitude, savoring it completely on our tongues, permeating all our senses.

Turning around, they spotted the bartender still standing in the distance, waiting. The two of them bowed slightly and grinned broadly, instead of saying, "It was delicious, thank you." The bartender was just waiting for that, responding with his usual cheerful smile.

***

The young girl's eyes sparkled.

7 PM, it was drizzling.

On Tuesday, there seemed to be no other guests besides the two of us. (Who goes to the beach on a rainy Monday morning?...). It was also our second evening dining at the resort's restaurant. This time it was more interesting, as the resort manager joined us.

We chose an outdoor table, the closest to the sea. The beach had turned a deep black by now, occasionally a wave rolled in, shimmering smoothly like velvet. The most captivating sight was to the east, where the lighthouse leisurely cast a sparkling pearl of light into the dark sky.

"You look like an artist, don't you?" the girl asked me, hesitantly beginning the conversation after the initial greeting.

"Wow, he looks even more like an artist!" she exclaimed, catching a glimpse of V approaching the table from a distance.

Those two sentences were enough, and I immediately forgot who was sitting opposite me; all I knew was that before me was a young girl; from her hair to her figure, her face, every feature was delicate and lively.

The dinner mainly revolved around the girl's story. V and I took turns asking her questions, like people greedily exploring the life of a local. She grew up in Phan Thiet, spent a long time in Saigon studying at university and working. She also had several jobs in the hospitality industry in the city, and now she's returned here, her hometown.

Life in Ke Ga must be very different from Saigon, right?

- Yes, Saigon is vibrant, but at Azerai... every day is the same.

"But you're only in your twenties," V interrupted. "Isn't choosing a peaceful life at this age too early?"

The girl fell silent.

In that hesitant moment of "questioning," I suddenly realized the stark contrast between the three people at the dinner table. V and I—the more "worn-out" ones—aggressively praised a nomadic lifestyle; this young woman, on the other hand, had abandoned that very lifestyle to choose a slower, more stable pace.

- Living like this… are you happy?

- Yes!

The girl replied with a smile. V leaned out towards the sea, offering no further comment. Meanwhile, I suddenly thought of the times my friends had said, "You're so cheerful lately!" - "How do you know?" - "Because your eyes sparkle!"

I had never seen that "sparkle" in my own eyes when looking in the mirror, and I wondered if it was just an illusion my friends had conjured up. But now, right now, I'm witnessing it.twinkleA sparkle lit up in the girl's eyes when she heard the word "happiness".

With that evidence, how could we possibly have any doubts?

Far behind the girl, the lighthouse continued to diligently emit its pearly light. However, I'm not sure now which light is more vibrant, the old lighthouse or the young girl's eyes.

***

"Where are the souls of those from bygone eras now?"

At 7 a.m., the weather was clear.

We'll be checking out of the resort at 12 noon today. After two days stuck here in the rain and wind, the storm has passed and the sun is shining brightly this morning, so we've finally decided to... spend one last time here.

The first person we asked to meet was the Sous Chef, who was in charge of the resort's restaurants and also the one who prepared our meals. Usually, meeting with guests is the Head Chef's job, but the Head Chef had been absent for the past few days, so the Sous Chef – doing this for the first time – was a little nervous and hesitant.

It took a lot of persuasion before he finally agreed to sit down with us (instead of standing like a waiter), and it took him a while longer before he comfortably started telling us about his profession. It turned out he had been a chef here since...old days- before Azerai appeared and this place was still the Princess D'Annam resort.

While V expressed her gratitude for the delicious food he had cooked, I was busy devouring the banana cakes (which were incredibly tasty) on the table and paying attention to what was happening around us. The Sous Chef sitting with the diners seemed like an unprecedented "phenomenon," and the staff watched us from a distance with curiosity and amusement. Some giggled, some gave the Sous Chef a look that said, "Be confident!", and one brought him a glass of water. The Sous Chef, who had been chatting, suddenly paused, looked down at his glass of water, then looked up and smiled genuinely:"Were you offered drinks too?".

The second person we unexpectedly met on the way from the restaurant back to our room was the garden manager. V was fascinated by every single plant here, so meeting this person was like striking gold for her.

When we met him, he had just finished his morning gardening work. After listening to our explanation and "pleading," he immediately agreed to organize a garden tour for the two of us; from one garden to another, the story of each tree was interwoven with his own story. Like the Sous Chef, he was also someone who had been attached to this resort since its early days; he was the only one who knew all the old trees in the resort best. Or even the new trees that Azerai brought in later, he found a way to communicate with and understand them.

The Garden Tour concluded when he led us into an "internal" garden, where hundreds of tiny seedlings were neatly arranged side by side, being nurtured by him, awaiting a new generation to grow day by day.

At 11 a.m., on our way to the beach, we met Ms. Tú in the lobby of the restaurant; she was the last person we spoke to before leaving.

Ms. Tú (I was secretly observing her from the name tag pinned to her shirt), the restaurant manager, has also worked here since the days of Princess D'Annam. We hadn't intended to meet her; we were just passing by, exchanged greetings, and then she stopped us and asked us questions in a very warm and caring manner.

- What time will the car come to pick you two up?

- In 30 minutes.

Have you all had lunch yet?

- Not yet.

"Well then..." Tú decided after a moment, "...I'll give you two a gift, okay?"

- ...Yes?

- Here are two glasses of "Goodbye" water for you two; it will be helpful for your journey ahead.

So we settled back down on the Terrace, waiting for a Farewell gift from someone we'd just met.

When she brought out the two glasses of drinks, Ms. Tú introduced them one by one: one glass contained strawberries, lemongrass, basil leaves, etc., and the other contained oranges, chrysanthemums, mint leaves, etc. According to her, both drinks help increase alertness and stabilize blood pressure, which would help us continue our long journey in the car without getting tired.

But the thoughtfulness I was talking about wasn't in those two glasses of water.nameless.I found Tú's thoughtfulness endearing when she showed us her... vegetable garden. It was a small garden, only about 8 square meters, nestled in the sun and wind near the swimming pool and beach. There, Tú grew a little bit of everything. "Lemongrass, mint, basil, lime... the lemons in your drinks are all ingredients harvested from that garden!"

"It's not for supplying food to restaurants; that garden is just where I'm trying to grow some plants I like, and now I have enough to make drinks for everyone."

***

Beautiful, and soulful.

Not long after the trip, I happened to read an interview with Adrian Zecha, the founder of the Azerai brand. In it, there was a passage that went like this:

I want Azerai to be a collection of hotels and resorts that guests will want to return to again and again. To achieve that, we must first focus on the 'hardware' – the architecture and design of the hotels – but more importantly, on the 'software' – the staff. They are the ones who embody the soul of the hotel, demonstrating hospitality and creating a friendly environment that makes guests want to stay longer.

A beautiful resort might be the reason someone decides to visit in the first place, but it's the authenticity and genuine hospitality that keep them coming back again and again.

How should I put it? A truly insightful interview, accurately describing what we felt at Azerai Ke Ga Bay.

Beautiful, and soulful.