Helly Tong – known as the “Environmental Ambassador” for her healthy lifestyle, love of nature and a series of business and art projects aiming at sustainable values. Recently, Helly visited Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, one of the leading beach resorts in Vietnam that puts sustainable development as the core value of the brand as well as the operating model. Helly Tong has participated in many meaningful activities to protect the environment and participated in the global campaign 'Say No to Plastic' - Plastic Free Campaign of the Six Senses brand.
Since the 1990s, water bottles packaged in glass containers have become a signature image throughout Six Senses resorts. The Six Senses brand has been conscious of reducing plastic use and building a “plastic-free” journey since its early years. After 18 years of operation, continuing to respond to the global Plastic Free campaign, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay marked an important step forward when it officially put into operation Ninh Van Greens – the first solar farm complex built in the resort with the desire to create a sustainable renewable energy source for the resort as well as bring meaningful “green” experiences to customers, honoring the values of origin and sustainable tourism.
Last June, Helly Tong visited Six Senses Ninh Van Bay and the resort's Ninh Van Green complex, participated in fun entertainment activities, and learned about the resort's sustainable operating model. Let's follow Helly on her journey to discover the beauty of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay that captivated her!
This is the third time Helly Tong has returned to visit Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, but this time Helly has had a completely new experience, especially when the resort has launched a complex using renewable energy by using solar energy in parallel with agricultural cultivation. Not only did she join the resort's staff in workshops making soap from coconut oil and natural herbal fragrances harvested directly from the organic garden, Helly also had the opportunity to visit the complex, personally harvest and choose ingredients for her cooking class in this garden, and then prepare a light lunch with the Six Senses chef at the Farmhouse restaurant. Having lunch with dishes prepared and processed by herself, the lunch will certainly be more flavorful and lighter when using the cleanest and freshest organic ingredients.
Overview of Ninh Van Greens complex: Known as the first resort in Vietnam to apply the solar power model, the entire Ninh Van Greens solar energy complex of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is built to produce and regenerate 12 different sustainable resources such as solar power, organic vegetables and filtered water for the resort. Ninh Van Greens stands out with its design of 800 solar panels built along the hillside, covering the organic garden below called Solar FreshCuts with an area of 1600m2. As of January 2023, after coming into operation, Ninh Van Greens has produced more than 226,916 kWh of electricity, providing 17% of the resort's energy. In addition, 31 types of crops and 15 types of fruit trees planted below have provided 580kg of vegetables and fruits for Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. Guests staying at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay will have the opportunity to visit the garden and participate in cooking classes, recycling workshops at Alchemy Bar or enjoy vegan dishes at Farmhouse restaurant.
Visiting the natural drinking water filtration plant 'Crystal Water Plant', part of the Ninh Van Greens project, Helly learned firsthand about the process of filtering and reusing natural clean water, and how the resort creates a cycle of zero plastic waste and CO2 emissions during the production process. Up to now, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay has produced an average of 11,000 liters of filtered water per month, packaged more than 130,000 glass water bottles, reducing 4 tons of plastic waste to the environment. Furthermore, all revenue from bottled water will be put into a sustainable development fund to bring clean water to more than 3,000 local people in remote areas through the "Water for All" project. Sharing her thoughts on her personal page, Helly Tong said: "The day I arrived at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, in addition to the majestic nature of the sea and mountains, I was also surprised by the sustainable efforts with the environment every day of the resort and each individual on this beautiful island."
The rich nature of Ninh Van Bay is the favorite habitat of the Black-shanked Douc Langur - a rare animal listed in the Vietnam Red Book and at high risk of extinction. Since 2020, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay has cooperated with the Green Viet wildlife conservation organization to implement a conservation program for this rare species. After 2 years of conservation and care efforts, more than 40 langurs have been born, adding to the total number of 149 langurs living in the ecosystem around Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. Guests are sometimes lucky enough to admire the beauty of this rare animal near their villas, or follow the resort's wildlife conservation expert on a mountain climbing trip to see the Black-shanked Douc Langur and explore the biodiversity of nature here.
Helly had an interesting journey with Ms. Quynh - the resort's biologist on an early morning mountain climbing trip to explore the colorful nature at Hon Heo and watch this rare but somewhat shy animal. As a person interested in wildlife conservation, the trip was like a picnic of like-minded people, with endless laughter and interesting knowledge exchange.
In addition to terrestrial animal conservation projects, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is also surrounded by an extremely rich marine ecosystem, most notably the biologically diverse natural coral reefs, which are a wonderful wonder for any tourist who is passionate about diving. This is also the activity that Helly Tong is very passionate about. Here, she had an exciting experience planting corals in artificial coral frame structures and planting them in the ocean. On the coral frame is a wooden nameplate with Helly's name engraved on it so that when she returns to the resort in the future, she can see the growth of the corals she planted herself. This is part of the Save the Reef project, where guests can buy artificial coral frames and participate in planting corals. Corals planted on the frame will be more resistant to weather and climate factors, and grow faster.
In addition, to mark this memorable vacation, Helly Tong and the team of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay resort planted a tree named after Helly at the resort, marking her companionship and support for the "Trees for Community" forest planting project of Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, raising funds for sustainable development with the aim of planting 10,000 new trees to restore upstream forests in Central Vietnam.
Located in Ninh Van Bay, amidst an impressive space with pristine golden sand beaches against a backdrop of lush green mountains, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay has 62 pool villas scattered on cliffs, mid-hills and along the beach, creating a space that blends into the beautiful nature. Coming to Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, visitors can enjoy many family activities, culinary experiences and excursions. In particular, Six Senses Spa will awaken all of visitors' senses with traditional Vietnamese treatments and comprehensive health care treatments.
About Six Senses Group
Six Senses manages 21 hotels and resorts in 17 countries, with 35 new properties signed with the goal of developing a stronger system in the future. As part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses is committed to always being a leader in local community development activities, protecting the environment, being dedicated to customers, and enhancing mental and physical health. All of these core values are always maintained wherever the brand is present: in the high mountains, on islands, or in the middle of bustling cities. All are directed towards a common goal, surpassing the usual experiential tourism values to create a space that awakens the senses so that people, nature and themselves can be more connected.
Six Senses Residences is fully equipped with modern facilities according to the standards of a top-class resort but still does not lose its own delicate beauty suitable for each individual. The benefits from long-term investment will bring many values to the owner and to the next generations through special benefits when using services at all resorts or hotels in the same Six Senses system.
Six Senses Spas offers a wide range of health and beauty treatments under the technical advice and guidance of industry leaders at each resort and independent spa. A high-tech approach to holistic health, integrative medicine and longevity is used.
