Vietnam's south-central coast has a new heavyweight: Meliá Serenity Cam Ranh Beach Resort welcomed its first guests on 1 October 2026 on Bai Dai Beach, a 10-kilometre ribbon of sand sitting between Cam Ranh and Nha Trang. The resort is one of the first in the country to go all-inclusive at this scale, and Meliá is clearly betting big on the destination — the opening is the latest move in the Spanish group's steady expansion across Vietnam.

The numbers are substantial. The full build-out calls for 802 rooms, suites, pool villas and pavilions, with 265 available in this first phase, spread across three ocean-themed towers named Mare, Vela and Navi. All come with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking over the mountains or the sea. Better still for arrivals, the resort is only about 10 minutes from Cam Ranh International Airport, which makes it one of the shortest beach-to-lounger transfers you'll find anywhere.

Families are the core audience. Multi-bedroom pool villas sleeping large extended groups come with private pools, karaoke, board games, PlayStation and even in-villa barbecues, while smaller families can opt for open-plan beachside Pavilions. Two big pools anchor the grounds — a 1,194 sqm lagoon-style family pool and a 990 sqm crescent-shaped infinity pool right on the sand — and kids up to 17 get their own spaces at KIDSDOM and the TEENS CLUB, plus a boat-themed Watersplash Pool. Days run to yoga, cardio boxing and pétanque; evenings bring outdoor cinema, live music and DJ sets. Unusually for a resort of this type, dogs and cats are welcome too, with pet beds, bowls, treats and a dedicated beachfront pet area under the Pet-Friendly by Meliá concept.

Couples and adults haven't been forgotten. One-bedroom Pavilions come with private pools, and there's an adults-only Level pool, a fitness centre and the YHI Spa, which leans on chronotherapy and aromatherapy for its treatment rituals. Upgrading to The Level adds dedicated check-in, a private lounge with afternoon cocktails and a separate pool.

The all-inclusive package covers food and selected drinks across eight venues: all-day dining at Mosaico (Vietnamese, Asian and Western), Spanish and Mediterranean plates at Cape Nao, tacos and tequila at Canalla, flame-grilled seafood and meat at Breeza, plus Elyxr for coffee, Dolcelato for homemade gelato, Gaia poolside and rooftop Hanryu for Korean-inspired food and cocktails. Active guests get full-size tennis and pickleball courts and water sports on top of everything else.

Why it matters: all-inclusive has historically been thin on the ground in Vietnam compared with Thailand or the Maldives, and this opening — airport-adjacent, genuinely family-sized and pet-friendly — makes a hassle-free Vietnamese beach holiday far easier to book. If you want the country's food and coastline without organising a thing, this is now a serious option.

Story via Breaking Travel News.