Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay<\/a> on Vietnam\u2019s striking south-central coast, Moore is steering the boutique property toward an exciting new horizon: capturing the evolving global golf tourism market through a blend of intimate luxury, regional collaboration, and proximity to championship-calibre courses.<\/p>\nFrom Melbourne to the World: A Nomadic Journey<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: Julian, your career has taken you all over the world \u2013 from Thailand and the Middle East to the Maldives, Uluru, French Polynesia, and the Caribbean. How did that international journey begin?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: It started quite late by industry standards, around age 28 or 29. I was in Australia when a manager mentioned a Director of Rooms position in Phuket, Thailand. The job ad listed four languages as a requirement. I told him, \u201cYou know I only speak one language \u2013 English, with maybe a bit of Irish or American thrown in!\u201d But he told me to apply anyway because they hadn\u2019t found anyone. I got it, spent three and a half years in Thailand, and that opened the door to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
From Phuket, I went to Dubai with Sun International at the Royal Mirage, experiencing the \u201cmagic of Arabia\u201d. Then came my first assignment in the Maldives running a 60-villa barefoot resort. That transition \u2013 from city and large resort setups to a small island \u2013 was pivotal for my mindset.<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: How so? How did that shift shape your approach as a General Manager?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: In a small resort environment, guest engagement is on a completely different level. You realize your job isn\u2019t just managing operations; it\u2019s about creating memories around the natural environment and human connection. Over the years, working across different companies and continents, I\u2019ve taken pieces of various philosophies to craft a style that is deeply guest centric.<\/p>\n
The Essence of Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay: Calm, Culture, and Connection<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: Tell us about Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay. For readers who haven\u2019t visited, what makes this property unique?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore:\u00a0The brand was formed by hotelier Adrian Zecha, and the name is derived from Zecha\u2019s initials and the latter part of a Persian word, caravanserai, which references the storied old inns of the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cAZERAI is a new story and brand of resorts offering guests simple elegance, refined design, and discreet and attentive service in places of unique beauty and cultural interest. AZERAI manages three one-of-a-kind luxury properties in Vietnam, with new hotels under development globally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here, everything is designed to seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor spaces, removing visual barriers so guests are always connected to the natural surroundings. The colour palette reflects the beach \u2013 wet sand, dry sand \u2013 and the restaurant decor incorporates local banyan tree roots and fishing nets from the nearby village.<\/p>\n
What strikes most guests, though, is the immediate sense of calm. I\u2019ve worked in some of the world\u2019s most beautiful spots, but this hotel has an unusual serenity that lets people unwind within a single day rather than three.<\/p>\n
The Sanctuary at K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay<\/p>\n
Located approximately 2.5 hours\u2019 drive east of Ho Chi Minh City via a modern highway and 45 minutes from Phan Thiet, Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay is set amidst 4.5 hectares of verdant, tropical gardens on a sweeping five-kilometer white sand beach. The resort is dramatically framed to the east by Hon Ba Island with its historic 19th-century lighthouse and to the west by soaring natural sand dunes.<\/p>\n
Designed as an all-suites-and-villas retreat, the property delivers a private setting dedicated to relaxation and rejuvenation. Spacious pavilions open to private outdoor garden terraces, featuring interior design inspired by the muted hues of local sand and granite.<\/p>\n
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That dedication to quiet, thoughtful luxury has earned the property substantial international acclaim. Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay earned the prestigious MICHELIN Guide\u2019s One-Key distinction for its second consecutive year in 2026, being recognized among only 21 exceptional hotels nationwide. MICHELIN editors described the resort as delivering \u201ca travel experience that\u2019s nothing short of transformative\u201d with accommodations that are \u201cessentially faultless in their comforts.\u201d Furthermore, the resort was named a Top 10 hotel for service in Asia in the Smart Travel Asia Poll 2026 and garnered nominations in the Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2026 for Best Beach Resort of the Year, Best Resort Service Experience, and Best Resort Design & Ambience.<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: You also place a huge emphasis on local community integration within the resort experience, don\u2019t you?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: Absolutely. About 98% of our team is from this local province. We don\u2019t train them into a rigid corporate structure; we train them to be themselves. When guests leave, they don\u2019t just comment on the service\u2014they talk about the individual team members they bonded with.<\/p>\n
Our guest experiences manager actually lives in the local fishing village and leads morning walking tours. Guests can watch the fishing boats come in, visit the market, meet locals, or visit the nearby mountain top temple. It\u2019s authentic immersion.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New Frontier: Why Golf, and Why Now?<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: Golf is becoming a key strategic focus for Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay. What prompted this move?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: Historically, golf travel in Asia was dominated by large tour groups or tournament-driven events requiring massive mega-resorts. That\u2019s not our model. But the golf market has evolved significantly. We\u2019re seeing a rise in individual travel, couples, and small groups of friends traveling together for a holiday that includes golf.<\/p>\n
I started noticing more independent golfers arriving\u2014Koreans, Japanese, couples touring different courses. They were asking, \u201cWhere else can we go for great golf that offers a unique, intimate experience?\u201d That was the spark.<\/p>\n
PGA NovaWorld Phan Thiet: World-Class Golf at the Doorstep<\/p>\n
A primary driver behind Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay\u2019s emergence as a premier golf retreat is its proximity to PGA NovaWorld Phan Thiet<\/a>, a premier 36-hole golf facility designed by former World No. 1 and Legendary designer Greg Norman.<\/p>\nPGA Ocean Course: Spanning 7,381 yards from the back \u201cShark Tees,\u201d the Ocean Course is one of the longest layouts in Vietnam. Designed as a stunning championship test offering panoramic vistas over the East Sea, the layout winds through a blend of parkland and links-style terrain. Fairways are defined by stylishly rugged bunkers lined with native grasses, delivering a course rating of 75.4 and a slope of 145 for players seeking a true challenge.
\nPGA Garden Course: Measuring 7,200 yards with a par of 72, the Garden Course serves as the exclusive training center for PGA students in Vietnam. Inspired by the world-famous \u201cSandbelt\u201d region of Melbourne, Australia, the parkland design integrates bunkers along the edges of green complexes, featuring strategically placed water hazards that put a strong premium on tee accuracy and iron play into the greens.<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: Having PGA NovaWorld Phan Thiet nearby certainly adds a major drawcard. How does Azerai position itself within the broader Vietnam golf scene compared to established hubs like Danang?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: Danang and other major hubs cater heavily to large-scale golf tourism and nightlife. We offer a luxury retreat alternative. You can spend a great day on a world-class links or parkland layout like the Greg Norman courses at NovaWorld, come back to the resort, get a massage, enjoy an exceptional meal, and relax in complete peace.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also ideal for couples where one partner plays and the other doesn\u2019t. While one is on the course, the other can enjoy the spa, beach, or local culture tours, and then come together for the evening.<\/p>\n
Mike Orloff: Infrastructure in Vietnam is moving fast, particularly with transport. How does that impact your outlook?<\/p>\n
Julian Moore: It\u2019s a gamechanger. The new highway infrastructure has brought travel times down to a comfortable 2.5-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City, and future infrastructure will make transfers even faster.<\/p>\n
We see tremendous potential in regional collaboration, such as a \u201cVietnam Golf Trail\u201d concept. Golfers can travel up from Ho Tram, stay with us for three or four days to play local courses like NovaWorld Phan Thiet, and continue up the coast. Through networks like IAGTO and partnerships with tour operators like Golf Asian, we can offer seamless, boutique golf packages that combine world-class play with genuine local luxury.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Looking Ahead<\/p>\n
As Vietnam continues to solidify its reputation as one of the world\u2019s premier golf destinations, Julian Moore\u2019s vision for Azerai\u00a0K\u00ea\u00a0G\u00e0 Bay offers a refreshing alternative to standard sports resorts. By pairing intimate, MICHELIN-recognized luxury and deep cultural roots with access to championship coastal golf, Moore is ensuring that for the modern golf traveller, the journey off the course is just as memorable as the game itself.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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