Vietnam: Legacy Yen Tu MGallery wellness sanctuary

Spiritual tourism is a fast-growing sector, with wellness warriors, personal development pursuers and soul seekers travelling to make the world, their place in it and themselves a little better. A new resort in Vietnam combining a sacred site with luxury and locally inspired design offers these guests-with-a-conscience something special.

Legacy Yen Tu MGallery is a wellness sanctuary, sitting on Yen Tu mountain, about 45 kilometres from Ha Long City. The mountain is a Buddhist pilgrimage site, especially popular at the Lunar New Year.

It's the place from which Vietnamese Buddhism originated, after the 12th-century King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong, the third king of the Tran dynasty, abdicated the throne and went to Yen Tu Mountain to practise and teach Buddhism, before founding the Truc Lam School of Zen. It's a beautiful area with flowering forests, pilgrimage paths, stunning views and some impressive temples and monuments. There's also cable car access.

Legacy Yen Tu MGallery is designed by Bill Bensley, the Bangkok-based maestro known for creating truly remarkable and memorable properties. He's done more than 200 across 40 countries, all displaying unique flourishes and audaciously artistic responses to site. Legacy Yen Tu MGallery takes its design lead from heritage and spirituality and was built using ancient techniques. The 133 rooms are theatrically evocative of the resort's surrounds, featuring handcrafted items and materials.

Guests can participate in meditation, yoga and Truc Lam Zen practices, and nourish themselves with authentic Vietnamese cuisine at the hotel's Tho Quang restaurant. The Thien Tra Lobby Bar looks out to picturesque mountain views.

From about $153 a night per room (VND 2,600,000), including breakfast for two.

See accorhotels.com/b1y7