A year to look forward

A few minutes from Amanoi, in the village of Thai An, a handful of families have been following in the footsteps of France’s master winemakers for generations, taking advantage of the area’s unique microclimate to cultivate their grapes. The head of a farming family, Ba Chin lives in a traditional village house with her children and grandchildren, and welcomes Aman guests to join them for dinner. Over a traditional meal prepared by Amanoi’s chefs, Ba Chin shares her tales of times past – opening a uniquely personal conduit to rural life in a bygone era.  

Another local resident, Tuyen, has different stories to tell. A descendent of the Cham people, who once dominated the coast of southern Vietnam, Tuyen escorts guests around the ruins of the 13th-century temple complex of Po Klong Garai, bringing the fascinating lost kingdom to life. Later, enjoy the sunset as a Cham Master conducts a sacred blessing, and a traditional Cham family feast is served beneath the star-strewn sky.  

Amanpulo may be located on the private paradise island of Pamalican, but the resort’s continuing success is rooted in the neighbouring island of Manamoc, where the families of many members of the Aman team live.

Amanpulo works closely with local fishing villages to encourage the preservation of the marine environment, ensuring more than 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings make it safely back to the sea each year, and is deeply involved in supporting this remote island through a variety of infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood initiatives. Simply by staying at Amanpulo, guests – often without knowing – make an invaluable contribution to an island community that might not otherwise have survived.  

Beyond Marrakech and the oasis retreat of Amanjena lies the wilderness home of Morocco’s indigenous Berber communities – the otherworldly stone expanse of the Agafay Desert and the rugged Atlas Mountains beyond. Aman guests have opportunities to visit traditional Berber villages and join a local for mint tea beside their mud-walled desert home.

Those staying three nights or more can take advantage of a private experience in the depths of the desert, travelling by camel across the dunes to a hidden spot in the shadow of the Atlas peaks to enjoy a traditional Berber picnic beneath a tented canopy.  

Later this year, Aman unveils a Manhattan landmark – an exceptional new urban retreat in the Crown Building on the storied corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Following in the footsteps of Aman Tokyo, this ambitious new sanctuary channels the spirit of Aman into one of the world’s most dynamic destinations, serving as a singular enclave of serenity in the electric heart of the city.

Designed with intuitive and understated elegance, 83 rooms and suites are some of the largest in the city. Aman’s first community of urban Residences occupy the upper floors; while below, guests and residents have access to a host of drinking and dining venues, a wraparound garden terrace, and an extraordinary three-storey spa.