Fusion Unveils New Romance Packages at its Hotels & Resorts Across Vietnam and Thailand

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The wellness-inspired brand is popular with honeymooners and for other couples’ escapes.

Fusion’s luxury hotels and resorts across Vietnam and Thailand have rolled out exclusive new packages designed especially for couples, as the wellness-inspired brand seeks to create memorable new romantic getaways.

From private oceanfront dining by candlelight to relaxing couple’s bath rituals and spa treatments, the new packages and add-on experiences have been thoughtfully curated with romance in mind amidst some of Southeast Asia’s most remarkable tropical settings.

Meanwhile, Fusion’s new customer loyalty program, Fusionlife, helps travellers find the best available rates and other exclusive benefits at fusionhotelgroup.com/fusionlife. The fast-growing brand currently includes 23 properties, with five more resorts under development.

Maia Quy Nhon

The resort in the coastal province of Quy Nhon has introduced Maiamour, a specially curated package and private dining experience at their oceanfront ad hoc restaurant. Exclusive couples’ activities include a wellness journey, a romantic bath ritual and bespoke turndown service, along with pre-dinner sunset cocktails, afternoon high tea for two and customized in-villa floral decor. For more visit https://quynhon.maiaresorts.com/save/maiamour/.



Fusion Resort Cam Ranh

Couples can enjoy memorable and romantic surprises including a spectacular dinner with 200 candles on the beach, followed by a Fusion Bath Bliss experience complete with 100 roses, candles, honeyed milk, chocolate and herbs. The resort’s special new romance package starts from $1,200 per couple. Fusion Resort Cam Ranh is perched atop a 28-meter-high sand dune overlooking Cam Ranh Bay. For more visit https://camranh.fusionresorts.com.



Fusion Suites Vung Tau

The hotel in southern Vietnam features an infinity rooftop pool and new honeymoon packages that include a two-day, one-night stay, a spa treatment for two and a romantic candlelit dinner specially curated by the hotels’ chefs, starting from $280. For more visit https://vungtau.fusion-suites.com.



Fusion Suites Phuket Patong

Situated high on a lush tropical hillside overlooking the sparkling Andaman Sea and Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, Fusion Suites Phuket Patong has introduced a new package exclusively designed for couples. The Grand Deluxe Jacuzzi - Spa Retreat includes a couples’ massage and daily breakfast for two, with prices starting from 4,200 baht ($123) per room per night. For more visit fusion-suites.com/phuketpatong.



GLOW Ao Nang Krabi

The resort in southern Thailand has a well-deserved reputation for beach lovers and recently unveiled a new package for couples with a special rate (starting from 1,500 baht per night) for couples staying in a Superior Room, with breakfast. For more visit https://aonang.glowhotels.com.

DepEd to Honor Educators at National Teachers’ Month Culmination

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In celebration of the indispensable role that educators play in shaping the nation, the Department of Education (DepEd) will conclude the grand festivities of the 2024 National Teachers’ Month (NTM) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Thursday, October 3.

The culminating event for this year’s National Teachers’ Day will be graced by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos as guests of honor. During his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Marcos acknowledged the critical role of teachers in the country’s educational recovery: “Sa madaling sabi, kung talagang ninanais nating maging matagumpay ang hinahangad nating pagbangon sa larangan ng edukasyon, sila, ang ating mga guro ang dapat nating itaguyod at patatagin.”

Joining the First Couple in the celebration are Education Secretary Sonny Angara, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, and NTM Coordinating Council Chairperson and Metrobank Foundation President Aniceto Sobrepena. The event will feature a day-long program that includes raffle draws and performances from various artists and celebrities.

“Always remember the significant role our teachers play in the progress of our nation. We count on you to continue prioritizing the welfare of our students,” Secretary Angara remarked.

With the theme “Together4Teachers,” this year’s celebration shines a spotlight on the tireless

dedication of Filipino educators and underscores their vital role in nation-building.

The event is expected to draw approximately 10,000 participants, including public school teachers, education stakeholders, DepEd officials, and local government representatives from across the country.

The National Teachers’ Day celebration, hosted by DepEd-NCR and co-led by DepEd’s External Partnerships Service (EPS), is in accordance with Republic Act No. 10743, which officially designates October 5 of each year as National Teachers’ Day.

How do ordinary people ‘sense’ water quality?

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This is an international study on how communities living along the Marikina River experience, practice, and perceive water quality.


The researchers recommend that local experiential knowledge of water quality be taken into account when creating policies on water purification and distribution, as peoples' sensory experiences are the main way they define “good” water. This is particularly critical when tackling issues such as contamination from microplastics, which are otherwise colorless, tasteless, and odorless.


Seeing—and tasting—is believing: a qualitative study of communities living along the Philippines’ bustling Marikina River underscores the importance of taking into account local peoples’ everyday experiences, practices, and perceptions in establishing water quality.



Anthropologists Gideon Lasco of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Development Studies Program and Anita Hardon of Wageningen University’s Knowledge, Technology, and Innovation Group undertook a four-month exploration of human-water relations in communities along the Marikina River. They followed the river upstream, interviewing water drinkers, distributors, and regulators from low- and middle-income groups.



The researchers found that people rely primarily on their own sensory experiences of the water—such as its color, taste, and smell—to evaluate its quality. For instance, while clear water is considered safer than muddy water, clear but rusty-tasting water is inferior to sweet-tasting water. But more importantly, according to the researchers, people saw water quality as dynamic and changeable, depending on current and future circumstances: a recent typhoon might make the water muddy for a few days, but it is seen to gradually clear up and improve.



Access to clean water is also influenced by social and economic factors: the urban communities downstream of the Marikina River can afford to rely on water-refilling stations and bottled water despite the significant financial cost, whereas upstream communities tap into natural sources like springs despite the risks of contamination. Furthermore, while privatization of the water distribution system has expanded water access, many low-income and upstream communities still lack consistent access to piped water.



In conclusion, Lasco and Hardon recommend that policies on water purification and distribution take into account local experiential knowledge of water quality, with the understanding that people’s sensory experiences are the main way they define “good” water. This is particularly critical when tackling issues such as contamination from microplastics, which are otherwise colorless, tasteless, and odorless.



SOURCE:

https://archium.ateneo.edu/dev-stud-faculty-pubs/250/




Cover photo: A map of the Marikina River showing the various areas visited by the researchers. (PHOTO CREDIT: Gideon Lasco and Anita Hardon)