I am Vietnamese and I travel around the country extensively. In this article, I will help you to look at the best places to go in Vietnam for a beach holiday and where to stay.
I’ll take you on a journey from popular beaches in Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, to lesser-known destinations like Quy Nhon and Con Dao. Let’s get started!
Overviews of Best Places to Go in Vietnam for Beaches
Some of the best places to stay in Vietnam for beaches are Da Nang, Hoi An, and Nha Trang in Central Vietnam; Mui Ne, Phu Quoc, and Con Dao in South Vietnam; Halong Bay and Cat Ba island in North Vietnam.
In my experience, the best beaches in Vietnam can be found in Central and South Vietnam. There are only a few options on the North, in Halong Bay and Cat Ba island, a few hours drive from Hanoi.
Central and South Vietnam has warm weather all year round, but it has rainy and stormy seasons. The best time to go to the Central for beaches is from February to August. The best time to go to the South for beaches is from November to April. This is the dry season, so you’ll have lots of sunny days and calm beaches for swimming, sunbathing, and watersports activities such as surfing, snorkeling, and diving.
North Vietnam has two distinct seasons: cool dry winter and cold rainy summer. The best time to go to the beaches in the North is in summer and autumn months from April to October. These months have hot weather, ideal for enjoying the water activities.
Where to stay in Vietnam for beach holidays?
1. Da Nang (My Khe Beach)
Da Nang is a famous beach destination in Central Vietnam. This city has a beautiful coast line with white fine sandy beaches and lots of luxury beachfront resorts.
My Khe Beach is the most famous beach in Da Nang and is a popular place for swimming, sunbathing, and surfing. It is centrally located only 10 minutes drive from Da Nang City Center and Han River.
My Khe Beach has many beach facilities such as sun loungers and bed chairs for rent. You can find many restaurants, cafes, and beach bars along the beach. You can stay at one of the high rise apartments and hotels located on Vo Nguyen Giap street for easy access to the Beach.
There is a stretch of luxury resorts on Non Nuoc Beach from Premier Village Danang Resort to the Legend Danang Golf Resort. You’ll find famous all-inclusive beach resorts like Pullman Danang, Furama Resort, TIA Wellness Resort, Hyatt Regency, Danang Marriott Resort, and Meliá Danang resort.
In addition to the popular and lively My Khe Beach, you can consider the secluded beaches in Son Tra peninsula. It is located a bit further away from the city center, a 30 minute drive away. It is also home to attractions such as Linh Ung pagoda, Monkey Mountain, and Ban Co Peak.
Famous resort in Son Tra peninsula is the InterContinental Resort. You can have a luxury retreat here with a spectacular private beach, superb buffet breakfast, and beautiful pools.
Da Nang is not only known for its beautiful beaches, it also has many cultural attractions, delicious food, and proximity to Hoi An ancient town.
You can explore the Han River, which is a famous river running through the heart of Da Nang. Han river has many beautiful bridges such as Dragon bridge and love bridge. The fire show on Dragon Bridge is a not to miss attraction on weekend’s nights.
Other famous attractions in Da Nang are the Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hill, and Linh Ung pagoda. From Da Nang, you can take a day trip to Hoi An, Hue, Hai Van Pass, and Cham islands.
The best places to stay in Da Nang for beaches are undoubtedly the My Khe Beach area. You can find many accommodation options for all budgets on Vo Nguyen Giap street and along the beach.
Da Nang has an international airport, so it is very well connected by air. Additionally, it has a train station, located right in the middle of the city center, making it convenient for train travelers.
The best time to visit Da Nang is in the dry season, from February to August. There are still plenty of sunny days for beaches in the rainy season from September to December, but keep an eye for tropical storms and flooding in this time.
If you have a good budget, there are many 5-star beach resorts to choose from. I’m a mid-range traveler, so I stayed at the 4-star Mandila Beach Hotel. My room has partial ocean views. The hotel has a nice rooftop area with a small swimming pool and stunning views of the sea and the city. Lots of dining options can be found on Ha Bong street, right behind my hotel.
2. Phu Quoc (Sao Beach, Long Beach)
Phu Quoc is a popular beach destination in South Vietnam, located only around an hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. This island is known for its white sandy beaches, luxury resorts, and a wide range of activities to enjoy.
The best thing to do in Phu Quoc, in my experience, is hit the beaches. I visited several beaches in Phu Quoc including Long Beach, Sao Beach, Starfish Beach, and Ham Rong Cape Beach. They are all nice beaches for swimming and sunbathing.
Long Beach is a popular beach located on the central island west coast. This beach is a famous place to watch the stunning sunset. You can find some nice beach bars along the beach.
Sao Beach is a beautiful white fine sand beach located on the east coast of Phu Quoc. You can go swimming and enjoy watersports here such as jet skiing.
Starfish Beach and Ham Rong Cape is located in the northern part of the island, a bit lesser-known than Long Beach and Sao beach. You can catch starfish here.
The most popular places to stay in Phu Quoc are on the central west coast on Long Beach and Duong Dong town. But you can find many nice beach resorts scattered around the island.
I stayed in several places in Phu Quoc. For mid-range travelers I recommend Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort in Long Beach and Seashells Phu Quoc Hotel in Duong Dong Town. These hotels are conveniently located close to Tran Hung Dao street where you can find many restaurants and shops.
They also have central locations, making them a great base to explore both north and south of Phu Quoc. From here, you can easily get to Sunset town for a cable car ride to Hon Thom island, visit cultural attractions such as Phu Quoc prison and Ho Quoc pagoda.
Phu Quoc is known for its productions of pearl, pepper, and fish sauce. You can learn about these farming processes by visiting the farms such as Pearl farm, pepper farm, and fish sauce factory.
Phu Quoc can be reached by air or speed boat. It has an international airport located 30 minutes drive from the island’s main town.
Phu Quoc has warm weather all year round, but the best time to visit is from November to April. If you are visiting during peak rainy season (July to September), just be mindful of tropical storms that can interrupt your travel plans. Boat tours can be canceled due to bad weather conditions.
3. Nha Trang (Tran Phu Beach, Hon Tre island, Ninh Van Bay)
Along with Phu Quoc and Da Nang, Nha Trang is one of the most popular beach cities in Vietnam. It is known for its beaches, seafood, healing mud baths, and some interesting cultural attractions.
Nha Trang is home to Cam Ranh airport, located 30 km away from the city center. It has frequent flights from big cities in Vietnam like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Additionally, this beach town also has a train station, making it easily accessible by train.
Popular beaches in Nha Trang City are Tran Phu Beach and Hon Chong Beach. For more secluded beaches, you can go island hopping where you can visit islands such as Monkey island, Hon Tre island, and Hon Tam island. These tours are great for snorkeling and diving.
In addition to the beaches, you can explore cultural attractions such as Long Son pagoda, Nha Trang Cathedral, Dam market, Po Nagar Cham towers. You can take a cable car ride to Hon Tre island where you can explore the Vinpearl complex with a theme park, shopping harbor, and a nice resort.
The best place to stay in Nha Trang is the Tran Phu Beach area in the city center. You will find many high rise apartments and nice hotels here. I stayed at the mid-range 4-star Liberty Central Hotel and highly recommend it.
Liberty Central is located in Biet Thu street, an easy walk from many restaurants and bars. Popular places such as Tran Phu Beach, the night market, and Tram Huong tower are all a short walk away. My room has a nice view of the beach and the city. The breakfast buffet was very nice with many choices of both Vietnamese and international dishes.
The best time to visit Nha Trang is from January to August. This is the dry season where you can enjoy the beaches with warm weather and little rain.
4. Hoi An (An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach)
Hoi An is best known for its ancient town with yellowish wooden shop houses and lantern-filled streets. But it also has nice beaches that are located only a 10 minutes Grab ride from the old town. They are An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach.
An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach share the same coast line with the famous My Khe Beach in Da Nang. They all have white sand and clean water, ideal for swimming and sunbathing. The beaches in Hoi An are more peaceful than the beaches in Da Nang, which is great for those who want a quieter beach holiday.
You can find many beach facilities on the beach for rent such as sun loungers and bed chairs. There are some nice beach cafes and bars along the beach for drinks and sunset views.
The beach towns are very laid back, you can find some nice family-owned restaurants where you can enjoy the dinners. It is a more relaxing holiday away from the hustle and bustle of the old town.
There are many nice boutique hotels and some big resorts on An Bang and Cua Dai beach. I stayed at the AIRA Boutique Hoi An Hotel & Villa and highly recommend it. It is a beautiful hotel with a nice room setting, swimming pool, and great restaurant. It is located right on An Bang beach, so ideal for those who want to stay right on the beach.
Similar to Da Nang, the best time to visit Hoi An is in the dry season, from February to August. This period has lots of sunshine and little rain, great for beach activities and sightseeing. Take note that flooding and storms can occur in peak monsoon season in October and November.
5. Mui Ne
Mui Ne is a small beach town located 4 hours by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. This town is known for its warm weather, beaches, sand dunes, fishing villages, and the fairy stream.
You can find many hotels, resorts, and restaurants in Ham Tien Ward in its main tourist strip called Nguyen Dinh Chieu. I recommend checking out Dong Vui food court for meals and Pineapple bar for some drinks with beach views.
You can stay in nice resorts with their own private beaches and explore attractions such as the White Sand Dunes, the red sand dunes, and Mui Ne fishing village.
The beaches here are not only great for swimming, it is also a popular destination for windsurfing. You can consider taking a windsurfing lesson while in town.
6. Quy Nhon (Ky Co Beach, Bai Xep Beach)
Quy Nhon is a lesser-known beach destination in South Central Vietnam, between the more popular Nha Trang and Da Nang. Here you have famous attractions such as Ky Co beach, Eo Gio, and colorful fishing villages (Nhon Ly and Bai Xep).
You can choose many hotels in the city center of Quy Nhon and stay a bit in the outskirts in nice resort areas near Bai Xep such as Anantara Quy Nhon Villas and Avani Quy Nhon Resort.
I liked my stay at the mid-range L’amor Boutique Hotel. It is conveniently located in the city center of Quy Nhon, within walking distance to the beach and many restaurants. It is also easily reachable from Dieu Tri Train Station by taxi.
Similar to Nha Trang, the best time to visit Nha Trang is from January to August. This period has dry, warm weather, calm beaches, and little rain which are great for beach activities.
7. Hue (Lang Co Beach)
Hue is not only known for its imperial place and royal tombs, it is also known for its proximity to beautiful beaches such as Lang Co beach. Hue has an airport, making it easily accessible from major cities in Vietnam like Saigon and Hanoi.
You can stay in a resort along Lang Co Beach, and visit cultural attractions in the city center of Hue such as Hue citadel, Thien Mu pagoda, Minh Mang tomb, Tu Duc tomb, and Khai Dinh tomb.
8. Con Dao
Con Dao is a remote island and off the beaten track destination in South Vietnam, only one hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. It is less famous than Phu Quoc, but still has pristine beaches and beautiful resorts.
If you are visiting Con Dao in late summer, you can have a chance to see the turtles migrate to lay eggs. You can learn more about the island’s history while staying here.
9. Ha Long (Tuan Chau Beach, Bai Chay Beach)
Ha Long is a popular beach destination in North Vietnam near Hanoi. If you are looking for beaches near Hanoi, Ha Long is one of the best places to go. It is located only 3-4 hours drive by car from the capital city of Vietnam.
You can take an overnight cruise to experience the bay and enjoy the swimming and kayaking along the tour. Ha Long also has a couple of beaches such as Tuan Chau beach and Bai Chay Beach.
10. Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba island is a famous beach holiday destination in North Vietnam, located close to Hanoi. Cat Ba island has many beaches including Cat Co 1, 2, and 3 where you can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and kayaking.
Popular places to stay in Cat Ba are Cat Ba Monkey Island Resort on Cat Dua island, and Flamingo Cat Ba Resorts, in Cat Ba National Park and has stunning views of Lan Ha Bay.
See more:
- Da Nang vs Nha Trang Vs Phu Quoc
- Where to stay in Da Nang
- Where to stay in Phu Quoc
- Where to Stay in Nha Trang
- The Most Romantic Places in Vietnam for couples
- 8 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Vietnam
In conclusion, the top places to visit in Vietnam for beaches are Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang. These places have plenty of choices for luxury beach resorts and many cultural attractions to explore. You can also look at beaches in HaLong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, Quy Nhon, and Mui Ne.