Vietnam has many family-friendly destinations. In this article, we will be looking at the best places to visit and stay in Vietnam with kids. Whether you want to experience urban life, enjoy the beaches, visit stunning natural landscapes, and explore the interesting history and culture, Vietnam has it all!
The 7 Best places to stay in Vietnam with kids
1. Hanoi
Hanoi is the cultural capital of Vietnam and one of the top places to visit with family. This city is known for its vibrant old quarter with bustling streets, lively nightlife, and lots of shops.
Hanoi has an international airport located 30 km from the old town. From the airport, you can easily use Grab, taxi, and your hotel’s shuttle services to get to the downtown area.
When in the city center, you can explore the city on foot, by using Grab, taking cyclo tours or guided tours. The city is quite compact, you can see most attractions within a couple of days.
Your family can explore major attractions such as Hoan Kiem Lake, Hoa Lo Prison, St Joseph Cathedral, the train street, Thang Long Imperial Palace, Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and Temple of Literature.
In addition to historical and cultural attractions, you can enjoy authentic Vietnamese food such as Pho, Banh Mi, Bun Cha Hanoi, Cha Ca La Vong, and Banh Cuon. You can do some shopping and find unique Vietnamese handicrafts to bring home.
At night, you can visit the night market for some street food and more souvenirs. Parents can take a look at the lively Ta Hien Beer Street.
From Hanoi, you can book overnight cruises in Halong Bay, day trips to Ninh Binh, or even 2-3 days trips in Sapa. These are all famous destinations for stunning natural landscapes.
In terms of accommodation, HaNoi old quarter has a good range of mid-range hotels. If you want to stay in luxury 5-star hotels, you can find some options in the French Quarter and around West Lake.
Recommended family-friendly accommodations in Hanoi:
- ⭐Movenpick Hotel Hanoi (French Quarter)
- ⭐Meliá Hanoi (French Quarter)
- ⭐La Siesta Classic Ma May (Old Quarter)
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Hanoi
2. Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh is one of the major cities in Vietnam known for its modernity, and westernized atmosphere. This city has lots of skyscrapers and high rise buildings that feature beautiful rooftop terraces, infinity pools, and sky bars.
Ho Chi Minh has an international airport located only 7 km away from district 1. From the airport, you can get to the city center by taxi and Grab. Grab is a cheap and convenient way to get around.
Some of the top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City with kids are visiting some major tourist attractions, doing some shopping, and trying Vietnamese food. Famous attractions are the war museum, Ben Thanh Market, Independence Palace, Central Post Office, Bui Vien, and Nguyen Hue Walking street.
Your family can take day trips to Cu Chi tunnel to learn more about the history of the Vietnam-American war. The day trips to the Mekong Delta are also interesting to learn more about river life and explore the floating markets.
Ho Chi Minh has many kid-friendly hotels and apartments. I recommend booking your accommodation either in district 1 or district 3 for easy access to tourist sights and amenities.
Recommended family-friendly hotels in Ho Chi Minh City:
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
3. Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc is one of the best places to stay in Vietnam with your family, especially if your family wants a tropical beach holiday and luxury beach resorts. This island is located in South Vietnam, only a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City.
It is famous for its pristine beaches, beautiful sunset views, world-class beach resorts, and several cultural attractions. You can relax at the beaches, enjoy swimming, sun bathing, island hopping, snorkeling, and diving. Famous beaches are Long Beach, Sao Beach, and Starfish Beach.
Your family can take a cable car ride from sunset town to Hon Thom island. This island is home to a kid-friendly theme park with lots of activities to entertain children.
Other points of interest are Ho Quoc pagoda, Phu Quoc prison, Pearl Farm, Pepper farm, and Bee farm. Don’t miss out on the night market in Duong Dong town, which is a great place to try seafood and grab some local specialities and souvenirs to bring home.
Phu Quoc has tons of family-friendly beach resorts. You can choose to stay in Duong Dong and Long Beach to have easy access to many tourist facilities. There are also some nice resorts on the east coast on Khem Beach, and on the north coast on Bai Dai and Ong Lang Beach.
Some top kid-friendly resorts and hotels in Phu Quoc:
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Phu Quoc
4. Hoi An
Hoi An is one of the top destinations in Vietnam to visit with your kids. It is a popular tourist town located in central Vietnam. It is known for its well-preserved ancient town, peaceful beach and countryside area.
Hoi An doesn’t have its own airport and train station. The nearest airport and train station is in Da Nang, 40 km away from Hoi An. From these transport hubs, you can easily get a taxi and Grab to Hoi An.
Hoi An has plenty of kid-friendly attractions and activities. Your family can explore the ancient town, visiting old houses and museums by walking or cycling. You can take a cooking class, or a lantern marking class which are fun activities for the whole family.
You can take a lantern boat ride on Hai River to release lanterns and mar wishes. Your family can have custom clothes or leather bags/ shoes made here.
Be sure to take a look at the Central market and the night market on An Hoi island for some souvenirs. You can try local regional dishes such as Cao Lau and Com Ga.
You can take a trip to An Bang Beach or Cua Dai Beach for swimming. If you stay in Hoi An for a long time, you can consider splitting a stay between the ancient town and the beach area to experience both sides of Hoi An. The beach is clean with fine white sand and is ideal for swimming and sunbathing.
Recommended hotels in Hoi An with kids:
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Hoi An
5. Da Nang
Da Nang is a popular beach destination in central Vietnam. It is known for its beautiful beaches, rivers, and lots of interesting attractions. This city is also home to many world-class resorts and hotels. If your family is looking for a relaxing beach destination in Vietnam, Da Nang is one of the top choices.
Da Nang has an international airport, located only a few km away from the Han River and My Khe beach. From the airport, you can use Grab to get into Da Nang city center, where majority hotels are located.
Some of the best things to do in Da Nang with your kids is check out the Han River, Han Market, Son Tra night market, Linh Ung pagoda, Marble Mountains and Ba Na Hill. You can even consider staying a night or two in Ba Na Hill to experience its complex from an early hour when tourists have not arrived yet.
For an authentic atmosphere, you can stay in hotels or apartments along the Han River. If you want to be right on the beach, you can book a hotel or resort on My Khe Beach or Non Nuoc Beach. For a more secluded holiday, you can head to Son Tra peninsula.
Here are some top kid-friendly hotels and resorts in Da Nang:
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Da Nang
6. Nha Trang
Nha Trang is one of the best cities to go in South Vietnam for beaches. It is located just an hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City and is known for its beaches, seafood, and healing mud baths.
Your family can book a stay in Vinpearl resort at the family-friendly Hon Tre island. You can take a cable car ride or speed boat to get to the island, enjoy its private beaches, as well as many entertainment activities in its themed park, and shopping harbor.
In the city center, you also have a very long beach running along Tran Phu Street. The beach is a popular place for swimming and sunbathing, especially in the early morning and late afternoon.
Your family can explore cultural attractions such as Long Son pagoda, Dam market, Nha Trang Cathedral, and Ponagar Temple. If you love to see wild monkeys, you can head to Monkey island.
Here are recommended family-friendly hotels in Nha Trang:
See more: The 8 Best Family Hotels in Nha Trang
7. Hue
Hue is a beautiful city in central Vietnam, only a few hours drive from Da Nang and Hoi An. This city is a must-see for history buffs. It was the ancient capital of Vietnam and the place where the last feudal of Vietnam stayed.
Your family can spend a couple of days in Hue to explore its city center with attractions like the citadel, Dong Ba market, Thien Mu pagodas, and royal tombs. You can take a boat trip along Huong River, walk across Trang Tien bridge, and check out the night walking streets area.
If your family love nature and like hiking, you can consider taking a guided tour to Bach Ma National park. Located 40 km from the city center of Hue, this park is a great place for escape from the hustle and bustle of the city center.
Som kid-friendly hotels in Hue:
See more: The 10 Best Family Hotels in Hue
In general, if your family wants to experience urban life with lots of shopping and nightlife, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are the top choice. For kid-friendly beach vacations, I recommend Phu Quoc, Da nang, and Nha Trang. Hoi An is also a famous destination for families where you can explore the ancient town and a peaceful beach area.