The Top 5 Beaches in Vietnam
With a long coast stretching from north to south next to the East Sea, Vietnam is home to a bevy of beautiful beaches just waiting to be explored. For days spent basking on sunbaked strands and evenings taking in the sunset, these are some of our favorite beaches in Vietnam.
Danang and Hoi An
With a pristine coral reef, palm-fringed shoreline, and some top-notch beach resorts, Danang beach is definitely one of the most well-liked beaches not only in Vietnam but the entire world. There are several sections of the beach, some of which are My An, My Khe, Cua Dai and Non Nuoc, of which My An, My Khe, and Non Nuoc are collectively known as ‘beaches of Danang’. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to join or observe crowds of cheerful Vietnamese exercising and swimming in the soft sunlight at My Khe beach.
Hoi An’s new go-to beach, An Bang beach is located 30 km from Danang. An Bang beach is lined with perfectly manicured gardens, lively bars and restaurants, and plenty of accommodation facilities. An Bang gives visitors the chance to indulge themselves in the simple fishing life, where children gather every sunset to play with kites or just collect shells while they wait for their parents to return from the sea.
When to go:
The best time to visit Danang is from February to May, when the skies are sunnier and humidity levels lower. During the months from June to August, the weather can be hot but you can always take a dip in the cool refreshing pool or simply grab a lounger spread out.
An Bang beach is suitable to visit year round as wet season, from September to March, means cooler conditions but six-foot waves that are perfect for surfers. Whereas, dry season – between March and September – is better for lounging around with a cocktail.
Things to do:
Danang is one of the best place for surfing, scuba diving, sunbathing, and swimming. Some said that the best time to catch the beach is at sunrise or when the fishermen are setting out to sea.
An Bang beach is perfect for sunbathing and sipping cocktails with the occasional swim in the turquoise waters to cool off. If “eat, sleep, swim, repeat” does not sound like your ideal getaway, book a full day of sun and surf or board the ferry to the Cham Islands, where you’ll have pristine shores and a handful of diving spots all to yourself.
Nha Trang
Nha Trang, a beach city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam is known for its spectacular turquoise-colored waters with a wide array of dining and accommodation options set along the 6-kilometer-long sandy beaches. Nha Trang beaches are offering a myriad of sightseeing and recreational activities for visitors looking to soak up the sun during their holiday. The bustling Tran Phu Beach is for travelers who want to be in the center of all the action while Bai Dai Beach is a quieter one only a 30-minute drive from the center of Nha Trang. Unlike other beaches which are often sloped, Bai Dai topography is planar and covered with a kilometer of soft sand that is great for escaping the often overcrowded city.
When to go:
The long dry season filled with sunshine runs from January to August and the least humidity is between February and April. At this time of year, the weather is simply perfect and your visit to Nha Trang will be very enjoyable.
Things to do:
Nha Trang is a playground for sun seekers. You can spend the days dining on delicious seafood, snorkeling around stunning islands, and partying on the sand after dark. Nha Trang has some of the country’s finest luxury resorts and thrilling water sports. Daylong island excursions will show you around Nha Trang Bay, and a series of small islands nearby as well as colourful fishing villages and riverside restaurants are for you to explore further
Mui Ne, Phan Thiet
200 kilometres north of Ho Chi Minh City lies the fishing village of Mui Ne. Being the tourism center of Phan Thiet city, Mui Ne is famous for immense sand dunes, fabulous beaches, rows of shading coconut trees and sunshine all year round. Vast, white-sand dunes nearby – which include lakes and swamps in the midst of the terrain – make for a captivating backdrop to hot-air balloon rides, too. This place is also the most well-known destination for the surfing Asia. Tourists coming here will be stunned by the pristine beauty of nature and attracted by special cuisine and the local rustic life of fishing villages.
When to go:
The best time to enjoy Mui Ne beach’s activities are between the months of November and March, when skies are sunny with strong winds, resulting in optimum temperatures and wave conditions.
Things to do:
Mui Ne is heaven for adrenaline and adventure lovers. It has everything from kite surfing and wake boarding, paddle boarding to sand boarding and quad biking. Thanks to its rock-free waters, Mui Ne Beach is ideal for a day of swimming and kayaking, too.
Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc Island, located at the southern tip of Vietnam, has some absolutely stunning beaches. The main drag, known as Long Beach, is relaxed and offers easy public access to the water. The beach stretches for around 20 kilometers and the ocean along Long Beach is crystal clear, calm and warm with resorts, restaurants, and hotels encroaching on much of it. Toward the island’s southern coast, Bai Sao is famous for its stunning scenery and comes with the added adventure of navigating Phu Quoc’s dirt roads. Further north, you’ll find more secluded shores, from Ong Lang beach to the long, empty stretch of Bai Dai with white powdery sand and palm trees.
When to go:
The best months to visit Phu Quoc are from December until April. The rains don’t start coming down hard until June, but April and May are hot.
Things to do:
Days here are spent on the sand, while nights are for feasting on fresh seafood and stargazing. The An Thoi islands offer some of the country’s best snorkeling and diving. To get a better sense of local life on Phu Quoc, swing by the local fish sauce factories to learn how Vietnam’s most important condiment is made or explore Phu Quoc’s lush forest with a handful of do-it-yourself hiking trails.
Con Son Island, Con Dao Archipelago
Con Dao Islands (also known as Poulo Condore) are an archipelago of 15 islands with a total of 200 km of stunning coastline and amazing coral reefs. Con Son, the largest of this chain, is ringed with lovely beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays, and remains partially covered in tropical forests. Con Son Island is ringed with very beautiful beaches – Lo Voi and An Hai being the most popular, and Dam Trau and Bat Dat Doc being the most tranquil. Established in 1993, Con Dao National Park is the only place in the country where both forest and marine life are conserved. Famous for its wild beauty, the floral system in Con Dao National Park is extremely rich with over 882 species of plants and 150 species of animals.
When to go:
From May to October, turtles nest on beaches around the islands so it’s the time to see turtles laying eggs. During February to July, the waters around Con Dao island are at their clearest for diving or snorkeling. At this time, there are not many big waves on the ocean so the beach is calm and perfect for swimming.
Things to do:
Whether you love biking, fishing, boating, trekking, diving or general life watching, you can have it all at the Con Dao Archipelago. In addition to exploring deserted coastal roads, there are excellent wildlife-watching opportunities, such as the black giant squirrel and endemic bow-fingered gecko.
