Vietnam is a popular travel destination in Southeast Asia due to the delicious street food, unique history and culture, gorgeous landscapes, and of course, the beaches. This country is fortunate to have miles of beaches stretching from Central to Southern areas for locals and tourists to enjoy.
If you’re looking to visit a few of Vietnam’s beach cities and towns on your next trip or even on a weekend getaway, we have you covered.
Here are the 11 best beach cities and towns in Vietnam to visit. Many of these beach cities are touristy, yet there are some smaller beach towns with few tourists. Since each of the beach destinations is unique and special, we’ll also highlight attractions that you can also visit.
We visit Vietnam’s coastline a couple of times a year to feel the ocean breeze, sunshine, and get some relaxation. Quiet time is much needed after living in the busy city of Ho Chi Minh City.
If you’re in the planning phase of your Vietnam trip, check out our posts below:
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on them and make a purchase, we receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. Appreciate the support.
Some Things to Know Before Visiting Vietnam’s Beach Cities and Towns
- Pack appropriately. Check out our Vietnam packing list to make sure that you have everything covered on your trip.
- Bring sun protective gear. This point is similar to the first one. The sun is potent in Vietnam, so your skin will get burned. Bring your favorite sun hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- Bring a reusable water bottle. Plastic waste is a huge issue in Vietnam as it isn’t recycled effectively. Most of the plastic water bottles end up in the waters or burned. Reduce your plastic waste and use a reusable water bottle. Your accommodations may have filtered water that you can use. Click here to see our favorite water bottles that we use.
- Take your trash and leave no trace behind. Littering is another issue in Vietnam. You will see trash on the beaches and around town. Let’s keep the areas clean and take your garbage with you to properly dispose of them.
- Some of the beaches are not that clean. Depending on the time of visit, debris and garbage can wash up on the beach shores. To protect your feet, you may want to wear sandals when walking on the beach.
- Have travel insurance on hand. You never know what may happen on your beach excursion, so it’s better to be prepared with travel insurance.
Map of the Beach Destinations
Click on the map to see a larger view of the beach destinations in Vietnam. Credit: Map data: Google
1. Phu Quoc Island
Located south of Vietnam and close to south Cambodia is Phu Quoc Island (Phú Quốc in Vietnamese). This awesome island is perfect for beach lovers. Therefore, it’s a popular destination for locals as a weekend trip or over a long holiday such as Tet Lunar New Year. From Ho Chi Minh City, it’s only a 1-hour flight to get to Phu Quoc.
Phu Quoc is known to have 5-star resorts throughout the island so you can relax at the resort and enjoy the amenities on the private beaches.
Or, visit the public beaches around the island such as Sao Beach (a bit crowded though), Starfish Beach (see real starfish in the water), Ong Lang Beach, and Bai Truong Beach.
Besides the beaches, check out the other Phu Quoc attractions such as hiking through the Phu Quoc National Park, learning about the tiger cages at Phu Quoc Prison Museum, and visiting the Night Market in the center of the island. Or, take a day trip to private islands for snorkeling and swimming or ride the longest cable car ride to An Thoi and Hom Thom Island.
Read our 2 days Phu Quoc Island itinerary for more information.
Sao Beach is a popular beach spot when visiting Phu Quoc Island.
2. Con Dao Islands
Con Dao Islands is one of the most beautiful areas of Vietnam. Located in the remote area of Ba Ra-Vung Tau Province, Con Dao has clean, blue waters and the best beaches that we’ve seen in Vietnam.
The main island, Con Son, is where all of the main attractions are located. The highlight is visiting the beaches as they have soft white sand that is ideal for sunbathing and watching the sunset. We loved visiting the Nhat Beach and Dam Trau Beach (to see the planes landings above your head).
If you have a chance to do a snorkeling day trip to a neighboring island, do it! You’ll have access to an undisturbed private beach and see live coral reefs.
To change up the itinerary, check out these fun things to do on Con Dao. Hike through the luscious forest in Con Dao National Park and walk to the smaller shingle beaches (beaches with rocks instead of sand). Learn about the prison system that lasted for 113 years and see the living conditions of the “tiger cages.”
While there are plenty of guesthouses available, you can splurge and stay at the luxurious Six Sense Resort.
Con Dao Island is a gorgeous beach destination in Vietnam.
3. Vung Tau
Vung Tau (Vũng Tàu), located in the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, is the closest beach city to Ho Chi Minh City. It’s about 2 hours away from HCMC. Locals and tourists head here for a beach getaway for a few days.
Popular beaches include Back Beach and Front Beach. You’ll see crowds heading to these beaches to cool off from the heat and humidity. We’ve only been to New Wave Beach which was average due to the packed sand and some garbage so we can’t wait to visit the other beach areas.
For those who need some exercise after relaxing on the beach, consider taking a hike. Vung Tau has a few hiking spots – Big Mountain, Minh Dam Mountain, and Dinh Mountain (this is outside of the Vung Tau area). Or, take a short walk up to see the Jesus Chris Statue on Small Mountain.
Don’t forget to try some yummy seafood when you’re in Vung Tau. The seafood gets delivered to restaurants daily so you’ll get the fresh catch from the morning.
Vung Tau is a popular beach city in Vietnam to visit, especially when based in Ho Chi Minh City.
4. Mui Ne
Located in Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province, Mui Ne (Mũi Né) is a small coastal beach town known for sand dunes and kitesurfing. It’s a laid-back and extremely quiet area, especially in the evenings. Throughout the day, enjoy some time relaxing on the beaches or at the resort’s pool.
The main attractions in Mui Ne are the two sand dunes – red and white dunes. You can watch the sunrise or sunset here and slide down the dunes. When visiting the white dunes, you can take a Jeep to the peak or make the trek up the dune.
On the same trip, walk through the Fairy Stream and stop by the fishing village area. Watch the morning hustle of buying and selling fresh seafood caught in the wee hours. Many of the seafood here gets sold to restaurants, so you’re guaranteed the freshness.
If you want to learn how to kitesurf, then Mui Ne is the best place to take lessons. The breeze is strong and perfect for the kitesurfers to practice with. There are many kitesurfing schools along the main street to choose from.
There is a hiking trail on Ta Cu Mountain that isn’t too far from Mui Ne. It’s a nature walk through the forest and the top of the mountain has a giant reclining white Buddha.
Mui Ne is one of Vietnam’s top beach towns.
5. Ke Ga
Ke Ga (Kê Gà) is a tiny beach town located in the Binh Thuan Province. It’s about 1.5 hours away from Mui Ne.
It’s a quiet, yet beautiful area to stop over if you’re in the province (even smaller than Mui Ne). There are several quaint guesthouses to stay over along the coastline, so you’ll get pretty views of the calm blue waters. We stopped by Lala Chill Guesthouse for a few hours to eat and rest.
The highlights of this area include taking a boat ride to explore a lighthouse on an island (Ke Ge Lighthouse) and watching the sunrise in the early morning on the main beach. It’s also worth checking out the fresh seafood for sale once the sun rises. The seafood is caught a few hours beforehand.
As a heads up, it gets very hot here in the afternoon. So you’ll want to stay hydrated.
Check out the fresh catch of the day at sunrise on Ke Ga Beach.
6. Nha Trang
Nha Trang, located in Khanh Hoa Province, is one of the top beach cities in South Vietnam as it has over 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) of beaches.
The easiest beach to access is Nha Trang Beach as it’s easy to get to from the main street of Tran Phu. Rent a sunchair and order a drink from a sidewalk vendor and enjoy the ocean waves and sunshine. Just know that the resorts tend to reserve a section of the beach for guests so you’ll need to visit a public area.
There is a smaller beach area that locals visit and it’s accessible by heading north of the city along Pham Van Duong street.
Other top things to do in Nha Trang include soaking in a mud bath and mineral springs, stopping by the Po Nagar Cham Tower, seeing temples, visiting the VinWonders Nha Trang theme park, and snorkeling and scuba diving. You can also consider taking a side trip to relax on a smaller island. We recommend Hon Tam Island for the pool and outdoor activity amenities.
Read our Nha Trang 3 days itinerary to learn more.
Nha Trang is one of Vietnam’s beach cities to check out on your next visit.
7. Danang
As the fifth-largest city in Vietnam, Danang (Đà Nẵng) has the longest stretch of beaches in Central Vietnam at over 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). The golden sand and palm trees are what make Danang memorable.
The nicer beaches are My Khe and Non Nuoc Beach. There is plenty of room to relax and gaze at the ocean waves.
After you’re done hanging out on the beach, check out some of the incredible sightseeing spots in Danang. Visit the two theme parks – Ba Na Hills (to see the Instagram-worthy Golden Bridge) and Danang Wonders. Walk along the Dragon Bridge and see the fire show at the end of the bridge on the weekends. Or, check out the handful of Buddhist temples and pagodas.
Lastly, visit the famous Marble Mountains, which is south of the city, to see some incredible views of the five mountains named after elements – water, metal, earth, fire, and wood. Hiking up the stairs is a good leg workout, but you can also take the elevator.
Check out how to spend 3 days in Danang here.
Relax at My Khe Beach during your Danang itinerary. Photo credit: saiko3p via Depositphotos.com
8. Hoi An
As an easy day trip from Danang, Hoi An (Hội An) is the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. This former trading port area had traders from Japan, China, India, and Europe, which is why the culture and architecture have been heavily influenced by these areas.
When exploring the historic town, you’ll love the charming shops with unique handicrafts, cafes, and museums to learn about the history. The Japanese bridge is one of the main attractions of the area.
Hoi An has a few beaches that stretch over 7.5 kilometers (4.6 miles) long. It’s easy to get there by riding a bicycle or motorbike. Visit An Bang Beach to see the sunrise or to relax under an umbrella. Cua Dai Beach was a frequently visited beach but has recently had issues with erosion.
In the evenings, the city lights up with the colorful silk lanterns and it’s beautiful to take a stroll through the area and Night Markets.
9. Quy Nhon
Quy Nhon (Quy Nhơn) is a coastal city in Central Vietnam’s Binh Dinh Province. We consider this place a hidden gem as it’s not frequently visited by tourists.
Many locals visit the main beach, Quy Nhon Beach, in the early mornings to exercise and dance or late afternoon to swim in the waters and cool off from the heat or play volleyball. The beach is heavily used so it’s not the prettiest one to visit.
The touristy and cleaner beach spot is Ky Co (known as the “Maldives of Vietnam” which is on a peninsula. Here, you can swim in the blue waters, rent an umbrella and lawn chair, and just enjoy the soft sandy beach. We took a day tour that included a visit to Ky Co Beach, Eo Gio coastline, and snorkeling.
Other fun things to do Quy Nhon include visiting the Cham Towers, going cafe hopping, and eating fresh seafood.
Visiting Quy Nhon’s Eo Gio coastline is a memorable experience.
10. Ly Son Island
Ly Son Island (Đảo Lý Sơn) is another island to add to your Vietnam beach destination list. Located in Quang Ngai Province, it’s a remote island that offers a laid-back beach lifestyle and pretty views. This place is known for growing the prized Ly Son garlic and onions.
The main Downtown area nearby the port is small, yet charming with a few guesthouses and pop-up food stalls. During our visit, the island was slowly expanding tourism by building larger hotels and resorts and developing a Night Market area.
The main beach on Ly Son Island is next to Cau Cave. There is black sand as the island was a former volcano. The sand itself is rough and has lots of small rocks so it’s not comfortable to lie and sit directly on it. Hang out inside the cave to rent a lawn chair to relax on.
We recommend that you take a boat ride to the smaller island, An Binh / Be Island. Here, the water is cleaner and has a small beach area. You can hire a person to take you on a circular wooden boat to snorkel in another area.
Since the island is small, you can rent a motorbike to drive around the island and awe at the coastline, visit temples, hike as far as you can up Gieng Tien Mountain, and of course, try the fresh seafood with tons of garlic.
Read our Ly Son Island travel guide for more information.
When visiting Ly Son Island, you’ll smell the fresh garlic and onions in the air.
11. Can Gio
Can Gio (Cần Giờ) is a memorable day trip destination from Ho Chi Minh City. It’s not far from the main HCMC city as it’s 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.
Many visitors come here to visit Monkey Island, a part of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve. You’ll see hundreds of monkeys. They have sticky fingers and will take anything in sight from sunglasses, ice cream, water bottles, hats, and more. Besides the monkeys, there is a mangrove area and a section that depicts the history of the Vietnam War and how the Viet Cong soldiers survived in the area.
After your excursion, head to Can Gio Beach (also known as 30/4 Beach) which is south of the Mangrove area. The sand is black so it’s a different look compared to other beaches in the country. During our visit, the beach was not well-maintained and the water was a bit brown.
Yet, the best part about visiting this beach area is to eat fresh seafood and shellfish. Next to the beachfront, vendors sell a variety of seafood. You can choose a variety of grilled seafood and shellfish and eat them on the beach. We loved eating the clams and shrimps!
Final Thoughts
Which of these Vietnam’s beach cities and towns do you want to visit?
As you can see, you can choose any of the larger beach cities or stick with the quieter towns. Any of these options will work with your Vietnam itinerary. You’ll enjoy your time once you smell the ocean and feel the sand between your toes.
If you have questions about any of these places, ask a question below.
