Besides fascinating culture, tasty cuisines and amazing mountainous landscape, Vietnam beaches are also brilliant. With a long coastline of 3400km, the beaches extend from the north (Tonkin Gulf) to the south (Thailand Gulf). However, due to over-tourism and lack of sustainable travel planning, some beaches in Vietnam are touristy and littered with trash. Needless to say, there are still many beautiful beaches in Vietnam. These beaches are either local beaches not popular with tourists, or decent travel sites that the authorities put much effort to keep it clean.
What you need to know about the beaches in Vietnam?
Is it safe to swim in Vietnam?
Yes, it is.
Beaches in Vietnam are fairly safe to swim. If there are any problems, the authority will make sure to alert everybody. But be wary about of undertow. These strong currents can unexpectedly occur sometimes.
Best time to do beach hop in Vietnam
As the weather in Vietnam varies from north to south, it is hard to tell one best time to visit the beach. However, it would depend on these following factors:
Holiday seasons
This is when the crowd is the most terrific. Also, prices for hotels and transportation will increase significantly. Travelers in Vietnam should avoid the summer months from June to August, Lunar New Year holiday, Reunification Day (30/4), World Labour Day (01/05) and Independence Day (02/09).
As the lunar new year period is different per year, it’s better to check the lunar calendar to see if your designated traveling time coincides with the Asian new year celebrations. Normally, the holiday takes place from the 29th to the 5th of the new year in the lunar calendar. This year, 2020, it is from January 23 to January 29.
The weather
There are two types of weather in Vietnam. In the north, there are four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. In the South, there are two seasons: dry and rainy.
Winter in a tropical country like Vietnam turns out to be lovely for western visitors with the temperature falls between 15 Celcius degrees to 25 Celcius degrees. Thus, you can swim in Vietnam beaches all year round.
The only thing to worry about is the rainy season. In the south, the season starts from April to October with rains and storms. You should check the weather carefully if you travel in Vietnam during this time of the year.
Best beaches in Vietnam
Beach areas in the south towards Thailand gulf tend to be more beautiful than in the north. Vietnam southern beaches are beautifully emerald while most northern beaches are rather dull.
Coto (Quang Ninh)
Coto is a beautiful seascape located in the Gulf of Tonkin, where the world wonder – Halong Bay is. It has three beaches: Hong Van, Van Chay, Love beach. Hong Van beach is the most beautiful with the emerald water, unlike many northern beaches. Both Van Chay and Love beach is huge. Thus, even though it may get frenzy at the weekend, you can still find a cozy space for yourself. All three are clean, pretty with more presence of locals than travelers.
It is best to visit Coto in April and May, or October and September. Because at this time, there is little chance of rain and storms.
An Bang (Hoi An)
An Bang beach is only 20 minutes drive from Hoi An town, which makes it a good fix for who wants to escape the hustling and spend all day chill in nature. In 2017, It’s ranked top 25 most beautiful beaches on the continent by TripAdvisor.
The best time to visit An Bang beach is February and March, or from June to August. Since this time, it’s sunny and does not rain much.
There are lots of food and drinks available on the beach. In fact, many travelers think the beach has many good bars. Besides, there are several beach games for active beach lovers: from paragliding to jetskiing.
You can also laze about in a beautiful shack watching the blue sky and listening to the breezing sound of the sea.
Non Nuoc beach (Da Nang)
Non Nuoc beach is in Da Nang. The charming city is well-loved for its friendly people and lively neighbors. The place is not so far from two world heritage sites: Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary. Thus, it can be a great choice to include in your central Vietnam trip.
Non Nuoc beach lies at the foot of Marble Mountains, which makes it even more poetic. The sand is white and smooth, and the wave is not so intense. This is also an ideal location for family travelers as you can easily participate in fun activities such as beach volleyball or fishing. There are local restaurants nearby where fresh seafood is aplenty and cheap.
The best time to beach hop in Non Nuoc beach is from February to August.
>> Suggested Da Nang beach tour: Da Nang Luxury Beach Vacation 4 Days
Ky Co beach (Quy Nhon)
Quy Nhon tourism has just been developed for a couple of years, so many parts of it are still unspoiled. The city has a sublime shoreline that can offer pristine beach experiences. Ky Co beach is one of the many amazing beaches in this coastal city.
Ky Co beach has unique oval shoreline which is surrounded by craggy cliffs and various rocks in peculiar shapes. The water is transparently turquoise. Blending with the stretching white sand, it creates an inherently beautiful ombre color.
Besides doing a classic beach chill, travelers can also find oysters and sea cucumbers in the rocks to have freshly grilled seafood afterward.
The only minus of the beach is that it costs about 11 US dollars for the entrance fees.
It’s best to travel from March to May to avoid the rainy season and the high seasons of domestic travels.
Bai Xep (Quy Nhon)
Bai Xep is another gorgeous beach in Quy Nhon that can awe any beach lovers. The beach is located in a tranquil, remote fishing village, which makes it an ideal escape from the crowd and an authentic local experience in Vietnam. You can wander in the jungle, go fishing, or simply watch the daily life of local fishermen on the boat.
The beach overlooks some small islands. You can easily discover a carpet of white sands for yourself, watch the stunning islands view in the sunset for a calming solitary moment on the beach.
Bai Nhat Beach (Con Dao)
Bai Nhat beach is located on Con Son island, Con Dao archipelago. The island is widely known for the notorious Con Dao prison – where Vietnamese war criminals were kept during the war. It is fairly remote with a humble number of inhabitants and litter-free streets.
Bai Nhat beach is only 6km from the town center. The beach is one of the most primitive beaches in Vietnam, and probably in Southeast Asia too. A sunny day in Bai Nhat beach under towering palm tree stretching on the clean white sand sounds perfect already.
As the islands are protected from several passes in central Vietnam, it is barely affected by storms. Therefore, you can swim in Bai Nhat beach all year round.
Son Dung (Nha Trang)
Nha Trang is by far the most famous beach city of Vietnam. And while such a place often gives you the worry of over-tourism, some beaches have little tourists’ traits.
Son Dung beach is a two-hour drive from Nha Trang city. Though it’s not so far from the lively city, Son Dung beach is slow-paced and very local. People here do shrimp farming for livings. Therefore, you can spot their rustic farming houses in the beach area. Travelers can also watch the daily life activities of local fishermen, especially in the early morning when they come back from a fishing night. Sunrise in such an isolated area can also give a refreshing and relaxing feeling.
Dai Lanh (Nha Trang)
80km from Nha Trang city center, Dai Lanh is another good beach destination in Nha Trang. Resting under the row of beefwood tree, you can ease yourself into the calming sound of the sea, and watch the emerald water stretching to the horizon.
Unlike other beaches, Dai Lanh beach has a significant low water level. Even when you are dozens of meters far from the shore, the water is still about waist level.
Same as Con Dao, it is possible to swim in the beach throughout the year.
Suggested beach resorts in Vietnam
Spending half a day on the beach is an enjoyable experience enough. But if you wish for more leisure, beach resorts are a good choice. There are more and more stunning beach resorts in Vietnam in recent years. Some of them even won awards for the best resorts of the continents in the World Travel Award 2019.
If you opt for a leisure Vietnam beach holiday and are savvy about where to stay, this list of best resorts in Vietnam may worth a look:
- InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam – World Leading Luxury Beach Resort 2019 & World’s Leading Resort Architecture Design 2019
- JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay – World’s Leading Luxury Wedding Resort 2019 & World’s Leading Resort & Spa 2019
- Mia Resort Garden View Condo
- Vinpearl Nha Trang beach resort
Suggested Vietnam tours 2020 to the beach
To sum up, you can consider our above recommendations for the best beaches in Vietnam. Plan your Vietnam tours now, then kick off your flip-flops and get ready to sunbathe on these amazing beaches!
Chi Tran – Travel Specialist
