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Over 3,000km of coastline running up the eastern edges of Vietnam contains speckled spots of beauty along white-sand beaches, swaying palm trees and a gently lapping ocean. Such gems were hidden in the recent past, with many tourists opting to take their Southeast Asia beach vacation in Thailand or Cambodia. Ideas about the country’s golden coastline are changing, and now popularity for Vietnam beach holidays are on the meteoric rise.
Between the southern island of Phu Quoc and the northern islands comprising Halong Bay, visitors to Vietnam can find world-class beaches comprised of the most idyllic scenes imaginable. Mui Ne, Nha Trang and Hoi An are some of the popular Vietnam beach resorts to visit along its shapely coast, writhing like a dragon against the deep-blue East Vietnam Sea.
At Incredible Asia Journeys, we want to provide you with the perfect Vietnam beach trip to suit you. To this end, our tours feature both fixed itineraries and flexible free days. We provide the transport, accommodation, most meals and excellent daytrips with experienced, English-speaking guides, but reserve many afternoons and entire days for your reclined enjoyment.
Below is a list of destinations visited on some of Incredible Asia Journey’s countrywide selection of Vietnam beach holidays.
The once-sleepy fishing town of Mui Ne is a microcosm for Vietnam, in that its recent and rapid blossoming into one of the best Vietnam beach resorts represents the country’s white-sand tourism boom as a whole. The town lies just 5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City and features on the popular bus route between the city and Hanoi. Now popular with Vietnamese and tourists alike, Mui Ne has quickly become one of the best beach destinations in Vietnam. Our Mui Ne beach vacations feature some fantastic activities both on and off the sand. Mui Ne is blessed with several other natural wonders around its three beautiful bays and the two distinct capes that separate them.
• Take it easy on the beach – The largely south-facing beaches of Mui Ne offer fantastic golden sands and the sorts of tropical vegetation that turns beautiful coasts into wild and evocative attractions across the whole of Vietnam. Hours can be spent relaxing here, watching the placid swaying of coconut trees and the activity of watersports out in front.
• Try kitesurfing – Mui Ne’s capes provide the town with a strong coastal wind, perfect for engaging in the sport of kitesurfing. Mui Ne is considered the kitesurfing capital of Southeast Asia and lives up to this by providing a wealth of kitesurfing schools, where professional instructors will be at hand to teach you the basics over the course of a day, a few days or a week.
• Join a half-day sunset tour – The beauty of Mui Ne’s other natural assets becomes apparent on a half-day sunset tour, usually done by Jeep and ending on the town’s beautiful red and white sand dunes with a view of the sunset. Before this, these tours will visit the Fairy Stream, a shallow and walkable riverbed with solidified sand dunes and rock rising up on either side, as well as Mui Ne Bay, where humble, colourful fishing vessels are anchored, creating an idyllic scene against the curved coast.
As Vietnam’s premier beach destination, Nha Trang receives huge local and international acclaim as one of the best white-sand beaches in the world. The long and luxuriant curved coast of Nha Trang Beach faces directly east, meaning that a beautiful sunrise begins every day for the active residents, ascending above isolated islands and mountains within the East Vietnam Sea.
• Explore the hidden beaches – Nha Trang didn’t earn its status as one of the best Vietnam beach resorts off the merits of merely one beach. The golden sands of Nha Trang beach are gorgeous, but its ease of access often persuades potential visitors to seek more reclusive destinations further afield. Hon Tam, Doc Let and Diep Son comprise just some of the multitude of alternative beach options around the city, each containing picture-perfect sands backed by jungle and views reaching to nearby forested islands.
• Join an island tour – The various islands viewable from Nha Trang beach differ greatly in size, but all contain a wild heart, with jungles, beaches and elevated peaks. Small parts of some of the islands have been developed, providing the means for half or full-day island tours to dock and enjoy some of the natural beauties in Nha Trang’s adjacent archipelago. Of these islands, Hon Mieu, Hon Mot and Hon Mun feature heavily on tours, delivering the feeling of island paradise through aquariums, coral reefs and large, uncombed beaches with turquoise waters.
• Relax at the mud baths – With the free time afforded to you by any of our Vietnam beach holidays in Nha Trang, we encourage you to soak up the natural nutrients to be found around the city’s mud baths. These experiences, along with those found at Nha Trang’s natural hot springs, can reinvigorate the mind and body with great efficiency.
Unlike Mui Ne and Nha Trang, Hoi An has been long established on the map of Vietnam. The town’s history stretches back centuries, when its role as a stop-off point on the Maritime Silk Road was pivotal to the success of trading between China and Europe. Because of the wealth that came from Hoi An, residents and visiting traders were able to spend frivolously and enjoy their leisure time on the beaches and islands. Nowadays visitors still stream into the town in search of the perfect Vietnam beach break and, with its accessible location, find it on one of the many Vietnam beach tours starting from either the north or the south of the country.
• Feel the golden sands between your toes – The two popular beaches of Cua Dai and An Bang receive a lot of popular attention due to their easy accessibility from the centre of Hoi An. There are many resorts claiming private parts of each beach, but tranquility can still be found on their undeveloped spots.
• Head to the Cham Islands – Due to the designation of the Cham Islands, 15km off the coast of Hoi An, as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, many Vietnam island tours run daily operations here across the beautiful archipelago. These tours comprise one of the many possible daytrips from Hoi An, where visitors can scuba dive, snorkel or relax on the sandy beaches in total serenity.
• Explore My Son Sanctuary – On the opposite side of the Hoi An to the Cham Islands, another of the Champa civilisation’s heritage stands. My Son Sanctuary is an evocative and mystical wonder, UNESCO World Heritage-listed and within easy distance of Hoi An. The many temple ruins around here date back as far as the 4th century, built and sculpted laboriously by the Cham people to honour their Hindu gods. Weather and war have eroded much of the facades of the complex, but none of its ethereal beauty.
Vietnam’s largest Island, Phu Quoc, sits like a pendant in the Gulf of Thailand, lying closer to Cambodian islands than the Vietnamese mainland, but reflecting the same gorgeous scenery and languid approach to life that is such an appealing sight on Southeast Asia beach vacations. Popularity in Phu Quoc is gradually increasing, and much of the island’s beaches are claimed by resorts, but due to its 360° exposure to the ocean, there are great amounts of white-sand coves to choose from.
• Enjoy the never-ending coastline – Long Beach is Phu Quoc’s premier coastal attraction. The 20km stretch of golden sand up the west coast of the island is the location of much hotel development, but its huge length means that vast swaths of Long Beach remain untouched. Alternatively, there are more than 10 other noted, quieter beaches around the Phu Quoc, and several more remote ones on the small and accessible islets off its south coast.
• Go on a Safari – The Vinpeal Safari and Conservation Park at the northeastern outcrop of Phu Quoc houses several animals from around the world, predominantly from Africa, in good conditions with a respectful eye on the wellbeing of each animal. The zoo and birdlife park feature many exotic animals such as bears, elephants and hornbills, while the safari offers a chance to ride around a replica natural habitat where lions, giraffes and other great beasts have free roam.
• Enjoy the greenery of Phu Quoc National Park – The entire north section of the island, as well as the waters around it, is claimed by the Phu Quoc National Park. 32,000 hectares of mangrove, jungle and towering mountains comprise the park, which is yet another of Vietnam’s UNESCO-recognised wonders. The park is popular for trekking, climbing and rafting, with visitors keeping an eye out for monkeys around the forests of ancient trees and otters in the turquoise pools of cascading waterfalls.
Regardless of one’s inclination towards beaches, Halong Bay Cruise Tour is a truly unmissable part of any full Vietnam tours, as its unique landscape and irrefutable beauty provide something for everyone. As far as Vietnam island tours go, Halong Bay is the best of the best – twice recognised by UNESCO and the location of about 1,600 limestone islands, with even more stretching into neighbouring Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. With so many forested karst rocks lying in placid waters, Halong Bay can boast a whole host of beaches, the vast majority of which are completely untouched.
• Try out the island life – The cruise ships that ply the waters of Halong Bay usually make a point to stop at one of its magnificent beaches on its islands. Due to stringent regulations aimed at preserving the bay, the majority of these visits are to Titop Island, which features a white-sand beach at the foot of its peak. If engaging on a 3-day itinerary instead of the standard 2 or 1-day, then plenty more beach options become available around Halong Bay and its adjacent waters.
• Visit the caves – Another routine stop for Halong Bay cruises is to some of the caves that have been forged from water erosion into the limestone. These create awe-inspiring caverns with grand stalactites and stalagmites, illuminated in colourful lighting and featuring in the many local tales that surround the mystic beauty of Halong Bay.
• Relax into the cruise – Halong Bay is the quintessential Vietnam island experience and it is uniformly done via one of the many cruise companies that offer tours here. There is a vast array of different options spanning from budget cruises to outlandishly luxurious ones, but every cruise features a top deck from which to watch the breathtaking scenery glide slowly by. On overnight trips, the shimmering seascape can also be admired from the seclusion of your own cabin.
The long, outstretched arm of land reaching into the southern part of the East Vietnam Sea is where you will find Vung Tau, a classic Vietnam beach resort with a colonial history. Lying just over two hours away from the starting point of many beach holidays in southern Vietnam, it is easy enough to visit this beautiful outcrop on a daytrip from Ho Chi Minh City. Many locals from Saigon actually prefer a longer stay over a weekend to fully soak up some of the sunniest weather available throughout the country.
• Check out the beach life – Three sides of Vung Tau are exposed entirely to the ocean, with its two longest housing ‘Front Beach’ and ‘Back Beach’, both beautiful but very popular spits of golden sand. Other beaches slightly further out of the city offer a much more serene relaxation, namely Suoi O, Doi Nhai and Thuy Tien.
• Climb to the Christ of Vung Tau – Vietnam’s very own ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue stands atop Mount Nho (Small Mountain), striking a similar pose to its counterpart in Rio De Janeiro. The statue was finished in 1993, encapsulating centuries of the city’s Catholic religion, first brought by missionaries from Spain, Portugal and France to this easily-accessible port town. The statue is reachable via around 1000 steps from the mountains base, with just 133 more inside the statue leading to a panoramic view of Vung Tau from the statue’s shoulders.
• Try out the amazing cuisine – The seafood of Vung Tau is caught freshly every day, hauled to shore by fishing boats in the form of crabs, clams, squid, shrimp, amberjack fish and many more. The most famous local delicacy is banh khot, a fried shrimp and squid pancake, but stingray hotpot is another of the proud exports from Vung Tau.
Comprising another of the gems of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Con Dao is a collection of 16 small islands far off the coast of the province’s capital of Vung Tau city. The islands have a stunning natural appearance but a controversial history, as this was the site of the infamous discovery of the ‘tiger cages’, where opponents to the South Vietnamese government were held in horrific conditions during the American War. Nowadays, former jailers live side-by-side with former detainees on an island with a laidback atmosphere promoting the most improbable forgiveness.
• Find serenity in island paradise - The Con Dao islands are only accessible by a long ferry or small aircraft trip, meaning they are one of the country’s hidden gems and thus, do not usually feature on any Vietnam beach holidays. Because of this, Con Dao’s beaches are largely untouched, meaning the windswept beauty, golden sands and glistening teal waters of An Hai, Lo Voi, Ong Dung, Dam Trau and many more are evident for anyone willing to make the trip.
• Take in the modern history – From French colonial rule to the end of the Vietnam War, Con Dao Prison kept political opponents to the Indochinese and South Vietnamese regimes that ruled during these times. A guided tour of the prison will bring to life some of the horrific treatment endured by inmates in notorious tiger cages.
• Watch turtles laying eggs – Bay Canh Island lies in the southeast of the archipelago, housing a turtle conservation project running ‘turtle tours’. These overnight tours take guests from the main island of Con Son to the secluded beach of Bay Canh, where turtles nest after swimming from the Philippines, lay their eggs throughout the night.
The resplendent capital of Binh Dinh Province, Quy Nhon, does not feature on the usual tourist bus routes between Saigon and Hanoi, but its remarkably clean sand and pellucid waters make it a vital stopover for any Vietnam beach holiday. Only until recently has the city decided to focus more concerted efforts into tourism than its previous priorities of fishing and agriculture. As a result, the city now holds a great amount of appeal for beach tours around Vietnam, straddling the perfect line between well-connected but not overly visited.
• Discover uncombed beaches - Quy Nhon’s efforts to boost tourism have progressed where many have fallen short, with a comprehensive cleanup of the city’s premier beach. Quy Nhon Beach is a white-sand marvel, lying against the curved bay and largely undeveloped due to groundbreaking policies against building on large sections of the sand. Further south of the city, pristine beaches such as Bai Xep, Bai Bang and Bai Bau lie well off-the-beaten-track, surrounded by gorgeous scenery.
• Snorkel around the Phuong Mai Peninsula – The large, dangling outcrop of land to the east of Quy Nhon is the Phuong Mai Peninsula, containing some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in Vietnam. The waters around here are a clear turquoise and visitors on any island tours in Vietnam will be treated to views of blooming coral and scores of fish. See this while you can, it is likely to be a popular fixture on Vietnam beach holidays in the not-too-distant future.
• Drive the Cu Mong Pass – The two stunning roads connecting Quy Nhon to its southern neighbouring province of Phu Yen provide two different environments full of natural splendour. While the coastal road skirts the fringes of beaches, the inland Cu Mong Pass cuts around mountains high above, providing excellent views of the valleys down below and the misted, forested peaks of the mountains above.
The Vietnam beach holidays listed below all start in one of the country’s two biggest cities. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City don’t feature beaches, but their grandeur and history accumulated over thousands of years means that they are worthy of at least one day of exploration. The two locations provide excellent starting points for beach tours across Vietnam and are never more than 4 hours away from a magnificent white-sand coast.
The long-standing capital of Vietnam has an accompanying deep-rooted culture. Hanoi has been the centre of Vietnamese power for over 1000 years, culminated in a city rich in architectural beauty, incredible food and friendly locals. The city is centered around the Old Quarter, where hotels are situated among rustic houses and shops along its 36 ancient streets, all focused around Hoan Kiem Lake at the city’s centre. Further afield, Ba Dinh Square holds several of Hanoi’s attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One-Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh’s Former Residence and the Presidential Palace. Just south of here, the Temple of Literature stands as Vietnam’s first university while to the north, the Tran Quoc Pagoda proudly displays the city’s Buddhist ties.
The Fall of Saigon in 1975 was the most monumental moment in Vietnam’s recent history. As a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates of the Independence Palace (now referred to as Reunification Hall), the country began its long road to peace, starting with the renaming of Saigon as Ho Chi Minh City. Many decades on, Independence Palace is now one of the top things to see in Ho Chi Minh City, as is the War Remnants Museum next to it, which provides personal and harrowing accounts of the American War. Ben Thanh Market stands at the centre of the city, selling many goods to locals and tourists alike, while Nguyen Hue walking street lies closely by, running 650 metres between Saigon Town Hall and the Saigon River.
Advantages of Choosing a Vietnam Beach Holiday with Incredible Asia Journeys
1. For a full and comprehensive tour with a professional tour company, based in Hanoi
2. For the stress-free inclusions of accommodation, transport and most meals
3. For seeing the best beaches that Vietnam has to offer, through visits to well-established coastlines along with beautiful hidden coves
4. For professional guidance from an English-speaking tour guide while engaging on tours
5. For the independence of free time that these Vietnam beach holidays afford you
Book the Vietnam Beach Holidays in advance in 2020 and 2021 for the best promotion!
