31 Best Sights in Vietnam

The locals' favorite beach, An Bang is one of the few remaining public beaches on the long Hoi An–Danang coastline. Locals flock here for sunrise swimming and sunset family picnics, leaving this lovely stretch of beach almost deserted during the day. The beach offers stunning views of the neighboring Marble Mountains, Danang Bay, and the Cham Islands. A good selection of often-hip restaurants borders the clean, sandy beach, offering free use of beach loungers and umbrellas if you buy food or drinks. Competition is fierce and staff can be pushy. Development has been slow but steady, with only a few homestays and holiday cottages, but new resorts at both ends of the beach are set to change this over the next few years. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: swimming; sunsets; families; surfing; walking.

The island's beaches are among the best in North Vietnam and the three stretches of sand at Cat Co Cove are justifiably popular with Vietnamese tourists and other sun-worshippers. Of the three beaches, the one at Cat Co 2 is the prettiest with limestone cliffs backing golden sand. Here, you will find Cat Ba Beach Resort, one of the island's more luxurious lodgings. The other two beaches are less crowded, but there tends to be more debris and trash in the water. Cat Co is an easy 15-minute walk from Cat Ba Town. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: swimming; sunset.

Stretching 5 km (3 miles), Quy Nhon could win the award for cleanest beach in Vietnam. The sand and promenade are religiously cleaned and vendors (who are a big factor in plastic pollution) are banned, making this place unique in a country plagued by coastal trash. The ambience in the late afternoon and sunset is magical, as it feels like the entire city comes out to swim, walk, jog, cycle, and play. Quy Nhon has made a concerted effort and investment in park space, trash cans, and manpower, and visitors should join the locals in relishing this beach, which is like no other in Vietnam. Amenities: none. Best for: walks; sunset; sunrise.

Located 20 km (13 miles) south of Nha Trang center, running all the way to Cam Ranh Airport, Bai Dai Beach has fantastic sand and sea, but much of its 20 km (12½ miles) has been taken over by resorts. Some resorts might claim to own certain stretches of the beach, but the beach is public (just don't try to enter the resort itself). Meanwhile, at the public access, bare-bones seafood shacks detract from the aesthetic appeal, though they offer chairs, toilets, and showers with any food or drink purchase. This is one of the few spots where surfers can find waves through April. Like all beaches in Vietnam, trash is an issue, except the resorts clean their frontage regularly.

The best section is on the north end at the protected bay.

Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

Part of the 30 km (18½ miles) of Danang's coastline is the city's most popular beach, My Khe Beach. After the arrival of American soldiers in 1965, it became popular with GIs who came here over their holidays. Sandwiched between Monkey Mountain and the nearby Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach is home to several international resorts. It has fine white sand and warm water, and is surprisingly clean and isolated on weekdays. Beachfront vendors sell coastal specialties like shrimp, crab, and fish. There are palapa umbrellas and restrooms, and it's one of the few beaches with lifeguards on duty year-round. Rip currents and waves mean this is not a swimmer-friendly beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: surfing; walking; sunbathing.

Bac My An is a small, gently sloping, white sandy stretch of beach located 7 km (4½ miles) east of Danang, just south of My Khe. Thanks to its pristine natural landscapes and clear water, Bac My An is a certified crowd-pleaser. Several luxury resorts have emerged on the beach over the years. Water sports like canoeing, windsurfing, or diving are often complimentary experiences at the resorts. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; solitude; sunrise.

Vung Tau's most popular beach has golden sands that stretch for miles, but it's not the prettiest or the cleanest beach around. Quiet on weekdays, it's crowded on weekends, with locals who will be playing volleyball, football, and jogging. Back Beach is fine for swimming, but be aware that most of the locals swim fully clothed so parading around in a skimpy swimsuit may attract some stares. There are showers at the Imperial Hotel's Beach Club, which has a 250,000d entry fee. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Located 10 km (6 miles) south of Quy Nhon, Bai Xep fishing village is a narrow, confusing warren of dwellings that eventually spits you out onto a little beach. Once a backpacker haunt, the beach now has some guesthouses and three resorts, yet still manages to hold onto its charm, for now. Food options include Big Tree Bistro, or in the evening, fresh caught seafood you choose from buckets, grilled and eaten at plastic tables on the beach. A taxi from the city costs around 130,000d--160,000d, or take the cheap local bus #T11.

Ten minutes from the Old Town is Hoi An's main public beach, where clear water and warm surf beckon tourists and locals alike. This 3-km (2-mile) stretch of white, powdery sand makes for a perfect place to bask under the sunshine. Though the area has been developed and resorts have been built along the shores, there are still a few quieter stretches.

The public beach area to the north has retained much of its sand and the beach is clean. It's the perfect spot to escape the sweltering humidity of Old Town during the hottest months. Walking beach vendors can be a problem, heckling people to buy fresh fruit and crafts, but most are easily rebuffed with a firm "no, thank you." Food shacks sell fresh fish, squid, and shellfish, and offer amenities. Bikes can be rented for about 20,000d per day; Jet Skis start at 1,200,000d for half an hour. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets; showers; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking. If Cua Dai Beach is crowded, walk or bike 3 km (2 miles) north to An Bang beach.

A few short years ago this was a pristine deserted wonderland of clear water and soft golden sand. It's still a pretty beach, but the rutted dirt track leading to it has been paved over and there are tables and chairs along the treeline where a kiosk sells snacks and drinks. There's also a small playground for kids. Down on the sand, hammocks and sun loungers are available for reasonably priced rentals. It's a nice spot to watch the sunset and take photos of low-flying airplanes as they approach the nearby airport. Amenities: snacks and drinks. Best for: sunsets; swimming; solitude.

This 30-km (18½-mile) stretch starts at My Khe beach, which runs from the foot of the Hai Van Pass to the north, and ends at Non Nuoc beach near the Marble Mountains to the south. In the middle, south of the Furama Resort, lies Bac My An, the R&R resort spot for U.S. soldiers during the war. Five-star resorts now line the pristine and quiet sandy stretches south of My Khe, leaving only a handful of beaches accessible to the public.

There are a lot of water sports you can try, and some of the region's freshest seafood to devour at the small restaurants that line the beach road. It's best to come between April and August, when the water is placid. Waves can be very large at other times—in fact, this is the preferred spot in Central Vietnam for surfing competitions. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; parking. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

About 45 km (25 miles) north of Nha Trang is Doc Let Beach, a beautiful 10-km (6-mile) stretch of palm- and casuarina-lined fine white sand and azure water that hasn't been taken over by megaresorts—yet. The few resorts here are small and low-key, and are usually glad to welcome day guests for a very small fee (in front of the resorts is where the beach will be the cleanest). Doc Let is great for a laid-back beach day trip from Nha Trang, or to spend a few nights, especially on a full moon. There's bioluminescent plankton in the summer months. Paradise Resort can arrange a day out on a wooden fishing boat. Doc Let is one hour from Nha Trang by taxi and costs around 800,000d for the day, roundtrip. The local bus (No. 3) costs around 25,000d. Amenities: food and drink; water sports Best for: walking; swimming; sunsets.

The narrow Doi Duong Beach, at the end of Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, is not the prettiest in the country (the concrete embankment is an eyesore), but it is loved by the locals and usually cleaned. Crowds descend in the early morning and before sunset, when the weather is not so hot. Couples stroll along the paved walkway, families picnic in the adjacent park, and everyone eats snacks from the many food vendors. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking.

A little way outside of Hoi An, this peaceful beach, located midway between the award-winning Four Seasons The Nam Hai and Le Belhamy resorts, is the best place to head to escape the hawkers and crowds that frequent the more famous Cua Dai Beach. With just a few incredibly good seafood restaurants and a couple of loungers and umbrellas, this regularly cleaned, gently shelving beach offers great swimming conditions, a chilled-out atmosphere, and plenty of space for children to run around safely. Amenities: showers; toilets; food and drink; parking (free). Best for: swimming; walking; solitude; sunset.

Wide and pretty with shallow blue-green water, the beauty of An Hai Beach is marred somewhat by the long pier at its northern end. However, simply walk south along the casuarina-lined sand to get that deserted tropical island mood. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; walking.

This one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, and although two state-run resorts own part of the casuarina-lined golden sands, the remainder is available for strolling and swimming. There's a small collection of thatched huts containing deck chairs, which can be rented, as well as a few vendors selling drinks and snacks. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

With palms, powdery white sand that is regularly cleaned, and an ocean that seems to change colors throughout the day, this beach on the southeastern tip is what you'd expect from a tropical island. A few seafood restaurants offer loungers, and sometimes the grandiose JW Marriott Phu Quoc, occupying the southern end of the beach, allows outside guests to purchase day passes. There is also a difficult to traverse access road to the beach beside Phu Quoc Prison. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; families.

A convenient stopover on the trip from Hue to Danang, Lang Co is an idyllic hamlet on a peninsula jutting out into the East Sea. Lang Co Beach is a good place to have lunch and spend the day. For an additional couple of nights of beach indulgence, head toward Banyan Tree Lang Co or its budget-friendly little sister, Angsana Lang Co, which is about 20 km (12.4 miles) away from Lang Co Township. Take the turn off Highway 1 at the sign for the Lang Co Beach Resort; this will lead you to the long, sandy beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; walks; swimming.

Locals seem to prefer walking along Nguyen Van Cuu Street's sidewalk at dawn and dusk rather than on this long sandy beach, which is usually dotted with the round basket-boats the fishermen use to get to shore. Despite being right in town, Lo Voi Beach is usually deserted during the day. Fishing boats moored just offshore make this beautiful beach even more picturesque. The water is pretty shallow for a long way out (especially at low tide), making it not ideal for swimming. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; walking.

This beach is about a 90-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh City and 15 km (9 miles) along the coast from Vung Tau, but it feels like it's worlds away. Opposite the Dinh Co Temple, there are sun loungers and umbrellas for rent, as well as food and drinks sold by street vendors including grilled seafood at very cheap prices. The beach is not patrolled but the water is calm with no surf and the golden sand stretches for miles. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.

With its pebble-strewn brown sand, Mui Nai, 6 km (4 miles) west of Ha Tien, pales in comparison to Phu Quoc's beaches, but the sea is calm and shallow so it's a pleasant enough place to take a dip. It's extremely popular on the weekends when people from all over the delta come to escape the heat and enjoy fresh seafood from one of the seafood shacks. There's sometimes an entrance/parking fee on busy days.

A cramped beach below Ha Long Street, Mulberry Beach isn't really a place you'd travel miles to see, and despite the poetic name, it's not ideal for swimming. Legend has it that the hillside near the beach, where the Virgin Mary statue is now, was once a mulberry field, hence the name. Amenities: none. Best for: sea views; walking.

About 15 km (9 miles) from Quang Ngai's center, just past Son My Memorial, is casuarina-lined My Khe beach, which shouldn't be confused with the famous My Khe beach of Danang. As the coastal getaway for the region, it is busier on weekends and summer holidays, quiet outside of these times. There's a glut of seafood shacks, but only a few basic homestays and subpar guesthouses so it's best to enjoy for a few hours before continuing north to Hoi An and Danang or south to Quy Nhon to sleep. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming.

Nha Trang's star attraction, this 5-km (3-mile) long city beach is completely free and for public use; there is not a single resort built directly on it. The atmosphere is lovely before sunrise and before sunset, when locals and tourists swim or walk along the clean tree-lined parks and promenade, avoiding the broiling sun. Upscale hotels have a section set up with umbrellas and loungers for their guests. For everyone else, you can rent loungers from vendors for up to 100,000d (be sure to confirm the price first). Beach clubs and restaurants also have amenities for guest use and throw on events with live music and DJs. The beach is not patrolled, so do be sensible as the water can be rough at certain times a year and, unfortunately, tourist drownings occur. Like all public beaches in Vietnam, trash is an issue. The beach is cleaned regularly, but what you experience just depends on the volume of people and what the currents bring in. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.

Half the allure of Nhat Beach is simply being able to find it. It's a sliver of white sand and pretty boulders along clear, blue-green water found down a short path just off the main road. Check the tide times before heading there as Nhat Beach only reveals itself at low tide. At high tide, the pebbles and rocks at the top of the beach rule out walking and swimming. There's no shade here, so be sure to cover up if low tide is in the middle of the day. Amenities: none. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

Just 14 km (9 miles) from either Danang or Hoi An lies Non Nuoc beach, a stunning stretch of white sandy beach overlooking the Son Tra Peninsula to the north and the stately Marble Mountains to the west. Once a popular fishing beach, the area has now become the private playground of some of the finest beach resorts in the area, leaving the surrounding pockets of beach land fenced off for future development. The stretch is home to international standard golf clubs and luxury villas and you can see why it's such a sought-after area—the deserted white sand beaches seem to go on forever and the sea is clean and perfect for swimming during the long dry season that runs from April to September. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Starting at Hon Chong Beach just north of Tran Phu Bridge and running 30 km (18 miles) north beyond Nha Trang city are several beautiful beaches that together are commonly referred to as "North Beach." This area draws college students who attend one of the five nearby universities. It definitely has a more local feel, and like Nha Trang beach, is lively at sunset. A handful of surfers paddle to the point break that whips up decent waves between October and April. Amenities: food and drink; toilets Best for: surfing; swimming

More of a series of coves than one long beach, Ong Lang can be pretty with its rocky outcrops and narrow strips of white sand. Hotels such as Mango Bay Resort and Phu Quoc Eco Beach Resort front the beach, so wonderful views can be enjoyed from their in-house restaurants or by purchasing a day pass. For public access, follow signs to Mango Bay and look for the "public beach" sign just south of the resort. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunsets; swimming.

This is a popular spot for tour buses given the number of restaurants that front the fine white sand, as well as the umbrellas and water sports available for rent; the water gets crowded and noisy with Jet Skis and banana boats buzzing around. Once one of Phu Quoc's dirtiest beaches, businesses now clean their section but pile the trash off to the side. Entrances 1 and 2 offer free access and parking, while Paradiso Beach Club at entrance 3 charges for use of its facilities. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: sunrise; water sports activities.

For now, Thuan An Beach, which lies out on a peninsula 14 km (8 miles) from central Hue, has only one beach resort, leaving an unspoiled, long, sandy stretch of coconut- and casuarina-tree-lined beach all but empty. In the summer months the tranquil turquoise sea and gentle breeze make for the most idyllic break from the city, while in winter it makes for wildly romantic walks, with scatterings of family temples, fishing villages, and Vietnam's largest lagoon to explore. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; sunset.