Your ultimate guide toResorts in Vietnam
Shady cabanas scattered with silken cushions. Swim-up bars serving cocktails made with fruit from their own garden. Miles of pristine sand with just a handful of sun loungers scattered throughout. These are just a few of the facilities on offer at Vietnam’s top luxury resorts. And don’t even get us started on the service…
With Thailand its immediate neighbour, Vietnam beaches are often overlooked. However there are 3,260 km of coastline just waiting to be explored, much of it with white sand and twinkling blue waters that would put a sapphire to shame.
Checking into a beachside resort for a few days R and R has to be one of the best things to do in Vietnam. Get planning your perfect trip with our handy guide.
What to Consider When Choosing a Beachside Resort
Budget, weather and location are all important things to consider when deciding which Vietnam beach resort is right for you.
The Vietnamese dong is relatively weak against the Australian dollar, which means that you may be able to afford a far more lavish room than you think. However, remember that international chains charge in US dollars and therefore the rooms are often no cheaper than they would be in many other countries. If budget is an issue, aim for beach resorts owned by Vietnamese companies.
It’s also worth remembering that Vietnam is a large country and some areas don’t have much infrastructure. If you’re short on time or money, you may be best heading to some of the beach resorts on Mui Ne. This fairly developed stretch of sand is just four hours drive from Ho Chi Minh and is one of the best beaches in Vietnam that you can reach without having to board a plane.
If you’re looking to really get away from it all, the 16 islands of the Con Dao archipelago are going to wow you. They may be just 45-minutes flight from Ho Chi Minh but they feel like another world with their deserted coves and humble fishing villages. The marine life is some of the richest in the country. Think sandy atolls where green turtles lay their eggs and sea gardens cropped by rare dugongs.
Click here for more recommendations on the best places to visit in Vietnam.
Best Time to Stay at a Beachside Resort in Vietnam
Get your timings right and a trip to Vietnam can mean sipping fresh coconuts as you lounge on pristine beaches, before spending warm evenings eating cooling noodle salad spiked with lime juice. Get it wrong and it could be so humid you break into a sweat every time you leave your room. Or worse, monsoon season…
So, when exactly is the best time to visit Vietnam for a beach holiday?
Vietnam’s coastline is shaped like an S and includes several microclimates. Central Vietnam’s beaches come into their own between February and September. The mighty Truong Son Mountains protect them from the southwest monsoon and they have warm, dry days during these months. It’s worth noting that Vietnam’s weather in July and August can be brutally hot and travelling outside these months is advisable, particularly with children.
The best time to visit Southern Vietnam in terms of weather is between December and early May, just before the monsoons arrive. This is when the humidity is fairly low, the waters of the Mekong Delta calm and the landscape a lush emerald green.
Best Beach Resorts in Vietnam
Whether you prefer yours big, bold and beautiful or subtle and stylish, Vietnam has the perfect beachside haven for you.
Get inspired with our curated guide to the best beach resorts in Vietnam.
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
When you pull up to Six Senses Ninh Vanh in a speedboat, you’ll feel as if you’ve stumbled on a utopian village for the super rich.
Possibly the most luxurious beach resort in Vietnam, its 58 villas are scattered across the golden sand and dramatic rock formations on the southern side of the Hon Heo Peninsula. The hotel can only be reached by boat and is therefore a favourite with European royalty, Hollywood A-listers and anyone else seeking utter privacy.
Hewn from natural stone and mango wood, the spacious villas fade effortlessly into their surroundings. Pad between your outdoor shower and plunge pool, and if you need anything, just give your butler a call.
The dining here is exceptional, with a natural cave converted into a suave wine bar and excellent local seafood landed fresh every day.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
Fusing traditional Vietnamese features with cutting edge design by architect Bill Bensley, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is built into a cliff on the Son Tra Peninsula, ensuring sweeping ocean views from every room.
Food is a real highlight here, with more than five restaurants to choose from, including La Maison 1888, which serves award-winning French cuisine cooked by three Michelin-starred chef, Pierre Gagnaire.
Rooms are decorated in a striking black and white palette which gives them a smart, slightly masculine feel. All have enormous balconies where you can relax with a sundowner (or two).
Furama Resort Danang
Located on a prime spot of powder-fine sand on Danang beach, Furama Resort Danang is a majestic collection of colonial-inspired buildings that luxuriate around several enormous lagoon pools.
Sip a fresh fruit cocktail at the hip Ocean View Terrace bar, feast at no fewer than six restaurants (including tucking into what is quite possibly the best steak in Vietnam at The Fan) or try your hand at catamaran sailing or kite surfing.
Rooms contrast clean white linen and French-style beds with warm Vietnamese touches such as arched ceilings and lacquered mirrors. The result is homely and a little nostalgic, as well as super luxurious, of course.
La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc
For Robinson Crusoe levels of seclusion, head to Phu Quoc island, a pearl of white sand that floats in the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand. La Veranda is the high priest of the island’s hotel scene.
The hotel’s founder, Madame Catherine, grew up during the height of French rule in Vietnam and a stay here is steeped in nostalgia for this time. Think painted shutters, canopied beds, whirling ceiling fans and welcome macaroons to sweeten your arrival.
The Phu Quoc archipelago includes 28 islands and there are some fantastic day trips to be had,
Lang Co Beach Resort Hue
Framed by verdant forests and sandy beaches, Lang Co is just 50km from Hue, home of the UNESCO-listed imperial city, making it the perfect spot to combine culture with plenty of down time.
Lang Co Beach Resort overlooks the azure waters of the Lập An Lagoon, and its long stretch of private sand is a tranquil escape from the rest of the Lang Co waterfront, which can get busy on weekends with locals escaping the heat of the cities.
The resort is styled to look like a Vietnamese village. Expect whitewashed villas with tiled roofs and colourful bougainvillea clambering up the walls. Inside, lacquered wooden detailing and whirlpool bathtubs await.
Sunrise Premium Resort Hoi An
One of the most popular 5 star hotels in Vietnam, Sunrise Premium Resort is a stone’s throw from the historic port town of Hoi An. Overlooking the Cham Islands in the East Sea, it makes an excellent base for exploring the My Son ruins (Vietnam’s answer to Angkor Wat) as well as the many traditional crafts villages in the area.
Choose from private villas with lap pools stretching towards the ocean, palatial suites and stylish rooms with large private balconies. All the interiors are finished in a contemporary Vietnamese style, with statement light fittings, plenty of polished wood and pops of aquamarine colour in an otherwise snowy white palette.
Follow the smell of honey, cloves and turmeric to the Bliss Spa, where armies of soft-fingered therapists await to take your relaxation levels to new heights.
