8 Best Beaches in Vietnam

With a coastline that stretches – in a big, sandy ‘S’ shape – for over 3200 kilometres, it’s not surprising that Vietnam boasts so many beautiful beaches. From Nha Trang and Mui Ne and Phu Quoc Island, here’s our pick of the best. Don’t forget to pack your swimmers!

1. Nha Trang

First up among the best beaches in Vietnam is a perennial favourite. Known as the Vietnamese Riviera, Nha Trang – a busy beach area in the Khanh Hoa province – is renowned for its six-mile stretch of white-sand beach, clear waters and popular party boat cruises.

Doc Let Beach near Nha Trang, but without the hordes of other travellers.

As well as being home to Vietnam’s first certified dive centre (Rainbow Divers) and subsequently many soft coral reefs and caves to explore underwater, there’s also wakeboarding, kite surfing and banana boat rides for beach bums to try their hand at.

Meanwhile for the land lubbers among us, there are plenty of resorts and bars near City Beach that make a mean beachside cocktail.

But if you’d rather forgo the buzzing crowds here, travel 34 kilometres north to Doc Let Beach. It’s just as blindingly beautiful as Nha Trang, but without the hordes of other travellers who know they’re onto a good thing.

2. Bai Sao, Phu Quoc

Located in the Gulf of Thailand off Vietnam’s south-west coast, Phu Quoc is actually closer to Cambodia than Vietnam, being just 18 kilometres from Kampot province.

Famed for allegedly having the whitest sand in the country and some of the best sunsets around, it is undoubtedly one of Vietnam’s most picturesque islands. There’s many idyllic beaches here to get your sun-and-sea fix, each with its own character, but Bai Sao – with its powdery sand and swaying palm trees – is the oft-sung star. It figures, really, given that its name translates to Star Beach (on account of the starfish you’ll see while snorkelling).

Sunbeds under tropical palms on beautiful Bai Sao Beach on Phu Quoc Island.

3. Long Beach, Phu Quoc

Another Phu Quoc gem is Long Beach, on the island’s west coast, a 20-kilometre-long stretch of golden sand. It’s here you’ll find five-star InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, part of the upswell of luxury international resorts now sprinkling the island and indicating that it’s well on its way to becoming a global beach resort destination: get in before everyone else does.

4. Con Dao Islands

Look up ‘idyllic’ in the dictionary and you’ll likely find this place. Largely protected from tourism due to its remote location, about 230 kilometres south of Ho Chi Minh City, the Con Dao archipelago hides some of the most peaceful and untouched beaches in Vietnam.

Each villa at Six Senses Con Dao has a private infinity pool overlooking the beachfront.

Made up of 16 mountainous islands and islets – the largest being Con Son – you can expect to find a selection of uber-private, absolute beachfront resorts here to lap up a Vietnam beach holiday in unadulterated luxury.

Among our favourite beaches though is Dat Doc Beach, where guests at Six Senses Con Dao can access a private stretch all to themselves. How’s that for a seriously five-star stay?

5. Mui Ne

Just 220 kilometres east of Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne is a charming fishing village cum tourist favourite.

Characterised by its rolling sand dunes, serene water, swaying palm trees and warm beach-going weather for most the year, many claim this to be Vietnam’s number one beach.

Ideal territory for windsurfing and kite surfing, it’s also not a bad setting for a seaside massage.

Once you get bored of the beach scene (if that’s even possible), there’s a growing string of restaurants, boutique shops and resorts nearby.

6. Ho Coc

A quaint seaside village roughly 125 kilometres southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Coc boasts one long sweeping stretch of fine sandy beach.

Featuring pristine waters and the occasional boulder plonked along its peaceful shoreline, there’s no shortage of photo opportunities here.

To make the most of the serene surrounds, come during the week and beat the weekend crowds who day trip here from larger centres.

It’s also worthy checking out the nearby hot springs and rainforest.

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7. Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai

For a little bit of luxury, stay at the Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai on the outskirts of World Heritage-listed port town Hoi An. The resort grounds sit on a private, kilometre-long stretch of Ha My Beach, a popular beach on the country’s culturally rich central coast.

Content yourself with watching the water shimmer from your ocean-front villa or get active with a kayak on the East Sea.

And of course, take your chance to explore the old port town of Hoi An itself: with its centuries-old merchant houses, famously lantern-lit streets and promenades along the Thu Bon River bustling with people and eateries.

8. Minh Chau Beach

For a feeling of really getting away from it all and off the tourist trail, head to Quan Lan Island in northern Vietnam. Not far from Halong Bay, this sleepy island wasn’t always so sleepy: in the 11th century it served as a busy port for international trade.

Today the main drawcard here is the wild and beautiful Minh Chau Beach, stretching one kilometre in a crescent shape. But also don’t miss the beautiful old Quan Lan Temple (built in the Le Dynasty) with its exquisite carvings. Book yourself into a homestay and sink into local life for a couple of days.

For more information about travelling around Vietnam, visit our Vietnam guide.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.