We will guide you through 6 cities and coastal areas in Vietnam where surfing is most popular, starting from the north to south, and provide rankings with location information based on 12 criteria. By assessing the evaluation on a scale of 60 points (5 stars x 12 criteria), you will discover the Vietnam surf city that suits you best.
All 6 coastal areas are located within or near a city. We have included information on the size and convenience of the cities, the distance from the city to the coast, and whether it is a satisfying place for foreigners. Whether it’s for tourism, surf trips, relocating to Vietnam, or work, almost everyone who surfs in Vietnam will likely choose one of these six places.
Vietnam Surf City Ranking: Six Cities and Coastal Entries
- Northernmost major point, Lang Co Beach, Hue
- My Khe Beach, Da Nang – a city with everything
- Chill out at An Bang Beach, Hoi An Ancient Town
- Ongoing development in Bai Dai Nha Trang
- Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, popular with locals for its good climate
- Retro feeling beach resort in Back Beach, Vung Tau
Vietnam Surf City Map
Ranking of Cities and Coastal Areas
6th place | Lang Co Beach, Hue City | 47 points
Lang Co Beach, known as a surf spot in Hue, is located 65km southeast of Hue City, which takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes by car. From Da Nang City, it is 32km away, approximately a 50-minute drive, making it closer to Da Nang. However, due to its remote location and undeveloped rural surroundings, it is difficult to call Lang Co Beach a surf city. Nevertheless, it is listed here as the northernmost area frequently mentioned on wave information websites where surfing is possible. There are very few surfers at Lang Co Beach, and the coastline is clean due to the low population in the vicinity. It can be a surf trip destination from Da Nang or Hue City. Along QL1A road in front of Lang Co Beach, there are delicious local Vietnamese restaurants.
- Distance between city and surf spots: ☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆☆
5th place | An Bang Beach, Hoi An Town | 48 points
An Bang Beach, a surf spot in Hoi An, is located 5 km east of the World Heritage Site of Hoi An Old Town, a 12-minute drive away. The nearby Cua Dai Beach is heavily eroded by coastal erosion, whereas Hidden Beach and An Bang Beach are surfed more frequently than Cua Dai Beach. The climate is the same as in Da Nang and the waves are generated under similar conditions.
- Distance between city and surf spots: ☆☆☆☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆☆
4th place | Back Beach, Vung Tau | 50 points
Photo: NISHI
Photo: NISHI
Back Beach, the surf point in Vung Tau, is a tourist destination located about 2 hours by car or boat from the major city of Ho Chi Minh, approximately 100km by land. The surf point is situated in the southeastern part of the town. It is the closest surf point to a major city in Vietnam. Even in winter, the sea temperature remains around 24°C, similar to July or September in Shonan, Japan. The water transparency is relatively low.
- Distance between city and surf spots: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆
3rd place | Phan Thiet and Mui Ne | 51 points
Mui Ne, the surf spot in Phan Thiet, is approximately 25km east of the city, a 30-minute drive away. The entire eastern coast of the Mui Ne Peninsula serves as the surf spot. It is primarily a surf spot during the winter season, but there are also small waves in the summer. Mui Ne is a highly popular destination for surfers due to its warm climate throughout the year and the high frequency of waves. Even in winter, the sea temperature reaches around 24°C, similar to July or September in Shonan, Japan.
The city of Phan Thiet caters primarily to local Vietnamese residents, and along the coastal road to the east called Nguyen Dinh Chieu, there are numerous resorts. This resort-lined street is conveniently surrounded with restaurants, convenience stores, pharmacies, and more. Additionally, there is a development area called Sealinks City along this street, with a south-facing coastline in front of it. The waves on this coastline, next to the seawall, are excellent and suitable for shortboarding.
- Distance between city and surf spots: ☆☆☆☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆
2nd place | Bai Dai Nha Trang, Nha Trang | 53 points
Bai Dai Nha Trang, a surf spot in Nha Trang, is located 25km south of the city, about a 35-minute drive. It is the most popular and beautiful surfing beach in Nha Trang. Along the coastline of Khanh Hoa province, where Bai Dai Nha Trang is situated, beach resorts are being built one after another. On the other hand, Nha Trang City itself is a convenient city similar to Da Nang, so staying in Nha Trang City and surfing at Bai Dai Nha Trang would be a good option. On the northern side of Nha Trang City, at Hon Chong Beach, there is a reef point break where you can surf in the city when there are larger swells. It tends to have smaller waves during the summer months from May to September. From around October to April, seasonal wind waves arrive. Although it occurs only a few times a year, this spot can receive typhoon swells. Even in winter, the sea temperature reaches around 24°C, similar to July or September in Shonan, Japan.
- Distance between city and surf spots: ☆☆☆☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆
1st place | My Khe Beach, Da Nang | 58 points
My Khe Beach, located on the east coast of Da Nang, is the surf spot in Da Nang. Da Nang is the most convenient surf city in Vietnam. It has an airport and surf spots within the city, as well as hotels and restaurants near the surf spots. In addition, there are plenty of shopping and sightseeing opportunities. Moreover, it is considered the safest coastal area in Vietnam, where you can experience the best aspects of Vietnamese culture. The surf season runs from mid-January to around November. The optimal wave conditions are similar throughout Vietnam, occurring during the transitional periods of autumn and spring when the winds are calm. While it may vary from year to year, generally the transitional periods around October, November, February, and March offer the most promising wave quality and pleasant weather. During these transitional periods, there are consistent fun waves in the chest to shoulder high range, providing enjoyment for surfers of all levels, from shortboarding to longboarding and even SUP surfing. The water temperature is around 20°C during the coldest winter period, similar to June or October in Shonan, Japan. Therefore, a seagull or 3mm full wetsuit is sufficient. From May to September, the summer season is hot with small waves. Especially from June to August, the waves are usually small and scarce. However, if there are waves, the wave quality is excellent due to the favorable coastal terrain. The potential typhoon swells from summer to autumn can produce great waves depending on the course.
- Distance between city and surf spot: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Accommodation: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Sightseeing and Shopping: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Residency: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Wave quality: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Number of surf spots: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Frequency of waves: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Water quality: ☆☆☆☆☆
- Water temperature and climate: ☆☆☆☆
- Degree of seclusion at the beach: ☆☆☆☆
- Safety and people: ☆☆☆☆☆
