If you want beach time without the party crowds, Quy Nhon is your spot. Lots of travelers I met recommended skipping busier beach towns, so I headed straight here from Dalat, and I'm so glad I did. Two nights and three days was the perfect amount of time to relax and recharge before Hoi An.
Getting there
I took a night bus from Dalat: about 8 hours. Remember to sort your e-visa before you arrive in Vietnam; see my Vietnam travel guide.
Pro tip: If you're on a bus, tell the driver exactly where to drop you. Otherwise they may take you all the way to the station and you'll be paying for a taxi back.
Best things to do in Quy Nhon
Do nothing on the beach. We swam and laid out every single day.
Look for bioluminescent plankton. At the right time of year, the water lights up at night when you splash around. Unreal.
Head into town for cheap massages and restaurants. When I visited, there were almost no tourists, and the local kids greeted us with huge smiles and waves.
Safety note: The roads into town are narrow and buses pass very close to motorbikes. If you're not a confident rider, take a taxi or Grab.
Where to stay
I stayed at a beachfront hostel with hammocks, a pool table and a bar that served every meal, so you never had to leave. Look for a place right on the sand; that's the whole point of Quy Nhon.
Want Vietnam without the planning?
Quy Nhon isn't on the group itinerary, but my 9-day Vietnam group trip, April 10–18, 2027, gets you the coast in Da Nang and Hoi An, plus Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Binh and Hanoi, with everything booked for you. See the trip →