THE BEACH
The sand is powdery and dark yellow in color and the beach is relatively clean without too much ocean or human debris scattered about. The foliage around the beach is also interesting, with a mix of tall grass, various coastal flowers, and a combination of poplar and coconut palm trees. The shoreline is approximately 4.5kms in length.
THE OCEAN
The sea here is calm during the dry season and quite rough during the wet season and the color of the water is a combination of various shades of blue. The slope into the sea is quite low making it safe for kids and non-swimmers alike to enter and exit the ocean without fear. On the ocean floor you may encounter starfish, conch, and maybe a few sea urchins so please be careful where you place your feet.
WHAT TO SEE
- Gorgeous sunsets: Like with all the beaches located along the west coast, the sunsets at Vung Bau Beach are breath taking.
WHAT TO DO
- Snorkeling: If you are looking for adventure then you can rent or borrow a kayak from Vung Bau Resort and paddle to nearby Nail Island. If you have your snorkeling gear with you then you can also snorkel this island. The currents are strong so please be careful. If you want to dive Nail Island then there is a dive shop, which is open during the peak season, located on the main road and will take you there and as well as Turtle Island for a small fee.
- Get naked: Due to its remoteness and the lack of inhabitants, a few tourists have opted to skinny dip and/or tan complete naked here.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
Due to Vung Bau’s remoteness and lack of infrastructure and development, there are not a lot of places to eat apart from the restaurants found at the nearby resorts (see below).
VUNG BAU BEACH ACCOMMODATIONS
There are a few beachfront cottages scattered around and they all have their own stretch of sand. Here are some of the better resorts:
HOW TO GET TO VUNG BAU BEACH
Vung Bau Beach is about 20kms from Duong Dong town and getting there can be a bit tricky but thanks to the development of the VinPearl resort located in Dai Beach the roads are mostly paved.
To get to Vung Bau Beach you have to first go to Cua Can Village via the Cua Can Road which starts in Duong Dong Town. The Cua Can Road will take you not only to Vung Bau Beach but also all the way north to Dai Beach & Ganh Dau Village.
The following are driving instructions on how to get to Cua Can Road from Duong Dong Town:
- Head north along Tran Hung Dao Street. Pass the roundabout, where the Dinh Cau Night Market is located, and soon you will reach an intersection with traffic lights.
- The road perpendicular to Tran Hung Dao Street at the intersection is called 30 Thang 4 Street. Here you can either go left, for the more adventurous route, or make a right for the standard route. Taking the city route will save you time. If you take the adventurous route you will see a variety of small markets, pass through Duong Dong’s rural area, and you will also have to navigate through very narrow alleyways. Only Motorbikes and Bicycles can take this route.
a) City Route: If you take the city route, navigate right down 30 Thang 4 Street for a few minutes until you reach the next set of traffic lights. The street perpendicular to 30 Thang 4 Street is known as Hung Vuong Street. Make a left on Hung Vuong Street and then continue north and you will cross a large bridge over Duong Dong River. Once you pass the river you can either continue straight and cut through the old airport to reach Cua Can Road, or you can make a right on Nguyen Trung Truc Street and follow it around the old airport to reach Cua Can Road. We recommend that you cut through the old airport as this is what all the locals do. Just follow the traffic flow.b) Adventurous Route: At the intersection, make a left onto 30 Thang 4 Street and head north on it until you reach Bach Dang Street, which is located by the riverside. Make a left on Bach Dang Street and follow this street until you reach a small bridge. Cross the bridge and navigate through a couple narrow alleyways to reach Tran Phu Street. If you are unsure where to go, just follow the traffic. Head north on Tran Phu Street until you see the old airport on your right hand side. Now here you have a choice, you can either continue north along Tran Phu Street until you reach Cach Mang Thang Tam Street to reach Cua Can Road OR you can drive down the old airport. We recommend driving down the old airport as it is a lot of fun.
- Head north on Cua Can Road to Cua Can Village. The town is on the left hand side and it is marked by a large entrance gate. Make a left onto this road and head west. Once you have crossed a small rickety bridge, the paved road will end and a dirt road will welcome you. Stay on this dirt road and travel north.
- Once you have passed Ong Lang Beach you will have reached the southern section on Vung Bau Beach. There are a lot of nice beaches next to the road for you to explore here or you can continue north and head towards one the resorts.
If you are looking for abandoned semi wild beaches and to have long stretches of sand all to yourself then Vung Bau Beach may be the right beach for you.