7 Days in Vietnam: A Summer Beach Hop Itinerary

Overview

This itinerary chains Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム)'s best summer beach stops into a single, doable week. You'll spend time in Da Nang (urban beach + transport hub), Hoi An (lantern-lit riverside town and nearby beaches), and Phu Quoc (island calm). Expect 4–5 hours of travel across the week, warm water (28–30°C), and food costs of 150,000–300,000 VND per day if you eat locally.

Day 1 — Da Nang Arrival & City Beach

Fly into Da Nang (다낭 / 岘港 / ダナン) International Airport (DAD). It's Vietnam's third-largest airport, with direct connections from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hanoi. Grab a taxi (meter-down) or Grab app ride to your hotel; expect 150,000–200,000 VND for the 20 km to central beach area.

Check into a mid-range beach hotel like Sunrise Da Nang (around 1.2 million VND/night) or Fusion Maia (higher-end, 2.5+ million VND/night). Both face My Khe Beach directly.

Spend the afternoon at My Khe Beach. It's wide, sandy, and has lifeguards during summer (May–August). Avoid 11 am–2 pm heat; swim early or late afternoon.

Dinner: eat at a seaside com tam stall on Tran Phu Street (around 60,000 VND). Try broken-rice bowls with grilled pork or fish. Or splurge slightly at a seafood restaurant near the beachfront (grilled fish, shrimp: 250,000–400,000 VND per person).

Daily cost estimate: 1.2M (hotel) + 200K (transport in) + 150K (meals) = ~1.55M VND (~$65 USD)

Day 2 — Da Nang Markets & Nearby Hot Springs

Morning: wander Dong Xuan Market (the original name in Da Nang; it's smaller than Hanoi's but lively). Pick up dried fruit, local candy, or watch fish vendors. Go before 10 am to beat crowds and heat.

Late morning: visit My Khe Beach again or try Non Nuoc Beach (20 km south, quieter, surrounded by Marble Mountains). A taxi there costs ~150,000 VND round-trip.

Alternatively, take a 50 km day trip to Ba Na Hot Springs (Ba Hot) near the Da Nang–Hoi An border. The water sits at 40°C; soak in natural pools. Entrance: 50,000 VND. This requires a motorbike rental (150,000–200,000 VND/day) or guided tour (500,000+ VND/person). Book via hotel concierge.

Evening: sunset drink at a beachfront bar (bia hoi, 30,000 VND; cocktails 120,000–200,000 VND).

Daily cost estimate: 1.2M (hotel) + 150K (transport/market) + 150K (meals) = ~1.5M VND (~$63 USD)

Photo by Fernando B M on Pexels

Day 3 — Da Nang to Hoi An (30 km, 45 mins)

Morning checkout. Take a Grab to Hoi An (180,000–250,000 VND for direct ride). Avoid rush hour (7–9 am, 5–7 pm).

Check into a hotel in Hoi An Old Town or near the riverside. Budget options like Thien Thanh Hotel (500,000–700,000 VND/night); mid-range: Ancient House River Resort (1.2–1.5M VND/night). Old Town is compact (pedestrian zone); no cars. You'll walk everywhere.

Afternoon: explore Ancient Town. Wander lantern-lit streets, poke into artisan shops (tailoring, lantern-makers, wood carvers). This is free; it's just walking. If you want to enter old houses (some charge 20,000–30,000 VND each), pick one or two.

Evening: riverside dinner. Try banh mi at Banh Mi Phuong (35,000 VND) or cao lau at Cao Lau restaurant (80,000–120,000 VND). Both are iconic to Hoi An.

Daily cost estimate: 1.1M (hotel) + 220K (transport) + 150K (meals + entrance) = ~1.47M VND (~$62 USD)

Day 4 — Hoi An Beaches & Cooking Class Option

Hoi An's town beach is 5 km away. Rent a bicycle (50,000 VND/day from your hotel) or take a xe om (motorbike taxi, ~40,000 VND each way).

An Bang Beach (3 km) is better: quieter than Hoi An town, shallow, good for swimming. Grab lunch at a beachside shack (grilled seafood with rice or noodles: 100,000–150,000 VND). Spend 3–4 hours here.

Alternative (if you want a deeper experience): book a half-day cooking class (9 am–12:30 pm) with Red Bridge Cooking School (900,000 VND/person includes market tour + cooking + lunch). This is a well-run outfit on the river north of Old Town. Not budget, but popular with travelers and genuinely good.

Evening: night market (if open, seasonal) or simply dinner at a restaurant serving fresh spring rolls and grilled fish.

Daily cost estimate: 1.1M (hotel) + 90K (transport/bicycle) + 250K (meals/cooking class or beach lunch) = ~1.44M VND (~$61 USD)

Day 5 — Hoi An to Phu Quoc Island

This is the longest travel day. Options:

Option A (Faster, Pricier): Fly Da Nang to Phu Quoc (1 hour). Early morning Grab to Da Nang airport (1 hour south, 250,000 VND), catch 7–9 am flight (600,000–1.2M VND one-way depending on airline—Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo). Land mid-morning, rent motorbike (200,000 VND/day) or book a Grab. Drive to your beach hotel on the island (30–45 mins depending on location).

Option B (Slower, Cheaper): Bus from Hoi An to Rach Gia (230 km, 5–6 hours, ~200,000 VND). Then ferry from Rach Gia to Phu Quoc (2 hours, ~120,000 VND). Arrive evening. Takes 8–9 hours total, exhausting for a beach trip.

Recommendation: fly. The 1-hour flight saves a full day and keeps you sane in summer heat.

Check into a beachfront hotel in Long Beach (western side, facing Thailand, calm waters). Budget: Saigon Phu Quoc (800,000–1M VND/night); mid: Eden Bungalows (1.5–2M VND/night). Splurge: Four Seasons or JW Marriott (5M+ VND/night).

Rest and swim at your hotel beach or nearby.

Daily cost estimate: 1M (hotel) + 800K (flight) + 200K (transport on island) + 150K (meals) = ~2.15M VND (~$91 USD)

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels

Day 6 — Phu Quoc: Island Exploration

Rent a motorbike and explore. Phu Quoc is 50 km long; roads are improving, but go slowly (30–40 km/h on backroads).

Morning swim at Long Beach (your hotel area). Early afternoon: drive to Phu Quoc National Park (northern end, 1.5 hours). Entrance fee: 40,000 VND. Hike jungle trails to pristine beaches (Dai Dau, Vung Bau). Few tourists, quiet. Bring water and sun cream.

Late afternoon: stop at a fish sauce factory (Phu Quoc's famous product). You can tour the aging tanks for free or minimal cost; some shops sell 100,000–300,000 VND bottles of premium nam pla (fish sauce). Not a must-do, but authentically Phu Quoc.

Evening: dinner at a seafood restaurant. Grilled squid, shrimp, local white fish, and beer: 300,000–500,000 VND for two people.

Daily cost estimate: 1M (hotel) + 200K (motorbike + fuel) + 50K (entrance) + 200K (meals) = ~1.45M VND (~$61 USD)

Day 7 — Phu Quoc Final Beach Day & Departure

Swim and relax. Visit a second beach if you haven't: Bai Sao (southeastern), sandy and clear but 1 hour away, or Ganh Dau (northern tip, rocky, good for snorkeling). Both are worth a morning/early-afternoon drive.

Alternative: island-hop. Book a boat tour to nearby islands (Thom, Phu Quoc Marine Park; 600,000–1M VND/person, 3–4 hours, includes lunch). Snorkel, see coral, relax.

Afternoon/evening flight or ferry home. If flying, expect a 3 pm departure from Phu Quoc airport. Grab to airport: 200,000 VND (30 mins from Long Beach).

Daily cost estimate: 1M (hotel, final night if staying) + 150K (boat/motorbike) + 150K (meals) + 1.2M (flight home, if booked) = ~2.5M VND (~$106 USD)

Practical Notes

Total 7-day budget (mid-range): ~11 million VND (~$470 USD) excluding international flights and travel insurance. This covers hotels (2–4 stars), local transport, meals, and activities.

Summer (May–August) means hot (32–34°C), occasional rain (late afternoon), and sea temps at 28–30°C. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a light rain jacket, and lightweight clothes. Swim early or late in the day.

Transport: Grab app (taxi alternative) works in Da Nang and Hoi An but spotty on Phu Quoc; book ahead or use hotel concierge. Domestic flights book via Skyscanner or Agoda. Ferries book same-day or ask hotel.

Visas: most travelers need a 30-day tourist e-visa (CVA.GOV.VN, ~25 USD, processed in 3 days) or run a visa-on-arrival service. Check your nationality's requirements before booking.