Quy Nhon
Southeast Asia · Vietnam
Did you know?
- Bãi Xép combines a beach with a seaside village.
- Cham towers can be visited at Banh It, Duong Long and Doi.
- Bánh xèo and bún chả cá are among the local specialties.
See also
Quảng Ngãi
Vietnam15.12°N 108.80°E · 13 m
Nha Trang
Vietnam12.25°N 109.18°E
Buon Ma Thuot
Vietnam12.67°N 108.05°E · 536 m
Da Lat
Vietnam11.94°N 108.44°E · 1,500 m
Banlung
Cambodia13.75°N 107.00°E
Overview
Quy Nhon combines a city beach and promenade with seafood restaurants and nearby Cham towers. Use the town as a base for coastal villages and the beaches of the Phuong Mai peninsula.
Languages: Vietnamese
Why go?
Quy Nhon is a beach city on the coast of central Vietnam, long dismissed by travellers but now a hidden gem unspoiled by mass tourism. It offers a sparkling promenade along a 5-km beach, fresh seafood caught daily, and charming locals. Outside the centre, discover fishing villages, 11th-century Champa ruins, and pristine beaches.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting in
Fly into Phù Cát Airport (UIH), 30 km north, with domestic connections. Alternatively, take a train to Diêu Trì Railway Station (13 km northwest) and then a local bus (8,000-12,000 dong) or Grab motorbike (60,000 dong) into town. Long-distance buses arrive at Quy Nhơn Bus Station in the southwest.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Understand
Quy Nhon is a city of 457,000 people (2019), contrasting with the commercialism of Da Nang. Bordered by mountains, the natural beauty of its waterfront has inspired poets. The city has dozens of open-air seafood restaurants and a relaxed vibe.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
When to go
Quy Nhon has a tropical savanna climate. Peak tourist season is April to mid-September, hot and sticky with temperatures around 32°C. Monsoon season from mid-September to mid-December brings torrential rain. Mid-December to mid-February is coolest, with mild days and chilly nights. Mid-February to mid-April is pleasant spring with temperatures around 28°C.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Get around
Cyclos have fallen out of favor. The best way to get around is by motorbike or bus. Local buses run from the city center to surrounding areas. Grab motorbike taxis are available.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Things to do
Stroll the city and discover back alleys and eateries. Walk the beach promenade. Visit the Banh It Cham Towers, Duong Long Cham Towers, and Doi Cham Towers. Explore the Phuong Mai peninsula for deserted beaches and the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam. Bãi Xép beach and village offer tranquil seaside. The ExploraScience museum is also of interest.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Food and drink
Quy Nhon is great for fresh seafood, with hundreds of fishermen and open-air beach restaurants. It also offers local specialties like bánh xèo, bún chả cá, and vegetarian options. Restaurants are informal and cheap. Cafes are the centre of social life, with over 1,000 cafes in the city. There is no real nightlife.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Where to stay
Accommodation options cater to local Vietnamese tourists. Prices are significantly cheaper than other beach cities. Online reservations are available. Budget hotels and guesthouses are abundant, with double rooms from 150,000 dong. Mid-budget hotels range 300,000-600,000 dong. For backpackers, Big Tree Backpackers and Life's a Beach in Bãi Xép offer dorm beds from $7-8.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Go next
Da Nang (300 km north), Hoi An (290 km north), My Son (300 km northwest), Nha Trang (220 km south), and Pleiku (160 km west) are nearby destinations.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Field guide adapted from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Text has been adapted and organized for this guide. About our sources.
Places to know
A few starting points from the guide. Check current hours and prices before you go.
- buy
(Covered market) Chợ Đầm
One of the larger and more diversified outdoor markets in Quy Nhơn. In the north centre of city. Fruits and vegetables, freshly cut (and unrefrigerated) beef and chicken. Shellfish. Live chickens and fish. Fireworks products. Incense. Many roving vendors on the surrounding side streets cook bánh xèo on portable charcoal grills. Open from the early morning to evening.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- buy
An Phú Thịnh Plaza
Multi-storey shopping centre in the east of the city. Low-budget semi-permanent shops offering domestic and imported (mainly from China) clothes, bags, household items. Some electronics.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- do
Beach Promenade Amusement Park
Tiny amusement park squeezed between the trees lining the beach. Semi-permanent rides include a small carousel and wee-sized autos. Squatting vendors offer Vietnamese snack food and painted presents for children. Very low-key atmosphere with beautiful views on the beach and ocean, although the small area can become crowded with local children during high season. The attractions are open to all kids from ages 2 to 92 but are probably most enjoyed by children 4 to 9.
Recorded price: Rides 10,000–20,000 dong
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- do
Beach promenade and city beach
File:Quy Nhon Beach Promenade.jpg
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- buy
Big C
The Quy Nhơn branch of Thailand's Big C hypermarket lies off Highway 1D close to the Metro bulk store and the bus station in a sparsely-populated area at the foot of the mountains. Offers household products, clothes, and dry foods. The huge building, opened to great fanfare in 2014 for its first-in-the-area green technology, is designed from glass and white aluminium to look like a massive QR barcode.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- drink
Bookafe
Very large higher-end cafe with both outdoor and indoor seating. Three minutes by foot southwest from the Coopmart. Extensive lighting in the evening makes it a popular spot for couples at night. Gelatto ice cream available. Somewhat confusingly, the cafe's name is spelled "Bookafe" on internet sites and Facebook, but the logo is designed as "Bookkafe", where the middle "k" is stylized to be both the "k" of "book" and the "K" of "Kafe".
Recorded price: Lassi 50,000 dong, coffee 35,000, yoghurt smoothies 50,000
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- do
Bãi Xép beach and village
With deserted beaches, hilly islands close to shore, and round wooden fishing boats bobbing in the water, the tiny village of Bãi Xép 10 km (6 mi) south of the city centre has become a popular destination for international tourists looking for seaside tranquililty. It's part of the city, but the little hamlet is a world of development away from even sleepy Quy Nhơn's decided lack of buzz and feels more like a remote island than a suburb. The access road to the village is a tiny lane running down the hill from Highway 1D. At the bottom, the lane splits into two one-metre wide passages between the villagers' houses: the left leads to the cove used by the fishermen, while the right takes you to a secluded beach and two guesthouses run by and for foreigners. At the south end of the Bãi Xép cove past a fence is the only luxury hotel in the region, the Avani Beach Resort; it shares the same tranquil waters and postcard view of the nearby islands, but its end of the beach is private and off-limits to non-guests. Running over the mountains and high above the shore, the road between Quy Nhơn and Bãi Xép has jaw-dropping views, and there are many points along the highway where you can stop to take panoramic pictures of the city and the coast. North and south of Bãi Xép are many bays below the highway. The most popular are the bucolic hamlets of Bãi Bàng and Bãi Bầu, 5 km (3 mi) south of Bãi Xép, but there are dozens of little coves which you can explore between the jagged rocks along the entire stretch of coast.
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
- drink
Búp Cafe
Small and cute cafe in the city centre a 10-minute walk northwest from the beach or seven minutes west from Coopmart. Beloved by teenage girls for its cute drinks, caramel popcorn, and Western pop music. The friendy owner Búp, one of the very few cafe owners in the city completely fluent in English, converted his parents' small clothing store into the eponymous cafe in the summer of 2015 after graduating from graphic design studies in Saigon. The cafe shows off some of his design skills.
Recorded price: Milk tea 17,000 dong plus 3,000 for toppings
Adapted from Wikivoyage contributors
Before you go
Connectivity
Free WiFi is common in cafes and hotels. SIM cards are easy to purchase at shops.
Culture
Locals are friendly but language can be a barrier. Learn a few Vietnamese phrases. Dress modestly at temples and pagodas.
Food
Seafood is excellent and cheap. Vegetarian options abundant. Cafes are social hubs.
Health
Tap water is not safe to drink; use bottled water. Mosquito repellent is advised, especially in coastal areas.
Local transport
Local buses cost 8,000-12,000 dong. Grab motorbike from 60,000 dong. Renting a motorbike (approx. 150,000 dong/day) is recommended for day trips.
Money
Prices in Vietnamese dong (VND). No foreigner surcharges. Budget rooms from 150,000 dong.
Safety
Very safe city with no scams targeted at foreigners. Watch for motorbike traffic when crossing streets.
Visa context
Visa rules depend on passport; check current entry rules before booking.
Weather
Peak season April-Sept (hot), monsoon Sept-Dec, cool Dec-Feb.