The Best Surf Spots in Vietnam: Where to Go and When

Vietnam is not the first country most surfers think of, and that is precisely its appeal: 3,200 km of coastline on the South China Sea, warm water year-round, and line-ups that are empty by the standards of Bali or the Philippines. The waves are not world-class, but they are consistent enough to be worth the trip — especially if you are learning, or combining surf with kitesurfing. Here are the five spots worth planning around.

1. Mui Ne — learning, and everything else

Mui Ne is Vietnam's watersports capital, best known for kitesurfing but with genuinely good conditions for classic surfing too. The waves are soft and forgiving, the beach is long and sandy, and the infrastructure — schools, board rental, instructors — already exists because the kite scene built it.

• Season: November – March
• Waves: small to medium, safe for beginners
• Best for: first-timers, longboarders, and anyone wanting to combine surfing with kitesurfing

The practical advantage of Mui Ne is that a no-swell day is a kite day and a no-wind day is often a surf day, so you rarely lose a session entirely. We run surf lessons here alongside the kite school.

2. Da Nang — the surf capital of central Vietnam

Da Nang is a proper city with a proper beach: My Khe stretches for kilometres and picks up more swell than anywhere in the south. The range is wide — mellow inside sections for beginners, and heavier peaks on a good day for experienced surfers. Combine it with Hoi An and the Marble Mountains and it makes an easy week.

• Season: September – March
• Waves: medium to large, suits all levels depending on the day
• Best for: surfers who want size, and travellers who want a city as well as a beach

3. Phan Rang — the quiet one

Phan Rang is better known among kiters, but it hides several good surf breaks. The region is drier and windier than the rest of the coast, and the beaches are far emptier. You will find long, mellow walls that reward a longboard, and occasionally something with more power.

• Season: October – February
• Waves: long and smooth, ideal for longboarding
• Best for: riders who would rather have an empty line-up than a perfect one

4. Vung Tau — the weekend spot near Ho Chi Minh City

Two hours from Saigon, Vung Tau is where the city goes at the weekend. The waves are modest but reliable, and the beachfront is packed with restaurants and cafés. It is the practical choice if you are based in Ho Chi Minh City and want to surf without booking a flight.

• Season: December – April
• Waves: medium, consistent
• Best for: short trips, weekend surfing, city-based travellers

5. Con Dao — remote and largely unsurfed

The Con Dao archipelago sits off the southern coast, reachable by ferry or a short flight. Clean water, protected national park, almost no surf infrastructure — which is the whole point. Nothing here is documented in detail, so you are exploring rather than following a guidebook.

• Season: December – April
• Waves: medium, with moderate wind
• Best for: experienced, self-sufficient surfers who bring their own board

Practical notes

Water temperature stays between 24 and 29 °C year-round — boardshorts and a rash vest is all you need, anywhere, any month.

The seasons are opposite between north and south. Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An) picks up swell in the autumn and winter north-east monsoon; the south is at its best from late autumn to early spring. If you have limited time, pick one region rather than trying to cover both.

Board rental exists but is limited outside Mui Ne and Da Nang. If you are particular about your equipment, bring it.

The short version

Vietnam is a good surf destination and an excellent one for learning: warm water, low costs, small waves and few crowds. It is not a place to chase barrels, but it is a place to get consistently better without fighting for a wave. And if the swell disappears for a few days, Mui Ne has wind instead — which is arguably the best insurance policy a surf trip can have.

Surf lessons in Mui Ne →