Last updated: October 2026 · By Jack Ng
Quy Nhon is the beach town I’d send you to if Da Nang feels too busy and you want somewhere quieter and more local. It’s a port city on the south-central coast, about 300 km south of Da Nang, with a long city beach, granite coves on the peninsula across the bay, Cham towers in the rice fields and local food that’s cheaper than Da Nang’s. Two to three days covers the sights; it’s also an easy place to slow down for a week or two. Come between January and August; avoid October and November.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Da Nang over the past few years, and after a short, very hot trip to Quy Nhon in June 2024, I came back in January planning to stay a couple of weeks. I got off the train expecting a sleepy provincial town. What I found was a huge, almost empty beach in sunshine (while Da Nang was chilly and wet), a city of new hotels and construction, and some of the best-value food and housing I’ve had in Vietnam. I flew back for a few days in February 2026 and again in April and September, and it felt the same each time: a real working seaside city, calm enough to feel local, and not yet a resort town or overrun the way Da Nang and Nha Trang are.
This guide covers how long to stay, how to get there, where to base yourself, a day-by-day plan, costs and when to go. For detail on each beach and tower, see our things to do in Quy Nhon guide.
Our honest take: Quy Nhon in short
- How long: 2 nights is enough for the highlights, 3 if you want a lazy beach day. It’s also a great slow-travel base: I stayed two weeks.
- Where to stay: on the city beach (An Duong Vuong / Xuan Dieu streets). Sala Quy Nhon, with a rooftop pool, was about $30 a night in September 2026; Fleur de Lys, with an 18th-floor bar, about $75 in April 2026; Grand Hyams, where I had a sea-view balcony, about $70 in February 2026. For long stays, a beach-view apartment costs about $16 a night. Resorts on the peninsula are lovely but far from food.
- Getting there: the train from Da Nang. About 6 hours, around $13 in a soft seat, and more comfortable than I expected.
- The must-do: Ky Co and Eo Gio in one early morning, before the day tours arrive, with a walk around Nhon Ly fishing village on the way.
- The catch: Quy Nhon closes early, and some restaurants shut mid-afternoon. Some days I had to hunt for lunch.
- Underrated: the beachfront promenade, the stone martial-arts statues along it, and a sunset craft beer at East West Brewing on the sand.
- The timing trick: January to May. January can still be breezy with some showers, but I had sunny, near-empty beach days. February to May is drier and calmer, and it’s all before the Vietnamese summer holidays fill the hotels.
- The warning: October and November are the wettest months, boats get cancelled and typhoons hit this stretch of coast (Kalmaegi did in November 2025).
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Is Quy Nhon worth visiting?
Yes, if you want beaches and good cheap food without the crowds. The coves around Ky Co are some of the clearest water on the mainland coast, and the city itself is easygoing. The wide beachfront promenade is where everyone ends up: locals walking and exercising from early morning, people sitting under the palm trees, and big open squares just behind it. In the evening, walk the promenade and stop at Seasand Coffee Lounge, which sets out movable sofas right on the sand; I had a drink there in February 2026 with the sea a few steps away. It’s an easy walk along the beach from Grand Hyams. Beach cafés here open and close, so check it on Google Maps before you go; the walk is nice either way. Lonely Planet named Quy Nhon in Best in Travel 2026, so it won’t stay this quiet forever.
It’s not for you if you love Da Nang’s expat scene, nightlife and huge choice of Western restaurants. Things close early here, and public transport to the sights is limited, so you’ll rent a motorbike, use Grab, hire a car or book a tour.
Our honest take: if you’re traveling the coast, Quy Nhon is a great 2–3 night stop between Da Nang and Nha Trang. If you live in or are based in Da Nang, it’s an easy few days away that feels completely different. And for slow travelers, it’s one of the most relaxed and affordable beach cities in Vietnam: quiet, friendly and still local.
How many days do you need in Quy Nhon?
Two days covers Ky Co, Eo Gio, Nhon Ly, Ghenh Rang, the Twin Towers and a seafood dinner. Three days adds Hon Kho island and Banh It towers, or a slow day on the beach. Four days if you want to go inland to the Quang Trung Museum in Tay Son, about 45 km west.
How to get to Quy Nhon
| From | Fastest | Time | Rough cost (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | Flight to Phu Cat (UIH) | 1h05 flight | about 1,200,000–2,200,000 VND ($46–85) |
| Hanoi | Flight to Phu Cat (UIH) | 1h30 flight | varies by date; book early for holidays |
| Hoi An / Da Nang | Train or limousine van | about 6h train; 5.5–7h van | about $13 train (soft seat); $14–19 van |
| Nha Trang | Train or limousine van | 4–5h train; 3–5.5h van | $5–13 train; $10–25 van |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Sleeper bus or overnight train | 12–14h bus; 11–14h train | 255,000–285,000 VND ($10–11) bus; $15–40 train |
By air: Phu Cat airport is 30–35 km north of the city, about 40 minutes by road. A shuttle bus meets each flight for 50,000 VND (about $2), or a Grab costs 250,000–320,000 VND ($10–12). When I flew in in February 2026, a taxi from the airport to my hotel on the city beach was about $8. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Bamboo fly here; there are no regular international flights.
By train: buy your ticket to Dieu Tri, the main-line station 10 km from town; from there it’s about a 25-minute Grab into the center. Quy Nhon station itself only gets one or two trains a day. I came down from Da Nang in a soft seat for around $13: clean, reclining seats with plenty of legroom, a drinks-and-snacks trolley and a reasonably clean toilet, and we arrived on time. The overnight SE4 from Saigon (around 7:20pm, arriving about 6:50am) saves a hotel night. Timetables changed in May 2026, so check dsvn.vn or 12Go before you book.
By bus: from Hoi An, Da Nang and Nha Trang, a limousine van (9–11 seats, door-to-door in many cases) is more comfortable than a sleeper bus and only a few dollars more. Book on Vexere or 12Go. See our sleeper bus vs cabin bus guide if you’re unsure which to pick.
Where to stay in Quy Nhon
City beach (best for a first visit). Everything is walkable: the promenade, the food street, the night market, seafood restaurants. Most hotels are on An Duong Vuong and Xuan Dieu streets. Seagull Hotel is an older 4-star right on the beach; budget hotels such as Grand Hyams and Sala start around $26–31 a night.
Our pick for a short stay: Sala Quy Nhon. I stayed here in early September 2026 for about $30 a night. It has a rooftop pool and a rooftop bar, and the quality is better than what the same money gets you in Da Nang or Nha Trang. That’s the pattern across Quy Nhon: hotels feel a level up for a lower price.
A step up: Fleur de Lys Quy Nhon. I stayed here in April 2026 for about $75 a night. The 18th-floor bar is beautiful, the ground-floor pool is lovely, and the breakfast buffet is decent, with lots of typical Vietnamese breakfast dishes. It’s walking distance from the seafood restaurants on Xuan Dieu street.
Where I stayed in February: Grand Hyams Hotel Quy Nhon Beach. I paid about $70 a night in February 2026 for a balcony room looking straight over the beach. February is a busy month here because of Tet; in quieter months standard rooms list from about $26–31 (Kayak, October 2026). The buffet brunch was wonderful, the pool and bar are on the 3rd floor, and a fresh coconut in the hotel restaurant, looking out over Quy Nhon beach, was my idea of a real vacation.
For a week or more, rent an apartment. I paid about 420,000 VND (about $16) a night for a huge, modern apartment in the center with a full kitchen, a washing machine and a balcony looking over the beach.
Bai Dai and Ghenh Rang (south of town). Quiet resort strip 10–15 minutes by car from the center. Avani Quy Nhon Resort on Bai Dai beach is about $120–155 a night; Anantara Quy Nhon Villas near Bai Xep has 25 private pool villas. Great for a couple of days of doing nothing; you’ll take a taxi every time you want to eat out.
Phuong Mai peninsula / Nhon Hoi / Cat Tien (north, across the bridge). Closest to Ky Co and Eo Gio. Crown Retreat Quy Nhon at Cat Tien averages about $78–95 a night. Very quiet, few restaurants.
Our honest take: unless you’re on a resort-only trip, stay on the city beach. The peninsula is 20–30 minutes away by car, and an early start for Ky Co is easy from town.
Quy Nhon itinerary: 3 days
Day 1: city and Ghenh Rang. Swim on the city beach early, before the heat, then walk to Long Khanh Pagoda, an old Buddhist temple in the center that’s a quiet break from the traffic. Walk or Grab to Thap Doi, the two 12th-century Cham towers on Tran Hung Dao street (20,000 VND, about $0.80). In the late afternoon go to Ghenh Rang: walk down to Queen’s Beach with its egg-shaped stones, then up to Han Mac Tu’s grave for the view back over the bay (10,000 VND). Finish on the beachfront promenade and its martial-arts statues, with a sunset craft beer at East West Brewing right on the beach.
Day 2: Eo Gio, Ky Co and Nhon Ly. Leave by 7am and cross the Thi Nai bridge to the peninsula; it’s about 30 minutes by car from the city-beach hotels. Start at Eo Gio while the light is soft and the cliff path is empty. Entry is normally 50,000 VND (about $2); it was half price, 25,000 VND, over the 2 September holiday in 2026. Then head to Ky Co and swim before the day-tour groups arrive later in the morning. Entry including the electric cart down to the beach was 170,000 VND (about $6.50) per person in April 2026. If you don’t ride, do what I did: a private car from the hotel to the Ky Co terminal and back was 500,000 VND (about $19), with the driver waiting. You can also arrive by boat from Nhon Ly (roughly 150,000 VND by wooden boat or 360,000–390,000 VND by speedboat; agree whether that’s per person or per boat before you get in). On the way back, have a seafood lunch and spend an hour walking around Nhon Ly fishing village. It’s very authentic and one of the highlights of the trip. A Ky Co + Eo Gio group tour is about $32 on Klook, including boat, entry and lunch.
Day 3: Hon Kho and Banh It. Go to Nhon Hai fishing village (about 16 km) and take a coracle (100,000 VND) or canoe (200,000 VND) to Hon Kho for snorkeling over the shallow coral. In the afternoon head 20 km north-west to Banh It, four Cham towers on a hill above the rice fields (about 20,000 VND). Sunset back in town.
Extra day: the Quang Trung Museum in Tay Son (about 45 km, 50,000 VND) for the Tay Son story and a martial arts and drum performance.
Planning a trip to Quy Nhon? We arrange private guided tours — day trips, multi-day itineraries, and custom routes.
What to eat in Quy Nhon
- Nem Chợ Huyện restaurant (24 Xuan Dieu): my favorite local place, a short walk from the beach hotels. A combo for two was 165,000 VND (about $6). The staff don’t speak English, so use Google Translate.
- Restaurant 114 (114 Xuan Dieu), seafood: recommended by everyone I asked. No English spoken. A large lobster was 1,900,000 VND (about $72) per kilo in April 2026, and bigger lobsters cost more per kilo, so ask the weight and price before they cook it.
- Surf Bar 1: a café on the sand. Iced milk coffee was 50,000 VND and cream cheese coffee 55,000 VND. Watch for the little crabs on the beach.
- Crispy pork belly to roll: my favorite cheap dinner was a takeaway near my apartment. Pork belly, rice noodles, herbs, pickles and sauce for under $8, enough for two. Roll it all up and dip.
- Bánh xèo tôm nhảy: small crispy pancakes with tiny shrimp, about 15,000 VND a plate.
- Bún chả cá: fish-cake noodle soup for breakfast. Bún chả cá Liên, 379 Nguyen Hue, is a local favorite.
- Bánh hỏi cháo lòng: woven rice vermicelli with pork offal porridge. Try Dien Hong street.
- Quy Nhon Food Street near the main square: about 30 stalls, afternoon to midnight; bún thịt nướng about 35,000 VND, chè about 15,000 VND.
- Sugared fruit with chili salt: small fruits sold in cups on the street for about 20,000 VND. I thought they were nuts at first.
- East West Brewing: craft beer in a beachfront taproom, damaged in the storm, rebuilt and reopened. Go for sunset.
Overall, eating local here is cheaper than in Da Nang, and there’s a coffee shop on every corner.
How much does Quy Nhon cost?
Quy Nhon is one of the cheapest beach cities in Vietnam. On a slow-travel budget you can get by on roughly $30–40 a day: my beach-view apartment was about $16 a night, and a big takeaway dinner for two was under $8. A comfortable mid-range day with a beach hotel ($30–50 a room), a seafood dinner, a motorbike (150,000–180,000 VND, $6–7) and an entry ticket or two is roughly $45–70 per person. Resorts like Avani push it well above $100.
When is the best time to visit Quy Nhon?
| Months | Weather | Sea and boats | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°C highs, light showers (about 67 mm) | Breezy, can be choppy | Good and quiet, warmer and sunnier than Da Nang |
| Feb–May | Dry, 28–33°C highs, under 90 mm of rain a month | Calm | Best for most visitors |
| Jun–Aug | Hottest, 34°C highs, some showers | Calm | Good, but busy with Vietnamese families |
| Sep | Rain picks up (about 230 mm), often heavier in the evening | Becoming rough | OK early in the month |
| Oct–Nov | Wettest (450–520 mm, 21 rainy days) | Rough, boats cancelled | Avoid |
| Dec | Cooler, 27°C highs, still about 200 mm of rain | Swell from the northeast | Mixed; fine for the towers and food |
Figures are long-term averages from the Vietnam Institute for Building Science. Read our month-by-month guides: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Good to know before you go
Getting around: rent a motorbike (150,000–180,000 VND a day) only if you’re an experienced rider with a valid license; see our guide to riding a motorbike legally in Vietnam. Otherwise use Grab in town, or hire a car with a driver for the peninsula (about 500,000 VND return to Ky Co). In summer, the heat is the bigger problem in town. On my June 2024 visit it was too hot to walk in the midday sun, so I hired an electric buggy I found near my homestay, just off the coastal road: a one-hour loop around the city with the buggy to myself cost 250,000 VND (about $10). Not cheap for Quy Nhon, but worth it to stay out of the sun. Locals head to the beach at sunrise and sunset, and that’s the best time to walk too.
Language: English is rare outside hotels. At local favorites like Nem Chợ Huyện and Restaurant 114, nobody spoke English, so download Google Translate (with offline Vietnamese) and use the camera feature on menus. Most signs are in Vietnamese only, so the camera mode helps with street signs and bus timetables as well.
Opening hours: Quy Nhon runs on local time. Many places close early in the evening, and some restaurants close in the middle of the afternoon. Eat lunch before 1pm or know where you’re going.
Winter evenings: in February the sea was warm enough for a comfortable swim, but evenings on the promenade felt cool, even cold. Bring a light jacket or long sleeves if you’re coming between December and February.
Swimming: the city beach is fine in the dry season. Queen’s Beach and Ghenh Rang are rocky; don’t swim there. Watch for red flags from September to January.
Addresses: since July 2025 Quy Nhon is part of Gia Lai province (not Binh Dinh), and addresses use new ward names like “Quy Nhon Nam” or “Quy Nhon Dong”. Booking sites may still show the old province.
Cash: ATMs are easy to find in the city, but take cash for boats, entry tickets and village restaurants on the peninsula.
Storm damage: the November 2025 typhoon and floods hit the city hard. Most businesses have rebuilt quickly, but you may still see repair work along the coast.
Boats: island trips (Hon Kho, Cu Lao Xanh) get cancelled in rough seas. Cu Lao Xanh boats often don’t run from November to January at all.
Final thoughts
My April and September trips only confirmed it: it doesn’t change at the speed of Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, it isn’t built around tourists yet, and there are no crowds compared with Da Nang or Nha Trang. It’s a nice, small city that still feels undiscovered, and it could be the next big beach destination in Vietnam. After my two weeks there in January, it was exactly what I was looking for: quiet, relaxed, friendly and affordable. Give it two or three nights on a coast trip, or a week or two if you work remotely or just want to slow down, anytime from January to August. If you’re traveling in October or November, skip it and head south to Phu Quoc or Mui Ne instead.
FAQ
Is Quy Nhon worth visiting?
Yes, for 2–3 days on a coast trip or longer if you like slow travel, especially from January to August. It’s quieter and cheaper than Da Nang or Nha Trang, with clear coves, a long city beach and good local food. Skip it in October and November, when rain and rough seas cancel most boat trips.
How many days should I spend in Quy Nhon?
Two days covers the main sights: Ky Co, Eo Gio, Nhon Ly, Ghenh Rang and the Twin Towers. Three days lets you add Hon Kho island and Banh It towers. Add a fourth for the Quang Trung Museum in Tay Son.
Is Quy Nhon better than Nha Trang?
Quieter and cheaper, yes; better for nightlife and tours, no. Quy Nhon suits travelers who want calm beaches and local food. Nha Trang has more hotels, island tours, diving and international restaurants.
How do I get from Hoi An or Da Nang to Quy Nhon?
By train from Da Nang to Dieu Tri (about 6 hours; a soft seat is around $13) or by limousine van (5.5–7 hours, about $14–19). From Dieu Tri it’s a 25-minute Grab into town. There are no direct flights between Da Nang and Phu Cat.
How much is the Ky Co entrance fee?
170,000 VND (about $6.50) per person in April 2026, including the electric cart down to the beach. A private car from the city and back, with the driver waiting, was about 500,000 VND.
What province is Quy Nhon in?
Gia Lai, since 1 July 2025. Before the merger Quy Nhon was the capital of Binh Dinh province, and you’ll still see “Binh Dinh” on older maps and some booking sites.