Long Hai, Ho Chi Minh City Overview

Hugging the eastern coast of Vietnam is the charming and lively seaside town of Long Hai. A 2-hour, nearly 100 km journey from the capital Ho Chi Minh City, this beach town is a favorite haunt for locals and tourists who want to frolic in its sandy beaches. It is also a popular weekend getaway destination as residents of the capital pack into buses to enjoy a little sunshine.

The beach is the primary attraction of Long Hai, and besides the fresh seafood eateries and occasional beachside shack to sip on a beer, there is little else present here. It does, however, boast of a rich history. The hills just above the town known as Minh Dam Hills are littered with caves that were used as a wartime hideout and a co-ordination base during the great war of Vietnam. Apart from these, you also have the temples of Dinh Co and Mo Co that add a cultural element to this otherwise sleepy and relaxed resort getaway.

Places to Visit

Dinh Co Temple

Dinh Co temple is a traditional structure located at the end of the Long Hai beach. The temple was built in the memory of a local girl who drowned but was miraculously was washed ashore over two hundred years ago. People worship her as the goddess of luck and believe that she sometimes helps the fishermen in the sea. The temple is decorated with several statues of gods and is guarded by two huge white lion statues.

Minh Dam Hills

The Minh Dam Hills were once a strategic war base of the Vietnamese soldiers during the various wars against France and the U.S. These mystical mountains contain freshwater lakes, lush green forests and stone caves. Some of the caves still have bullet holes from wars which happened in the past. Its historical value and beauty makes it a must visit place.

Monkey Pagoda or Truc Lam Chan Nguyen Monastery

Monkey Pagoda is a monastery built in the 1990s and a perfect place for meditation with marvellous landscape. It is located at the foot of Minh Dam Mountain and is the most pleasant location to visit during december as you can get view of Cherry Blossom trees in the area.

Ho Coc Beach

Nearby the Long Hai beach is the Ho Coc beach with wild beauty, transparent sea water and cool sands.There is beach on one side and forest on the other which makes the environment all the more relaxing and pleasant.

Binh Chau Hot Spring

The Binh Chau Hot Spring lies among the primary forests and creates a river system with temperatures varying from 37° C- 82° C. This water has healing properties with the likes of silicon, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine and sodium.

Best Time to Visit

December-March are the most favourable months to visit Long Hai as these form the dry months with temperatures ranging from 21° C-34° C. May to September comprise the rainy season with frequent showers. Although, if you are lucky you might get some warm, sunny days.

How To Reach Long Hai

The easiest way to reach Long Hai is certainly to drive down from Ho Chi Minh City as it is just a couple of hours away. There are also direct buses from the Ho Chi Minh City that start from Ben Xe Mien Dong public Bus station, the ticket at just 85000 VD is quite affordable too.
The are no private taxis available on the beach, however, you can ask your resort to arrange transfers for you.