9 Best Sights in Side Trips from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The beauty of An Hai Beach is marred somewhat by the old stone and cement pier across from the Con Son Café. However, simply walk south along the casuarina-lined sand to get that deserted tropical island mood. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; walking.

Vung Tau's most popular beach has golden sands that stretch for miles, but it's not the prettiest or the cleanest beach around. Quiet on weekdays, it's crowded on weekends, with locals who will be playing volleyball, football, and jogging. Back Beach is fine for swimming, but be aware that most of the locals swim fully clothed so parading around in a skimpy swimsuit may attract some stares. There are showers at the Imperial Hotel's Beach Club, which has a 250,000d entry fee. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

A few short years ago this was a pristine deserted wonderland of clear water and soft white sand. Now there's a collection of ramshackle huts on the beach hawking food, drinks, and deck chairs, but privacy can still be found by swimming around the rocks on the southern end of the beach. The beach is 200 meters down a rutted dirt track, which can be very slippery after rain. Look for the sign near the airport on Co Ong Street. It's a nice spot to watch the sunset, although traversing the track back to the main road in the dark can be treacherous if you're on a motorbike or bicycle. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming; solitude.

Most of this beautiful crescent of white sand and calm blue waters is the private domain of the luxurious Six Senses Con Dao resort. There is a steep and narrow track leading down to the beach, just north of the resort entrance, for those who'd like to (discreetly) explore the beach. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise; swimming; walking.

This one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, and although two state-run resorts own part of the casuarina-lined golden sands, the remainder is available for strolling and swimming. There's a small collection of thatched huts containing deck chairs, which can be rented, as well as a few vendors selling drinks and snacks. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

Locals seem to prefer walking along Nguyen Van Cuu Street's sidewalk at dawn and dusk rather than on this long white-sand beach, which is usually dotted with the round basket-boats the fishermen use to get to shore. Despite being right in town, Lo Voi Beach is usually deserted during the day. Fishing boats moored just offshore make this beautiful beach even more picturesque. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

This beach is about a 90-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh City and 15 km (9 miles) along the coast from Vung Tau, but it feels like it's worlds away. Opposite the Dinh Co Temple, a series of shacks offer deck chairs for rent, as well as food and drinks. The beach is not patrolled but the water is calm with no surf and the golden sand stretches for miles. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.

A cramped beach below Ha Long Street, Mulberry Beach isn't really a place you'd travel miles to see, and despite the poetic name, it's not ideal for swimming. Legend has it that the hillside near the beach, where the Virgin Mary statue is now, was once a mulberry field, hence the name. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

Check the tide times before heading to Nhat Beach, which only really exists at low tide. Then it's a smooth clear stretch of white sand, with waves just big enough to make things interesting. At high tide, the pebbles and rocks at the top of the beach rule out walking and swimming. There's not much shade at Nhat Beach, so be sure to cover up if low tide is in the middle of the day. Amenities: none. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.