Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai Beach is one of Hoi An’s favourite beaches. Loved by the Vietnamese and also attracting thousands of tourists each year. It is conveniently positioned south of most of the coastal line in Hoi An, making it the closest beach to Hoi An’s Ancient Town.

Sadly, over the past few years, the beach has suffered from erosion, resulting in Cua Dai beach having less sand. The community are trying hard to prevent it getting any worse, putting up large sand bags to keep the remaining beach from being washed away. Although erosion has limited the beach access to many restaurants and resorts, there is still plenty to do here and  Cua Dai Beach continues to grow in tourist numbers every year.

What is at Cua Dai Beach?

The most popular part of the beach for tourists is the southern end.  Most of the restaurants, resorts, watersports and spas are located here. Also a line of shops selling colourful inflatables beside the road leading up to the beach. The southern end of Cua Dai Beach is also home to an abundance of five star resorts.

The northern end of Cua Dai Beach is much quieter, with far less tourists. There are still some restaurants, shops, spas and five star resorts here.  But not nearly as many as at the southern end of the beach. Head to the northern end of Cua Dai Beach for a more Vietnamese vibe and to relax where there are less tourists..

How to Find Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai beach is quite long and appears very differently depending on which end you come in from.

To visit the busier end – head to Hoi An Beach Resort. Opposite is a large parking area and the main entrance to the beach. Parking here costs 5,000 VND (0.20 USD) for the whole day.

To visit the quieter end, head to Beachside Seafood Cafe. From here it takes you straight down to the beach and there’s the added bonus of free parking.

A taxi from Hoi An’s Ancient Town, costs you around 60,000 VND (2.60 USD)

Why Visit Cua Dai Beach?

Cua Dai is where you’ll find the majority of Hoi An’s coastal 5 star resorts, as well as top class restaurants and spa treatments. Differing from the ‘beach village’ vibe of An Bang.

Although the eroding sand is a reason many people chose not to go, we at Hidden think it’s a reason to go. Although what is happening to Cua Dai coastal line is very sad, it is also pretty amazing to see how the Vietnamese make the most of a bad situation. Because the sandbags are so large, and have created relatively deep pools either side of them during high tide, they now have become a seawater playground for families to climb, jump and splash.

There are dozens of different styled restaurants and bars all along Cua Dai Beach. Offering anything from a very affordable local barbecue on the beach, to a luxury three course meal at a five star resort.

The Best Time to Visit Cua Dai Beach

Depending on what you want to get out of your beach experience, Hidden recommends visiting Cua Dai Beach either early in the morning or late afternoon.

In the early morning start your day off peacefully, maybe with some morning meditation or a jog.

Around 4pm the beach starts to get busy, with families arriving after school and tourists enjoying the coolest part of the day.

Visiting Hoi An in the cooler months, the beach is pleasant throughout the day. However, in the summer months, if you can handle the strong heat, you’ll have the beach mostly to yourself in the middle of the day!

Where to Eat at Cua Dai

After a few hours exploring the beach, jumping in the waves and absorbing the Vietnamese sun, you will no doubt need some sustenance. There are numerous amounts of restaurants to choose from. Hidden shares some of our Cua Dai Beach food favourites.

Hon Restaurant

Address: Cua Dai

Hon Restaurant is a lovely little restaurant right on the beach, between the craziness of the southern end, and the quieter northern part of the beach. The best of both worlds location wise!, Hon Restaurant is famous for its fresh and live seafood. The seafood options on offer vary from crab and oyster to sweet snail and lobster.

Hon offers something for everyone with prices between 150,000 to 800,000 VND (6.50 to 35 USD). If you’re not a big seafood fan, don’t stress – Hon also has vegetarian options, ranging in price from 50,000 to 100,000 VND (2.20 to 4.40 USD). Grab yourself a cocktail and some seafood and watch the beautiful waves as the day comes to an end.

 

Broccoli

Address: 103 Lac Long Quan

Broccoli is a cute, casual dining restaurant on Lạc Long Quân Road, just a two minute walk from Cua Dai Beach. Broccoli is the perfect place to come and escape the sand and noise. They offer, Hoi An’s specialties, western food, soups, seafood, meat and vegetables.

Mains range from 55,000 to 225,000 VND (2.40 to 9.80 USD). Beer between 15,000 and 25,000 (0.60 to 1. USD) and many more drinks options including cocktails, long drinks, coffee and wine. Take a step back from your busy day at the beach, have a glass of wine and choose your favourite thing on the menu before heading back to the beach to watch the sunset.

 

Street (Beach) Food

Entering Cua Dai Beach on the northern end near Beachside Seafood Cafe, there is an evening barbecue every day on the beach, run by a Vietnamese family. They sell mostly fried shrimp, scallops and other seafood local to the area. Beer costs just 20,000 VND (0.87 USD). Sitting on the beach, eating seafood, drinking beer and chatting is a pretty great way to spend your evening.

Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa

Address: Cua Dai

After something a little more high end? Head to Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa and their restaurant L’annam. They offer all-day dining serving Vietnamese dishes, Western style food and vegetarian options. The indoor decor is stunning, clean and comfortable. Especially on a hot day, escape the heat, under the restaurant’s ceiling fans which cool you right down the minute you walk in.

For the best deal in town Hidden recommends visiting on a Sunday at 12pm, when the restaurant hosts its delicious weekly brunch. Treat yourself to an amazing assortment of food with freeflow sparkling wine for 790,000 VND (34 USD) or free flow beer and soft drink for 590,000 VND (26 USD). When you finish your delicious brunch, enjoy the free access to their breathtaking private pool until 4pm.

Activities at Cua Dai Beach

If lounging around on the pool chair isn’t really your thing, get stuck into some watersports. The adrenaline rush might make it one of the highlights of your trip.

Palm Garden Resort

Palm Garden Resort are the hub of watersports at Cua Dai Beach and their water activities are available to everyone.  Renting a jet ski costs you 700,000 VND (30 USD) for 15 minutes. Or for something more authentic, hop in a basket boat for 230,000 VND (10 USD) for one hour. If going on a jet ski or a basket boat doesn’t ‘float your boat’, they also offer wakeboarding, water skiing, ocean kayaking, surfing and laser sailing.

Victoria Resort & Spa Hoi An

If you’re after something that involves skill but can also very relaxing, consider renting a sailing boat for 880,000 VND (38 USD) per hour from Victoria Resort and Spa. If you’re not a pro yet, get some sailing lessons for 1,000,000 VND (43 USD) per hour.

Hoi An Beach Resort

Fancy water sports but maybe not in the sea? Hoi An Beach Resort offer fishing kayaks on the De Vong River. This costs 200,000 to 300,000 VND (8.60 USD to 13 USD) per hour.

Cua Dai Beach Accommodation

Love the beach so much then perhaps you should consider staying here? You’ll have easy access for your morning inspiration or your night time beach cocktails, with everything at your doorstep.

Plants Garden Villa

Address: Cam An – Rate/Night: 500,000 VND (22 USD)

Plants Garden Villa offers budget-friendly beachfront accommodation conveniently situated right at the southern, lively end of Cua Dai Beach. It’s within walking distance of dozens of shops, restaurants and bars. The rooms are clean, simple and homely – offering free Wifi, free bike hire and lush gardens. They offer an airport shuttle service.This accommodation is very popular with young couples.

 

Yellow Mushroom Villa Hoi An

Address: Khoi Tan Thinh – Rate/Night: 8,300,000 to 9,000,000 VND (360 to 390 USD)

Yellow Mushroom Villa Hoi An is a 7 bedroomed 250 m² apartment all of your own. Situated on the northern, quieter end of Cua Dai beach, this air conditioned apartment comes with a private pool, kitchen, free parking, airport shuttle, balcony, barbecue and many more things to make your stay even more wonderful. The apartment can sleep up to 14 people, making it perfect for a large family holiday. With the beautiful beach within walking distance, many shops and restaurants close by and the Ancient Town an easy taxi ride away, you’ve got absolutely everything you need.

 

Hoi An Beach Resort

Address: 1 Cua Dai – Rate/Night: 2,045,000 to 3,800,000 VND (89 to 165 USD)

Hoi An Beach Resort is also situated down the southern, lively end of Cua Dai Beach. This glamorous hotel has two outdoor swimming pools, free WiFi, a two-way shuttle bus to Hoi An Ancient Town, private beach, fitness centre, spa, airport shuttle and bar. Each room has either a sea, river or garden view. This hotel has so much at its doorstep and it makes everything that is a little further away much easier to visit with its shuttle bus service. This hotel is most popular with honeymooners and families.

Spas at Cua Dai

If the sound of the crashing waves and the feel of sand between your toes isn’t relaxing enough – get yourself a Vietnamese massage. Once you’ve crossed the Cua Dai Bridge, you’ll see spa treatments on offer absolutely everywhere. To make it easier for you to choose, here are our favourite three.

Foot Massage on the Beach

Vietnamese women along the beach walk by offering amazing foot massages to people lying on the beach. What better place to get an incredible foot massage than on the sand? Lay back, listen to the waves and enjoy the relaxing pamper.

Cua Dai Beach Spa

Address: Cua Dai

Cua Dai Beach Spa is one of the many spas on the road leading up to the beach. Conveniently positioned close enough to the beach, resorts and restaurants but far enough away to no longer hear the craziness of Cua Dai. Cua Dai Beach Spa offers many different treatments from a Thai massage to a honeymoon package and everything in between. The offers range to fit every budget from 100,000 to 950,000 VND (4.30 to 41 USD).

Koi Resort Spa

Address: Cua Dai

What makes the Koi Resort and Spa such an attractive destination is the picturesque setting and variety of facilities on offer to spa attendees. From the moment you cross the bridge over the river to the resort, it is beauty and splendour all around. Weather permitting, request to have your massage outdoors in a curtained canopy.

The spa has its own bar/cafe area and a magnificent 25-metre lap pool. For a real hedonistic splurge, make use of the swim-up bar. The most impressive feature is the private sauna and shower in most treatment rooms. There is also a larger area with a sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and indoor pool. Tranquillity and beauty mark this setting as unforgettable.

Hidden Hint: A Spa Buffet Menu offers extremely reasonable rates for a combination of three to five treatments. Each item selected is 30 minutes in length; making the package of three treatments 90-minutes long, costing only 850,000 VND (36.60 USD).

Hidden’s Thoughts

Cua Dai Beach has so much to offer any age group on any budget. From the northern end with the cheaper and quieter Vietnamese vibe to the southern end with its five star resorts, spa treatments, water sports and restaurants. There’s so much at your doorstep to keep you occupied for days. Many resorts offer shuttle buses to the Old Town and back too, so you won’t ever be short of something to do.

Enjoy your mornings meditating with the waves, your Sunday brunches at the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort. Get a massage in the afternoon, then spend your early evenings jumping into the waves off the sandbags.  All before a quick shower and spruce up to dine at a glamorous restaurant and sip cocktails on the beach… Bliss!

Hoi An Beaches Map