South Central Coast & Central Highlands
Central Vietnam’s beach coast and cool highlands, from Da Nang and Hoi An to Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Da Lat. Swim at My Khe, walk Hoi An’s old town after dark, visit the My Son towers, take island boats from Nha Trang, and drink coffee in Da Lat or Buon Ma Thuot. Treat the beaches and the hills as separate trips; Da Nang airport is the easiest way in.
Da Nang airport is the practical gateway. Hoi An is under an hour by road. October can be flooded in Hoi An. Hoang Sa and Truong Sa belong with this region.
Da Lat stays cool year-round. The beaches at Nha Trang and Mui Ne are calmer in the drier months, which differ by town. Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Nong, and Mang Den are inland. Most visitors fly into Da Lat or Nha Trang, or take a sleeper from Ho Chi Minh City. Treat the hills and the beaches as different trips.
Top destinations in South Central Coast & Central Highlands
Cities
1 Buon Ma Thuot
The coffee capital of the Central Highlands.
2 Da Lat
A cool mountain town in the Central Highlands, with pine hills, flower gardens and a lake in the centre.
3 Da Nang
Central Vietnam’s beach city, with a long sandy shore, bridges over the river and mountains close by.
4 Quang Ngai
A coastal city on the Tra Khuc, best known for the Son My memorial, with high-speed boats to Ly Son from Sa…
5 Quy Nhon
A coastal city in central Vietnam with a long sandy beach right in the city centre.
6 Tuy Hoa
Basalt columns at Ganh Da Dia meet the sea north of Tuy Hoa, and Mui Dien to the south is the easternmost p…
7 Kon Tum
A highland city in central Vietnam, known for its wooden cathedral and Ba Na villages along the Dak Bla River.
8 Nha Trang
A beach city on the south-central coast, with a long city beach, a bay full of islands, and mud baths.
Towns
9 Hoi An
Lanterns over the timber streets of a riverside trading town near Da Nang, with a covered Japanese bridge a…
10 Mang Den
A cool pine-forest plateau in the Central Highlands, about 60 km from Kon Tum city.
11 Mui Ne
A beach resort strip near Phan Thiet, known for kitesurfing and red and white sand dunes.
Landscapes and islands
12 Cham Islands
Snorkel over coral in the Cu Lao Cham marine reserve, then eat seafood in Bai Lang.
13 Dak Nong
A highland geopark in the Central Highlands, with wide waterfalls, lake islands and volcanic lava tubes.
14 Gia Lai
A Central Highlands province centred on the city of Pleiku, known for a volcanic crater lake and tea hills.
15 My Son
The brick ruins of Cham temple towers in a forested valley, about 45 km from Hoi An.
Attractions in South Central Coast & Central Highlands
- Bai Lang
Landing hamlet on Hòn Lao: walk the shore after the boat and stay for the village after dark.
- Dray Nur Waterfall
A curtain of white water about 250 m wide on the Serepok, about 25 to 30 km south of Buon Ma Thuot.
- Eo Gio
Rock saddle on Phuong Mai: stand in the gap for about 30 minutes and look down at the sea.
- Ganh Da Dia
Walk the basalt columns where they meet the sea, north of Tuy Hoa.
- Ham Tien beach
Kite beach on Ham Tien: learn in the morning, or ride 11:00–16:00 for the thermal wind.
- Kon Tum Wooden Church
Walk the timber cathedral on Nguyen Hue, raised in cà chít wood from 1913 to 1918.
- Ky Co
Cove of white sand nearly 25 km from the city: swim the clear shallows for about an hour.
- Pa Sy Waterfall
Walk down to Pa Sy, the forest fall where three streams meet in one drop.
- Quy Nhon beach
Yellow-sand crescent in the city center: swim it free for an hour or a full day, a short walk from the rooms.
- Son My memorial
Give the morning to the memorial at Tịnh Khê, on the road that also goes to this city’s Mỹ Khê.
- Ako Dhong
Walk the Ede longhouses at Buon Ako Dhong, about 2 km north of the center in Tan Loi.
- An Thuong
Walk the small streets a few blocks inland from My Khe after dark, when the bars, kitchens, lanterns, and s…
- Bai Huong
Fishing hamlet on Hòn Lao: walk the bay and beach for a short stop on a permitted swim shore.
- Banh It towers
Four Cham towers on a hill about 20 km out: walk the group in about 30 minutes, for 15,000 đồng.
- Biển Hồ
Walk the shore of Biển Hồ, a crater lake about 7 km north of Pleiku.
- Cantonese Assembly Hall
The Cantonese merchants’ hall, built in 1885, with a pottery dragon fountain in the front court and a hall…
- Cu Lao Cham Reserve
Zoned reserve off Hoi An: boat across for the day and swim only where the 2026 rules allow.
- Da Lat Market
Climb the sloping halls above Xuan Huong Lake for flowers, strawberries, and the counters of jam, dried fru…
- Da Lat Railway Station
Walk through the 1930s art-deco station, with its peaked roofs and DALAT across the yellow facade, then tak…
- Dak Ke Lake
Get to Dak Ke in the first hour of light, while mist still sits on the water and the shore path is quiet.
- Datanla Falls
Walk down to Datanla Falls on Prenn Pass, or ride the alpine coaster or go canyoning with a guide for a fas…
- Dray Sap Waterfall
Walk the viewpoints over the wide Serepok sheet in Dak Sor, Krong No.
- Fishing village
Fishing harbor at the end of the bay: stand clear just after dawn while the boats unload.
- Fujian Assembly Hall
The long Fujian merchant hall at 46 Trần Phú: about 120 metres through three courts to the hall of Thiên Hậu.
- Ghenh Rang
Egg-stone cove about 3 km southeast: walk the rounded rocks free for about an hour on the south coast.
- Hai Tang Pagoda
Pagoda in Bai Lang: walk up from the landing for a short stop at the gate, the statue, and Đồng Chùa.
- Han Swing Bridge
Stand on the bank late at night and watch the middle of the Han swing bridge pivot about 90 degrees to let…
- Hoi An Market
The yellow market hall inside the old town, with herb and vegetable sellers along the front and a food hall…
- Japanese Covered Bridge
The roofed wooden bridge at the west end of the old town, about 18 metres long, with a small temple on the…
- Kon K'Tu Village
Walk Kon K'Tu, the Ba Na village in Đăk Rơ Wa, through stilt houses and the communal house in the middle.
- Kon Klor Communal House
Walk the Ba Na communal house in Kon Klor, the tall thatched hall on stilts beside the Đăk Bla.
- Kon Pring village
Ride a few kilometres up Highway 24 to Kon Pring, a Mơ Nâm community village where the steep roof of the nh…
- Langbiang Mountain
Ride a jeep or hike up Lang Biang, the mountain north of Da Lat, for the view over pine ridges, farm valley…
- Linh Phuoc Pagoda
Walk through Linh Phuoc, the pagoda at Trai Mat covered in mosaic, with a dragon and a tower built from rec…
- Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra
Ride out along the Son Tra peninsula to Linh Ung Pagoda, where a 67-meter Quan The Am stands on a lotus ped…
- Marble Mountains
Climb Thuy Son, the marble hill on the road to Hoi An, up stone stairs into caves and pagodas and out to lo…
- Museum of Cham Sculpture
More than 400 Cham sandstone and terracotta carvings, from the 5th to the 15th century, fill galleries on t…
- My Khe Beach
Wake on My Khe, the long city beach with the resort towers along the sand and the surf as the morning.
- My Khe beachfront
Spend the evening on the My Khe sand rather than in the lanes.
- Nhan Tower
Climb Núi Nhạn for the brick tower on the north bank of the Đà Rằng.
- Phung Hung Old House
A merchant house more than a hundred years old at 4 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, a short walk from the Japanese br…
- Quan Cong Temple
The temple at 24 Trần Phú built for Quan Công in the mid-17th century.
- Tan Ky House
A lived-in merchant house at 101 Nguyễn Thái Học, the shop at the front and the river at the back, with no…
- Thi Nai bridge
White sea bridge across the lagoon: cross the span in about 30 minutes, free, on the road to the peninsula.
- Thien An mountain
Climb the seal-shaped hill on the left bank for the old pagoda and the tomb of Huỳnh Thúc Kháng.
- Tra Khuc river
Fishing boats sit on the river the city is built on, and the weekend night is the street beside it.
- Truc Lam Zen Monastery
Ride the cable car from Robin Hill, then walk the gardens and halls of Truc Lam Zen Monastery on Phoenix Hi…
- Trung Nguyen Coffee Village
Walk the old buildings and coffee trees at Trung Nguyen Coffee Village.
- Tuy Hoa beach
Swim and walk the city beach along Độc Lập, east of town.
- Tuyen Lam Lake
Boat or walk the pine shore of Tuyen Lam, the reservoir south of Da Lat.
- Twin towers
Late-12th-century Cham pair in the city: walk both brick towers on a two-hour visit, for 20,000 đồng.
- Xuan Huong Lake
Walk or pedal the shore of the lake in the middle of Da Lat, with pines on the bank and mist on the water e…
- An Bang Beach
Hoi An beach stay: sand, villas, and homestays, a bicycle or Grab from the old town.
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Ba Na Hills is the cable-car day west of Da Nang: Golden Bridge, French Village, Fantasy Park.
- Bach Dang promenade
Walk the Han on Bach Dang, the riverside promenade of cafes, with a coffee or a young coconut in hand.
- Bao Dai Palace
Tour the 1926 villa at 02 Y Ngong, the French resident's house later used by Bao Dai.
- Bao Dai Palace III
Tour the rooms and garden of Bao Dai's summer villa, about 2.5 km south of the centre, for a look at the hi…
- Buon Ma Thuot Prison
The yellow French-built prison at 18 Tan Thuat, kept as a revolutionary heritage site: arched blue doors, t…
- Buu Minh Pagoda
Walk Buu Minh Pagoda, the tea-hill temple north of Pleiku.
- Cam Thanh Coconut Water
Ride a round basket boat through the nipa palms at Cẩm Thanh, about 3 km from the old town, where the palms…
- Chaozhou Assembly Hall
The Chaozhou merchants’ hall at 157 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, built in 1845 for the gods of wind and wave who kept t…
- Crazy House
Climb through the concrete rooms and narrow bridges of the house Dang Viet Nga designed at 03 Huynh Thuc Kh…
- Da Lat Cathedral
Stand on Tran Phu for the pink facade and the bell tower with a rooster on top, the reason locals call it t…
- Da Lat Flower Garden
Walk the flower beds at the city garden northeast of Xuan Huong.
- Da Nang Cathedral
Look up at the pink Gothic church on Tran Phu, nearly 70 meters tall, with a rose window and a rooster on t…
- Da Rang river
The city sits at the mouth of the Đà Rằng, which the bureau also calls sông Ba.
- Domaine de Marie
Walk the convent garden and look up at the pink church of Domaine de Marie, at 1 Ngo Quyen on the west ridge.
- Dong Xanh Park
Walk Dong Xanh Park, the highland culture grounds about 10 km from Pleiku.
- Dragon Bridge
A 666-meter yellow dragon arches over the Han, and at 21:00 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday its head breath…
- Elephant Falls
Climb down a rocky path beside Elephant Falls, a broad curtain of water over a mossy cliff at Nam Ban, abou…
- Fairy Stream
Shallow stream under the sand hills: walk it barefoot in ankle-deep water for the red clay bank.
- Hai Van Pass
Drive or ride the coast road over the pass north of the city on a clear day, when the road and the sea sit…
- Han Market
Shop the two-floor market hall beside the swing bridge for fish sauce, dried central-coast food, fruit, fab…
- Hòn Mun
Coral island in the bay: snorkel or dive the reef on a 45-minute boat from Cầu Đá for the marine reserve.
- Hòn Tằm
Island beach 7 km out: swim the sand and ride the water sports on a boat day off the city.
- Hòn Tre Cable Car
Sea cable to Hòn Tre: ride the 3,320 m crossing for a day on the bay’s largest island.
- K50
Trek to K50, the Hang Én fall in Kon Chư Răng, and register before you go.
- Khai Doan Pagoda
A wooden hall hung with yellow lanterns, a carved stair, and a white pavilion across a quiet courtyard in t…
- Kim Bong Carpentry Village
Cross the Thu Bồn to the carpentry village opposite the old town, where wood has been worked since about th…
- Kon Tum Prison
Walk the French-era prison on Truong Quang Trong, through the memorial yard and the displays.
- Kon Tum Provincial Museum
Walk the provincial museum at 659 Nguyen Hue.
- Lam Vien Square
Walk out onto Lam Vien, the paved square on the edge of Xuan Huong Lake, for the open view across the water.
- Long Sơn Pagoda
White Buddha on a city hill: climb to the seated figure in daylight for the statue over Nha Trang.
- Main tower groups
Cham brick towers in a closed valley: walk groups B, C, and D on a morning from Hoi An.
- Mang Lang church
See the church on the Kỳ Lộ that keeps the first Vietnamese book in chữ Quốc ngữ.
- Minh Thanh Pagoda
Walk Minh Thanh Pagoda, the gold-painted tower on the hill above Pleiku.
- Museum of Folk Culture
A 57-metre merchant house at 33 Nguyễn Thái Học that runs through to Bạch Đằng on the river.
- Museum of Trade Ceramics
A nineteenth-century wooden house at 80 Trần Phú holding 368 trade ceramics from the 9th to the 19th centur…
- My Khe beach water activities
My Khe beach water activities sit on the long city beach: rent a surfboard, a kayak, or a jet ski, go paras…
- Nha Trang Beach
City sand on Trần Phú: swim and walk the seven-kilometre shore for a beach day on the bay.
- Oceanographic Museum
Marine museum at Cầu Đá: walk the tanks and specimen halls for 90 to 120 minutes of the city’s sea life.
- Po Nagar Towers
Cham towers 2 km north: walk the brick shrines in a morning for the hill above the river mouth.
- Po Sah Inu towers
Three Cham towers on Ba Nai Hill: walk the brick shrines, about 7 km from Phan Thiet.
- Quan Thang Old House
A one-storey merchant house more than 150 years old that runs through from Trần Phú to Nguyễn Thái Học.
- Red dunes
Orange dunes just outside town: walk the slope and sandboard at sunset for the late-day color.
- Robin Hill Cable Car
Ride the cabins from Robin Hill down over the pine forest to Truc Lam Zen Monastery, with Tuyen Lam Lake ah…
- Sa Huynh Culture Museum
A small museum at 149 Trần Phú with more than a thousand objects from the Sa Huỳnh culture, the early resid…
- Tây Sơn Thượng đạo
Walk the Tây Sơn Thượng đạo relics, the 1771 base in the An Khê forest.
- Thanh Ha Pottery Village
The pottery village about 3 km west of the old town on the Thu Bồn, where potters have worked for more than…
- Tra Que Vegetable Village
A working herb village about 2–2.5 km north of the old town, between the Đế Võng river and the lagoon, wher…
- Trần Phú Night Market
Night stalls behind 46 Trần Phú: walk the 137 m food street after dark for the beach-road evening.
- Trí Nguyên Aquarium
Rock aquarium on Hòn Miễu: boat over and walk the aquarium for an island stop in the bay.
- Truc Lam Dao Nguyen
Walk the pine-forest monastery at Nam Nung, about 39 or 40 km north of Gia Nghia.
- White dunes
Pale dunes at Bàu Trắng: be on the sand from 5:00 to 7:00 for the sunrise before the heat.
- Yang Bay
Forest waterfall inland: walk the falls and the lake on a day about 38 to 40 km from the city.
- Yersin Museum
Pasteur museum on Trần Phú: see Yersin’s rooms in 30 to 45 minutes for the doctor’s life in the city.
- Cham performances
Daytime Cham dance in the valley: catch a hall slot or the 09:00 and 14:45 show at group G.
- Chợ Đầm
Central market at Bến Chợ: shop the seafood and the bowls in the free lotus hall on a stop in the centre.
- Da Lat Education College
Stop at the gate on Yersin for the long curved colonnade and the bell tower of the teachers' college, one o…
- Ga Nha Trang
Centre rail station: arrive from Sài Gòn in 7 hours 16 minutes to 8 hours 43 minutes for the beach city.
- Hòn Chồng
Stacked shore rocks: walk the boulders from 06:00 to 18:00 for the view up the north bay.
- Mang Den church and the Virgin Mary statue
Visit the Virgin Mary statue and the church at the Mang Den pilgrimage center.
- My Son Museum
Cham stone gallery at the gate: see the sculpture in a short stop before the cart to the towers.
- Nha Trang Cathedral
Stone cathedral on Thái Nguyên: see the clock tower and the arches in daylight for the centre’s church.
- Thuan Phuoc Bridge
Cross the long suspension bridge at the mouth of the Han, where the river meets the bay, on the road out to…
- Valley of Love
Stroll the landscaped paths and flower slopes of a paid park in the hills north of the centre.
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