Travel Adventures
in charge were a little unsure of their prices and policies for foreigners staying here . But , after a polite chat and sitting down for a drink with them , I would expect everything to work out fine .
Bai Tam Hai Teo ; ( 100,000vnd ) 097 830 0884 ; Signposted to the right , 8km after turning off the coast road , a dirt track leads through cashew trees to a gated garden : this is Hai Teo . Let yourself in and close the gate behind you . The family here allow camping on their beautiful , powdery beach for 100,000vnd with your own tent . They can provide food and drink if you ask in advance . ( You can also pay 25,000vnd just to access the beach .)
Bai Tam Binh Chau ; ( 100,000-700,000vnd ) 090 5166 629 ; Next door to Dao Hoa Vang , Binh Chau is a simple place with lush gardens and a glorious beachfront . There are a few clean rooms with air-con ( 400,000-700,000vnd ) or you can pitch your own tent on the sand for 100,000vnd , or rent a tent for 200,000-300,000vnd for 2-4 people . If you ’ re camping , the showers are a bit rustic , and on weekends and public holidays the peace is occasionally disturbed by groups playing loud music . But most of the time it ’ s quiet , pristine and laid-back .
Wild Camping ; ( free ) Before reaching Binh Lap Village , the road passes over a hill covered in eucalyptus forests and cashew plantations . You ’ ll see dirt paths leading off the road and into the trees on both sides of the road . Several of these paths reach sandy clearings on high-ground with superb views over Cam Ranh Bay . If you have your own camping equipment , nothing quite compares to setting up camp under a tree and boiling a brew to watch the sunset over the bay . If you do camp , make sure you are as discreet as possible , and set an example for other travellers – both foreign and domestic – by not leaving your trash behind .
Mid-Range :
Sao Bien Cam Ranh ; ( 500,000-1,000,0000vnd ); www . saobiencamranh . com ; 090 366 9363 ; [ MAP ] On the western side on the Promontory , take the road beyond Binh Lap Village following the signs for Sao Bien ( also known as Starfish ). Remote and hidden , this cluster of accommodation options is accessed by a very steep downhill pathway – something to bear in mind if you have small children or trouble walking up and down steep hills . The bay here is gorgeous ; a bit like a smaller and more secluded version of the one at Ngoc Suong Yen Bay Resort . The sandy cove is bisected by large , smooth boulders from which steps have been cut and slides attached . The water is beautiful and calm ; the swimming is excellent . Accommodation ranges from fan-cooled , hobbit-sized , wooden A-frame beach huts with shared bathrooms ( 500,000vnd for 1 or 2 people ) to air-conditioned , white-washed brick bungalows and villas ( 800,000- 1,000,000vnd ). The beach-side gardens are beautifully landscaped and it ’ s all very cosy and nicely set up , but prices are just a little bit too high , in my opinion . However , the room rates include use of all the
Sao Bien has several accommodation options dotted around a beautiful bay activities on site including , among other things , kayaking which is great fun in the calm bay .
High-End :
Ngoc Suong Yen Bay Resort ; ($ 100- $ 150 ); www . ngocsuong . com . vn / yen-resort ; (+ 84 ) 58 2222 892 ; This is one of those places that leaves you open-mouthed the first time you see it . The location has to be among the loveliest of any beach resort in Vietnam and , considering this , the prices aren ’ t so bad ( although the rooms could do with some maintenance and TLC ). As you take the eastern branch of the road leading along Cam Lap Promontory , there ’ s a small sign on the left for Ngoc Suong Yen Bay . Pass the guard in the kiosk ( paying the 50,000vnd entrance fee ) and continue on the dirt road through cashew trees to the western side of the promontory . Here , you ’ ll lay eyes on a stunning double bay , divided by a chain of boulders sculpted into strange shapes
The MAG Vung Tau 11