The MAG Vietnam Vol 8 April 2017 | Page 19

Travel Adventures the holidays; or if you want to spend the day at the beach but the night in a likable, local, untouristy town with great street food. Spotless rooms start from 300,000vnd. BOOK HERE Gio Bien 3 Hoa: A large and cluttered complex, Gio Bien 3 Hoa is popular with young Vietnamese phượt travellers (independent travellers on motorbikes). It’s definitely aimed at the domestic market (karaoke is often blaring out), but you can pitch your own tent here for110,000vnd. However, I’d always choose one of the other campgrounds before this one. Hoang Thanh Thuy Hotel: With small, dark rooms off an airless corridor, this tiny ‘hotel’ in the middle of Ho Tram hamlet is just about worth it if you’re really trying to save money. Rooms (after bargaining) are 200,000vnd. Mid-Range: The Beach House: While this new place on the River Ray sandbar offers camping for budget travellers, those with a bit more money to spend, can stay in the spick and span brick bungalows here. They are nice and the area is very quiet and isolated. If you book online, prices start from $25. However, the management quoted me $40 in person, so watch out for rip-offs if you turn up without a booking. BOOK HERE River Ray Estates: Mid-range accommodation at River Ray Estates is in the form of attractive wooden houses on the hillside, looking over the Ray River. These log cabins are simply but tastefully furnished. Prices start at $35 and includes breakfast and use of the pool. BOOK HERE Sunset on the Ray River Sandbar, where both The Beach House & River Ray Estates are located High-End: Ho Tram Beach Boutique Resort: One of my favourite beach resorts in Vietnam, Ho Tram Boutique is lush, low-key, tasteful, and romantic. Rates vary but average room price is around$100 including breakfast, which represents value for money. The beach here is the best in all Ho Tram and Ho Coc, with fine sand, casuarina trees and tropical almonds growing along it. Rooms have thatched roofs, lots of wooden decor and beautiful outside bathrooms. For much more about this resort read my full review. BOOK HERE River Ray Estates: The most expensive option at the River Ray Estates are the multi-room beachfront villas. Looking like they’re straight out of the American suburbs, the villas are fully equipped with gardens leading onto the beach. Some rooms are sold simply as doubles ($120), but it’s much better value (and much more fun) to book a whole villa for up to 8 people ($300). Once you divide the cost, this is great value and the perfect set-up for a group of friends or a family. BOOK HERE Sanctuary Ho Tram: Ultra-modern and ultra-luxurious, Sanctuary has dozens of pricey villas on the beach, just by Ho Tram hamlet. But, like the villas at River Ray Estates, don’t be alarmed at the prices, because these villas can accommodate up to 9 people. For example, an extremely swish beachfront villa with a large private pool and 4 double bedrooms is around $700; divide that between 9 friends or family and you have the makings of a memorable luxury getaway. BOOK HERE Vietsopetro Resort: A gigantic new resort, Vietsopetro looks like a cross between a Soviet military base and a Star Wars space station. It’s big, grey and aimed at tour groups, but the rooms are spacious with great bathtubs and sea-views, and the resort’s biggest asset is its 4 interlinked swimming pools. However, this place has very little character and belongs to the ‘might-is-right’ school of resort construction. Average rooms rates hover around $100 including breakfast. BOOK HERE http://vietnamcoracle.com Please Note: I never receive payment for anything I write; all my reviews are 100% independent. You can support my website by booking your accommodation from the BOOK HERE links below. I receive a small commission for any booking (at no extra expense to you), which goes a long way to keeping this site up & running. Thank you. Tom. The MAG Vung Tau 19