Travel Adventures
HO COC BEACH:
Budget:
Saigon-Ho Coc Resort( camping): This vast resort has a very attractive camping area, where you can pitch your own tent( no tents are available to rent) on brick platforms among coconut palms for 150,000vnd. The showers are good and the price includes access to the resort’ s long stretch of beach, but use of the pool is extra. Huong Phong Resort( camping): Similar to Saigon-Ho Coc, Huong Phong is like a cheaper version of the former: a sprawling complex of accommodations, restaurants and cafes. The cheap digs here are tents for rent for 130,000vnd per person. Small and large tents are available or you can pitch your own. There’ s lots of space, good showers, a long beach and a pool( 80,000vnd). Hoang Thanh Thuy 3 Hotel: This excellent hotel is located 10km inland from Ho Coc beach, in the village of Bung Rieng. There’ s a nice pool and the rooms are large, bright and clean. It’ s a good budget option if you don’ t want to camp by the beach, and if the other beachfront options are out of your budget. Prices are between 300-600,000vnd. However, there’ s an absurd‘ rule’ whereby if you are in the cheaper rooms you can’ t use the pool – Durrrh! BOOK HERE
Mid-Range:
Ven Ven Hotel: Occupying a lovely, leafy corner at the Ho Coc crossroads, Ven Ven is great mid-range value. Although it’ s not on the beach, it makes up for it with its shady, tranquil, birdsong-filled grounds,( although it wouldn’ t hurt if they invested in a swimming pool among the trees here). Most rooms were upgraded a few years ago and are now crisp and modern, if a bit bland. There’ s still one block of‘ old’ rooms in a wooden house on stilts with a veranda( which I actually prefer to the new ones). Prices range from $ 25- $ 50. The restaurant is also fabulous. BOOK HERE Huong Phong Resort: This constantly evolving resort offers bland but comfy bungalows on the beach. If you book in advance, the seaview rooms are a steal at $ 40. At the other end, the suites are overpriced at $ 100. There’ s a long beachfront and a decent pool too. Be warned that the resort grounds get very crowded during the holidays. BOOK HERE
High-End:
The‘ old’ rooms at Ven Ven Hotel, which I prefer to the new ones; the restaurant is great too
The Grand Ho Tram: Setting the standard in Vietnam’ s new wave of integrated resorts, The Grand is a huge project that’ s set to get even bigger. You can’ t fail to miss this 25-storey giant, sticking up out of the sands as if it were the first hotel in Vegas. And that’ s what it’ s all about: Vietnam’ s Vegas. The vision for the future is to build up the surrounding area into a gaming and resort complex to rival the best of them. Complete with casino, golf course, cinema, multiple restaurants, ginormous pools etc etc, The Grand is leading the way in entertainment resorts. Whether this is your kind of‘ thing’ or not, there’ s no denying the sheer quality and standard of facilities and products here. The rooms are excellently furnished, all with floor-to-ceiling windows with terrific views, and service is impeccable. What’ s more, if you book in advance, the rates offer good value for money, averaging around $ 100 a night, including one of the best quality buffet breakfasts I’ ve ever had. For much more detail read my full review. BOOK HERE Saigon-Ho Coc Resort: With a bewildering array of accommodation options available, Saigon-Ho Coc is a confusing but very attractive complex. You can expect to pay anywhere between $ 50- $ 200 a night, from a fairly simple bamboo bungalow in the trees back from the beach to a stunning wooden beachfront villa with stylish furnishings. There are two excellent swimming pools and a very long stretch of beach. It’ s aimed at large tour groups and Vietnamese families, so you can expect discounts during the week when it’ s almost empty. BOOK HERE Carmelina: Modern, spacious rooms and lush grounds with access to the beach make Carmelina a decent high-end resort. But with similarly priced rooms at both The Grand and Saigon-Ho Coc, it’ s difficult to find a reason to stay at Carmelina. Perhaps it’ s best-suited to families with children, because there are soft play areas and a pool full of slides and floats. Average room rates are $ 90- $ 120 a night. BOOK HERE 20 The MAG Vung Tau