Vietnam Island Getaway: Best Islands Deserve To Visit 2027

Looking for a Vietnam island getaway where you can step away from busy city life and enjoy a holiday by the blue sea? This guide brings together the islands most worth exploring, sorted by your starting city (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang), with travel times, the best seasons and what makes each one special. And if you are looking for a private, car-free place to stay close to nature, Hon Ong, home of Whale Island Resort, is well worth considering for your next trip.

Best Vietnam island getaways at a glance

Getaway from Ho Chi Minh city: Islands nearby

Hon Ong – Nha Trang

Hon Ong, also known as Whale Island, sits in Van Phong Bay, Khanh Hoa province, almost 100 km from central Nha Trang. Unlike crowded tourist islands, Hon Ong feels almost cut off from the outside world, with clear blue water, primeval forest and a quiet, restful atmosphere.

• Getting there: About 1 hour 10 minutes by air from Ho Chi Minh City to Cam Ranh, then about 2 hours by private car and around 15 minutes by boat.
• Why go: Home to around 1,600 species of beautiful, unspoilt coral with little human impact. Sea sports challenge your adventurous side, and the island lies close to Vietnam’s easternmost point, perfect for sunrise and sunset.
• Nature: Wild and untouched, with primeval forest and giant granite boulders all around. The air is fresh and quiet because there are no motor vehicles on the island.
• Good to know: Flights are limited, so book early.

Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island, famous for white-sand beaches, clear blue water and a wide range of resorts and hotels. Sights are quite far apart, so if you want to see a lot, rent a vehicle or plan your days area by area. The best-known tourist areas get busy in peak season, so not every spot offers privacy and calm.

Phu Quoc has stays for every taste, from beachfront bungalows to 5-star resorts, plus restaurants, bars and entertainment parks. Sunset on the west coast is a favourite with visitors.

• Getting there: Direct flights take about 1 hour, with many flights a day.
• Why go: Long beaches, big resorts, beautiful sunsets on the west coast.
• Good to know: A large, fast-developing island. Very convenient, but hard to find real quiet.

Con Dao

Con Dao has a different kind of beauty: empty beaches, primeval forest, turquoise water and a rich marine ecosystem. It also preserves many historic sites tied to moving stories from a special chapter of Vietnam’s history, which makes it a meaningful place for spiritual travel.

Alongside beautiful swimming beaches such as Dam Trau and Bai Nhat, you can dive at Hon Bay Canh. The Con Dao Prison system, Hang Duong Cemetery and other historic sites make the trip a meaningful journey into history.

• Getting there: About 45 minutes by air from Ho Chi Minh City, or around 5 hours by high-speed ferry.
• Why go: A 16-island archipelago with a national park, quiet beaches and moving historic sites.
• Nature: Green sea turtles nest from roughly mid-March to late October, with hatchlings from May to December.
• Good to know: Flights are limited, so book early.

Hanoi getaway: Which islands should you choose?

Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay in the North

• Getting there: Cat Ba is about 145 km from Hanoi. By road and ferry it takes about 3–4 hours.
• Why go: Lan Ha Bay sits south of Cat Ba, with the same limestone karsts as Ha Long Bay but at a slower pace.
• Good to know: Northern winters are cold; swimming is best from late spring to early autumn.

Islands in Central and Southern Vietnam worth the trip

From Hanoi, a short flight opens up warm-water islands:

• Phu Quoc: about 2 hours 5 minutes
• Con Dao: direct flights since 2025, about 2 hours
• Nha Trang (Cam Ranh): about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, then on to Van Phong Bay

Da Nang getaway trip: Which islands are nearby?

Cham Islands

• Getting there: About 15 km off Hoi An, around 30 minutes by speedboat. From Da Nang to Hoi An it is about 45 minutes by car.
• Why go: The archipelago is part of the Cu Lao Cham–Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve. Research cited by UNESCO records 134 coral species and 178 fish species around the islets.
• Good to know: Most visitors come on day tours, so it can be busy at midday.

Son Tra Peninsula

• Getting there: Son Tra Peninsula is about 10–15 km from central Da Nang. The trip usually takes 20–40 minutes, depending on where you start, how you travel and which spots you want to visit.
• Why go: Northeast of Da Nang city, Son Tra is a great choice for nature lovers who want to see the wild beauty of the central coast. Known as Da Nang’s “green lung”, it has a rich natural forest ecosystem, winding roads along the mountainside and clear blue beaches.
• Good to know: You can’t drive freely on every road in Son Tra. According to updates in August 2026, the Tien Sa – Suoi Om – Ban Co Peak routes are temporarily closed for repairs after storm damage.

Want more ideas near Nha Trang? Read our list of top beautiful island resorts near Nha Trang for a 4-day, 3-night getaway. After comparing the islands above, one question may still remain: where can you go for an island that feels completely your own?

Whale Island Resort: A private, car-free Vietnam island getaway

If crowded tourist islands are all about amusement parks, restaurants and a busy pace, Whale Island Resort offers a completely different experience: a holiday in nature on Hon Ong island, with no traffic, no city noise and just one resort.

Location

The resort is on Hon Ong in the middle of Van Phong Bay, Khanh Hoa, about 95–100 km north of Nha Trang. The island is around 40 hectares. From Nha Trang, drive about 1 hour 30 minutes to North Van Phong port (Dam Mon village), then take the resort boat for roughly 15 minutes. Read our guide to getting to Whale Island.

Seclusion

There are no permanent residents on Hon Ong, and no cars, motorbikes or bicycles. Whale Island Resort is the only place to stay on the island, and drones and loud speakers are banned. For a city escape to an island, it is one of the quietest places in Vietnam. If you only have a weekend, see how to spend 2 days and 1 night on Whale Island.

Bungalows

The resort has 31 bungalows across 6 room types, 14 of them facing the sea. They are low, palm-thatched bungalows of wood, bamboo, rattan and stone, with Cham-inspired details, tucked under tropical almond trees. See the details on the accommodation page.

Activities

Hon Ong’s appeal lies in combining sea adventures with relaxing time in nature. You can start with snorkelling straight from the beach, using a mask, snorkel and life jacket to watch the coral reefs and marine life.

Beyond snorkelling and diving, you can try windsurfing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding or a trek up Hon Da Lon to catch the sunrise. For a gentler pace, morning yoga, essential oil massage and evening film screenings give you time to fully unwind. For a real guest itinerary, read this 4-day, 3-night travel guide to Whale Island.

A sustainable story

Whale Island Resort stands out not only for its scenery but for an approach to tourism closely tied to protecting the environment and the local community. About 95% of the team are local people, which creates livelihoods and helps preserve the culture of the coast. In day-to-day operations, the resort keeps single-use plastics to a minimum, uses solar power combined with micro-hydropower and organises weekly beach clean-ups.

Even the name Hon Ong is linked to Ca Ong whale worship, a distinctive maritime tradition of central Vietnam’s fishing villages. Learn more about Whale worship in Vietnam and the resort’s journey of sustainable tourism on a paradise island.

Vietnam vacations for couples: Whale Island Resort packages

Prices taken from the Special Packages page in November 2026.

3D2N Green Adventure – A relaxing weekend surrounded by blue sea

If you want a short break that still captures the best of Hon Ong, this package is well worth considering. You stay 2 nights in a Garden View room (with a complimentary upgrade), with daily buffet breakfast, 1 lunch and 2 dinners.

The stay also includes a complimentary morning snorkelling session (09:00–12:00) and a trek up Hon Da Lon, and the resort’s boat takes you to and from the island, making the journey easy.

Highlight: In just 3 days and 2 nights, you can enjoy the island, explore nature and share dinners by the sea without spending too long travelling.

>> Experience the 3D2N Green Adventure package at Whale Island Resort

3D2N Moment Made for Two – A romantic break for two

Designed especially for couples, Moment Made for Two gives you a private space with 2 nights in a Beachfront Bungalow, where the sea view starts right at your porch.

The highlight is a romantic beachfront dinner table, decorated for you, with wine. Alongside daily breakfast, 1 lunch and 2 dinners, you also get a trek up Hon Da Lon, a 20% voucher for therapeutic massage and the return boat transfer. Booking and stay until 31/12/2026.

Highlight: A great choice for a wedding anniversary, a birthday, a honeymoon or simply some time together in island nature.

>> Enjoy the romantic 3D2N Moment Made for Two package for couples at Whale Island Resort

4D3N Into The Blue – A longer holiday by the ocean

If you don’t want your trip to end too soon, 4D3N Into the Blue gives you more time to slow down and explore Hon Ong. It includes 3 nights, daily breakfast, 2 lunches and 3 romantic dinners by the beach.

During your stay, you can enjoy a 2-hour kayak for 2, relax with a 30-minute essential oil massage, join sunrise yoga and go snorkelling at 20% off. The return boat transfer is included.

Highlight: Ocean exploration, body care and dinners by the sea add up to a balanced holiday of adventure and rest, especially suited to couples.

>> Discover the 4D3N Into the Blue package with coral snorkelling and ocean relaxation

5D4N Nature & Soul Long Stay – Slow down and recharge

For anyone who wants to step away from work and a busy life, this 5D4N package gives you enough time to fully enjoy Hon Ong’s seclusion.

You get 4 nights with daily breakfast, 3 lunches and 4 romantic dinners by the beach. Included experiences cover a 2-hour kayak for 2, a 30-minute essential oil massage and sunrise yoga, plus 20% off snorkelling, the Hon Da Lon trek and the return boat transfer.

Highlight: No packed schedule: spend the morning on yoga, the afternoon exploring the sea and the evening enjoying dinner by the shore. An ideal long stay to restore your energy and reconnect with nature.

>> Enjoy the 5D4N Nature & Soul Long Stay in the wild nature of Whale Island

All packages are non-refundable, need full payment at booking, exclude public holidays and Tet, and charge extra guests or children under resort policy. See every Whale Island Resort offer.

FAQ

1. What is the best island in Vietnam for a beach holiday?

It depends on your style: Phu Quoc for resorts and convenience, Con Dao for wild nature, Cat Ba for karst scenery, and Hon Ong for a private, car-free island.

2. What is the easiest island getaway from Ho Chi Minh City?

Phu Quoc and Con Dao are each only about an hour’s flight away. Hon Ong takes a flight to Cam Ranh, a drive and then a short boat ride.

3. Which beautiful islands are near Hanoi?

Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay, about 3–4 hours away by road and ferry. For warm water, fly south to Phu Quoc, Con Dao or Nha Trang.

4. How much does a stay at Whale Island Resort cost?

In November 2026, packages started from 131 USD per guest for 3 days 2 nights, including meals and the return boat. Prices can change by season, so check the Special Packages page.

5. Which island suits couples?

For privacy, choose a small island with low-rise bungalows, such as Hon Ong. For nightlife and big resorts, choose Phu Quoc.

Ngoc Van