Surfing in Vietnam
1 spot in Vietnam with surfing schools, with the best months per spot.
Surfing in Vietnam at a glance
Vietnam's surf season runs on the northeast monsoon from around September to March, strongest on the central coast at Da Nang's My Khe Beach from October to November and gentler on the south coast at Mui Ne, Vung Tau, Nha Trang and Phan Rang through the same winter window. Mui Ne, home to kitesurfing.me's two partner schools, UW Kite Surf and Vietnam Surftrip, is the easiest base to book a lesson, with forgiving beach breaks that work most of the winter. Da Nang's My Khe Beach gets the country's most consistent swell, three to six feet in peak season. Phan Rang, further south, has the biggest, most powerful waves and suits intermediate and advanced surfers. May to August is mostly flat almost everywhere.
Vietnam's south-central coast runs between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang and is the part of the country that travellers use for beach stays with steady wind. Mui Ne in Lam Dong province and the Phan Rang area, in what used to be Ninh Thuan province and is now part of Khanh Hoa, are the two bases. Vinh Hai, with the My Hoa lagoon, sits just outside Phan Rang, and Ninh Chu Bay lies beside the town. Phan Rang lies about 330 km north-east of Ho Chi Minh City and 95 km south of Nha Trang.
- The northeast monsoon from around September to March is the one surf season nearly every Vietnamese break depends on, per The Surf Atlas and Vietnam Tourism
- Da Nang's My Khe Beach has the country's most consistent swell, three to six feet in peak season per Outlook Traveller, and surf-forecast.com counts surfable swell for almost all of a typical November
- Phan Rang has the south coast's biggest waves, recommended for intermediate and advanced surfers rather than beginners by Outlook Traveller
- Vietnam Surftrip in Mui Ne charges 650,000 Vietnamese dong (about 25 US dollars) for a one-hour group lesson and 900,000 dong (about 35 dollars) for a private one
- UW Kite Surf's private surf lessons in Mui Ne run from 40 US dollars for 90 minutes to 78 dollars for a 3-hour full lesson, and it says beginners can learn year round there
- May to August is the weakest surf window countrywide, per The Surf Atlas, though occasional typhoon swell can still reach the coast
When is the best time for surfing in Vietnam?
The northeast monsoon from around September to March drives nearly every Vietnamese break, but the regions differ in when it peaks and how big it gets. Da Nang's My Khe Beach catches the strongest, most consistent swell, three to six feet per Outlook Traveller, with Vietnam Tourism naming October and November as the central coast's peak. Mui Ne, Vung Tau, Nha Trang and Phan Rang see smaller, more forgiving waves from November to March, with Phan Rang's the biggest of that group. A separate, weaker southwest monsoon from May to October can bring occasional surf tied to typhoons near Taiwan and the Philippines, but The Surf Atlas calls it the flattest half of the year almost everywhere.
| Spot | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mui Ne | ||||||||||||
| Da Nang (My Khe Beach) | ||||||||||||
| Vung Tau (Back Beach) | ||||||||||||
| Nha Trang (Bai Dai Beach) | ||||||||||||
| Phan Rang |
The best spots for surfing in Vietnam
| Spot | Water | Level | Best months | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mui Ne | Sand beach breaks, 1 point | All levels, 2 partner schools | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | Vietnam's main watersports town, where kitesurfing.me partners UW Kite Surf and Vietnam Surftrip both teach surfing on forgiving sand-bottom beach breaks split across two monsoon seasons. Malibu and Bai Ong Dia suit beginners, while Little Buddha's point gives intermediates more to work with. The easiest place in the country to book a lesson. |
| Da Nang (My Khe Beach) | Sand beach break, multiple peaks | Beginner to advanced | Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | Vietnam's most consistent surf, a long sand beach break in the city's east. Outlook Traveller gives waves of three to six feet in peak season, and surf-forecast.com's model counts surfable swell for almost all of a typical November. The Surf Atlas warns the everyday swell is short-period windswell that turns mushy, with strong rip currents. |
| Vung Tau (Back Beach) | Beach break, 1 point | Beginner to advanced | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | About 2 to 2.5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City by car or bus, so the closest surf to the capital for a weekend trip. Outlook Traveller calls Back Beach consistent and beginner-friendly, two to four feet from December to March, while The Surf Atlas describes a point further along that needs a real swell to wrap in and gives a clean, rarely-crowded left. |
| Nha Trang (Bai Dai Beach) | Sand beach break | Beginner | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | A classic sand-bottom beach break about 25 km from the city centre, with no reef, working during the northeast monsoon from November to March. Outlook Traveller and Vietnam Tourism both call it beginner-friendly, with soft sand, gentle waves and a handful of local surf schools and board rentals. |
| Phan Rang | Beach break | Intermediate and up | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | The south coast's biggest and most powerful waves, which Outlook Traveller recommends for intermediate and advanced surfers rather than beginners. The surf scene here is still small, so bring your own board, since rental options are limited. Best from November to March, next to Nui Chua National Park. |
Which Vietnam spot suits your surfing level?
Mui Ne or Nha Trang's Bai Dai Beach are the easiest starts, both forgiving sand-bottom beach breaks with schools nearby. UW Kite Surf and Vietnam Surftrip in Mui Ne both teach complete beginners, and UW Kite Surf says you can learn surfing year round there.
Mui Ne's Little Buddha point and Da Nang's My Khe Beach give more wave to work with once you are comfortable standing up, with My Khe the more consistent of the two from September to March.
Phan Rang has the south coast's biggest, most powerful waves, and Da Nang gets Vietnam's most reliable swell, three to six feet from October to November. Vung Tau's point is a clean, rarely-crowded left when a real swell wraps in.
The Surf Atlas and other sources name this the flattest stretch of the year almost everywhere in Vietnam, with any surf depending on a passing typhoon near Taiwan or the Philippines rather than a reliable season.
Getting to Vietnam and between the spots
Getting to Vietnam
Most travellers fly into Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) and continue by road or rail. For the Phan Rang area the closest airport is Cam Ranh (CXR) near Nha Trang, which has domestic flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and other carriers, and is about one hour from Phan Rang by car.
Airports
Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): for vietnam/mui-ne. Road transfer to Mui Ne takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours by private car (around 3 hours on the new expressway) and 5 to 7 hours by bus. The train to Phan Thiet takes about 3 hours 45 minutes, plus roughly 20 minutes on to Mui Ne. Cam Ranh International Airport, Nha Trang (CXR): for vietnam/vinh-hai. About 30 km from Nha Trang and roughly one hour by car from Phan Rang. Domestic flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Between the spots
In Mui Ne the beaches are spread along the coast: Harbour Wall is about 20 minutes south of the main beach by scooter, Malibu about 15 minutes north and Turtle Island about 45 minutes north. Between the two regions the distance is large: an organised trip from Mui Ne to Phan Rang takes about 5 hours each way. Phan Rang is on the North-South railway at Thap Cham station, where express trains SE1/2 and SE5/6 stop. From Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne a bus costs about 6 to 10 US dollars, a train 10 to 18 US dollars and a private car from about 80 US dollars. Agree a taxi price before you set off.
Entry and visa
British passport holders can stay up to 45 days without a visa, and an e-visa allows up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival and have two blank pages. Since 15 April 2026 travellers entering via Ho Chi Minh City are encouraged to complete a digital arrival card online, and this may become mandatory at short notice. Rules differ by nationality, so check the official source for your own passport before you book.
Money and costs
The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND), at about 26,000 dong per US dollar in early 2026. Only banknotes are used, with no coins. Many tourist businesses quote in US dollars and accept dong or dollars in cash, so carry some small notes for scooters, snacks and taxis.
Climate and water
The coast is warm all year. In Phan Rang mean daily temperatures run from 25.1 degrees Celsius in January to 29.3 in May. It is dry from January to April, with 2.8 mm of rain in February, and wettest from September to November, with 171 mm in November. The sea is about 26 to 30 degrees Celsius year round, so a wetsuit is not needed.
Safety
Strong undercurrents on the Mui Ne resort beach drowned a swimmer in November 2025 on a day when the waves were not high, so swim only in guarded areas and follow lifeguard whistles. A July 2026 ruling by Lam Dong authorities says water sports operators at Mui Ne must register equipment and declare their operating zones but do not need mandatory instructors, so ask any operator about qualifications and safety cover before you book. Take travel insurance that covers water sports.
Surfing in Vietnam: your questions
When is the best time to surf in Vietnam?
September to March, inside the northeast monsoon, is the window named across the country. Da Nang's My Khe Beach has the most consistent swell, peaking in October and November per Vietnam Tourism, while Mui Ne, Vung Tau, Nha Trang and Phan Rang run smaller but reliable waves from November to March. May to August is mostly flat.
Where is the best place to learn to surf in Vietnam?
Mui Ne is the easiest choice, since both kitesurfing.me partner schools, UW Kite Surf and Vietnam Surftrip, teach there on forgiving sand-bottom beach breaks. UW Kite Surf says beginners can learn surfing year round. Nha Trang's Bai Dai Beach is another beginner-friendly option, with soft sand, gentle waves and local surf schools.
Which spot has the biggest waves in Vietnam?
Phan Rang, on the south coast near Nui Chua National Park, has the biggest and most powerful waves, which Outlook Traveller recommends for intermediate and advanced surfers. Da Nang's My Khe Beach can also turn powerful on a bigger swell, though Outlook Traveller puts its everyday peak-season waves at three to six feet.
How do I get between Vietnam's surf spots?
Mui Ne and Vung Tau are reached from Ho Chi Minh City by car or bus, Mui Ne in about 2.5 to 3.5 hours and Vung Tau in about 2 to 2.5 hours, per Expat O'Life's own route guide. Da Nang and Nha Trang each need a separate domestic flight or a long overnight trip, not a short side trip from the others.
Do I need a visa to surf in Vietnam?
British passport holders can enter without a visa for up to 45 days, and an e-visa allows 90 days. The passport needs six months of validity and two blank pages, and a digital arrival card is encouraged at Ho Chi Minh City airport. Rules differ by nationality, so check the official source for your own passport.
How much do surf lessons cost in Vietnam?
In Mui Ne, Vietnam Surftrip charges 650,000 Vietnamese dong, about 25 US dollars, for a one-hour group lesson and 900,000 dong, about 35 dollars, for a private one. UW Kite Surf's private lessons there run from 40 dollars for 90 minutes to 78 dollars for a 3-hour full lesson. Prices elsewhere in the country are not covered here.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Vietnam?
No. Vietnam Tourism gives sea temperatures of 26 to 30 degrees Celsius year round on the south-central coast, and the central coast stays warm too, so most surfers wear boardshorts or a rash vest. Pack sun protection and reef shoes for rockier breaks rather than neoprene.
Is it safe to surf in Vietnam?
Da Nang's My Khe Beach has strong rip currents, per The Surf Atlas, and a swimmer drowned in a strong undercurrent on Mui Ne's resort beach in November 2025, so swim and surf only where you can see a lifeguard or local surfers. Operators are not required to use certified instructors, so ask about safety cover before booking.
Sources for this guide: The Surf Atlas: Vietnam surf guides, surf-forecast.com: My Khe surf stats, Vietnam Tourism: Surfing in Vietnam, seasons, breaks and where to learn, Vietnam.travel: 5 best places for a surfing experience in Vietnam, Outlook Traveller: places to visit in Vietnam for the best surfing experience, Vietnam Surftrip: services and prices, Expat O'Life: Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau travel guide, UW Kite Surf: Mui Ne surfing lessons, Tuoi Tre News: tourist dies in Mui Ne undercurrent, DTiNews: Mui Ne kitesurfing and windsurfing ruling, FCDO travel advice: Vietnam entry requirements, Wikipedia: Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Wikipedia: Cam Ranh International Airport, Wikipedia: Vietnamese dong, Wikipedia: Phan Rang-Thap Cham, Kiwitaxi: Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne, Vietnam Tourism: Mui Ne, Phan Rang and the wind seasons, IKSURFMAG: Mui Ne travel guide · Last checked November 2026.