Islands of Vietnam: the complete 2026 guide

Vietnam has 3,400 kilometres of coast, two seas, and archipelagos running from the Gulf of Tonkin in the north to the Gulf of Thailand in the south. Some islands are for families and all-inclusive comfort; others are for divers and solo travellers with a tent. The price spread is wild: from about $8 a night in a Ly Son homestay to $2,800 at Six Senses on Con Dao.

Vietnam is one of the most affordable island destinations in Southeast Asia. Even popular Phu Quoc undercuts Thai Samui by a long way, and lesser-known Nam Du and Phu Quy are places where foreign visitors still arrive in single digits. This is a detailed guide to every one of Việt Nam's worthwhile islands — with the specifics you won't find in generic listicles.

Rates use ~25,000 VND = $1 (mid-2026). Prices vary by season and venue.

• Phu Quoc (Phú Quốc): 590 km² | Nov–Apr — Families, beach resorts, VinWonders
• Con Dao (Côn Đảo): 76 km² | Mar–Sep — Diving, sea turtles, untouched nature
• Cat Ba (Cát Bà): 354 km² | Apr–Oct — Ha Long, climbing, trekking
• Nha Trang islands (Hòn Mun, Hòn Tằm): Apr–Aug — Diving, snorkelling, Hon Mun reserve
• Cham Islands (Cù Lao Chàm): Mar–Sep — UNESCO reserve, snorkelling, diving
• Phu Quy (Phú Quý): Mar–Sep — Off-grid island, cheap seafood
• Nam Du (Nam Du): Dec–Apr — Tourist-free archipelago, budget
• Binh Ba (Bình Ba): 20 min from Cam Ranh — Lobster, shallow bays
• Ly Son (Lý Sơn): Volcanic island — Garlic fields, budget

Every island of Vietnam at a glance

Vietnam has more than 3,000 islands, but only 10–12 really matter for a trip. Here is the full decision map with 2026 prices and seasons.

Geographically the islands split into four groups. The southern ones (Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Nam Du) sit in the warm Gulf of Thailand, with a dry season from November to April. The central ones (Cham, Binh Ba, Phu Quy, Ly Son) run along the coast from Da Nang to Nha Trang, best March–September. The Nha Trang islands (Hon Tre, Hon Mun, Hon Tam) sit in a sheltered bay with mild weather almost year-round. The northern ones (Cat Ba and the Ha Long archipelago) sit in the Gulf of Tonkin, with pronounced seasons.

Phu Quoc — the flagship resort island

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's biggest island (590 km², roughly the size of Singapore) and its most developed. It has everything: from the flour-white sand of Bai Sao, often compared to the Maldives, to the longest over-sea cable car in the world — 7.9 km out to Hòn Thơm. For most first-time visitors, this is island number one, and it now takes direct international flights again after a long pause.

Phu Quoc beaches

Phu Quoc has eight main beaches. All shelve gently into the water, which makes them safe for kids.

• Bãi Sao (Sao Beach) — the "Vietnamese Maldives." Flour-white sand, clear turquoise water, the famous Instagram swing. During the rainy season (June–October) debris can wash up on the sand.
• Long Beach (Bãi Trường) — 20 km of unbroken shoreline and about 95% of the island's hotels. The most developed strip. The main event is sunset: the sun drops straight into the sea.
• Ong Lang — a quiet alternative to Long Beach. Almost no waves, very clean water. This is where the premium resorts sit for people who want calm.
• Bai Dai (Bãi Dài) — once ranked among the world's top-10 wild beaches. Next to VinWonders and a golf club. Heavily built up now.
• Bai Kem — a bay beach anchored by the JW Marriott. White sand, clear water.
• Vung Bau — a genuinely wild beach. Soft sand, solitude, reached by a dirt track.

Things to do

VinWonders (formerly Vinpearl Land) is a theme park with a water park. Entry is about 900,000 VND (~$36) and covers every ride. Vinpearl Safari is a full zoo, roughly the same price. The Hòn Thơm cable car — 7.9 km over the sea — holds a Guinness record.

In the evening, head to the night market in Dương Đông. Grilled prawns run from ~$1.50, crab is ~$5–15/kg. Add pearl farms and factories making the island's famous fish sauce, nước mắm.

💬 "Phu Quoc rose to second among the most beautiful islands in Asia in 2026 according to DestinAsian, entering a top-4 of trending global destinations." — vietnam.vn, 2026

Prices and where to stay

Con Dao — wild nature and dark history

Con Dao is 16 islands 230 km off the coast, pairing a grim history — French prisons and the notorious "tiger cages" — with one of the best underwater ecosystems in Southeast Asia. Sea turtles nest here (June–September), and the coastal waters still hold dugongs; only around 100 remain in all of Vietnam.

Diving at Con Dao is in a class of its own. Visibility up to 30 metres, coral reefs in excellent shape, and very few divers. Two dives with gear start at 2,500,000 VND (~$100).

💬 "Con Dao's remote location, crystal-clear water and modest tourist numbers arguably make it the best place to dive in Vietnam." — Travelfish

Đầm Trầu is one of the loveliest beaches in the country — white sand, palms, turquoise water — and it sits right next to the airport runway.

How to get there

1. Flight from Ho Chi Minh City — about 45 minutes on Vietnam Airlines or VASCO. Tickets from 1,200,000 VND (~$48).
2. Ferry from Vung Tau — Con Dao Express, 3.5 hours, from 600,000 VND (~$24). There is also a route from Sóc Trăng, about 4.5 hours.

Where to stay

From guesthouses at 300,000 VND (~$12) up to Six Senses Con Dao, one of the best luxury hotels in Southeast Asia — standard rooms from about $859. Book well ahead: rooms are scarce, and on weekends visitors from Ho Chi Minh City snap up everything.

Cat Ba — the gateway to Ha Long Bay

Cat Ba is the largest island in Ha Long Bay (354 km²) and the best alternative to the packed cruise circuit. The karst pinnacles you know from National Geographic are here, except instead of a steamer deck you're in a kayak, alone with Lan Hạ Bay. Locals call it Ha Long's "little sister" — the same surreal geology, minus the crowds.

The island has a national park with the endemic Cat Ba langur, one of the rarest primates on Earth: fewer than 70 remain.

Things to do: jungle trekking (half a day, from 300,000 VND / ~$12), kayaking Lan Ha Bay (from 500,000 VND / ~$20), rock climbing (from 800,000 VND / ~$32), and the Hospital Cave from the Vietnam War era (40,000 VND / ~$1.60). The three Cat Co beaches (Cat Co 1, 2, 3) are small but scenic coves.

How to get there from Hanoi

The tourist shuttle bundles a bus from your Hanoi hotel, a ferry, and a transfer for 300,000–400,000 VND (~$12–16), about 3.5 hours total. A new cable car from Cát Hải — the highest-capacity in the world (4,500 people/hour) — has cut the crossing to 15 minutes.

Where to stay

From about $5 for a dorm bed to $65 for a decent hotel with a bay view. A mid-range 3★ hotel runs 400,000–800,000 VND (~$16–32). One more option: a Lan Ha cruise with lunch and kayaking, from 1,200,000 VND (~$48).

The Nha Trang islands — Hon Tre, Hon Mun, Hon Tam

Nha Trang bay holds a scatter of 19 islands, each 15–30 minutes out by boat. Four are the main draws: Hòn Tre with VinWonders, Hon Mun for diving, Hon Tam for spa, and Hon Lao, the monkey island.

Hon Tre — VinWonders and the cable car

Hòn Tre is the largest (36 km²) and most developed of the Nha Trang islands. VinWonders is a theme park with a water park, aquarium and Ferris wheel. The cable car from Nha Trang runs 3.3 km over the sea. Entry is about 900,000 VND (~$36) and covers everything: rides, water park, shows.

Hon Mun — diving and snorkelling

A marine reserve with the best coral reefs in the Nha Trang area. Visibility 15–20 metres in season (March–October). A two-dive group trip starts at 450,000 VND (~$18); a private tour from 3,500,000 VND (~$140).

Hon Tam and Hon Lao

Hon Tam is a resort island with a beach and spa. A ticket with transfer runs 350,000–800,000 VND (~$14–32). Hon Lao is the monkey island: 1,500 macaques, a show, tour from 250,000 VND (~$10).

The Cham Islands (Cù Lao Chàm)

Cù Lao Chàm is an archipelago of 8 islands 18 km from Hội An, a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2009. Snorkelling and diving run about ~$8 a person; a lunch of just-caught seafood is ~$3–4. The speedboat from Hoi An takes about 25 minutes.

A typical day trip:

1. 10:00 — walk through the fishing village of Bãi Làng
2. 11:00 — swim at Bãi Chồng beach, white sand
3. 12:30 — seafood lunch (lobster, squid, prawns — landed that morning)
4. 14:00 — snorkelling over the coral, then back to Hoi An

You can stay overnight — guesthouses from 200,000 VND (~$8). After 15:00 the archipelago empties out. From October to February the boats don't run because of storms.

Phu Quy — the "little Bali" without the crowds

Phú Quý is three small islands (16 km²) 120 km off Phan Thiet. Locals call it Vietnam's "little Bali": rocky coves, extraordinary sunrises, clear water. Foreign visitors are still a trickle.

The ferry from Phan Thiet takes 2.5–3.5 hours, from 350,000 VND (~$14). It runs once a day, so plan at least two nights. Highlights: the Gành Hang cliffs with a natural rock pool, a lighthouse with a 360-degree view, and 17th-century temples. You can loop the whole island in 3–4 hours on a motorbike (100,000 VND / ~$4 a day).

Food is cheaper than on any other island: cơm bình dân (rice-plate meals) from 30,000 VND (~$1.20), fresh tuna from 80,000 VND (~$3), lobster from 400,000 VND (~$16). Rooms from 200,000 VND (~$8).

The best season is December–June, and the best months are March and April: calm sea, warm water, minimal wind. Book through a local guesthouse — they can sort the permit for you too. Budget roughly $130–200 per person for three nights, ferry and food included.

Nam Du — the non-touristy archipelago

Nam Du is 21 small islands 65 km west of Phu Quoc, 11 of them inhabited. Stilt fishing villages, untouched rocky cliffs — and zero five-star hotels, zero malls, next to zero Wi-Fi. This isn't a resort. It's an escape.

The ferry from Rạch Giá takes about 2.5 hours (Superdong, ~205,000 VND / ~$8). To reach Rach Gia from Ho Chi Minh City, take an overnight bus (6–8 hours, from 200,000 VND / ~$8) or a domestic flight (~1 hour, from 600,000 VND / ~$24).

Accommodation is bungalows and guesthouses, from 200,000 VND (~$8). The main activities are trekking, fishing, snorkelling and watching the sunrise. Season: December–April. Outside that it storms, and you risk getting stranded.

💬 "Fishing villages untouched by mass tourism, turquoise water and rocky cliffs — Nam Du is for those who want to see Vietnam as it really is." — Vietnam Coracle

What to bring: cash (cards aren't accepted), a flashlight, mosquito repellent, a basic first-aid kit. The nearest hospital is on the mainland.

Binh Ba and Ly Son — for foodies and adventurers

Binh Ba — the lobster island

Bình Ba is a tiny island (3 km²) off Cam Ranh bay, 20 minutes out by boat. Grilled lobster starts at 300,000 VND/kg (~$12) — two or three times more in a Nha Trang restaurant. Two beaches: Bãi Chướng (with sun loungers and cafés) and Bãi Nhỏ (wild, over the hill). It works perfectly as a day trip from Cam Ranh or Nha Trang.

Ly Son — the volcanic garlic island

Lý Sơn is two islands of volcanic origin off the coast of Quảng Ngãi. It's famous for garlic: a special purple-skinned variety grown on black volcanic soil, a genuinely surreal sight. The ferry from Sa Kỳ costs 180,000–230,000 VND (~$7–9).

Main sights: the Thới Lới volcanic crater, the Cổng Tò Vò stone arch (one of the most photogenic spots in the country), and tiny Bé island (20 minutes by boat, crystal-clear water, no infrastructure at all).

Ly Son is only just opening up to foreigners. There are no English signs and menus are Vietnamese-only, so a translation app on your phone is essential.

Which island to choose — a guide by travel style

The classic mistake is heading to Phu Quoc when you wanted quiet, or to Ly Son when you wanted comfort. Choose by your priority, not by an internet ranking.

A few sample routes

Two weeks, first time in Vietnam: Phu Quoc (5 days) → Nha Trang (3 days, bay islands) → Hoi An (2 days + Cham) → Hanoi (2 days) + Cat Ba (2 days). Island budget: from about $650 for two.

One week, diving: Con Dao (4 days, 6–8 dives) → Hon Mun, Nha Trang (3 days, 4 dives). Diving budget: from about $320 per person.

Five days, budget: Ly Son (2 days) → Phu Quy (3 days). Or Nam Du (5 days). Budget: from about $190 including transport.

If islands aren't your only goal, the mainland has strong alternatives too — think of the Nha Trang and Da Nang coasts as backups when the sea is rough.

When to go — seasons by island

Vietnam stretches 1,650 km north to south, so the seasons don't line up across the islands.

The universal window is March and April: warm on every island, no storms, and prices not yet at their peak. The wet season isn't a dealbreaker — on Phu Quoc from May to October the rain falls for an hour or two after lunch, then the sun's back. Prices drop 30–40% and there are fewer people.

What to pack

• Dry season (south, Nov–Apr): SPF50 sunscreen, a hat, light clothes. Nights on Phu Quoc drop to 24 °C, so a light layer helps.
• Wet season: a rain jacket or umbrella, a waterproof phone pouch, sandals rather than trainers.
• North in winter (Cat Ba, Dec–Feb): a jacket is a must. 15 °C at 95% humidity feels far colder than the number suggests.
• For diving: bring your own regulator and mask if you're picky about gear. On Con Dao and Hon Mun everything is available to rent.

How to get to the islands of Vietnam

Logistics is the real planning question for an island trip. Here are the routes with prices and times.

Transport prices current as of mid-2026.

Practical logistics tips

• Book ferries ahead in peak season (December–February) — Superdong seats sell out 2–3 days in advance.
• Domestic flights — VietJet Air (cheap, no bags), Vietnam Airlines (pricier, bags included) or Bamboo Airways (the middle ground).
• VASCO is the only operator on the small routes (Con Dao, Rach Gia). The planes are small — book a week ahead.
• Direct international flights to Phu Quoc are seasonal (roughly November–April). The alternative is a connection via Ho Chi Minh City.

Common planning mistakes

1. Not checking ferry timetables — Nam Du, Phu Quy and Ly Son run one ferry a day. Miss it and you wait 24 hours.
2. Buying tickets on the spot in peak season — Superdong to Phu Quoc sells out three days ahead in January. Book online.
3. Not carrying cash — Binh Ba, Nam Du, Ly Son and Phu Quy don't take cards.
4. Cutting connections too fine — the Ho Chi Minh City → Con Dao flight is regularly delayed. Leave at least four hours between flights.
5. Going to the Cham Islands or Ha Long in the rain — October–November: boats get cancelled, visibility is zero.

FAQ

Which Vietnamese island is best for families with kids?

Phu Quoc is the best pick for families. Every beach is sandy with a gentle, shallow entry. VinWonders fills a whole day: water park, rides, a dolphin show. Vinpearl Safari has giraffes, elephants and a petting zoo. Most 4–5★ hotels run kids' programmes and offer a nanny. The alternative is Hon Tre in Nha Trang (cable car and aquarium).

What is Vietnam's largest island?

Phu Quoc, at 590 km², about the size of Singapore. Second is Cat Ba (354 km²). Third is the Con Dao archipelago (76 km² total). Size shapes variety: Phu Quoc has dozens of beaches and hundreds of restaurants, while Binh Ba (3 km²) has two beaches and one village.

Do I need a visa to visit the islands of Vietnam?

It depends on your passport. Many nationalities get a 45-day visa exemption that covers all the islands; most others use the e-visa from evisa.gov.vn. Phu Quoc has a separate 30-day visa-free scheme for arrivals on a direct international flight. Phu Quy needs a police permit, usually arranged through your guesthouse.

How much does a ferry to the Vietnamese islands cost?

From about 100,000 VND (~$4) for the 20-minute boat to Binh Ba, up to 600,000 VND (~$24) for the fast ferry to Con Dao. The typical fare is 300,000–500,000 VND (~$12–20). In high season, book 2–3 days ahead.

Which Vietnamese island is the cheapest?

Ly Son and Nam Du. Rooms start around 200,000 VND (~$8), lunch from 50,000 VND (~$2). A full daily budget runs 400,000–600,000 VND (~$16–24). No five-star hotels, but you get the freshest seafood and empty beaches.

When is the best time to visit the islands?

March–April is the safe all-round answer: warm across the country, minimal storms, prices below the December peak. Southern islands (Phu Quoc, Con Dao) are best November–April; northern ones (Cat Ba, Ha Long) April–October. Avoid October–November on the central islands.

Are the islands of Vietnam safe to visit?

The islands are safe for travellers. The main risks are sunburn (SPF50 is essential), sea urchins on wild beaches, mosquitoes (especially on Phu Quoc) and strong currents in the rainy season. Real medical infrastructure exists only on Phu Quoc (the Vinmec clinic); other islands have basic first-aid posts.

Prices current as of mid-2026. Prices and conditions can change — confirm before you travel.