Hoi An is most famous for its Ancient Town – filled with the most delicious food, bright yellow shop walls, and a whole lot of lanterns. Although spending a few days wandering around the Ancient Town is a must, if you’re there in the summer you should rent a bike and head to the beach. There are two main beaches in Hoi An: Cua Dai Beach and An Bang Beach. I honestly wouldn’t recommend either beach. Instead, I discovered a “Hidden Beach” that was a perfect little oasis between the two main beaches. If you’re wondering which beach to check out, you should head to Hidden Beach Hoi An.

Why I wouldn’t recommend Cua Dai or An Bang Beach

Unfortunately, Cua Dai has been severely affected by erosion and the beach is now covered in sand bags with barely any sand to lay out on. An Bang Beach remains a popular choice for many tourists, but, because of that, it’s also a bit of a tourist trap. As soon as you begin biking along the main strip heading to the beach, you’ll have people trying to get you to park your bike in their spot. For a fee, of course (though some places just want you to buy a bottle of water). Once on the beach, you will need to rent a lounge chair – either for a fixed fee or you’ll have to agree to having lunch at their restaurant later in the day. You’ll also likely be pestered numerous times with vendors roaming the beach to buy various souvenirs. I completely understand that everyone needs to make a living, but I’m sure we’re all just wanting to put our feet up, relax, and listen to the waves.

Hidden Beach Hoi An

Walking up to Hidden Beach; restaurant on the left

Hidden Beach

Paradise

After experiencing An Bang Beach the last time I was in Hoi An, I was on the hunt for something more quiet and less intrusive this time around. A few Google searches later and I had come across a number of articles written about Hidden Beach. Located practically in the middle of An Bang and Cua Dai, Hidden Beach Hoi An was just what I was looking for.

Unlike An Bang Beach, you can park your bike AND use the lounge chairs for free. Hidden Beach is a small family-run beach area with a little restaurant (they did mention that they would appreciate you eating lunch at their restaurant if you chose to eat while there) and clothing shop. I went there two times when I was in Hoi An (actually, the first time I went it was because a lovely older couple I met while getting banh mi’s told me about it!) and had a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

How to get to Hidden Beach

I’m a bit apprehensive about giving detailed instructions on how to get to Hidden Beach because I wouldn’t want this quiet oasis to become overcrowded. So, I’ll just say that if you’re coming from Cua Dai and biking up towards An Bang along Lac Long Quan, keep your eyes peeled for a sign on the side of the road that says “Hidden Beach”. Once you spot the sign, turn right down a little road and head all the way to the end.