Do Son beach near Hai Phong: getting there from Hanoi, zones and what to know (2026)
Do Son is Hai Phong's seaside resort, about 120 km from Hanoi: 2 to 2.5 hours by road according to one guide (1 h 55 per another). It is the closest sea beach to the capital, packed with Hanoi residents in summer and at weekends. The water is murky and the setting more popular than paradise; you come for the day, the seafood and the local atmosphere, not for turquoise water. If you want nicer beaches and islands, look at Cat Ba or Lan Ha Bay.
Highlights
The three beaches
Zone 1: restaurants and hotels but rough sea; zone 2: the busiest, for swimming and canoeing; zone 3: quieter.
The Do Son casino
It is part of the resort's identity: guides present it as the only casino in the country, to check against current entry rules.
The seafront promenade
An embankment where people come for sunrise and sunset, with kites and water sports.
Local festivals
The Do Son festival (from late September/October) and the buffalo fight on 9 August, per one guide (lunar date, to confirm).
Practical info
Tips
- Come on a weekday and early; in summer weekends are packed and the return traffic is slow. Eat fish and seafood at the seafront restaurants and ask the prices before ordering. Combine with the city of Hai Phong (cathedral, colonial centre) if you stay overnight. Typhoons from August to October can cancel swimming and crossings.
How to get there
From Hanoi, the Hanoi - Hai Phong expressway then the Do Son road, about 2 hours by car; express bus to Hai Phong (2 to 2.5 hours) then a taxi, Grab or local bus of about 20 km to Do Son.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
Comments
No comments yet.