A Cruising Guide to Vietnam
An absolute melting pot of culture and history, Vietnam is emerging as an exciting destination for the well travelled yachtsman.
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The Indochinese peninsula arching along the East Coast of Vietnam stretches for over 1600 kilometres. Its breathtaking beaches, lime stone islands, rolling hills, ancient temples and buzzing street life are the essence that breathes life into this magical country.
The mystical waters of the Sea of Tonkin in the North hosts the World famous Halong Bay. The Southern areas have beautiful white sandy beaches around Nha Trang and the entrance to the mighty Mekong River. The stunning islands of Con Dao and Phu Quoc are a must see and offers world class diving.
Day 1 – Phú Quốc
Vietnam’s largest island, Phu Quoc, is famous for its white-sandy beaches, boutique hotels and features a National Park, which has mountains, with a dense tropical jungle with hiking trails and abundant wildlife. The city Duong Dong which is the largest town on the island has exciting night markets selling crafts and local street food.
Your guests here will be able enjoy the attractions of Phu Quoc Island, exploring its beautiful blue waters and white sand beaches all suitable for sea kayaking and snorkelling, guests also could call into one of the several high-end boutique hotels for a well-deserved spa and massage.
Day 2 – Nam Du
Nam Du and its glistening archipelago of small tropical islands off the southwestern coast of Vietnam lies in the calm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Consisting of islets and rocky outcrops making it the perfect place of an evening anchorage. In general, the western coast of Nam Du Island is more rugged, enchanting and more pristine than the eastern side. The interior of the island is mountainous and green. The outlying islands have white sandy beaches and are fun for snorkelling.
There are no real hotels on the islands, just some homes of the locals and basic guesthouses. On the way to Nam Du, might be worth to make a stop at Mau Islet, 20 minutes from Rach Gia by boat. The 200-hectare islet has a fishing village, two sandy beaches and three rock beaches.
Day 3 – Con Son and Con Dao Islands
Con Dao Islands, are an archipelago of 16 mostly uninhabited islets just off the southern coast of Vietnam, each island offering expansive beaches shaded with palm trees. A beautiful place to spend time anchored for a few days, there are some sheltered atolls making it a good place to deploy water sports for guests. Con Son island is mountainous and dominated by a granite ridge, which runs from south-west to north-east. There are sheltering bays on both sides of the island that could provide shelter in strong winds. The highest points on the island are the summits of Mount Thanh Gia and Mount Chua, at 577 and 515 m respectively. The smaller islands reach a maximum elevation of 200 m.
On the biggest island there are miles of coastal roads, hiking trails, a wide range of outdoor activities and a beautiful boutique hotel to call into for massage or spa treatment. Guests could potentially go ashore here for lunch or dinner.
Day 4 & 5 – Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City
The coastal town of Vung Tau provides one of Vietnam’s largest commercial seaports. It is the entry point to the Saigon River with the famous District One (CBD) of Ho Chi Minh City being a 3 hour cruise up the river.
Ho Chi Minh City (formerly called Saigon) is an amazing city with all it’s incredible vibrant nightlife, lights, restaurants, elegant sky bars and some of the best Speakeasy bars and coffee shops in all Asia, if not the world. Walking and shopping along the famous Dong Khoi street and Nguyen Hue walking streets is a must. Ho Chi Minh now has the towering 416m Landmark 81 building making it one of the tallest buildings in all South East Asia, a worthy place for visiting guests to enjoy a cocktail at Sunset.
Day 6 – Vung Tau to Mui Ne
Mui Ne is well known for its massive sand dunes. Due to the motion of the wind, the sand dunes form special shapes varying from day to day. This is further enhanced by vibrant colours (gold, red and pure white) that have made the dunes here become a source of inspiration for many photographers.
Mui Ne gets its name from the local fishermen using this area as a shelter during the stormy season. Mui meaning nose or peninsula and Ne meaning to duck to take shelter. The combination of sun, sand and deep turquoise water creates a breath taking experience for yacht owners and guests.
Day 7 – Nha Trang and surrounding area
Nha Trang is set against a stunning backdrop of white sandy beaches, verdant mountains, and untouched islands making it a great place to anchor off. Guests can also head into the city to enjoy its buzzing nightlife. Great for history buffs, Nha Trang is home to remnants of the Champa Kingdom, Buddhist temples, and Gothic-style Catholic churches. The guest can enjoy the natural hot springs, salt fields, and unique waterfalls on offer.
There is a myriad of sightseeing and recreational activities for the guests to be had. Nha Trang now boost Vietnam’s first real Superyacht marina and is a great pick up or drop off point for guests due to it’s International Airport.
Know Before You Go
Private Jet Access: Seal Superyachts Vietnam, through our local aircraft handling agent, we can arrange landing permits, VIP customs and immigration clearance for your private jet at most International airports in Vietnam.
Customs: ‘Ships spare Transit’ for all vessels calling at Vietnam. The taxes will be free via Customs formality under temporary export and reexport laws. We ensure that the total charges of Ships spares Transit and the fees for necessary paper work will not be expensive.
Provisioning: Vietnam now has very high quality foods on offer for provisioning and within a few days notice we could also fly items from Europe or Bangkok. Good quality wines and a wide range of spirits from around the world are available in the all cities of Vietnam.
Navigation: Admiralty charts of the area are accurate. Current updated Vietnam Naval charts giving best detail are necessary. Buoyage and lights are limited and small fishing boats must require additional attention but generally it’s relative manageable area to navigate. On first arrival into Vietnam waters a Yellow Flag and Vietnam Courtesy Flag will be required from Local Immigration Officers.
Footnote:
Contact Seal Superyachts Vietnam for detailed information about cruising around Vietnam, superyacht charter regulations and about how we can support your visit.
Principle agent Brett Matthews is proud to have worked with many of the World’s largest Superyachts and has extensive knowledge of Vietnam and the surrounding area.
Brett Matthews
Phone: +84 37 731 3091
Email: vietnam@seal-superyachts.com