Sầm Sơn Beach

Sầm Sơn Beach is a long sandy urban beach in the coastal resort city of Sầm Sơn, Thanh Hóa Province, about 160 km south of Hà Nội in northern Vietnam. It is one of the most heavily visited seaside resorts of the north, and its main seafront runs along Trần Hưng Đạo Street, lined with hotels, restaurants and beach services. The sand is pale to golden and the beach is long and open, stretching for several kilometres in a wide arc, with a broad dry beach at low tide. The water is generally cloudier than in central Vietnam, ranging from green to brown depending on weather. The open coastline exposes the beach to the Gulf of Tonkin, so waves and currents are stronger than at sheltered bay beaches. Swimming is best in the lifeguarded zones, and visitors should heed warning flags. The beach has a lively, domestic-holiday feel, particularly from June to August, when it is crowded with families, company groups and school outings. Evening events, food streets and a night market keep the seafront active after dark, and many visitors come for seafood, especially grilled squid, crab and fresh fish. Amenities include sunbed and umbrella rental, showers and toilets, a large stock of hotels and guesthouses, seafood restaurants along the front, and lifeguards in season. Sầm Sơn has a well-known rock formation, Hòn Trống Mái, and temples that make good walks beyond the sand. Access is straightforward. Buses run from Giáp Bát and Nước Ngầm stations in Hà Nội to Sầm Sơn in about two and a half to three hours, at around 100,000-150,000 VND. Visitors can alternatively take a train to Thanh Hóa station and a taxi of about 15 km. Most travellers stay one or two nights, because the return trip is long for a day visit, and accommodation should be booked well ahead for summer weekends and holidays.