Summer Beach Villa An Bang: 400 meters to the beach, but 5 km to the old town

Many people book a room in Hoi An and only realize afterward that they picked the wrong beach. Hoi An actually has two beach options, and they're quite clearly different from each other.

Cua Dai is a more familiar beach, closer to the old town, but in recent years it has eroded a lot, with a stretch of embankment now running along the shore. An Bang is located a bit farther from the old town, but in return, the beach remains pristine, the sand is wide, and more importantly: it is still a living fishing village. In the morning, the fish market still gathers, and bamboo boats still lie on the sand. Meanwhile, just above the beach is a row of quite lively Western-style bars and restaurants — these two things sit right next to each other, and that is exactly the character of An Bang.

Summer Beach Villa An Bàng is located at 144 Lạc Long Quân, Hội An Tây Ward — that is, right in that village, 400 meters from the beach, about 5 minutes' walk away. The local market and Western Quarter are also within that radius.

A few things worth mentioning about the location, because this is the real strength of this place:

• 400m to the beach — walking distance, no need for a vehicle• 1km to Tra Que vegetable village, about a 10-minute bike ride, along country paths• 5km to Hoi An Ancient Town, about a 15-minute drive

The villa itself is a four-story house with an outdoor swimming pool right in the yard, and an open living room and dining area that open directly to the lake. Each room features a balcony, a King bed, and a bathtub. Has shared kitchen and dining area, garden, free parking. Large house, many rooms — better suited for groups of friends or several families traveling together than for couples traveling separately.

What to consider:

5km to the old town is not walkable. If you want to go to the town to see lanterns, you need to arrange transportation — taxi, motorbike, or bike if you're familiar with the evening routes. If you want to step out the door and immediately be in the old town, you should stay within the town, not in An Bang.

And a seasonal note: we're entering the rainy season, An Bàng faces east so October–November brings large waves, some days you can't swim. The place is still worth staying for its pool and location, but don't set your hopes on swimming in the sea.

In short: it suits a group traveling together for a few days, wanting to walk out to the beach in the morning, come back to the pool at noon, and only head into the old town for a bit in the evening. It doesn't suit anyone staying just one night and wanting to be planted right in the old town.

Villa photo: VietSpots. An Bàng and Hội An photos: Edgardo W. Olivera, dronepicr (CC BY 2.0), Christophe95 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons