Do Son Beach

Đồ Sơn is the seaside town of Hải Phòng, about 20 km from the city centre and 120 km from Hanoi. In the 1980s and 1990s it was the beach of northern Vietnam - a holiday memory for generations of state employees, workers and school groups. The French had already picked it as a resort during the colonial era, and many European-style villas and old buildings still hide among the trees, giving Đồ Sơn a character unlike other northern beaches.

After the Đổi Mới reforms, private hotels arrived, but the beach gradually lost its shine. Đồ Sơn gained a reputation for dark sand and grey, murky water, and visitors moved on to Sầm Sơn, Hạ Long and Cát Bà. The Vạn Hoa casino, often described as Vietnam's first, was left abandoned. After about two decades in decline, Đồ Sơn has recently shown signs of revival, helped by the Đồi Rồng resort area (opened in 2020), Hải Phòng's food-tour boom and sports events.

Why Is the Water Brown?

Đồ Sơn sits near the mouths of big rivers, including the Red River and Thái Bình River systems. Sediment carried by these rivers and stirred up with fine sand by the waves is part of why the water often looks brown and cloudy. However, colour alone cannot tell you whether the water is safe for swimming - water quality varies by location and conditions, and past reports have also noted murky water and pollution concerns here.

Swim in designated areas, and choose the Đồi Rồng beach if water quality matters to you. Further offshore the water is noticeably clearer, so a boat or canoe trip is the best way to see blue water.

From Hanoi, Đồ Sơn is about 120 km - roughly 2-4 hours by car or bus depending on traffic, and an easy day trip. From central Hải Phòng it is about 20 km, 20-30 minutes on a wide two-lane road, with newer links from the coastal road and expressway. Take bus route 03 or book a ride-hailing car; once there, a ride-hailing car is usually cheaper than the electric tourist carts.

Đồ Sơn isn't one beach but several zones, each with a different feel. Choose the zone to match what you want.

Swimming conditions vary by zone and day: Zone 2 is shallow and usually calm, while Zone 1 has strong waves. Some visitors find the sand dark and coarse, with smelly mud a few centimetres below the surface in places, and rubbish and floating water hyacinth are common complaints. On holiday weekends the beaches are packed; on ordinary weekdays and off-season, they can be almost deserted, with many seafood restaurants empty. Locals who prefer natural surf-style swimming often head to the 295 beach area or Phủ Công.

Beyond the Beach

Đồ Sơn's history is part of its appeal. You can visit Bảo Đại's villa, one of the colonial-era buildings on the hills, wander past old French villas under the trees, stop at Cô Đôi Thượng Ngàn temple, or take a trip to Hòn Dáu island. In September, the Đồ Sơn buffalo fighting festival draws big crowds.

Đồ Sơn is a bit like Vũng Tàu in the south: once the obvious beach closest to the big city, now overtaken by clearer, more polished destinations. For many northerners it's mainly a place of memories. Reviews are blunt - murky water, rubbish, pushy vendors, overpriced seafood and electric carts, and hidden chair fees - though plenty of Hải Phòng locals still love it for an easy evening by the sea.

If you come, make it about more than swimming: combine a dip at Đồi Rồng or Zone 2 with the French-era villas, Bảo Đại's villa and a seafood meal (ask prices first). Go early in the morning or late afternoon, avoid holiday weekends, and confirm any extra charges before you sit down or order.