An Hai Beach
Con Dao, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
An Hai Beach runs along the edge of Con Son town on Con Dao, a former prison island off Vietnam's southern coast, a short walk or ride from the town center. The 2.3 kilometer stretch is shaded by rows of casuarina trees and used as much for evening walks and picnics by locals as for swimming.
A pleasant, easy town beach that locals actually use daily, but it's more of a walking and picnic spot than a standout swimming beach compared to Con Dao's more remote coves.
Come at sunrise or in the late afternoon when the casuarina trees along the shore throw shade over the sand and the town crowd turns out for an evening walk.
The beach sits right along the road into Con Son town, so a scooter or the paid lot at the entrance covers it. Street parking nearby fills up around sunset when locals turn out.
Access is flat and easy the entire way. A paved road runs along the back of the beach with direct sandy access, no stairs or hikes involved.
November through April is Con Dao's dry season and the easiest time to fly in, since flights get cancelled more often during the wetter months. Water stays warm nearly year round, with the roughest seas from July through September.
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