An Bang beach, the one Hoi An cycles out to

An Bang beach is the half of Hoi An most day-trippers never see. A flat road runs 5 km out of the old town through rice fields to a long stretch of sand lined with beach bars. It is where Hoi An swims, and where the evenings are cooler than in the lanes.

Where is An Bang beach?

An Bang beach lies about 5 km north of Hoi An's old town, on the coast beyond the rice fields of Cam An. The road there is flat the whole way, and the ride takes fifteen to twenty minutes by bicycle or about ten by scooter or taxi.

The beach is a long, straight stretch of pale sand facing the East Sea, with the Cham Islands visible offshore on a clear day. A village of homestays, restaurants and small hotels sits behind it.

The village grew up around fishing, and round basket boats still sit on the sand at its northern end. Most of the restaurants along the beach road serve seafood caught nearby, chosen from tanks at the front and priced by weight, as the seafood guide explains.

How do you get to An Bang from the old town?

The usual way to get to An Bang is by bicycle. Most places to stay in Hoi An lend them free, and the ride through the rice fields is part of the pleasure. Parking a bicycle or scooter near the beach costs a few thousand dong at the lots behind the sand.

A Grab or taxi takes about ten minutes and costs little. Anyone staying at An Bang rather than in town makes the same ride in reverse for dinner, which the Hoi An where to stay guide weighs up.

What do the sunbeds at An Bang cost?

The sunbeds at An Bang are usually free for customers. The beach bars and restaurants set out sunbeds and umbrellas in front of their terraces, and anyone who buys a drink or a meal can use one for the afternoon. A few stretches charge a small fee instead.

Food and drink prices at the beach bars are higher than in town and lower than at a resort. A fresh coconut or a beer is the price of a sunbed for the afternoon.

When is the sea at An Bang safe for swimming?

The sea at An Bang is safest from about February to August, and calmest from May to August, when it is flat and warm. From October to December the northeast monsoon brings big surf and strong currents, and swimming is often unsafe.

The beach has no lifeguards along most of its length. Stay close to the shore, swim where others are swimming, and stay out of the water when the waves are breaking hard. The beach safety guide explains rip currents and what to do in one.

Why is An Bang better than Cua Dai?

An Bang is better than Cua Dai for most visitors because it still has its sand. Cua Dai, the other beach near Hoi An, has suffered badly from erosion, and long stretches have been replaced by sandbags and sea walls. An Bang has the wider beach and the better bars.

The coast between them is changing year by year, and both beaches have lost sand. The beaches guide sets An Bang against the rest of the central coast, including My Khe in Da Nang, 30 km up the road.

When is the best time of day at An Bang?

The best time of day at An Bang is early morning for a swim or late afternoon for the light. By four the heat has dropped, the day groups have gone back to the old town, and the beach bars fill with people watching the sky change colour.

The middle of the day is very hot, with no shade outside the umbrellas. The Hoi An things to do page suggests the old town in the morning and the beach in the afternoon, which suits the heat.