Dong Hoi, Vietnam: The Undiscovered Beach City Most Tourists Skip (Honest First Impressions)

    Dong Hoi, Vietnam might be the most overlooked beach city in the entire country โ€” and we had absolutely no idea what we were walking into. Situated along Vietnam’s central coast in Quแบฃng Bรฌnh Province, this quiet, unfinished city is caught between its past and a future that hasn’t arrived yet. If you’re looking for an authentic, off-the-beaten-path Vietnam experience, this one’s for you.

    ๐Ÿ“ Places Featured

    Dong Hoi Peninsula Beach
    Tam Toa Church Bell Tower (Vietnam War relic)
    Dong Hoi Citadel
    River waterfront
    Local riverside market
    Seventh Heaven Restaurant

    ๐ŸŽ’ What We Cover

    Why Dong Hoi feels frozen in time โ€” and why that’s actually special
    Abandoned resorts, unfinished development, and what it means for the future
    Finding some of the friendliest locals we’ve met in Vietnam
    Navigating a Vietnamese city with almost zero tourists
    Best spots to eat, explore, and just soak it all in

    #DongHoi #VietnamTravel #OffTheBeatenPath #ExpatLife

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    Dong Hoi, Vietnam: The Undiscovered Beach City Most Tourists Skip (Honest First Impressions)
    CHAPTERS:
    0:00 โ€” A city that wasn’t supposed to look like this
    1:45 โ€” What happens when development just… stops
    4:30 โ€” The villa that almost didn’t let our dogs in
    7:00 โ€” The beach nobody warned us about
    12:00 โ€” Could you actually live here one day?
    18:00 โ€” Something about this citadel hit different
    24:00 โ€” The man who lives on the river (and how he gets there)
    28:00 โ€” A war relic hiding in plain sight
    30:00 โ€” Hunting for food in a city that hasn’t woken up yet
    33:00 โ€” The main beach โ€” worth it or a ghost town?
    41:00 โ€” The market pulled us back in
    49:00 โ€” So… is Dong Hoi actually worth visiting?

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    27 Comments

    1. Thank You! For the video! WOW! Yes Covid, the war did a big number on Vietnam! The town just shows how much! Your videoโ€™s are very interesting to watch! Linda & Ron ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿปโค๏ธ

    2. The Big Cave is easily accessible by boat , similar to NIN Binh . Watch the weather reports as it can flood big time . I spent a few days at Dong Hoi . Enjoyed it muchly .
      Kudos to giving the 100 K to the local . Would've woking him first so he didn't freak out when discovering the note .

    3. Dong Hoi is actually my most favorite city in Vietnam. It has almost everything Da Nang has (beach, river, mountain, in town airport and train station) but much cheaper and less crowded. Son Doong cave is a must see as it itโ€™s the largest cave in the world. Surrounding areas has landscapes similar to Trang An and Tam Coc. It has a lot of history but unfortunately like Hue itโ€™s not properly developed for tourism.

    4. Wow nice hidden find! Now with what's going on in the Middle East I think these undiscovered beach cities are going to explode in growth from expats from Dubai

    5. Thank you very much for this wonderful video because Dong Hoi is my father's homeland. My last time I was there was 10 years ago and now I feel a little bit sad because it doesn't change at all. 15 years ago Da Nang looked the same but now you see how Da Nang has changed. I hope in the near future Dong Hoi will develop like other cities!

      I'm sorry that your wife got some health problems and hope she will get well soon ๐Ÿ‘

    6. Hi guys, good to see you again. I was very sorry to hear that one of your dogs had passed away, one of your friends are also staying at the same apartment as us and mentioned it. We are thinking of you all and sending our love.
      It's kind of sad to see this place, I hope they can turn it around one day.โค

    7. You can for sure see the potential of Dong Hoi, but in the video it looks so sad with nobody around… I can for sure see this as being a lovely vibrant place once completed and better known – wouldn't it be great if it was developed but only let a select list of tourists in.. if your names not on the list you can't get in.. of course mine and Roni's name would be on the list lol…. Thanks for sharing!

    8. Great vlog…we stayed June 2023, was packed as vietnam school holidays, you were very close to where we stayed just as you finished the board walk along the beach, sandy area was very unsafe then, lots of Rio bar sticking out and broken concrete everywhere, we ended up cutting our 3 night stay down to 1, couldn't wait to leave….BUT you have us tempted to maybe revisit, 2 nights max just to try and find a love there….never like leaving a place without the ambition to return in case it was us who missed the beauty of a place

    9. Was just in Dong hoi 2 days ago. Couldn't wrap my head around all of the construction and already constructed hotels sitting completely empty

    10. Exploring Dong Hoi through your honest lens provides such a unique perspective on Vietnam's coastal gems. It is fascinating to see these undiscovered places. ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ

      Cแบฃm ฦกn @The Dufresnes ๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒ

    11. Anyone whoโ€™s lived in Southeast Asia is used to this look beautiful condos and apartments half built and than just stopped in its tracks
      I just left hoi an area 3 days ago and am already planning on coming back to explore more of Vietnam from
      Da nang north
      Thanks for this video Iโ€™ll have to check it out ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
      โœŒ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

    12. I ,ime Dong Hoi, it's a city that I would go to when I want to escape the city or everyone!! We love riding bikes there. We never went and crossed the bridge.but thanks for the video now we know there's nothing to see lol๐Ÿ˜… we stayed near the church ruins, and it's a quiet area…

      love to go back to that city and just relax. I just wish there's more massage places there, lol ๐Ÿ˜…

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