The 5 Best Places To Go Camping Near Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh is one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting cities, yet it’s also one where the stream of motorbikes is constant, the concrete endless, and the heat and humidity stifling almost every day of the year. It can become a bit overwhelming for the most seasoned of expats and travelers. Luckily, for outdoor enthusiasts, nature and camping under the stars are not far away.

Cat Tien National Park

Cát Tiên lies just a four- or five-hour drive north of Ho Chi Minh City. It’s one of the most undisturbed areas of nature in southern Vietnam, a place where dense forests and jungle give way to slowly meandering rivers and calm lakes. Tents can be set up or rented in a designated camping center near the park headquarters on the forests eastern edge. If you decide to bring your own, the cost for setting it up is 50,000 VND, while renting one from the park will be 200,000 VND. The campsite is clean and grassy and there’s a nice restaurant just minutes away.

Bank of the Saigon River

Pine Forests of Dalat

There’s something refreshing about the smell of pine forests in brisk air. The area around Dalat is overrun with it. For off-the-beaten-path travelers, crisscrossing through southern Vietnam, this region is hard to beat. Concrete mayhem has long faded in the rear view mirror, smog has dissipated and the sounds of nature replace the buzz of motorbikes. Those looking for a truly wild experience should head north from Dalat along DT722 into the woods. Set up camp wherever you find a bit of a clearing and relax in the clean air.

Coco Beachcamp

Coco Beach is one of the most interesting and in turn well-traveled seaside destinations in southern Vietnam. From Saigon, the white sand shoreline of this hip hangout spot can be reached in three hours by bus or four by motorbike. The ever growing grounds include colorful beach huts, larger ocean front bungalows, luxury tents, and smaller normal tents. Beach parties, bean bag chairs, and drinking games are the norm. Surfboards and California decor don ancient VW Bugs half buried in the sand. The clientele is a mix of Western backpackers and young Vietnamese. Tents can be rented from 200,000 VND.

Sao Biển

Sao Biển is a beautiful little beachfront resort that looks out onto Cam Ranh Bay from a rocky jut of land. Hammocks hang inches above the sea and wooden lounge chairs recline along the sand. There’s a nice restaurant that offers affordable Vietnamese food and some great seafood. For accommodation, guests can rent bungalows, basic a-frame huts, or set up their own tents on the sand. As the rules at Sao Biển seem to be in a constant state of flux, it’s important to check with reception before setting up a tent as rates and regulations may change.

The rocky coast of south central Vietnam

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.