We flew into Danang as a family of four with two teenage girls and spent two weeks tracing Vietnam’s central coast, mixing beach time, stunning cultural sites, and one very memorable train ride. The route gave us city buzz, lantern-lit evenings and long stretches of sand where the girls could finally put their phones away.
Danang itself worked well as a soft landing after our flight. The girls loved the wide sweep of My Khe beach, the novelty of the Dragon Bridge breathing fire at the weekend and the sheer volume of smoothie and banh mi stops. From there we took a 45-minute transfer to Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness, where we spent three nights in two deluxe rooms. Bliss suited our family because it put the sea first. The ocean-facing pool became our late-afternoon ritual and the free shuttle into Hoi An meant we could head into town for dinner without worrying about taxis. Family reviews note spacious rooms and a very welcoming atmosphere, which matched our experience: staff remembered our names quickly, the food was incredible, varied and delicious, and the girls appreciated the relaxed dress code and strong Wi‑Fi by the pool.
We moved into Hoi An proper for the next leg at Anantara Hoi An Resort, booking two deluxe balcony rooms on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The resort sits on the Thu Bon river, a short walk from the UNESCO old quarter, and it worked brilliantly for a family with teens. The girls used the free bicycles to pedal into town for coffee, to see the rice fields, and lantern shopping, then drifted back for a swim before dinner. Anantara’s family-friendly touches helped: interconnecting room options, a relaxed pool area and activities such as cooking classes kept everyone engaged. Breakfast was a proper sit-down affair with both Vietnamese and international choices. Everyone was incredibly accommodating and while the hotel was within an easy riverside walk to central Hoi An it was far out enough to feel peaceful and relaxing.
One highlight for us was The Vietage by Anantara from Danang to Quy Nhon. The six-hour journey departs in the morning and arrives near Quy Nhon in the early afternoon, with a three-course meal, free-flowing drinks and a short massage included in the ticket. The carriage felt more like a moving restaurant than a train, with big windows framing coastal plains, fishing villages and low mountains. Our girls, who usually declare anything over two hours of travel “boring”, spent the trip taking photos and trying Vietnamese dishes they would not usually touch. It turned a long transfer into a deeply memorable experience for us all.
At Avani+ Quy Nhon Resort we took two deluxe studio rooms on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The property sits on a quiet beach south of Quy Nhon city and felt like a step down in pace, which was exactly what we needed after Hoi An’s crowds. The girls loved having direct beach access and enough space in the studios to spread out without tripping over each other’s suitcases. Reviews often praise the staff’s warmth and the sense that the resort is well kept without feeling overly polished, and that matched our stay: friendly service, good breakfast and a beach we often had almost to ourselves. Quy Nhon itself is less touristy than Danang or Nha Trang, with a working fishing port and long, empty strands of sand. We spent our days swimming, reading and taking long walks, then ate fresh seafood at simple local restaurants a short walk across the beach.
We used three nights in Nha Trang as our city fix: island-hopping boat trips, mud baths and a busy promenade full of cafes and bars. The girls enjoyed the energy and the shopping, though it felt hectic compared with Hoi An and Quy Nhon. The final three nights at The Anam Cam Ranh brought the trip to a gentle close. We stayed in one garden-view villa and one king room and the split worked well: we had the villa with extra space and a private plunge pool, while the girls had the king room a short walk away. The resort blends French colonial styling with Vietnamese materials such as teak and handwoven fabrics, and the grounds feel spacious rather than crowded despite multiple pools, restaurants and activities. It has an almost ‘retreat’ feel, with beautiful water features and plant life around every corner.
Travelbag fact file
Worldwide travel specialist Travelbag has a 7-night stay in Vietnam with 4 nights b&b at the 5* Anantara Hoi An and 3 nights at the 5* Anantara Quy Nhon from £2,999pp including return flights from London Heathrow with Vietnam Airlines, all transfers, and tickets on the Vietage Train from Da Nang to Quy Nhon. The price includes a saving of £350pp if booked by 31st October 2026, a free upgrade to half board accommodation in Quy Nhon, and is based on a 2nd February 2027 departure, two adults sharing. Call Travelbag on 0203 393 9620 or visit www.travelbag.co.uk
There was even a mini zoo with peacocks, plus tennis, mini golf, an indulgent spa and several dining options, and we immersed ourselves in it all when not stationed on sun loungers on the private beach or around one of the stunning pools. Being only about 20 minutes from Cam Ranh airport it also made the final day stress-free.
By the time we left, the trip felt like a proper family holiday rather than a checklist: beach time the teenagers actually enjoyed, enough culture to keep us all engaged and a train ride that turned travel into a memory in its own right.
Vietnam was magical and just as we had been told, leaves you wanting to return.
Share