Fishing & Sailing in Vietnam

Vietnam isn’t just about street food and motorbikes; its coastlines offer some surprisingly chill fishing and sailing spots. If you head to places like Halong Bay or Cat Ba Island, you’ll find fishermen hauling in fresh squid or snapper right off their small boats, and you can join them too. It’s not fancy, more down-to-earth and honest. And when the sun’s about to set, there’s nothing quite like sailing in the warm breeze, watching limestone karsts glow pink.

Down in Mui Ne or Nha Trang, the sailing conditions get better with stronger winds, especially from December to April. I’ve spent many lazy afternoons tacking along the coast around Phu Quoc, where it’s easy to charter a traditional wooden fishing boat with a local skipper who might pull up some surprise catches , fish you won’t find in the markets. Pro tip: Bring a light windbreaker or a hat if you’re sailing early morning or late afternoon, the sun can sneak up on you. And make sure your phone’s packed away or waterproofed , the waves hit unexpectedly.

Fishing and sailing in Vietnam are just ways to disconnect from the chaos onshore and really soak in the maritime vibe here. You’ll probably hear more Vietnamese banter than English on the water, which is a nice break too.