Thuan An Beach Resorts and Villas in Hue: The Beach, the Calm-Sea Season and Car Transfers

The Thuan An – Phu Thuan coastline lies about 14 km east of central Hue along National Highway 49 and is where the resorts and beachfront villas closest to the heritage city are concentrated. Unlike a hotel in the inner city, staying at Thuan An brings a gently sloping beach and cool sea breezes, but the family has to plan a 25-minute car transfer each time they want to go into the centre to see the Imperial City or enjoy the food at night.

Features of the beachfront resorts and pool villas along the Thuan An – Phu Thuan axis

Along the coastal road running from the central Thuan An beach down to the Phu Thuan area there is a string of low-rise resorts and clusters of sea-facing villas. Unlike the high-rise hotel model on the south bank of the Perfume River, the properties here are planned at low density, with wide green grounds, lawns that reach the sand and private walkways leading straight down to the beach without crossing a major road.

Depending on the size of your group, you can choose between two common types of accommodation at Thuan An:

• Sea-facing rooms and bungalows (Deluxe / Beachfront Bungalow): 42 to 65 square metres, with a balcony opening onto a coconut garden or straight out to the open sea, suited to couples or a small family of 2 adults and 1 child.
• Multi-bedroom villas with a private pool (Pool Villa, 2 – 4 bedrooms): A separate design with a spacious living room, a sunbathing terrace and a family pool right on the doorstep, meeting well the shared living needs of a multi-generation group with older grandparents and small children.

Inside the grounds, many beachfront resorts of Thuan An have a large outdoor pool, an indoor children’s play area, a herbal spa treatment room and a restaurant serving a buffet breakfast and a local seafood menu.

Thuan An sea conditions by season: the calm-wave period and the north-east monsoon

Because the sea at Thuan An lies near where the Perfume River and Tam Giang lagoon flow out to the open sea, wave patterns and water temperature change clearly between the two seasons of the year. Knowing the character of each period helps you choose the right experiences when you book:

• Calm sea and fine sunshine (April to the end of August): This is the ideal time for a beach holiday in Hue. Dry sunshine from early morning, a flat sea, clear blue water and a gently sloping shore make it easy for small children to swim in two windows: 06:00 – 08:30 in the morning and 16:00 – 18:00 in the afternoon. Small children still need an adult keeping watch while they swim.
• Transition and monsoon season (October to February of the next year): The central coast usually receives the north-east monsoon, which raises the waves and brings cool weather. In these months outdoor sea swimming is limited; in return the resorts at Thuan An play to their strengths in warm pool water, herbal steam rooms and quiet places to rest. Room rates vary by date, so ask directly.

Comparing a stay at Thuan An beach with a hotel in the centre of the Hue south bank

To decide whether to spend all your nights at Thuan An beach or split your stay with the inner city, you can weigh the practical trade-offs below:

For families on a holiday of 3 days 2 nights or more, the most popular plan is to spend 1 to 2 nights at a Thuan An beach resort so small children can play and swim, combined with a private car booked into town for sightseeing in the cooler parts of the day.

Arranging a private car to dinner in the centre, to Dam Chuon and to Phu Bai airport

Because the Thuan An – Phu Thuan beach area is 14 km from the centre of Hue and taxis are hard to find there at night, so it is wise to book a private car from Hue to Thuan An beach in advance makes the holiday easier for the family. Cars of 4, 7 and 16 seats can drive up to the reception lobby of many resorts to help carry the suitcases, subject to each resort’s rules.

From a Thuan An beach resort you can easily link the three most common routes:

1. A round trip into central Hue for dinner and a night walk: The driver collects the family at the resort lobby at 17:30, runs straight along the National Highway 49 – Pham Van Dong axis to Truong Tien Bridge or the Hai Ba Trung pedestrian street, then waits to bring the group back to the resort at 21:00.
2. Combine the Ru Cha mangrove forest with an afternoon meal at Dam Chuon: From Thuan An across Thao Long dam to Ru Cha and the Dam Chuon landing is only about 7 to 10 km. You can book the private car from Hue to Tam Giang lagoon – Dam Chuon to enjoy banh khoai with lagoon fish and watch the sun set over the lagoon.
3. Straight to the airport on check-out day: On the last day of the holiday, instead of having to loop into the inner city, the private car from Hue to Phu Bai airport collects you at the Thuan An resort and follows the provincial road along the lagoon out to Highway 1A, cutting the time to Terminal 2 at Phu Bai to about 35 to 40 minutes.