A fantastic spot for weekend camping (and selfies)!
For a long time, Ho Coc is famous for its picturesque coastal road with beautiful sea and beach resorts as well as local restaurants hidden inside casuarina forest in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province.
Half a decade ago, the route was still a sleeping beauty, pristine and secluded. Years later, the construction of coastal resorts began to develop, awakening the “lady”. The earliest five-star resort was The Grand Ho Tram Strip, along with its brother Ho Tram Bluff golf course. They were striking landmarks standing alone by the massive beach that ignited the dream for a luxury holiday at that time (My dream came true 5 years later in a Fam Trip in the role of an editor working for a luxury magazine).
Time flew by and most of the constructions were suspended, leaving behind a coastal landscape full of abandoned areas with long lines of fence and wall and “unauthorized person is not allowed here” signs.
However, covid is a game changer and Ho Coc as well as Ho Tram now look like Mui Ne at its primitive stage, with awakening power and a cluster of high-end residences and resorts drop on, side by side. The pivotal development stuns me considerably as a traveler who has observed the region for quite a long time. One of the latest five-star beach resort in the neighborhood recently – Meliá Ho Tram is such a popular choice for luxury leisure experience.
For years, the coastal route is still one of my favorites but I have not stayed overnight here since 2014. Even before, I merely chose well-equipped motels. This time I picked a camping site in Ho Coc to practice some camping skills. Here is what I found.
The campsite at a glance
Indeed, this was originally a restaurant but now the owner expands the service to meet the new demand as camping is now kinda trendy in Vietnam recently.
Modern travellers seek to immerse themselves among natural backgrounds, around a campfire with grilled food and acoustic music (they often prefer portable bluetooth speakers in case there’s no guitarist in the band).
Back to my time camping here. To be honest, I did enjoy the solitude at night here. How immersively natural it is! The site also houses a crowded pack of dogs and somehow, they were really noisy during my night in the tent.
Imagine how annoying it was when they barked and howled all night, but in contrast, these “guardian angels” made me feel safe and sound, at least in case some thief plans on my belongings.
You may wonder where is the best position to pitch your camp: on grass, sand or wooden platforms, in open areas or under a canopy.
Here are my thoughts: grass and sand are best as they are like a natural mattress, contributing greatly to your good sleep in a tent. But don’t stay on high grass or bushes as they attract reptiles and insects. Grass is usually wet as fog drops on at dawn, so it is also humid and cool.
Sand is perfect for campfires, they are soft too, like a good mattress under the tent floor.
The wooden platform is often used as a balcony for view by the lake (the upper platform indeed is used for ceremonies during gala dinners or large group celebrations). It is dry to camp but the open area means the tent is fully exposed to sunshine and gets pretty hot after 9:00 am till sunset.
During dry days, I prefer to pitch my tent under the shade of a canopy for fabric protection and cool fresh atmosphere. However, this location turns pretty badly in the rains and storms.
The problem is trees act as lightning rods in thunderstorms while branches also potentially fall during and after heavy rain and storms. So it depends on the weather and the number of members to choose a suitable area to camp.
As a restaurant originally, the camp site is able to serve you seafood, chilled drinks and refreshments, which is very convenient in case you don’t prepare adequately.
The bathroom area is just brick-and-cement built but clean, like ones you see in restaurants on most of the public beaches in Vietnam.
Last but not least, the campsite is super clean and clear, as the ground is frequently cleaned by staff. It definitely elevates the outdoor experience and is also a good reason to stay in a paid campsite.
The littering at natural sites across Vietnam like popular mountains, streams or waterfalls is very concerning. So while local awareness is still a controversial problem, I recommend staying at a paid site for a good experience instead of being annoyed by piles of trash.
Activities at the campsite
The first moment of the day, I recommend a stroll or yoga exercise by the beach, not to mention the selfie at dawn. Very fresh and clear. Panoramic vista will definitely knock you out. It was such a very gorgeous sunrise that I couldn’t stand staying inside my tent.
Then you might consider taking photos around the campsite and I bet you would not miss the wooden bridge floating on the laguna with nice wooden seats as well. Actually I had a wonderful coffee time there, happily enjoying the early sunrise as well as seeing myself on the reflective water surface like a giant mirror.
For teambuilding, the host also provides an inflatable boat for rent at a fee of 200,000 vnd/ hour (I don’t know whether lifevest is free of charge). It is such a pity that there’s no rental camp available here, so you have to pack all on your own.
Reasonable fee for “camp-aholics”
The owner charges 60,000 VND/ person for a night at the site (last updated on March 2021). Remember camp check-out at 10:00 am, in case you would like to stay longer, all pay in advance and free to leave no matter what time.
The parking fee may vary, depending on the size of the vehicle (my bicycle cost zero, while my findings on reviews show that a car was charged 60,000 VND for parking).
Other campsites in the neighborhood
Beside Ho Coc, there are also some spots in Ho Tram allowing travelers to put up tents like Lê Minh Hồ Tràm,… They are indeed beach lodge & restaurant with extended facilities for camping so the basic facilities like restaurant and bathroom are usually available for daily use.
The fee may vary, you can contact via phone number on the map app in advance to get more information and potential pitch for good bargains.
