Quang Binh is a fairly rural province; in fact, it is largely mountains with several natural attractions such as caves, forests, rivers and streams and of course a lovely coastline with white sandy beaches. It is in central Vietnam where the country is fairly narrow; the distance between the Laos border and the South China Sea is less than 100 kilometres. The Province is regularly included in Vietnam travel packages, especially for those tourists who want to experience the Country’s natural environment. The result is that entertainment once the sun goes down is limited. Quang Binh is not a place for nightclubs yet there is still plenty to enjoy by night even though many tourists on a Vietnam holiday are likely to enjoy and active time by day, and perhaps be too tired to do other than relax at night and anticipate the following day.
The capital and main city of Quang Binh is Dong Hoi. It has a 12-kilometre coastline, lovely white sand and naturally there is entertainment once the sun goes down, even if it is not as lively as bigger cities. Dong Hoi’s population incidentally is around 160,000 around 20% of the province’s inhabitants. There are plenty of places to relax, eat and have a drink.
The coast and riverbank is a great place to watch the sun go down. Tree Hugger Café opens early in the day but it is a great place for dinner to relax with friends. If you are on a Vietnam family vacation then the kids can have juice or smoothies while you have something stronger. The Buffalo Pub and Hostel has accommodation as well as being a place for a beer. There are other places for a drink:
• 36 Beer has just opened although if you are looking for a quiet few hours then you may find this a little noisy. It’s a fun night though and you don’t have to have a late night.
• 1990 Bar and Restaurant is similar and you can mix with the locals and get a cheap beer.
• 27 cm Pub and Café looks out to the sea. Just relax or play a game of pool.
• Tiki Hostel and Pub is close to the Beach.
• A.E. Pub and Coffee opens late afternoon and stays open until around midnight.
Don’t expect to find flashy nightclubs but then you are not likely to expect that during your time in Quang Binh.