Bai Dai and Ganh Dau, three parks in one corner

Bai Dai and Ganh Dau are the island's north-west corner. Over the last decade a large part of it has become a single resort complex: VinWonders was recognised in 2020 by Vietnam's record organisation as the country's largest theme park, Vinpearl Safari opened at Ganh Dau on 24 December 2015, and Grand World added a district of canals and themed streets with evening shows. Beach resorts line Bai Dai, and the national park forest covers much of the north behind it.

For families, the point is proximity. The three attractions are close enough to link by an internal electric bus or tuk-tuk from Grand World to the Safari, and the free VinBus from the airport ends at Grand World. We could not find reliable published distances between the three, and one park blog gives a figure we doubt, so we leave buffer time between them rather than quoting minutes.

Two or three nights here cover the Safari, VinWonders and a Grand World evening without hurry. One night works only if you do the Safari and VinWonders on the same long day, which we suggest only for children over about eight. Staying in the north saves two drives of 40 to 70 minutes on each park day, which with small children is the difference between a nap in the hotel and a nap in the car.

The Bai Dai resorts include family-sized options: the Radisson Blu's largest unit is a six-bedroom villa of 635 m² sleeping up to 12 adults and 12 children, and the Crowne Plaza Starbay is a beachfront resort near the parks. We do not book hotels; we plan the days around wherever you stay.

From the airport the drive is about 30 to 32 km, 40 to 50 minutes, via the Cua Can – Ganh Dau road, Hung Vuong and provincial road 47. VinWonders is about 25 km from Duong Dong. Free VinBus routes run to Grand World: route 17 from the airport, roughly 04:00 to 03:10 at 15- to 60-minute intervals, and route 19 from the InterContinental via the airport, 06:35 to midnight. Show a VinWonders, Safari or Grand World ticket to get a QR bus ticket. Route 20 runs between Grand World and Bai Vong port from 05:30 to 16:00.

• Your trip is three nights or fewer and you mainly want the beach and the cable car. The south gives more for less driving.
• You are visiting in the rainy months for swimming. The west-coast sea at Bai Dai is often rough then.
• You dislike resort complexes. This corner is almost entirely built attractions and resorts.

Two of our days are here: the VinWonders and Safari two-day plan and the Grand World evening. From a northern base the drive between hotel and gate shrinks to minutes, and we shorten the plans to match.