Skip to content How far is Carmelina from Saigon, and which way does the car go?
The resort puts itself 120 km east of Ho Chi Minh City. The car takes the Long Thanh expressway, then the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau link, then the coast road through Ho Tram, a route we describe at length on the Ho Tram page. Typical time is 2½ to 3¼ hours. If you land at the new Long Thanh airport once flights start, see Long Thanh to Ho Tram.
What does the resort charge, and is it a fair price?
A private 7-seater from Tan Son Nhat is VND 2,400,000 one way, or VND 3,800,000 return. The shuttle bus is VND 800,000 per person return, in the morning at 9:30 or at 13:00, taking about 2½ hours, with a booking made 48 hours ahead. These are the resort’s own figures; the page has not been edited since 2020, so ask. For two, the shuttle is the cheaper choice if the times suit. For four or five, the per-seat sum approaches the car, and the car goes when you land.
What kind of resort is Carmelina?
A beachfront resort of low buildings: 120 deluxe rooms in five three-storey blocks, plus pool-view and beachfront bungalows and 150 m² family suites. It has pools, a spa, paintball, karaoke and a children’s programme, and the grounds are tropical gardens. It is a family and group resort more than a design-led one.
What can you do from Carmelina without a car?
The resort and its beach are the point. For anything else you need wheels: the Binh Chau hot springs are about 30 to 40 minutes inland, and Vung Tau is 45 to 60 minutes along the coast. Other resorts on the Ho Tram strip are Meliá Ho Tram and Dhawa Ho Tram.
Going on from Carmelina
To Mui Ne it is about 140 km, a coastal run you can read about on the Mui Ne page. On the way back to Saigon you can ask for a stop.