[Travel tips] Ly Son – Paradise island

If you’re looking for a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life in Vietnam, go to Ly Son. Located in the central Quang Ngai province, Ly Son district is blessed with two spectacular islands that I guarantee would take your breath away: Ly Son (Đảo lớn) and An Binh (Đảo bé). The beach is pristine and you can hear nothing but the sound of the ocean.

I would not write about what to see or where to go, just a few lines on how to get there and what you may expect for your adventure. Other than that, just go and explore yourself. Trust me, the place has so much to offer.

Getting there can be a little tricky though. First you’ll need to book a flight to Chu Lai (Quang Ngai) with Vietnam Airlines or the budget air carrier Vietjet (best time to go is Jun-Sep). There’ll be a few buses waiting outside the airport to bring you to the city centre for free. Then hope on a taxi to Sa Ky port where it’ll take you around an hour to reach Ly Son’s main island by boat. It’s best if you could ask a Vietnamese-speaking friend to call Sa Ky port to book the tickets in advance, ’cause the number of seats are limited. Be prepared to give them your details like full name, passport number and your country of origin.

Open for tourists since 2007, Ly Son did not become widely known till recently when the district started being powered. Having said that, tourism is still something new to the local people. Most of the households fish for a living and has just started renovating houses to receive visitors. On An Binh island, there is even no motel…yet, so home-stay is the only option. I strongly recommend staying at Minh Vy home stay here because of its prime location. The house’s backyard faces the beach, where you can lie on the hammock, smell the sea breeze and listen to waves. Or even better, why not camping on the beach for free? 🙂

Everything on Ly Son’ islands is unbelievably cheap from $7-10 night for accommodation and $5-10 per pax for a meal full of fresh-off-the boat seafood. Crabs, octopus, oysters, cockle, sea urchin, you name it and they’ll have it.

Getting around the islands is also very convenient — on Ly Son island you may rent a bike from the locals for $10 a day, whereas on An Binh island it only costs you $2/a sightseeing tour by electric car.

Anyway, just my quick two cents. Enjoy the hidden gem islands on Ly Son and better go before it gets touristy…

Sunset on Ly Son island