The charming country next to sea, Vietnam, has more than 4000 islands which attract almost tourists coming to the country. To choose one from them is obviously make you confused because each has its own beauty and fantastic views. Following are 10 most beautiful islands in Vietnam:
1. Con Son Island
Con Son, an island of paradise, is one of the largest island of the 15 islands and islets of the famous Con Dao Island, the star attractions of Vietnam.
This is not only a well-known travelling destination but also an important historical site. It was once a hell on earth which contained dozen jails from the French and American dominating period.
Con Son is covered of scenic bays, beaches, beautiful coral reefs and tropical forests.
Favorite activities of the tourists here are hiking, diving and wildlife-watching. You can get around and discover inside the Con Son town by foot or by riding a bicycle. And if you want to get outside of the town, you can ride a motorbike or rent a taxi. The popular sites visited by the tourists are the museum, famous historic jails, Van Son Pagoda, beaches, etc.
The two common transportation types to get to Con Son island are plane and boat.
VASCO is the only airline providing daily flights from HCMC and once-a-day flights from Can Tho to Con Son. The flights last about an hour from HCMC and 50 minutes from Can Tho. The ticket price from Can Tho is cheaper than that from HCMC. Because a lot of people travel to Con Son every day, the tickets are always sold out. Therefore; you are strongly recommended to book the round-trip ticket more than a couple of weeks in advance.
The other way to get to Con Son from the mainland is by boats. The journeys depart from Cat Lo Port in Vung Tau and arrive at Ben Dam Harbor after about 12 hours. This a cheap but dangerous way. It costs a person only from 100,000 to 200,000 dong. The schedule of the boats relies on the weather so it is not consistent at all. You can have wait weeks to get on during the windy season.
2. Ly Son Island
Ly Son Island, formerly known as Re Island, is located in Quang Ngai province, about 27 km away from the mainland.
Ly Son is called the “kingdom of garlic” because there are huge garlic fields which are really outstanding in the island. The island has the gigantic beauty which is made by the famous mountains which are the prominent, like Thoi Loi, Gieng Tien, Hoi Tia, Hon Soi, Hon Vung Mountain. The view from the top of these mountains definitely get everyone overwhelmed. The other famous destinations for the visitors here are Cau Cave, An Hai and An Vinh Communal House, Hang Pagoda, etc. Some of them have been recognized as the national cultural – historical relics. The relics of the two Sa Huynh and Cham cultures are also a meaningful thing to discover in Ly Son Island if you have a chance to get to this beautiful island.
The most common way to get to Ly Son Island is by boats. The journeys depart at Sa Ky Port (Binh Son District) and arrive in Ly Son after 2h30 by normal wooden boat and 1h10 by high-speed boat. The ticket price for each person is 30,000 dong with the wooden boat, and 95,000 dong with the high-speed boat.
3. Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc is definitely a really famous touristy island in Vietnam. It is truly a tropical paradise floating in the Gulf of Thailand, about 50 km away from the Vietnamese mainland.
Phu Quoc is famous for its untouched natural environment with the most beautiful beaches in the world. The peaceful atmosphere here will definitely help you relax after the noisy city time, the local folks are also friendly and hospitable. The outstanding activities in Phu Quoc island is scuba diving and snorkeling.
The peak travelling season in Phu Quoc is from November to March.
There are two ways to get to Phu Quoc are by plane and by boat.
Flying is obviously the more convenient way. There are more than 10 daily flights from Tan Son Nhat (HCMC) directly to Phu Quoc International Airport (Phu Quoc). The flights last approximately 40 minutes. The one-way ticket price is from 1,000,000 vnd. Airlines providing flights from HCMC to Phu Quoc are Vietnam Airlines (9 daily flights), Jestar (2 daily flights) and Vietjet Air (2-3 daily flights). Additionally, Vietnam Airlines also offers one indirect flight a day via Rach Gia.
Journeys by boat, ferry or cruise liner is common way to get to Phu Quoc nowadays. Most journeys depart at Rach Gia and Ha Tien. The average time to travel by this way is 2 hours and the cost is 130,000-190,000 for an adult and 65,000-120,000 for a kid. Duong Dong Express, Super Dong Hydrofoil, Trameco, Hai Au (Seagull), Vietrosko Hydrofoil and Bien Xanh are transportation companies offering the journeys by sea to Phu Quoc. One thing to notice when traveling by sea is checking the climate and weather carefully. The best time to travel this way is from October to May.
4. Co To Island
Co To Island is located in Quang Ninh province. It is one of the three largest island of the Co To Island District and the furthest inhabitant island from the mainland in Vietnam.
Co To has become a hot site to travel in the last few years. Most tourists here are the domestic tourists. It is still a wild land, the beaches are still deserted and aesthetic, beautiful beaches with white sand and blue, crystal clear water, one of the most famous one is Trinh Sat Beach. The highest peak of Co To Island, the Lighthouse 70 meters above the sea level, is a popular site here, it is also the symbol of the island. The view and atmosphere from the top is incredible. You can feel the scenic, breathtaking beauty of Co To Island and the sea spreading below, which will definitely blow away your sorrow or stress.
Discovering around the island by a renting boat, fishing, seafood tasting, motorbiking on the island or snorkeling are favorite activities here.
To get to Co To Island from the mainland, you can take a boat from Cai Rong Port. It will take you from 1.5 to 2.5 hours to finish the journey in the sea. If you are not in Quang Ninh province, then you have to take a bus to Quang Ninh station, next take a taxi to Cai Rong Port and start the journey to Co To Island.
5. Phu Quy island
Phu Quy has other names like Thuan Tinh island, Khoai Xu, etc.,
It is located in Binh Thuan province and about 120 km away from Phan Thiet city.
The area of the island is only 16 km2, yet it has many charming destination for the tourists to visit. The beaches here are deserted with the blue crystal clear water. Seafood is a not-to-miss thing in Phu Quy, especially Huynh De crab.
Beside the natural sites, the artifacts sites are famous things in Phu Quy. Different beliefs are represented by cultural artifacts and sites, like Trieu Duong and Van An Village, Tam Thanh Commune.
Another good point of Phu Quy is the kind-hearted local people.
If you want to travel around and discover the island, the best way is to rent a motorbike because the public transportation has not been available here. The renting price for a half day is around 50,000 dong and for a full day is 80,000 for one.
The most common way to get to Phu Quy from the mainland is taking a ferry boat from Phan Thiet. The schedules depend on the weather condition, if the weather is fine and favorable, the ferry boat will depart every three days. The one-way ticket price is 140,000 per person. The trips generally take about 6 hours when the weather is favorable and up to 9 hours when the weather is getting worse.
6. Binh Ba Island
Binh Ba Island is located in Khanh Hoa province, it is about 15 km away from Cam Ranh.
Bai Chuong, Bai Nom, Bai Nha Cu are some famous beaches in Binh Ba island, they have the pristine beauty of white sand, crystal water and blue sky. However; they are not crowded, don’t worry about cramping in the beaches.
The other famous places are Ngu Hanh Tomb, Binh Ba Communal House, etc.
Fresh and delicious seafood is also one of the attraction of Binh Ba Island.
One special activity here is enjoying the meal while wearing life jacket and floating on the beach. It is fantastic.
Travel and food price here is really cheap. The population on the island is about 5000, they are all friendly and very aware of protecting the environment as well. They earn their living by fishing and seafood producing. The tourists can stay in their houses instead of hotels.
To travel from one beach to the others, you can just walk or rent a motorbike from the local.
It is easy to travel to Binh Ba in every time of the year. It takes tourists just more than 1 hour of sailing to get from Da Bac Port to Binh Ba. There are two daily boat trips, one departs at 10 am and the other departs at 5 am. The ticket price is about 15,000-20,000 dong per person.
7. Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham)
Cham Island, or Cu Lao Cham, has 8 small islands which are about 15 km off the coast of Hoi An. Hon Lao is the largest and the only inhabited one among them.
It was once under military supervision and closed to tourists. However; it has become a famous travelling site nowadays. It is recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.
Lang, Huong, Chong, Xep, etc., are names of beautiful beaches in Cham Island.
Diving, snorkeling the reefs, scenic driving are fantastic activities here.
Cham Island is actually considered as a marine park. There are two important industries here: fishing and collecting the birds’ nests.
The most common way to get to Cham Island is using the boat.
The boat departs from Hoi An at 7:30 and drops by Cua Dai harbor at 8:30. You are highly recommended to get to Cua Dai and start your journey there instead of Hoi An. Because long time on the boat is not a comfortable experience. The price announced is 150,000 dong but it is actually negotiated down to 100,000.
You can travel as a tour as well. It cost about 600,000 for a person, including lunch and snorkeling equipment. And the service will pick you up from your hotel.
8. Nam Du Island
Nam Du Island is located in Kien Hai, Kien Giang province, it is about 40 km away from Phu Quoc Island. It contains 21 islets, 11 of them are inhabited and the other 10 are completely untouched.
Nam Du Is still almost a wild island, that’s why it has become a mysterious and attractive destination to many people. There are wonderful beaches, mountains erupting amidst the water, splendid rock cliffs, etc. in this beautiful island.
The key sites of Nam Du are Hon Lon Island, Hon Dau Island, Hon Ngang Island, Hon Mau Island, Hai Bo Dap Island. The favorite activities are trekking and hiking, snorkeling, sunrises and sunset watching, fishing, seafood tasting, etc.
Only two main reasons represent in Nam Du, the dry season (November-May) and rainy season(June-October). The best time to travel to Nam Du Island in the year is from December to April, when the sea is peaceful, the weather is comfortable and the atmosphere is favorable.
The service price here is pretty low. The people are also friendly and have a good sense of humor. The population is around 10,000 people, they earn their living by fishing and the other sea-related activities. They are well aware of the environment protection, which makes the island still has the original precious beauty.
To get around the island you can rent a private boat a join a boat tour with the others, you can also rent a motorbike and ride it yourselves.
Boats carrying tourists to Nam Du depart at Rach Gia ferry wharf. To get to Rach Gia ferry wharf you can take a flight from HCMC or Phu Quoc to the Rach Gia Airport, then take a bus or taxi to Rach Gia ferry wharf.
There are two ways daily boats between Rach Gia and Nam Du and it takes more than two hours to travel between the two destinations. Boats from Rach Gia to Nam Du depart in the morning at 7:20, 7:30 and 8:45, while boats from Nam Du back to Rach Gia depart in the afternoon at 11:00, 11:50 and 12:15. The average ticket price is 200,000 for an adult and 150,000 for child.
9. Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island is located in Hai Phong city, is is about 10 km far from Halong Bay to the south-east.
The center of Cat Ba town is now covered by the chain of hotels and other building, yet the rest of the island is still almost untouched and wild. Cat Ba Island has many kinds of landscapes, from the caves, jungles, and waterfalls to the beaches.
The famous travelling sites in Cat Ba Island are Cat Ba National Park, Lan Ha Bay, Viet Hai Village, Cat Co Beach, Monkey Island (Cat Dua Island), etc.
To get to Cat Ba Island from the mainland, you will take a speedboat from Ben Binh Harbor (Hai Phong Province) to the Cat Ba town (the center of Cat Ba Island) in about 50 minutes on the sea. If you are in Hanoi, you can book a package trip (bus and boat) from Luong Yen bus station (Hanoi) to Cat Ba of the Hoang Long company or book a tourist bus via travel company which offer pick-up service at hotel within Hanoi old quarters. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, then you have to take a flight to Hai Phong province then continue by the speedboat. However; many tourists nowadays book the package tour combined Halong Bay and Cat Ba. They visit Halong bay first, then take a ferry from the Tuan Chau island to Gia Luan harbor in Cat Ba. Next, take a bus/private transfer from Gia Luan to Cat Ba town.
10. Quan Lan Island
Quan Lan Island located in the area of Bai Tu Long Bay, which belongs to Quang Ninh province. It is about 230 kilometers far from Ha Noi. This island has an important navigation connecting Vietnam to other countries such as Thailand, Philippine, Japan and China.
Quan Lan Island is famous for the natural and peaceful beauty and the fresh air. It has anendless white sand beaches, high mountains and many villages with amazing pots. Tourists will be attracted with the beautiful shore and strong waves there. Tourists can also visit many wonderful destinies on the island like Quan Lạn Communal House (built in the 18th century, which has distinguish architectural design with finely carved patterns and almost entirely preserved) Quan Lan Pagoda and Nghe Quan Lan.
There are two main ways to travel to Quan Lan Island from Hanoi.
1. Hanoi – Cai Rong port – Quan Lan island
Firstly, you take a bus (Ex: Hoang Long, Xuan Truong, Luong Yen) in My Dinh bus station. It takes about 4.5 hours to get to Cua Ong Market, then catch taxi to Cai Rong port. From Cai Rong Port, you can choose one of the two ways below: (1) you take a normal daily boat. It takes about 150 minutes to Quan Lan port. Price: 60.000 VND/guest/way. Daily speed boat can bring you to Quan Lan port around 45 minutes. Price: 120 VND/guest/way. From Quan Lan port, you ride motorbike or take Tuk-Tuk to the center of the island; it take about 10 minutes and 15.000 VND guest/way. Time depart: 7:00, 13:00, 14:00. On the return way, at Quan Lan pier, time depart: 7:00, 13:00, 14:00.
Secondly, you can take a bus from My Dinh station or drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay (about 4 hours). Then from Halong port, you take a speed boat only one at 7 am in Quan Lan Island and 2 pm in Halong city every day. After 1.5 hours you will come to the island and contrast. With this choice, you will have a valued chance to see the view of Halong Bay. The price for speed boat is about 150.000 VND/guest.
If you want to know more detail about how to transfer from Cai Rong Port to Quan Lan port, please contact Phuc Thinh Trade company at 0982 788 298 or (033) 3 874 574. But, maybe they do not speak English good, so let your Vietnamese friends call them.
2. Hanoi – Halong city (Hon Gai) – Quan Lan: with this choice, you can see the beauty of Halong Bay.
– From My Dinh, you get on the bus with route “HANOI – HON GAI”, such as Hoang Long, Xuan Truong. It takes about 4 hours, get off at the last stop and go to the Hon Gai pier. Then, you should take a speed boat only one at 14:00, it takes about 1.5 hours. On the return way, at Quan Lan pier, time depart 7:00. Price: 150.000VND/guest. You also can get traditional wooden boat from Hon Gai.
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