DISCOVER LÝ SƠN ISLAND QUANG NGAI

Lý Sơn is an island district of Quảng Ngãi province. Lý Sơn island district consists of 3 islands: Cù Lao Ré (Big Island), An Bình Island (Small Island), and Mù Cu Island, located about 30 km from the mainland. With the advantage of pristine scenery, and low-cost travel, in recent years, Lý Sơn has always been a destination chosen by many tourists.

Photo: Alex Cao

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT LY SON ISLAND

With two distinct rainy and sunny seasons, the best time to travel to Lý Sơn is from April to August. During this time, the weather is stable, less rain and sunny. However, you should avoid going during the peak season from April to June, to avoid the crowded situation. September to December is the rainy, stormy, and rough sea season. From late December to April is the season of green moss covering the rocky beaches of Lý Sơn.

Well Noted, you need to check the weather before departure to avoid being stuck on the island for a few days due to rough seas, and monsoon winds...

Transportation

The main means of transportation is a boat from Sa Kỳ port. There are many high-speed boat companies that take tourists to Lý Sơn island with a ticket price of about 300,000 - 340,000 VND (round trip). Remember to bring your ID card or driver's license to buy tickets. The travel time from the port to the island is about 35 minutes.

From Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, tourists book flights to Chu Lai airport with a one-way ticket price of about 1,200,000 VND, flight time of 1 hour 30 minutes. The airport is about 42 km from Sa Kỳ port, you can travel by taxi, one-way price about 350,000 VND, or take a bus stop at Quảng Ngãi City to save costs.

In addition, tourists can choose to fly to Da Nang, from here take a taxi or train to Quảng Ngãi City, the train ticket price is 180,000 round trip. The port is 20 km from the city center.

Accommodation

In Lý Sơn there are many motels, hotels, and homestays, averaging from 200,000 - 400,000 VND per night. For tourists who like accommodation with a youthful style, you should choose homestay Bep's House, Bé Ecolodge, or DHT Hang Cau Motel.

In addition, tourists can refer to Lý Sơn Pearl Hotel & Resort with its sea view.

Tourists can experience staying one night on Small Island. The suggested homestays are Ly Son Bungalow with colorful wooden houses, XaLaBin with high rooms with sea view, or Gió Biển.

THE MUST-VISITS IN LY SON ISLAND

Big Island

Tourists can rent an electric car for 300,000 VND one way to explore the island. Alternatively, you can rent a motorbike for 150,000 VND a day to visit.

Thới Lới Peak

This is one of the 5 extinct volcanoes of the island district, with a part of the rock protruding down to the sea. The mountain has an altitude of about 170 m above sea level and the top of the mountain is a huge pan, with fresh water supplying water to the island district. Here there is a national flagpole 20 m high, a favorite destination of many tourists when coming to Lý Sơn.

Garlic field

From Thới Lới peak, you can also spread your eyes to admire the green garlic fields. Garlic is also a famous specialty in Lý Sơn, not only used as a spice but also processed into many delicious dishes, including garlic salad.

Hang Câu

Hang Câu has one side of vertical cliffs and one side of a beach with white sand. Under the impact of wind and sea waves, the cliffs have different shapes, near the shore are colorful coral reefs. At Hang Câu, suggested activities are snorkeling coral reefs and kayaking.

Tò Vò Gate

Another characteristic destination of the Big Island is Tò Vò Gate in the east of the island. In fact, this is a stone gate over 2 m high by the sea. People believe that lava erupted from volcanoes 2 million years ago and was frozen when it met seawater and formed this special-shaped arch gate. Around are black basalt rocks.

The best time to go to Tò Vò Gate is at sunset when the sun sets behind the horizon and rays of light shine through the cracks in the rock. However, the gate often attracts crowds of tourists so it is difficult to take pictures. Recently, the area has appeared a lot of tourist waste.

Đục Temple

Đục Temple is located on the cliff of Giếng Tiền, one of the extinct volcanoes of the island district. The temple was built in 2008 with 3 shrines. Tourists climb 100 steps along the mountainside to the temple. In front of the cave is a 27 m high statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva facing the sea, named Quan Âm Đài.

Âm Linh Tự

About 500 m from Lý Sơn port to the west, this is the place to worship the ancestors who had opened the island and the Hoàng Sa soldiers who sacrificed in the past. Many valuable documents related to the naval team, and artifacts about the history of Lý Sơn island formation are also solemnly preserved here. Every year, the temple organizes many important ceremonies, especially the ceremony of offering sacrifices to Hoàng Sa soldiers in March of the lunar calendar. Right next to the temple is a large sandy beach, where you can stop to admire the blue sea and enjoy the cool breeze.

Small Island

The island is also called An Bình Island, small in size but with beautiful sea and scenery not inferior to Big Island. Big Island is about 3 nautical miles from Small Island, if you go by wooden boat it takes more than 30 minutes, but by speedboat, it only takes about 10 minutes. To get to Small Island, you can rent a whole canoe for 2,500,000 VND, or go separately for 80,000 VND per person. Round-trip ticket price within a day.

Boats from Lý Sơn port to Small Island depart at 7am, 11:20am is the last trip of the day. Boats from Small Island depart to Big Island starting at 10am until 2:20pm. The trips are 20 minutes apart. If you buy a single ticket at the port, according to regulations, each person can only buy 2 tickets. You must have an ID card or passport of the buyer and the person being bought for. Tickets are sold starting at 6am.

Going to Small Island, you feel like stepping into a new paradise with only a blue sea and yellow sun. This place is also ideal for watching the sunset.

Mù Cu Island

On the days in Lý Sơn, tourists should get up early to go to the most beautiful sunrise spot on the archipelago. Mù Cu island is about 3 km from the center of the Big Island to the east. Due to no people living there, the scenery is still very pristine, and fresh air.

Round-trip ticket price from Big Island to Small Island is 80,000 - 100,000 VND. Going with a large group, you can choose to rent a private boat for 800,000 VND. After arriving on the island, tourists have electric cars, tuk tuk or motorbike taxis for 50,000 VND for one-way sightseeing.

Bãi Ngang

With clear water and jade green color, Bãi Ngang is favored by many tourists as the "Maldives of Vietnam". Here there are rocks, and rock holes near the shore with colorful fish that can be seen clearly when tourists swim or wade in the water.

Snorkeling coral reefs is an experience not to be missed when coming to Small Island. The service price for renting diving equipment and freshwater bathing is 110,000 VND per person.

Near the beach, there is a Love Bridge, with an entrance fee of 5,000 VND per person. Here the water is clear, and you can see seaweed and coral clearly, suitable for those who love taking pictures.

Painted village

Near the port area of Small Island is a painted village with colorful wall paintings. This is one of the favorite photo spots of tourists, although not as big and beautiful as other painted villages across the country.