KY CO BEACH, QUY NHON – SOUTHERN VIETNAM
Besides it’s soft white sandy beaches and clear turquoise seas, Quy Nhon (also known as Qui Nhon) has so much to offer visitors. Located in the Binh Dinh Province, between Hoi An and Nha Trang, Quy Nhon is a quiet coastal city…. with very few tourists. It’s recognised as one of the 3 main tourism hubs in Vietnam’s south central coastal region, along with the better known Danang and Nha Trang. The town is blessed with a 42 km long coastline and a diverse topography comprising of mountains, forests, salt marshes, lagoons, lakes, rivers and islands.
BEST TIME TO VISIT QUY NHON
The best time to visit Quy Nhon is between January and August, when the weather is relatively warm. As summer advances (starting in April) the weather will gradually get warmer. September to December is regarded as the rainy season and potentially you will experience some storms!
HOW TO GET THERE
The fastest way to get to Quy Nhon from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is by air. Vietnam airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways have regular direct flights to Quy Nhon. From the airport, visitors can either take a shuttle bus or a cab to the town centre which is approx. 35 km away. Quy Nhon is around 650 km from HCMC, from where there are also the cheaper options of bus or train. It takes around 12 hours by bus and the fare starts at around VND 220,000. Visitors should choose an overnight bus to arrive in the city by morning. The journey from HCMC takes approximately 13 hours and fare ranges from VND 252,000 for a seat to VND 442,000 for a sleeper berth. The price also varies depending on the day of travel, with peak demand days like public holiday costing more.
WHERE TO STAY
Quy Nhon does have a few high end hotels and resort with room tariffs ranging from VND 1.5million to VND 5million. There are also cheaper options available.
WHAT TO SEE
Ky Co Beach: Situated on Nhon Ly Island, 25 km away and a 20 minutes boat ride from Quy Nhon, Ky Co is fondly dubbed the “Maldives of Vietnam” on one side of Ky Co is the calm turquoise seas, and the other side is magnificent Rocky Mountain. Here, visitors can explore the corals, have a dip in cool water, relax on the soft golden sand of the beach, or simply discover other beautiful beaches in Ky Co hidden between the mountain cliffs.
Hon Kho (Dry Island): The island is part of Nhon Hai Commune, 15 km from Quy Nhon Town. From the port in Nhon Hai, visitor need to take a 10-15 minutes boat ride to reach the island. Like other places in Quy Nhon, Hon Kho is blessed with a beautiful soft white sandy beach and clear blue water. Popular activities here are snorkelling the corals, taking a relaxing walk along the boardwalk and taking amazing photos.
Cu Lao Xanh (Green Islet): This 360 hectare island is situated in Nhon Chau Commune, about 24 km away from Quy Nhon. As its name suggests – “Xanh” is Vietnamese for both blue and green – the island is covered in green mountains and lush forest and surrounded by the clear blue sea. Visitors can go swimming or diving anywhere on the island …with its calm sea, clean water and white sandy beach. In addition, visitors can experience camping, have a beach BBQ or go for a hike up the mountain.
Ham Ho: Situated around 50 km to the northwest of Quy Nhon, right below the Truong Son Mountain range, this tourist area is famous for its charming and pristine landscape, along the beautiful Kut river. Go for a boat ride or kayak on the river to discover giant granite rocks and a majestic waterfall. Ham Ho also has many significants historical sites. Other activities visitors can try here include fishing, cave exploring and camping.
Mui Vi Rong (Dragon Fin Cape): From a distance, the pointed rocky cliffs reaching out to the ocean and shieding a small cave look like the spiky head of a dragon, hence the name given. This is the perfect place for visitors wanting to relax and listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below. For those adventure seeking visitors, try jumping between the rocks, exploring the wild caves and taking some amazing photos of this stunning landscape.
Cham Towers: Binh Dinh is the province with the highest number of Champa-era ruins in Vietnam. The Champa were indigenous people who settled from south-central Vietnam to the west in Cambodia. Quy Nhon used to be one of the ports between the 11th to 15th centuries, and there is an Impressive double tower (That Doi) situated in the heart of the town. If you want to see more, head to Banh It, another Champa tower perched on a hill about 15 minutes away from the town. Once up the hill, visitors can see the tower and get a sweeping view of the coast, rice paddies and hills in the background.
There are many other places to visit in Quy Nhon including the FLC Zoo Safari Park, Hai Minh Fishing Village, Phuong Mai Sand Dunes, Thi Nai Lagoon, Ba Mountain, Hon Nuoc Lighthouse and pristine islands.
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