5 beautiful islands you won't want to leave this summer
5 beautiful islands you won't want to leave this summer
5 beautiful islands you won't want to leave – don't miss them this summer
Just about 20 minutes by speedboat from Cua Dai port in Hoi An, Cu Lao Cham is a small, unspoilt island that attracts visitors with its green tourism and the simple life of its fishing families. There are no hotels or resorts on the island, only homestay-style guesthouses. Most households take guests for the night, cook for them and take them out by boat to snorkel. Prices are around 50,000 VND per person per night.
Take a boat to the island at 7–8 am, go to the market, buy fresh seafood and ask your homestay to cook it. In the afternoon, rent a bicycle to explore the island and visit sights such as Bai Ong, Bai Lang and Hai Tang pagoda, then go snorkelling to see the corals at Bai Chong. A day on Cu Lao Cham costs around 500,000 VND. Note that plastic bags are not used on the island, to protect the environment.
Cu Lao Xanh (also called Van Phi island) belongs to Nhon Chau island commune, near Xuan Dai bay, 24 km from Quy Nhon. The island is like a green jewel in the middle of the sea, with beautiful scenery – from endless greenery to the colours of the sky and the sea.
Boats to Cu Lao Xanh leave from Ham Tu pier. You have 2 options: a speedboat at 200,000 VND per ticket, taking about 50 minutes, or a wooden boat taking over 2 hours for about 25,000 VND per ticket. The island's beaches are still quite unspoilt, with crystal-clear water, gently sloping sand and natural rocks of many shapes. Accommodation is still basic – there are only guesthouses – so ask the locals about homestays and meals, and join the fishermen's way of life. In particular, around 3 am the islanders light lamps on their boats to catch jumping squid – an experience worth trying.
Cu Lao Cau, or Hon Cau, in Tuy Phong district about 10 km off the coast, is one of the "hottest" destinations this summer, because in June the sea is calm and boat trips to the island are easy. You can take a boat from Phuoc The fishing port, Lien Huong town, Ca Na town, Vinh Tan commune…
Cu Lao Cau is small, so you can explore it in a day: Love Cave, Happiness Crevice, Fairy Bathing Beach, Swiftlet Cave, Ba Hon Cave, the coral beach, the Nam Hai whale temple, Ca Suot beach… Bring food and especially plenty of drinking water, as there is only one freshwater well on the island and most fresh water is brought from the mainland. With no residents, no electricity and little water, people usually only visit for the day. To stay overnight you must ask permission from the border guards.
Just over 4 km from O Loan lagoon, Cu Lao Mai Nha – likened to Robinson Crusoe's island – belongs to An Hai commune, Tuy An district. The ideal time to visit is from March to August each year, when the weather is calm and the sea is still.
Set off from An Ninh Dong fishing wharf or Tien fishing port on a local fisherman's boat carrying up to 50 passengers. Tourism on the island is still undeveloped, so bring a tent to camp on the beach and immerse yourself in unspoilt nature. Jumping snails, "vu nang" snails and sea urchins are seafood you can catch yourself and grill. With a tent and your own clean water, a day on the island costs only 300,000–400,000 VND, with plenty of delicious seafood.
Cu Lao Re, Ly Son island, Quang Ngai
Cu Lao Re is another name for Big Island in Ly Son island district. It has Bai Tien, a beach of fine white sand surrounded by spectacular volcanic cliffs. Swimming, snorkelling among the corals and wandering around the island taking photos are must-do experiences.
Fly to Da Nang or Chu Lai, or take a train or coach to Quang Ngai city, then go to Sa Ky port to catch the speedboat to the island. There are many nice guesthouses and homestays on the island, from 100,000 to 300,000 VND per night. Rent a motorbike from your guesthouse to explore.
Suggested route: memorial house (monument) – King's Well – Hang pagoda – the big lighthouse – An Hai communal house – back to the hotel for lunch. Afternoon: the reservoir (Thoi Loi mountain) – Cau Cave – An Vinh communal house, Am Linh Tu, Duc pagoda – To Vo arch (watch the sunset over the sea at Duc pagoda) – the Mo Gio memorial area – back to the hotel for dinner, or to the night market for fresh seafood.
