Hi Hive friends,
Happy Monday to everyone here. Today I am so excited that we could go to the beach after a long time in lockdown. I am thinking a lot about new journeys in the coming months already, haha. One of the ideas crossing my mind is about relocating to one of the beautiful islands in Vietnam, therefore, I will go thru some selected hidden gems that may be good to share with you - those who want to visit our country in the near future.
Thanks to over 3,000 km long coastline, Vietnam is surrounded by thousands of islets and stunning islands, which are listed as the world's most breathtaking islands like Cat Ba Island , Phu Quoc Island , Ha Long Bay, etc. Besides that, there are many Vietnamese off-road destinations most frequented by local people and adventurous travelers. Here are some pristine islands in Vietnam which I highly recommend you to visit,
Located in the northeast of Quang Ninh province, Co To Island is the farthest populated coastal island, with 170 meters its highest peak. The only way to reach the island is by boat, therefore, you have to reach Cai Rong pier in Van Don on time so that you don't miss the boat. The speedboat will daily leave from Cai Rong pier at 1 pm (155,000d, 1½ hours), sometimes they have extra on Saturday which is started quite early at 6 am. Another option is a slow ferry every day at 7 am (70,000d, 3 hours).
The island is made up of hills, with many rocky faces on the shoreline for adventurous people to explore and long white sand beach options such as Trinh Sat Beach, Hong Van, and Van Chai. I am pretty sure that you will find yourself in the whole area.
Note❗️: Because the island's controlled by the Vietnamese military, all international travelers who plan to stay on the island require a permit, which needs to be arranged beforehand either via an agency or in Halong City. You may end up being fined or returned to the mainland if you arrive in Co To without a permit.
This is one of my favorite spots which I used to share in another post. Ly Son is a part of Quang Ngai province, well known as the home of garlic farms, seaweeds, and over 50 shrines and temples, sandy beaches. You can travel to the island by ferry from Sa Ky Port which costs you around 5 USD (115,000 vnd)/ way, 1.5 hours, or a high speedboat at 10 USD / way. There are numerous untouched beaches, affordable homestays, and seafood restaurants for you to enjoy. Don't miss some attractions there to get stunning Seaview and city sights like Chua Hang (pagoda), To Vo Gate, Light Tower, etc.
Also know as Con Son, Con Lon, or Con Non, is also an archipelago off the coast of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. It's considered as a little brother of the popular Phu Quoc Island. The island has very chilled-out vibes with a small town, so don't expect too much nightlife here. The main attractions of Con Dao are in daylight, with plenty of beautiful sunbathing beaches, a lush national park, and a number of cultural and rich history to discover. Originally, Con Dao was a French prison island during Wartime. Coming here, you can wander through the past to experience a lot and explore the ocean with colorful coral reefs and primestral forests with rich flora and fauna. Usually, people got recommended to visit Con Dao during the dry season from November to February, however, if you want to see turtles' nests, you must go around September. To get there, the best way is by ferry from Vung Tau Port which takes around 3 hours, or Soc Trang Port. Nowadays, you can take planes from Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi airports which is more convenient but a bit more expensive. You can check some more notes here.
From a hell on the earth, Con Dao quickly became one of the most charming islands on the planet that could distract every visitor on this beautiful island.
Vietnam is a haven for beach lovers, with its picturesque islands of white sand and crystal-clear waters. I hope this recommendation will bring you a great vacation soon in our country. See ya 💙