Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [176]
If the dazzling sands and empty spaces of the Hon Khoi Peninsula get you in the mood for adventure, consider a visit to Jungle Beach Resort (091/342 9144, syl@dng.vnn.vn; US$21–30), one of the most secluded places to stay on the entire Vietnamese coast. Run by a Canadian-Vietnamese couple, Jungle Beach has basic rooms for rent in the house, plus some smart bungalows in the garden. All meals are included in the room price, and the food is excellent. There’s a glorious, deserted beach here and trails on the hillside behind are ripe for exploring. The enthusiastic owner, Sylvio, can arrange treks, and several guests have spent a week or two in the region. Finding the place is difficult – it’s at the far end of the road on the northeast coast of the peninsula, past the shipyards and shrimp-farming village of Ninh Phuoc. Phone before going, and staff there will guide you or your driver in. A taxi from Nha Trang costs about $20–25.
The south–central coast | North to Son My |
Hon Gom Peninsula and Hon Ong (Whale Island)
Another 50km or so north along Highway 1 from the Hon Khoi Peninsula, a road branches off to the right along the Hon Gom Peninsula, accessing the endless beaches on both sides of this swan’s neck of land. Though there is no accommodation on the peninsula as yet, if you have your own transport, it’s worth taking a drive down here just to look at the wild sand dunes and islands sitting in the bay. About 15km down the peninsula, the road reaches the Dam Mon jetty, from where it’s a five-minute hop by speedboat to Hon Ong (Whale Island) and the Whale Island Resort (058/384 0501, www.whaleislandresort.com; US$76–150). The place has a wonderfully relaxing feel, with simple but tasteful bungalows peeking out over dense vegetation at a fabulous view of the bay. However, you have to pay extra for transfers from Nha Trang and meals, which some guests have found below par. Humpback whales and whale sharks are often seen in the area from May to August. Rainbow Divers (see "Scuba-diving and water sports") runs dives from here, and the resort has catamarans, canoes and snorkelling equipment available for guests’ use for a nominal fee.
The south–central coast | North to Son My |
Dai Lanh and north to Quy Nhon
Back on Highway 1, the main road also passes some impressive but empty beaches. You can get a taster 83km from Nha Trang, just beyond the Hon Gom Peninsula at the tiny fishing village of DAI LANH, whose appeal lies in the fact that there’s absolutely nothing to do. With its patchwork of clay-tile roofs and modest fleet of blue fishing boats, the village lies at the northern end of the kilometre-long beach curving around Vung Ro Bay, a beach whose casuarinas and white sands are hemmed between the clear, turquoise waters of the South China Sea and a mantle of green mountains. The Thuy Tarestaurant at the southern end of the beach makes an ideal spot for a pit-stop between Nha Trang and Quy Nhon.
Beyond Dai Lanh, you’ll have to wait until just before Quy Nhon to get more glimpses of idyllic beaches. Highway 1D branches off to the right from Highway 1 about 30km south of town, and passes some sheltered pristine bays as it squiggles up the coast. About 15km south of town on Highway 1D, the Life Resort (056/384 0132, www.life-resorts.com; US$76–US$151 and over) on the attractive Bai Dai Beach has over sixty luxurious rooms and suites, and a fantastic spa: it’s a good place to relax and revive as they pump you up with health drinks and yoga practice.
The south–central coast | North to Son My |
Quy Nhon and around