Ly Son island - Everything you should know before traveling

Ly Son island is located in the northeast of Quang Ngai province. It combines two small islands named Big island and Small island, and Mu Cu islet with no inhabitants. Ly Son island is famous for its friendliness, long beautiful beaches, and being “the kingdom of garlic.”

The formation of Ly Son island

At the end of Neogen, which was about 25 - 30 million years ago, Ly Son island was formed by geological tectonics and volcanic eruption. The remains of 5 craters make the island a beautiful landscape with a rich basalt soil for plantations and reefs for marine creatures.

What is the best time to travel to Ly Son?

Ly Son’s climate has two seasons: the rainy season from September to February and the dry season from March to August. However, depending on their traveling purposes, there are three periods in a year that visitors should visit Ly Son island:

For beach vacation: from June to September due to nice sunny weather
For garlic season: from September to early December. Ly Son island is famous for its high-quality single clove garlic grown on basalt soil.
For joining the “Soldier replacement” ceremony: 3 days from the 18th of the 3rd lunar month, which usually falls in early April. Dated back to the 17th century, Hoang Sa Squadron was formed then developed a lot during the Nguyen Dynasty. King Gia Long, the 1st King of the Nguyen Dynasty, decided to recruit soldiers to Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes to draw a National map for sovereignty. King Gia Long himself also held a seance ceremony for Navy martyrs in Ly Son island. It marked the time that people in Ly Son island have kept the tradition for over 200 years. The offerings for a Soldier replacement ceremony include a boat carrying flags, spiritualities, clay dolls, wood, rice, salt that the Hoang Sa soldiers used to bring along with them during their journeys. The boat will then be freely floating in the ocean to send the offerings to the navy martyrs.

How to get to Ly Son island?

Every day, three hydrofoils depart from Sa Ky port to Ly Son island and vice versa. Hydrofoils go offshore from 7.30 AM to 9.00 AM while the ticket booths are open from 6.30 AM. Every passenger can buy only two tickets with ID information.

To save your time, you should register in advance with a name list and ID information for big groups. You should send the name list to the Port’s Management Board by 3.30 PM the previous day.

Boats from Big island to Small island depart at 8.00 AM and get back at 2.30 PM, so you may need a good traveling schedule. For more flexibility, you can hire a local fishing boat instead.

By air: Chu Lai airport is the closest airport to Sa Ky port, where hydrofoils to Ly Son island depart. There are three flights from Hanoi / Saigon to Chu Lai. It is about 50km from the airport to Sa Ky port, which takes more than an hour drive.
By open bus: There are some high-quality buses to Quang Ngai. You can book bus tickets with The Sinh Tourist, Camel, or Hoang Long from Hanoi or Saigon. On public holidays, you should book tickets 2 or 5 days before the departure date.
By train: From either Hanoi or Saigon, five daily trains are passing Quang Ngai. Depending on your travel schedule, take yourself the most suitable train. It is about 20km from Quang Ngai railway station to Sa Ky port, so you need to take a transfer there:
- Either by private car, which takes you about half an hour for a drive.
- Or by public bus No. 03, which takes about a 1-hour drive. However, please make sure you take the earliest bus departing at 5.00 AM to catch the hydrofoil.

Where to stay on Ly Son island?

Having good investment, there are varieties of accommodation for travelers, from 4-star hotels to homestays in Ly Son island. Please kindly find the recommendations below:

Ly Son Pearl Island Hotel and Resort: is the first 4-star resort in Ly Son island. The 85-room resort lies in an ideal location with a 155m-long beach and a big “endless” swimming pool view of the East sea.
Muong Thanh Holiday Ly Son is a 4-star hotel that is a harmonious blend of natural space and modern design. Just a few walk, you can reach a beautiful beach for relaxation.
Ly Tri motel: is a mini-hotel that stands in the center of Ly Son island. From here, one can easily travel to famous tourist sites such as To Vo Gate, Hang pagoda, Thoi Loi peak.

Besides, there are several guest-houses and homestays for visitors to select.

What to visit in Ly Son island?

To Vo archway: To Vo is the most beautiful archway formed by natural lava in Vietnam. It views an affluent fishing village. Enjoying the sunrise or sunset at To Vo archway will be an unforgettable experience.
Hang pagoda (Grotto pagoda): located in the Northeast of Thoi Loi mountain, the highest mountain left from a volcanic eruption. The way to Hang pagoda is winding on the hill with a nice view of the sea.
Thoi Loi peak: If you want to have a panoramic view of Ly Son island, don’t forget to take a walk up to Thoi Loi peak on Thoi Loi mountain. There is also a freshwater pond on the top, which provides water to Ly Son island inhabitants. A flag tower is also placed on the highest point of the island to confirm sovereignty.
The Small island: Also known as An Binh island, the Small island is home to about 100 residences who do fishing and garlic farming. It is approachable from the Big island by canoes or local boats. Visitors like to enjoy the beautiful white sand beach here or take pictures of garlic fields. Another activity is snorkeling - amazing coral reefs under the crystal clear water are waiting.
Hang Cau (Fishing cave): Lying underneath Thoi Loi mountain, Hang Cau has been “carved” by wind and waves, which offers a nice place to visit.
Mu Cu islet: Several black rocks of different shapes form the islet, and no-one is living on the islet. However, it is also an excellent place for enjoying the sunset from the lighthouse.