48 hours in Quang Ngai

Besides Ly Son Island , Quang Ngai also boasts ancient volcanic craters near the shore, pristine beaches, and hills covered in purple rhododendron blossoms on the grasslands.

Quang Ngai may not be a well-known destination, but it's an ideal place for travelers seeking new experiences. The suggested activities below are based on advice from Ms. Truong Thu Huong, Vice President of the Quang Ngai Provincial Tourism Association.

Day 1

Morning

Tourists, especially those staying at My Khe Beach, should start their mornings with a swim. My Khe is the most famous beach in Quang Ngai, sharing the same name as a beach in Da Nang but more unspoiled. Note that visitors should only swim near the sand and pay special attention to children, as the beach is quite deep.

For breakfast by the beach, you should choose Co Loi's banh beo (steamed rice cakes). Ms. Vo Thi Loi, 66 years old, the owner of the banh beo stall, has been making these cakes for 18 years. "With our unique broth recipe, the stall always has over 1,000 customers. Each dozen banh beo costs 25,000 VND," the owner said. Customers can also order soy milk, mung bean drink, or pennywort juice to accompany their banh beo.

Ms. Loi sells banh beo (steamed rice cakes) for 25,000 VND per dozen. Photo: Pham Linh

The chefs were overwhelmed with orders due to the large number of customers. Photo: Pham Linh

Banh beo is made from rice flour. Photo: Pham Linh

Ms. Vo Thi Loi, 66 years old, the owner of the restaurant, has a secret recipe for broth that captivates customers. Photo: Pham Linh

Ms. Loi is also the one who directly adds the broth to the plate of banh beo (steamed rice cakes). Photo: Pham Linh

Co Loi's banh beo (steamed rice cake) stall on My Khe beach is always crowded every morning. Photo: Pham Linh

After breakfast and swimming at My Khe Beach, the journey continues north along the coast. Here you have two options: go to Sa Ky Port in Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district to buy tickets to Ly Son Island, a famous tourist destination. However, if you choose to go to Ly Son Island, you should allocate two days to allow sufficient time for rest and exploration.

The second option involves a detour towards the People's Committee of Binh Chau commune to visit the remnants of volcanic eruptions from millions of years ago. Along the way, you can see a large field to the west, the trace of an ancient river in Chau Me village, which Dr. Doan Ngoc Khoi, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai Provincial Museum, believes belonged to the maritime system of the Cham people.

The ancient Chau Me River on the way to the People's Committee of Binh Chau commune. Photo: Pham Linh

The river is now a field, with patches of withered grass during the dry season. Photo: Pham Linh

The mud streaks on the ancient Chau Me river resemble a tree. Photo: Pham Linh

When visiting Binh Chau commune, a must-see is Ba Lang An Cape – the easternmost point of Quang Ngai province, closest to Ly Son Island from the mainland. Here, you'll find remnants of a volcanic crater near the shore, and beautifully shaped cliffs. Visitors can also swim in the area surrounded by large rocks. This cape also features a lighthouse with white and red colors, creating a striking contrast against the lush green backdrop of the sea and hills.

Binh Minh is located in Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district. Photo: Pham Linh

Ba Lang An Cape. Photo: Pham Linh

Tourists swim at Ba Lang An beach. Photo: Pham Linh

Young people check in at Ba Lang An. Photo: Pham Linh

A million-year-old volcanic crater in Ba Lang An. Photo: Pham Linh

Basket boats used by locals on the beach. Photo: Pham Linh

Grilled sea urchin in Binh Chau. Photo: Pham Linh

The loading dock is located in Ganh Da hamlet, Chau Thuan Bien village, Binh Chau commune. Photo: Pham Linh

 

Sunrise in Chau Tan. Photo: Cuong Cong Tu

Tourists check in at Chau Tan. Photo: Cuong Cong Tu

The baby is delighted with the decorative wheels on the beach. Photo: Cuong Cong Tu

 

Located 2 km west of this site is Bai Xep, in Ganh Da hamlet, Chau Thuan Bien village, Binh Chau commune. Also formed by volcanic eruptions, the rocks here resemble the Ganh Da Dia rock formation in Phu Yen. Visitors can camp and swim. Nearby is the largest onshore fish market in Quang Ngai province and Chau Tan beach, which is wider and less crowded than My Khe beach.

Noon

Visit restaurants and eateries in coastal tourist areas to enjoy fresh seafood such as crab, shrimp, squid, and especially grilled sea urchin. There are many restaurants to choose from, such as Hong Sinh, Thai Duong, and Thoi Nhat.

Afterward, sea lovers can continue north to Binh Son district to visit Ganh Yen, a place with similar geological structures, considered a second Ly Son with its onion and garlic fields.

Sa Huynh salt flats viewed from above. Photo: Pham Linh

Evening

Spend an afternoon at the Sa Huynh salt fields in Duc Pho district, one of the most famous salt fields in Central Vietnam. Here, visitors can book a salt field tour. Members of the Sa Huynh salt field community tourism cooperative will tell stories about the salt-making profession, how salt farmers produce salt by utilizing the sun and wind, and the architecture of the salt fields, from the irrigation canals leading to the salt plots. Visitors can also experience raking salt themselves, and children can learn about the microorganisms on the salt fields.

Here you'll also find An Khe Lagoon, one of the largest freshwater lagoons in Central Vietnam, which was once home to the ancient Sa Huynh people. Visitors can experience rowing boats on the lagoon.

Tourists can spend the night in Sa Huynh or travel to Quang Ngai City to continue their journey on the second day.

Day 2

Morning

Try some delicious Quang Ngai breakfast dishes. First is banh trang gio (steamed rice paper), also known as banh rap. Hot steamed rice paper is sandwiched between a toasted rice paper, brushed with oil and chives, and dipped in fermented fish sauce. In Quang Ngai city, banh rap is sold on Truong Quang Trong Street or Le Dai Hanh Street...

A more upscale option is the braised duck offal on Phan Dinh Phung Street. This braised offal dish, made with a special recipe, attracts hundreds of customers every morning.

The journey then continues to the Bui Hui grassland, located in Ba Trang commune, Ba To district, more than 70 km west of Quang Ngai city. It would be even better if you arrived the afternoon before and stayed overnight to watch the sunrise. The sunrise here is a mist covering the grassland, scattering sunlight through it in a kaleidoscope of colors.

The most special feature of this vast grassland, spanning tens of hectares, is the untouched hill of purple myrtle bushes. This season, the myrtle berries are ripe, so you can visit the hill and buy myrtle wine from the locals.

Sunrise over the Bui Hui grassland. Photo: Thanh Su

H'Re girls in traditional costumes on a hill covered with rhododendron flowers. Photo: Thanh Su.

To reach the sim flower hill, you can take the road along the mountain. Photo: Thanh Su

There's also a camping service run by a group of local young people here; if you're interested, you should contact them in advance by searching for "Bui Hui Grassland". Visitors can ask for advice on food or buy their own supplies to cook on the grassland. If you want to try local cuisine, the most distinctive dish is smoked buffalo meat, but it's quite rare.

Afternoon

In Bui Hui in the afternoon, the sunset paints everything in golden hues, and the drifting clouds seem almost touching the sky. However, be wary of thunderstorms in Bui Hui, so check the weather forecast carefully.

Returning to Quang Ngai City to conclude your two-day trip, don't forget to try "don ," the province's most famous specialty. Don resembles clams but is yellow in color, has sweeter water, and is harvested by locals from the Tra Khuc River. Separating the shells to extract the tiny don inside is a meticulous process; chefs then cook them sweet or stir-fry them with onions.

A don (a type of noodle dish) restaurant in Quang Ngai City. Photo: Huynh Van Thuong

The broth is piping hot. Photo: Huynh Van Thuong

Tô don is usually topped with plenty of onions and rice paper, and served with fertilized duck eggs. Photo: Châu Thọ

Don is eaten with thin, raw or cooked rice paper, creating a crackling sound when broken and added to the bowl—a very "Quang Ngai" sound that anyone can easily recognize when visiting any eatery in the land of the Indian Mountains and the Tra River.

Pham Linh

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