Quang Ngai Travel Guide

Quang Ngai Province is located in the South Central Coast, bordering Quang Nam Province to the North and Binh Dinh Province to the South. Quang Ngai has a 130 km long coastline, with many scenic spots and historical destinations.

Beautiful season

The best time to travel to Quang Ngai is from April to August. This is a dry, sunny time with almost no storms, making it convenient for traveling and participating in recreational activities.

Co Luy Bridge, the end of Tra Khuc River, Quang Ngai City. Photo: Pham Linh

Move

Quang Ngai does not have an airport, the nearest airport is Chu Lai (Quang Nam), about 40 km from Quang Ngai city. From Chu Lai to Quang Ngai, there are the following means of transport: Taxi: Airport taxi costs 450,000 VND to 600,000 VND one way. Popular companies are Mai Linh and Sun. Airport bus: The bus between Chu Lai airport and Quang Ngai city center takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, suitable for passengers traveling individually or in small groups with little luggage. Ticket price is 60,000 VND. Service car: Shuttle service costs from about 450,000 VND for a 4-seat car and 850,000 VND to 1 million VND for a 12 to 16-seat car. Self-driving cars cost about 700,000 VND to 1 million VND per day, depending on the type. The Thong Nhat train from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City stops at Quang Ngai station. Round-trip fares for the fastest train range from VND1.4 million to VND2 million from Hanoi and from VND1 million to VND1.5 million from Ho Chi Minh City. In Quang Ngai City, the most convenient way to get around is by motorbike. Visitors can rent a motorbike through their hotel for around VND100,000 a day, depending on the type of motorbike.

Accommodation

Quang Ngai does not have many luxury hotels or resorts. Accommodation areas are divided into areas, depending on the needs of tourists to visit and stay, they can choose a suitable place to rest. In Quang Ngai City, on the south bank of Tra Khuc River, there is the oldest Song Tra Hotel here, nearby are Thien An Riverside Hotel, Luxury Hotel. In the neighboring areas, there are King Hotel, Central Hotel, Cam Thanh Hotel. Room rates range from 400,000 VND to 700,000 VND per night. In addition, in the inner city, there are also some stylish motels and homestays such as Turi, Tron. Motels or budget hotels cost around 200,000 VND per night.

After the expansion of Quang Ngai city in 2014, part of Son Tinh district in the northeast and Tu Nghia district in the southeast were merged, so that the city could develop on both sides of the river, facing the sea. The southern suburbs of Tra Khuc river have Cocoland River Beach Resort & Spa in Bai Dua tourist area (Tu Nghia district), in the north there are homestays on My Khe beach or hotels like My Khe Hotel.

In the northern areas of Binh Son district, visitors can stay at hotels and homestays in Chau O town along the Tra Bong River (the river in the poem Remembering the Homeland River - Te Hanh) to visit places in this area, or The Harmonia Hotel (in Dung Quat). In the south, in the Sa Huynh area, there is Sa Huynh resort. Prices range from 500,000 VND to 1.2 million VND per night.

Where to play

Tourist attractions in Quang Ngai are spread throughout the province, so visitors need to choose the area to stay and the attractions that suit their needs, especially when they do not have much time. Quang Ngai City

Heart-shaped sand dune on the bank of Tra Khuc River. Photo: Pham Linh

Quang Ngai City has an area of 160 km2, with Tra Khuc River flowing through the heart of the city. Coming here, visitors can stroll along both sides of the river, watching the alluvial fields of crops and green melons at dawn and dusk. At the end of Tra Khuc River is Co Luy Bridge, the most beautiful bridge in the province, where you can see the sand dunes and the seaport with the same name as Cua Dai of Quang Nam province. The inner city of Quang Ngai is a type 2 urban area, without many places to visit, but it is the starting point to tourist areas in the city such as Thien An Mountain, Son My relic site, Tinh Khe coconut forest, My Khe beach... Ly Son Island

Ly Son island district is 15 nautical miles from the mainland, with a natural area of 10.39 km2 and a population of more than 22,000 people. Ly Son is considered a pearl in the middle of the sea. In 2019, the island was voted by Forbes Magazine (USA) as one of the 10 places with the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. In particular, Ly Son is also known as the "Kingdom of Garlic". Ly Son has two craters, Tien Well and Thoi Loi, more than 50 historical and cultural relics, including 6 national relics, 19 provincial relics, and 2 archaeological sites. This is a place to preserve precious tangible and intangible cultural values, converging and crystallizing from 3 ancient cultures: Sa Huynh, Champa and ancient Vietnamese culture. There are also many traditional festivals on the island, especially the Hoang Sa soldier memorial ceremony and the four-spirit boat racing festival, which are included in the list of national intangible cultural heritages. This is also the place to preserve documents and historical evidence establishing landmarks and Vietnam's sovereignty over the East Sea with the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa. My Khe Beach

My Khe Beach is located about 15 km from the center of Quang Ngai city, one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in the province. A taxi from the city center to My Khe costs about 200,000 VND. Visitors can also use bus route 03. My Khe Beach is near Sa Ky port (about 10 km), so visitors can combine staying one night at My Khe Beach before going to Ly Son Island. Some prominent accommodations here: My Khe Hotel, Chau Ngoc Vien Hotel or homestays such as Nha Minh, Lang Bien... Tu Nghia Coconut Beach Tu Nghia Coconut Beach is located about 10 km from the city center, with about 200 trees. Here, you will enjoy the cool green space, drinking fresh sweet coconuts picked right from the trees. At Tu Nghia Coconut Beach tourist area, there are floating restaurants serving many delicious dishes in the style of village cuisine. This is not only a tourist destination, but also a "fence" to protect the villagers during the rainy and stormy season. Son My relic site

Son My Memorial Area.

The Son My massacre site is located in Son Tinh district, 13 km northeast of Quang Ngai city. This is the place that records the crimes of the American invaders during the war of aggression against Vietnam. On March 16, 1968, a destructive operation was carried out by the American army, attacking the people of Son My. 504 people died, including 182 women, 173 children, 60 elderly people, 24 families, and 247 houses burned down. The Son My massacre was the pinnacle of the crimes of the American empire against the Vietnamese people during the war of aggression.

The Son My relic site is 2.4 hectares wide, next to provincial road 24B, including original relics that have been preserved and restored, and newly built structures such as: additional exhibition houses, reception areas, monuments, and garden statues. Outside the relic site are steles erected at the locations where the shootings took place.

The relic site is open from Monday to Sunday, from 7am to 5pm, ticket price 20,000 VND. Bui Hui Grassland

Myrtle hill on Bui Hui grassland. Photo: Thanh Su

The grassland belongs to Ba Trang commune, Ba To district, which is known as the buffalo capital of Quang Ngai, more than 70 km west of Quang Ngai city. Bui Hui is dozens of hectares wide, with poetic purple sim hills. The sim season is around June-July, when local people wear traditional costumes to the hills to pick sim. You can check-in with sim flowers, fruits, and buy sim wine from the indigenous H'Re people. The sunrise and sunset in the grassland are covered with clouds and fog, making visitors feel like they can touch the horizon. This is a suitable place for picnics and camping with friends and family after busy days in the city. Ba Lang An Cape If you want to find a place to relax and explore the wild beauty of the Central islands, come to Ba Lang An Cape in Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district. This is a cape created by volcanic sedimentary cliffs along with clear blue sea. The name of this place is because this place has three villages with the same name "An": An Hai, An Vinh and An Ky. The French discovered this place with the easternmost terrain of Quang Ngai province, the closest place to Ly Son island, with abundant seafood resources, and another name on the world map is Batangan. At Ba Lang An cape, you will have the opportunity to see the whole view of the cape from the 36 m high lighthouse, walk along the coast, take pictures with the undulating rocks or the inactive volcano. Sa Huynh salt fields

This is one of the most famous salt fields in the Central region, 110 hectares wide, located along National Highway 1A, in Duc Pho district, about 60 km south of the city center. Here, visitors can book a salt field tour to have members of the community tourism cooperative tell the story of the salt industry, how salt farmers make salt by taking advantage of the sun and wind, the architecture of the salt fields from the ditches leading water to the fields. Visitors can also experience raking salt themselves, children can learn about the microorganisms in the salt fields. This is also an easy place to take beautiful photos, especially at sunset, when the fields reflect the sunlight like a giant mirror. Minh Long White Waterfall Minh Long White Waterfall tourist area is about 30 km from the center of Quang Ngai city. The waterfall has a slope of over 40m, located in the middle of the mountains, and is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the province. At the foot of the waterfall is a natural lake with blue and cool water, where visitors are allowed to swim. At the foot of the waterfall is a stream about 20 m wide, winding through the valley before flowing out to join other streams. Minh Long Waterfall is an attractive destination for backpackers. Thien An Mountain

Thien An Mountain is considered a symbol of Quang Ngai, with a majestic landscape, about 135 m high. This place has been ranked as a national monument and scenic spot. Thien An Mountain is suitable for those who love backpacking and exploring. When you come here, you should visit Thien An Pagoda. The ancient pagoda was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic in 1990. The pagoda is surrounded by wild and majestic mountains and forests, so the space is fresh. The road to the pagoda is a bit winding, so visitors should be careful when moving. Ganh Yen Ganh Yen is located next to the fishing village of Thanh Thuy, Binh Hai commune, Binh Son district, 35 km north of Quang Ngai city. Coming here, you will admire the sedimentary rocks stacked on top of each other, creating interesting shapes. You will also see colorful coral reefs when the tide recedes far away. Ganh Yen Cape not only has geological beauty on the shore, but also has a rich and diverse marine ecosystem. You can dive to see the dense coral reefs below the seabed, or cast nets to catch fish, crabs, and squid with the locals. There are also fresh and cheap seafood dishes at the beachside restaurants. Dang Thuy Tram Relic Site Dang Thuy Tram Relic Site is an attractive tourist destination for young people, located in Pho Cuong commune, Duc Pho district. The relic site includes: Dang Thuy Tram Infirmary and historical destinations associated with the activities of doctor Dang Thuy Tram during the war such as: Bong Dau Mountain Forward Surgical Station, secret tunnel in the garden of physician Ta Thi Ninh in Pho Cuong commune, Duc Pho Infirmary at Chay hill, Dong Ram 1 village, Ba Kham commune, Duc Pho Infirmary at Nuoc Dang village, Ba Trang commune, Ba To district... Martyr - doctor Dang Thuy Tram is known for her work "Dang Thuy Tram's Diary" and was born and raised in Hanoi by Thua Thien - Hue. Dang Thuy Tram was assigned to be a doctor on the southern battlefield, working at Duc Pho district hospital. She died when she was not yet 28 years old, taking with her her youth, fighting spirit and youthful ambitions. Bau Ca Cai

Bau Ca Cai is located in Tuyet Diem village, Binh Thuan commune, Binh Son district, 50 km north of Quang Ngai city. Bau Ca Cai mangrove forest and lagoon are 83 hectares wide, of which 50 hectares of white cocoon forest and 6-year-old mangrove are being managed and protected, the rest are being planted. These trees were planted under the project "Enhancing resilience to the impacts of climate change for vulnerable coastal communities in Vietnam". After successful planting, this area was assigned to the people to protect and develop tourism. In autumn, the white cocoon trees create a mesmerizing beauty when viewed from above, attracting many tourists and photographers.

What to eat

Don This is a specialty of Quang Ngai, appearing a lot in two big rivers, Tra Khuc and Ve. Usually in the dry season around April-May, people around the river go to rake don. Don lives buried in the sand so raking is quite hard.

After buying or catching, the don is washed, put into boiling water, stirred vigorously and continuously to open the mouth, so that the broth is sweet. Remove the pot from the heat, take the clear water into another pot and season to taste. The don is served with the inside. When a customer orders, the seller scoops a little don and breaks a rice paper into a bowl, adds onions, green onions and cilantro, then pours in the water. Don is served with chili, garlic, pepper... Don can be enjoyed at any time of the day, but Quang Ngai people often eat it in the afternoon. Some addresses: Don Co Luy 115 Chu Van An, Don Gao Dua on Truong Sa Street, Don Thanh Nhan on Quang Trung Street... Tra River goby Quang Ngai people often eat goby in their daily meals and consider goby an indispensable dish in life. Tra River goby is most delicious in the summer. Fishermen often catch fish with a bamboo tube (a bamboo tube about 1 meter long, empty at both ends, a sharp stake stuck in the water). Bring the goby fish home fresh, put it in a clay pot with spices such as chili, onion, pepper, add enough water to cover, then simmer over low heat with spices such as onion, chili, garlic, add a little pepper and water for more than an hour. The fish is chewy, fragrant and salty, eaten with white rice. Along with don, Tra river goby fish is in the top 50 most delicious dishes in Vietnam recognized by the Vietnam Record Book Center. Banh xeo Unlike southern banh xeo, banh xeo in Quang Ngai is molded in a small mold, about 20cm in diameter. The cake crust is made from fresh rice flour, the finished cake is often soft, with shrimp, bean sprouts... According to people's experience, the longer the banh xeo mold is used, the more delicious the cake is when it comes out of the oven, without sticking or burning. Banh xeo is best eaten with sliced banana, cucumber, herbs, lettuce, fish mint and dipped in fish sauce mixed with chili and Ly Son garlic. Some addresses: 124 Phan Dinh Phung, 471 Le Loi, Mrs. Loi My Khe beach, Ms. Dung Tinh Khe... Corn rolls Shredded glutinous corn or American corn, mixed with salt, sugar, pepper, onions, and chives, then wrapped in rice paper, a thin and chewy type of cake. After rolling, corn rolls are fried in a pan of boiling oil, giving a golden, crispy finished product. Ram is best eaten hot with sweet and sour fish sauce and raw vegetables. Not only appearing in family meals and some snack shops, corn rolls are also one of the indispensable vegetarian dishes in the ancestral worshiping occasions and full moon days of Quang Ngai people. Seafood

Like many coastal areas in Vietnam, Quang Ngai has many types of fresh seafood caught and consumed on the same day. Crabs, sea urchins, oysters... are dishes not to be missed. Seafood in Quang Ngai is not expensive, with less than 300,000 VND per person, tourists can have a full meal. Some addresses: seafood restaurants along My Khe beach, Tra Khuc embankment, Tuan Map on Tran Phu street, Phuong Oc on Truong Quang Giao street, Vu Cua on Phan Dinh Phung street...

Mirror candy

Mirror candy is transparent, has a light yellow color of peanuts, a white-yellow color of sesame and is easily broken. This is a dish that followed some Chinese people from Chaozhou, Guangdong (China) to settle in Nghia Hoa commune, Tu Nghia district. The profession of making mirror candy spread and developed into a traditional profession that has been preserved through many generations. Mirror candy is crispy, has a sweet and fatty taste, and is very suitable when combined with lotus tea.