Buzz
Binh Ba is the hottest destination. Travelers praise it endlessly, while those who haven't been are eager to learn from the experience.
Below are the useful experiences that Mytour has summarized, let's refer to have a smooth trip to Binh Ba island!
Introduction to Binh Ba Island
Binh Ba is a small island, with an area of over 3km2, belonging to Cam Binh commune, Cam Ranh city, Khanh Hoa province. It is 60 km from Nha Trang and about 390 km from Ho Chi Minh City. To get to Binh Ba, we must go to Ba Ngòi port. Ba Ngòi port is 15km from Cam Ranh airport, and Binh Ba is also 15km from Ba Ngòi port.
Formerly a military island, Binh Ba restricted outsiders from entering. Now, the regulations have been relaxed, but foreigners are still prohibited. This is also why Binh Ba is now famous! In addition, if you don't want to be expelled from the island early, you should not be curious about the areas restricted by the military or engage in disruptive or provocative behavior.
Due to strict military management, Binh Ba remains a relatively untouched island, with nature still retaining its rustic charm, untouched by human destruction. Recently, with the increasing number of visitors to Binh Ba, the infrastructure has not developed in line with the influx of tourists, making the environment on the island not as pristine as before.
When is the best time to travel to Binh Ba?
You can travel to Binh Ba anytime you want, but the ideal time is still from March to September. Besides, you should also try to visit Binh Ba on weekdays, because during holidays, the number of visitors here is extremely high, making it difficult for you to fully enjoy the beauty of the island. Also, to avoid rushing, you should spend at least 2 days on the island.
Means of transportation
There are 3 ways to travel to Binh Ba: By plane, by car, and by motorbike.
By plane: Every day, there are many flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. As soon as you get off the plane, there will be a long line of taxis waiting at Cam Ranh airport to take you to Ba Ngòi port. With 15km, it only takes you about half an hour to get there.
Note: you must time your flight and ferry to the island reasonably, to avoid the situation of arriving at the port and having to wait for a long time.
Vietnam Airlines
– Southern Region Office Tan Son Nhat International Airport
49 Truong Son, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (84.8) 8446667 Fax: (84.8) 8485312 Sita : SGNAVVN
Email: [email protected]
– Reservation center by phone in the South: 08-8320320
Jet Star Pacific Airline Ho Chi Minh City: (Opening hours: From 07:30 to 18:00)
– Ticket office, 01 Me Linh Square, District 1 (84-8) 8.258.101 (84-8) 8.258.102
– Ticket office, 4 Truong Son Street, Tan Binh District (84-8) 8.442.705 (84-8) 8.486.256
– Ticket office, 177 Vo Thi Sau Street, District 3 (84-8) 2.907.349 (84-8) 9.325.980
VietJetAir Ho Chi Minh City
– Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Tel: +84 (8) 3 547 4174
Fax: +84 (8) 3 848 9343
– VietJetAir Truong Son
Address: 2C Truong Son/48 Phan Dinh Giot, Ward 2, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: 08 38 454 640
Fax: 08 38 454 643
Opening hours: 07:00 – Closing hours: 21:00 (Sunday & Holidays open until 19:00)
– VietJetAir Nguyen Kiem
Address: 35 Nguyen Kiem, Ward 3, Go Vap District
Tel: 1900 1774
Fax: +84 (8) 6 266 7667
Opening hours: 7:30 – Closing hours: 21:30 (Sunday & Holidays open until 18:00).
Car: High-quality cars, tour cars.
PHUONG TRANG
– At Cam Ranh: Address: Lot 0, Le Duan Street, Cam Loc, Cam Ranh (near Cam Ranh Bus Station).
Telephone: Cam Ranh – (058) 626 0263
– At Nha Trang: Telephone: 0583. 524.315
– At Ho Chi Minh City: Telephone: (08) 38.375.570
Address: 272 De Tham, District 1. Telephone: (08) 38.333.468
Address: 328A Le Hong Phong, District 10.
HA LINH
-At Cam Ranh: Address: 114 Dai Lo Hung Vuong, Ba Ngoi, Cam Ranh.
Telephone: Cam Ranh – 058. 626 0056
– At Nha Trang: Address: 14B Tran Hung Dao, Nha Trang City
– At Saigon: Telephone : 08 350 75 345
PHUONG NAM
– Operate the route Saigon – Cam Ranh – Nha Trang:
+ Departure and arrival at Pham Ngu Lao Western Quarter.
+ Departure from Saigon and Nha Trang both at 8pm-9pm.
+ Sleeper buses.
– Transaction points:
+ Saigon: 275F Pham Ngu Lao. Tel: (08) 66540386
201 Pham Ngu Lao. Tel: (08) 66570386
+ Nha Trang: 3 Nguyen Chanh. Tel: (058) 6507677-625.8322
QL1 Suoi Tan, Cam Lam (058) 374 335
QL1 Cam Hoa, Cam Lam Tel: (058) 386 3662
QL1 Bai Gieng 1, Cam Duc, Cam Lam. Tel: (058) 6284755
QL1 TT Cam Duc, Cam Lam. Tel: (058) 3859267
QL1 Cam Thanh Bac, Cam Lam. Tel: (058) 3859752 – 2242290.
QL1 Cau Bac, Cam Thanh Bac, Cam Lam. Tel: (058) 3895376
44B QL1 Cam Ranh. Tel: (058) 3854232
HOA THUAN ANH
– Route Saigon – Cam Ranh – Nha Trang.
+ Saigon: Departure and arrival at 258A Le Hong Phong.
+ Schedule: Saigon: 20:30, Cam Ranh: 21:30, Nha Trang: 20:30.
– Route Can Tho – Nha Trang departs from Can Tho on Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4:30 pm. New 36-seat high-quality sleeper bus.
– Contact addresses:
+ Saigon: 258A Le Hong Phong. Tel: (08) 62.722.955 – 62.725.001.
Thu Duc Intersection No. 748-750 XL Ha Noi, District 9. Tel: (08) 37.306.125.
+ Cam Ranh: 95 Hung Vuong. Tel: (058) 3 954 955 – 221 2955.
+ Nha Trang: 1/24 Tran Quang Khai. Tel: (058) 3524 471 – 3522 632.
+ Can Tho: 60 3/2 Street, Hung Loi, Ninh Kieu. Tel: (0710) 3888.688
+ Vinh Long: CoopMark Supermarket. Tel: (070)383 7838.
+ Long Xuyen: CoopMark Supermarket. Tel: (076) 3940011
+ Soc Trang: 5 Phu Loi. Tel: (079) 3614 858
+ Bac Lieu: 158 Hoa Binh, Ward 3. Tel: (0781)395 8555
CUC TUNG
– Route: Saigon – Ninh Hoa – Nha Trang – Da Nang; Vung Tau – Nha Trang and Can Tho – Nha Trang.
– High-quality sleeper and sitting buses.
– Nha Trang ticket office: (058) 247.1999 – 625.5666
– Miền Đông bus station ticket office: (08) 3511.6863
– From Miền Đông bus station, buses depart in the morning and evening every hour (last bus at 10:30 pm).
+ Bus 79B-00001: Departs from Saigon at 8:40 pm, departs from Nha Trang at 9:40 am. Telephone: 0989.305.305
+ Bus 79D-8050: Departs from Nha Trang at 10:15 am, departs from Saigon at 9:45 pm. Telephone: 0904.447.373 – 0902.006.455.
MINH DUNG
– At Saigon
+Route Saigon – Ninh Hoa
Departure time at both ends is 8pm.
+Route Saigon – Nha Trang
Departure time at Saigon: 9:45am, 9:30pm, 10:30pm.
– At Nha Trang: 8:30pm, 9:30pm.
+Route Saigon – Cam Ranh
Departure time at Saigon: 1pm.
Departure time at Cam Ranh: 10pm.
Ticket booking phone: (08) 35115234. Office (08) 3519.0519 – 37442744
THE SINH TOURIST (Sinh Café) (www.thesinhtourist.vn)
– In Ho Chi Minh City: 246 – 248 Đề Thám Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City – Phone: (08). 38367338-38376833
– Nha Trang: 90C Hùng Vương – Phone: (058).3524.329
MAI LINH (www.mailinh.vn)
– Address: 64 – 68 Hai Bà Trưng, Ward BN, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Ticket booking: 08.9292929 (Ho Chi Minh City) or Mai Linh's agents
Nha Trang: 20A, Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa – Phone: (058).36255.888
Booking tickets at Miền Đông bus station: the price is of course cheaper than the above bus companies, but the quality is not good.
Miền Đông bus station: 292 Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, Ward 26, Bình Thạnh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: (08) 899 4056; (08) 898 4441; (08) 898 4442; (08) 898 4893
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.benxemiendong.com.vn.
Motorcycle:
Due to the relatively long distance, you should carefully consider your health condition, weather, and the condition of your 'warhorse' to avoid regrettable incidents on the way or arriving exhausted and unable to enjoy. From Ho Chi Minh City, ride along National Highway 1A (northbound). Along the way, you will pass through Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan), Phan Rang – Thap Cham (Ninh Thuan)...
It's best to park your motorcycle at Ba Ngòi port, parking lots, or with acquaintances, and then go to the island alone. First, if you want to bring your motorcycle to the island, you need to hire a private boat. Furthermore, the island is small, you can walk around it in a few circles. But if you want to explore further, you can rent a motorcycle.
Boat schedule from Ba Ngòi port to Binh Ba
The only means of transportation from Ba Ngòi port to Binh Ba island is by boat.
Boats from Ba Ngòi port to Binh Ba depart daily. Ticket price: 25,000 – 30,000 VND/person (depending on the type of passenger boat).
Train schedule:
– Ba Ngòi – Binh Ba: 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:00 PM.
– Binh Ba – Ba Ngòi: 5:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM.
If you charter a boat, the departure time is decided by the charterer.
– Contact for boat charter: 0976.789.186 (Mr. Hau) or 0944.506.371 (forgot the name).
Accommodation
There are quite a few guesthouses on the island, most of which are fully equipped. Prices are usually 100,000 VND/person on weekdays (higher on weekends, about one and a half to double the price). Among the guesthouses, the most famous is Mr. Bay Ho's guesthouse (0983 858 941), because of its location right next to Nom beach, with rooms overlooking the sea, clean, and fully equipped (except for a refrigerator).
Ms. Dung's guesthouse at 0972332202, accommodation price is about 70,000 VND/night, meals 70,000 VND/meal. Ms. Tuyen's guesthouse at 0914.493.793, or Ms. Tuyen's mother's phone number 0962.466.528. The guesthouse is spacious and cool, accommodating about 40 guests, with about 7 bathrooms/WCs.
If you want to save money and don't need many amenities, just accommodation, you can stay at a homestay, which is only half the price of guesthouses. At the homestay, there is Ms. Ut Tang's place (0918 948 953). You can ask Ms. Ut Tang or ask anyone in the Nom beach area to find a whole house. There is also Ms. Ngoc Tu, phone number: 0942016958. The house is spacious, airy, clean, and fully equipped. Near the market and the beaches. Suitable for groups of about 20 tourists. The price is around 1 million VND/day.
You can contact in advance so that when you get off the boat at the port, someone will pick up your motorcycle and take you to the guesthouse immediately. The people on this island are very relaxed and friendly, you can park your bike and then decide whether to stay or go elsewhere without anyone being bothered or annoyed. Moreover, almost everyone will be enthusiastic about guiding you on many interesting things.
Food
Binh Ba is famous for its lobster and fresh seafood, so we must not miss this specialty. You can ask the tour organizer to take a boat to the beaches and eat on the boat. Here, there are lobster and green lobster, each type has 2 price levels: boiled lobster price range: 400,000 - 600,000 VND/kg, live lobster: 1,400,000 - 1,800,000 VND/kg. The price of lobster depends on the day, the season, but it will definitely be cheaper than elsewhere by 30% to 50%.
However, you should not eat too much, but save it for dinner. If you want to organize a party with karaoke, there will be someone to take care of everything. If you want to 'challenge yourself' a little, then you should go to the market and organize a seafood buffet for yourself. Around 4-5pm, go to the ferry terminal area, there are many places selling seafood there.
There are many types of lobster, green lobster, fish, sea snails, sea cucumbers, abalone, oysters, squid,... Ask for prices and choose the most suitable dishes, then ask the restaurant to prepare them. You can sit and eat right at the restaurant or ask them to bring it to Nom beach so you can eat while enjoying the sea. They will lend you everything from stove, pot to chopsticks, your job is just to borrow a canvas (ask the guesthouse) and find the most suitable spot, then enjoy eating, singing, and playing!
There are also many eateries selling delicious and cheap dishes such as banh canh/bun cha ca (fried or steamed), bun thit nuong, mi, nui, hu tieu, smoothies, grilled rice paper… The prices of these dishes are only from 10k – 20k, very attractive, right? Or at the guesthouse, they will cook rice for you if you request, but the price for a portion of rice like that is quite expensive (80k - 90k/portion) compared to the quality and nothing outstanding.
Every early morning, from about 5:30 - 7:00, there is a market right at the ferry terminal. The boats that go fishing will come back and many people will sell seafood right there, mainly fish and squid, at quite cheap prices. If you want to buy more types of fish, especially boxfish, you should wait until 8:00 am when more fish will come up. Usually, in the morning before leaving Binh Ba, people will go to the market to buy seafood and pack it to bring home. Here, there are refrigerated boxes for sale and the sellers will give you ice and marinate the fish, pack the box for you.
Play
Daytime: Beach bathing and coral watching
– The unmissable activity when traveling to Binh Ba is to rent a boat to visit the beaches and dive to see the coral. Usually, the price for a boat to all the beaches is 1 million - 1.2 million VND/trip depending on the place, so if you go in a group, it will be more economical. It's called 'diving to see coral', but actually you don't have to dive, just wear a life jacket and lie on a buoy, put your face down on the sea surface, and you can see it, so those who don't know how to swim shouldn't hesitate to try it! It's recommended to bring swimming goggles for easier swimming and diving, because wearing unfamiliar diving goggles can be difficult and uncomfortable.
– You can even see coral without getting into the water. Occasionally, at Nha Cu beach when the tide is low, colorful coral strips will bask in the sun, allowing you to walk and admire, touch, and enjoy.
– There are many beaches, but usually, visit 7 beaches, including 3 beaches accessible by motorbike: Nom beach, Chương beach, and Nhà Cũ beach. Nom Beach: This is a very wide sandy beach with rocky areas. Most locals and tourists bathe here because the sea is very clean and clear. Chương Beach: Located about 30 minutes walk from the pier. This is the only beach on the island where you can see the sunrise. Nhà Cũ Beach: This beach has many sea anemones, so you may get stung when bathing. However, this beach can be said to be excellent in terms of the cleanliness and clarity of the sea.
– So if you have more time, you should only rent a boat to visit the remaining 4 beaches, firstly the rental price will be reduced (about 600k), secondly, you will have more time to swim and see coral at each place, remember to request equipment (life jackets, buoys, diving goggles) and guides to see coral in the best places.
– There is also a food service on the boat with boat rental (contact the tour organizers at guesthouses near the ferry terminal on Binh Ba, or ask any local).
Rent a motorbike, explore the island
– After swimming, seeing coral, the equally exciting part is renting a motorbike to explore the island. The rental price is 100k/day, there are many places to rent motorbikes on the island and all guesthouses also have this service. You should ride a motorbike from early morning to Chương Beach to admire the sunrise, then explore all the mountain passes. There are many places that will give you very beautiful views, especially the 3 highest points in the North, South, and East directions. You will have the opportunity to observe the panoramic view of Cam Ranh Bay, admire Rùa Islet, coastal patrol ships, small or large fishing boats, or the entire residential area of the island.
– The old relics such as pillboxes, artillery positions, mountain-side tunnels... are also worth a visit.
– At Nom beach, there is a small park area with many trees, nearby there are hammocks for rent. A cool and breezy noon nap, swaying with the sound of waves and sea breeze is truly amazing. The hammock rental price is only 5k each (can be rented with a stand for 50k each), well worth a try!
Evening:
– The first interesting activity you should try is crab hunting. The beaches around Binh Ba Island are full of crabs, you can take a flashlight to hunt crabs at night, it's really fun. Especially, you can enjoy delicious fried crabs afterward.
– In the evening, if you are with a group, you can contact Mr. Tung Rau (0969 819 797) to organize a seafood party + karaoke on the beach.
– Another interesting game is to contact the boat owners to go on their boats for shrimp and squid fishing. Some tour companies also organize this, or you can just ask any local on the island, it won't be difficult to find the right place.
To have the most complete experience when traveling to Binh Ba, don't forget to click and choose the exciting tour package below!
Binh Ba 2D2N Tour: Explore Cam Ranh Bay
Binh Ba 2D2N Tour: Binh Ba – Hot Spring Bath – Resort Stay
Five Peaks 3D3N Tour: Binh Hung – Binh Lap – Binh Chau – Binh Tien – Binh Ba
Linh Dan (Compilation)
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Reference: Travel Handbook from Mytour
MytourFebruary 16, 2016
