Buzz
Nam Du Island boasts breathtaking landscapes, pristine beaches, and delicious fresh seafood, promising an exhilarating journey of discovery.
Indulging in a 3-Day Retreat on Nam Du Island
Nam Du, the remotest archipelago of Kien Hai district (Kien Giang province), lies 83 km offshore from Rach Gia city. Nam Du remains largely untouched, featuring 21 picturesque islands scattered across the vast ocean, creating a stunning panorama. The archipelago falls under the administration of An Son and Nam Du commune.
Transportation Options
To reach Nam Du Island, your journey begins in Rach Gia.
Traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Rach Gia takes approximately 6 hours by bus. Most people opt for Phuong Trang bus departing at 23:15. The sleeper bus, with 40 beds, operates overnight and costs 145,000 dong.
From Rach Gia, travelers will take a boat to Nam Du Island, which takes about 2 hours by speedboat or 5 hours by regular boat. Boats will not depart if the sea is rough, at level 6 or higher. The two reputable speedboat companies are Ngoc Thanh and Superdong, both charging 210,000 dong per one-way ticket. It's advisable to book tickets a week in advance.
The Ngoc Thanh boat departs from Rach Gia at 8:15 and arrives at Nam Du at 12:15.
The Superdong boat departs from Rach Gia at 7:20 and arrives at Nam Du at 10:15.
The speedboat takes you to Cu Tron Island. If you wish to explore the surrounding islands, you can rent a Duy Tan or Sau Co boat, priced at around 250,000 dong per person.
Alternatively, you can rent a motorbike from guesthouses for approximately 150,000-200,000 dong per day to explore the island at your leisure, or take a motorbike taxi to visit the lighthouse, costing 50,000 dong one way and 80,000 dong for a round trip.
Accommodation
There are numerous guesthouses on the island, ranging from well-equipped air-conditioned rooms priced at 350,000 dong to fan rooms with a maximum price of 200,000 dong. Notable options include Huynh Hua, Nam Du, Sau Co, and Kim Yen guesthouses.
Renting a beach tent is an exciting option for adventure seekers. The expansive sandy beach at Hon Dau is a suitable location, with tent rental priced at around 30,000 dong per person and tent hire at 40,000 dong per person.
Itinerary Suggestions
From December to March, the sea is calm and clear, making it the ideal time to explore Nam Du Island. With a 3-day itinerary, you can discover the fascinating attractions of Nam Du Island.
Day One: Hon Lon (Cu Tron Island) - Cay Men Beach
If you take an overnight bus and arrive in Rach Gia early in the morning, around noon you will reach Hon Lon. After lunch and rest, take a stroll to Cay Men Beach. This beach is ranked among the most beautiful in the Nam Du archipelago. It's truly wonderful to lie on the long stretch of white sand, enjoying the relaxing feeling, immersed in the gentle sea breeze.
Before you, the green of the forest, of the sea blends with the green of the coconut trees that have stood between heaven and earth for 7-8 decades, revealing a magnificent pristine landscape. The sea here is very gentle. You can delight in immersing yourself in the cool, clear blue water, picking shellfish on the rocky beach, diving for fish, or admiring the colorful coral.
Enjoy the freshly picked coconuts with a uniquely sweet, refreshing taste lingering on Cay Men Beach until late afternoon, where you can admire the beautiful sunset. Amidst the vast land and sea, with the sea breeze gently blowing, watching the sun gradually disappear behind the horizon is an unforgettable experience.
Afterward, you can head to the harbor, buy seafood at very cheap prices, and have a dinner right by the sea with scallops, squid, shrimp, crabs, and most notably grilled bluebone fish wrapped in rice paper. The fresh, flavorful taste of the sea will provide you with a delightful dinner.
Day Two: Hon Ngang - Hon Mau - Hon Dau - Hon Hai Bo Dap
Before embarking on the exploration for the second day, you can pre-order a home-cooked meal from the guesthouse to taste the local flavor of islanders' home-cooked rice.
There are two boat trips from Hon Lon to Hon Ngang each day, at 7:00 and 15:00. After 30 minutes, you will arrive at the center of Nam Du commune. At Hon Ngang, you will visit a fishing village with nearly 60 fish cages for breeding grouper and herring. The port is lined with 2 km of closely packed stilt houses. You won't see any vehicles moving on the narrow 1.5-meter road.
Hon Mau covers an area of about 200 hectares, with over 120 adjacent households. This place is blessed by nature with 5 stunning beaches. Among them, two smooth white sand beaches, Nam Beach, the island's front face, and Chuong White Sand Beach with clear water; the rest are three rocky beaches: Bac Beach, Black Stone Beach, and White Stone Beach. The most ideal is Black Stone Beach, with beautiful, colorful rocks and patterns.
At Hon Mau, tourists can go fishing, diving for scallops, and eating sea snails. You can explore interesting aspects of fishermen's lives by seeing them weaving nets and boating. Here, remember to try squid porridge to experience the fragrant, chewy squid in a delicious porridge bowl. Hon Mau also has Mr. Ong's Palace, a shrine to Nam Hai deity.
From Hon Mau to Hon Dau is very close. It is relatively large compared to other islands. The primary forest covers about 90% of the area and is famous for its 'Hawaii coconut trees' leaning into the sea, dense beautiful coral reefs allowing tourists to wear goggles and dive to admire the colorful coral and fish.
Hon Hai Bo Dap with its stunning coconut trees is often chosen as a camping and fishing spot for young people.
Day 3: Lighthouse - artificial freshwater lake
Exploring the lighthouse and artificial freshwater lake by motorbike will give you a thrilling conquering sensation. Nam Du Lighthouse is located atop Hon Lon, considered the tallest lighthouse in Vietnam, thanks to its position on a hill over 300 meters above sea level. While not overly grand, the lighthouse offers a wonderful experience as you explore the radar station and admire the breathtaking scenery of the entire Nam Du archipelago.
On your way back, you can stop by Ong Tinh Hill to admire the panoramic view of Ngự Beach from above. Ngự Beach is located on the western side of Hon Lon, where it is said that King Gia Long once visited. During the dry season, this beach still has plenty of fresh water while other areas suffer from severe drought. There is still a well here always full of water, locally named the King's Well, as it is believed to have been dug when the king set foot here.
Afterward, you can visit the artificial freshwater lake in An Son commune. This is a project donated by former President Tran Duc Luong. Here, you can learn more about the daily life of the islanders.
Around 10 a.m., you return to pack your bags and check out to catch the 12:15 boat back to Rach Gia.
Food and Drink
At the beach, you must indulge in seafood. Fresh squid, shrimp, crabs... delicious and reasonably priced. The must-try specialties when visiting Nam Du also include grilled bluebone fish wrapped in banana leaves, grilled scallops with fat, sea snail porridge, steamed ginger squid eggs, and sour soup with herring...
Souvenir Shopping
Made from freshly caught fish, dried fish from Nam Du Island is a tempting specialty to buy as gifts. Additionally, unique rocks or seashells collected from the beaches will serve as a little reminder of your exciting experiences in this dreamy archipelago.
According to Zingnews
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourDecember 25, 2015
