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Embarking on a 5-day, 4-night journey to Quy Nhon and Tuy Hoa marked the pinnacle of my Vietnam sightseeing adventure. Surprisingly, I managed to explore nearly all of Quy Nhon and Tuy Hoa via air travel, indulging in local delicacies, residing in picturesque accommodations, and engaging in exciting activities. Feel free to glean insights from my travel experiences to Quy Nhon and Tuy Hoa.
To ensure a comprehensive travel experience, I meticulously crafted a detailed itinerary covering transportation, destinations, dining options, and accommodations. Now, navigating the destination is effortless. The greatest expenses in traveling are transportation and lodging, followed by dining.
Many argue that a 5-day trip incurs substantial costs. However, the affordability ultimately depends on personal choices. The paramount aspect is exercising restraint in the pursuit of indulgence. Cutting back on unnecessary expenses is the key.
Booked flights to Quy Nhon
When it comes to air travel, hunting for cheap tickets is a given if you want to save money. The price difference between buying directly on the website and booking elsewhere is only about 200,000-300,000 dong. It might sound small, but it covers a day's worth of hotel expenses, so it's best to book your own tickets because the process is quite simple even if it's your first time booking.
On this trip, I managed to secure flights to Quy Nhon for 500k for 2 people, and the return tickets cost 1.1 million dong for 2 people. That's a total of 1.6 million dong for a round trip for 2 people, which is incredibly cheap for a long journey.
Staying in Quy Nhon
Upon arrival in Quy Nhon on the first day, I opted for a hotel on Nguyen Thiep Street, right by the beach, making it convenient for getting around. It was inexpensive, at 250,000 dong per room, with a sea view.
On the second day, we stayed at a resort on Han Mac Tu Street, with a listed price of 1,450,000 dong per garden-facing room. However, I booked through an intermediary website for only 475,000 dong (including taxes and fees). It's a 4-star standard resort, offering all amenities: coffee, swimming pool, garden, private beach, and buffet breakfast.
You might wonder why we stayed at two different accommodations. Well, this was more of an exploratory trip than a leisurely one. Staying at a resort for two days would confine us, preventing further exploration of the city. Hence, we stayed at the resort on the second day to relax after nearly covering the entire city. However, there were some inconveniences in terms of travel time, so if you're not experienced, it's better to book only one place.
Where to go when in Quy Nhon
- Day 1: Check-in at 1 pm and kickstart the journey with a motorbike ride (dirt road travel requires renting a motorbike, priced at 120,000 dong/day excluding hotel gasoline costs). Visit the Twin Towers (corner of Tran Hung Dao Street).
Entrance ticket: 8,000 dong/person, parking fee: 3,000 dong. Then, ride along Xuân Diệu coastal road, exploring the city.
- Day 2: Explore Eo Gió and Ky Co. This place is about a 30-minute motorbike ride from the city, with beautiful and easy-to-navigate roads. The biggest regret of this trip was not being able to reach Ky Co because the sea was rough the previous day, and all boats were sent away to avoid the storm (Ky Co is a masterpiece of Quy Nhon, so it's a must-visit.
If you want to visit Ky Co, additional expenses will be 150,000 dong per person excluding meal costs, and 300,000 dong per person including lunch. Afterward, we visited the tomb of Han Mac Tu and Queen's Beach, as these two locations are close to each other.
What to Eat Here:
The food in Quy Nhon is diverse and affordable. We've enjoyed a variety of dishes here such as:
- Grilled pork sausage (59 Tran Binh Trong): Grilled pork sausage for 12,000 dong for 4 pieces, grilled meatball for 20,000 dong per plate.
- Mrs. O's cake soup (384 Bach Dang): A special type of cake soup eaten with a spoon. The rolled cakes here are also delicious, filled with minced meat, vegetables, and special seasonings wrapped in soft, chewy rice paper, served with fragrant sauce. We had 2 cake soups, 2 rolled cakes, and a soy milk for only 70,000 dong.
- Seafood at 7 Thơm (9 Nguyen Chanh - Bac Ha Thanh): Seafood including clams and snails priced at 30,000 dong per plate. Other dishes like shrimp and crab are also very affordable.
- Ngoc Lien fish noodle soup (379 Nguyen Hue): Delicious, nutritious, and cheap dish priced at 25,000-35,000 dong per bowl depending on portion size. They also serve fish noodle soup, crab noodle soup, rolled cakes, and complimentary pineapple juice here.
- Tám Nam beer restaurant (366 Xuan Dieu): Prices here are generally not expensive. You can eat and drink comfortably without worrying about burning a hole in your pocket. They have delicious shellfish and cool refreshing sauce that never gets boring. For two people, spending around 250,000 dong will leave you feeling very satisfied.
- Fresh fruit smoothies, just stop by the roadside and buy when you see them. Priced at around 10,000 dong per glass, all made with fresh, fragrant fruits, perfect for quenching your thirst.
Journey to Explore Phu Yen
Only 100km away from Quy Nhon, Phu Yen is the next destination in our itinerary. We booked a Thuan Thao sleeper bus in advance, priced at 60,000 dong per bed. The journey takes about 2 hours to Phu Yen bus station. Upon arrival, be quick to inquire about the shuttle service provided by this bus company. They will transport you to your hotel for free.
In Phu Yen, we opted for the Tropical Hotel, priced at 250,000 dong for a spacious room. It's advisable to book early as rooms tend to get fully booked quickly. The air conditioning and bedding are clean and comfortable. The hostess is extremely hospitable, and the location is great. They also offer motorbike rentals at 130,000 dong per day.
Where to Explore?
- Day 1: At 12 pm, we checked in and took a power nap until 2:30 pm. Then, we rented a car to visit Xep Beach (the filming location of 'Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass'), about a 20-minute drive from the city center. Remember to wear swimwear beforehand, and when you arrive, parking costs 5,000 dong, with complimentary bag storage if you spend 20,000 dong per person for freshwater showers.
Evenings here are quite dull, so we wandered around snacking and admiring the city until nearly 10 pm before heading back to sleep.
- Day 2: If you manage to wake up around 4 am, take a 50-minute drive and climb a kilometer-long staircase, you'll be rewarded with a sunrise view at Mui Dien. Below Mui Dien lies the stunning Mon Beach, with clear blue waters and sandy dunes on either side.
In the afternoon, at 2:30 pm, we went to Yen Island (a 25-minute drive), which felt like wading through a stream, tranquil and beautiful, with untouched scenery. If you're feeling energetic, on the way back, you can also visit Ghenh Da Dia, which is 18 km away, but it's quite far and time-consuming, so we decided to head back to Tuy Hoa Beach for a swim. In the evening, we went out for dinner and then wandered around the city again.
What to Eat in Phu Yen
- Pork intestine vermicelli rolls (Hung Vuong Street): The eatery is located right at the foot of Hung Vuong Bridge, about 20 meters from the intersection of Tran Hung Dao - Hung Vuong. They specialize in delicious pork intestine vermicelli rolls, priced at 20,000-25,000 dong per satisfying meal, accompanied by a bowl of thin porridge for a hearty meal.
- Famous Tuyet Nhung chicken rice in Phu Yen. The best dish to try is the chicken thigh rice set for 30,000 dong, served with a tangy and sweet fish sauce poured over the rice.
- Steamed rice cakes: Whenever you spot a sidewalk stall, stop and indulge as they are very cheap, only 15,000 dong for 10 pieces. The preparation method seems simple, so they likely taste similar, with the difference lying in the dipping sauce.
- Fruit smoothies are available everywhere. Priced at 10,000 dong per glass, they're refreshing, delicious, and affordable.
- Bà Tam's Ocean Tuna (289 Le Duan) offers a variety of dishes: fish eye soup for 30,000 dong per bowl, grilled tuna loin for 90,000 dong per plate, tuna porridge for 30,000 dong...
- Special salt and chili grilled bread priced at 10,000 dong, a unique and tasty treat. Sugarcane juice for 5,000 dong, fruit smoothie for 10,000 dong at 1/4 Square.
The 5-day, 4-night trip from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa cost us a total of 5,690 (with some additional personal indulgences), not perfect but fairly effective and economical, suitable for young people's incomes. If you have time, spend 3 days in each place to experience all the attractions. Traveling is about experiences, if you enjoy indulgence, there's no cheap price. Remember to note these things in your Quy Nhon travel experience.
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Posted by: Truong Thi Thiet
Keywords: Pocket-friendly tips for a 5-day trip from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa under 3 million dong
