Exploring Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai from A to Z

Ly Son Island is not only known as the 'Garlic Kingdom' but also has the 'Jade Island' Cù Lao Ré, which has been immortalized in poetry:

'My homeland Ly Son island,

As a protective shield'

Protecting the Territory

The allure of Ly Son Island lies in its illustrious historical feats, in the hospitable, sincere people of the coastal region, and in the rugged yet enchanting natural landscape. Let's explore Ly Son Island with Vntrip.vn to have the clearest travel experiences!

Topic: Traveling in Quang Ngai

Ly Son is the only island district of Quang Ngai, located to the northeast, 15 nautical miles from the mainland. The island is a remnant of a volcano with 5 craters, formed about 25-30 million years ago. Ly Son consists of 2 islands: Big Island (Ly Son, also known as Cù Lao Ré), Small Island (Bờ Bãi islet) to the north of the Big Island, and Mù Cu islet to the east of the Big Island.

Scenic Beauty of Ly Son Island Like a Painting (Source: Lê Hồng Hà)

Best Time to Visit Ly Son Island

Ly Son has two distinct seasons: the rainy season (from September to February of the following year) and the dry season (from March to August). The ideal time for tourists to visit Ly Son Island:

From June to September, the weather is pleasant with sunshine, suitable for beach activities.

The Deep Blue Sea of Ly Son (Source: Compiled)

The garlic season on Ly Son starts in September and is harvested around early December.

Lonely Garlic on Ly Son Island (Source: Compiled)

The Hoang Sa Soldier's Oath Ceremony takes place on the 18th, 19th, and 20th of March (lunar calendar).

Exploring Ly Son Island with Festivals (Source: Compiled)

Transportation

By airplane: You can purchase plane tickets to Da Nang Airport or Chu Lai Airport (there are 3 flights from Hanoi per week with ticket prices around 3,000,000 VND for a round trip, from Ho Chi Minh City with prices around 3,500,000 VND for a round trip), then travel by taxi or motorbike to Quang Ngai and head to Sa Ky Port (50km). To book cheap flights, you can visit Vntrip's flight search page.

The Beautiful View of Ly Son Island from the Airplane Window (Source: Compiled)

By Bus: You can take a sleeper bus to Quang Ngai, then get off at Sa Ky Port. At Sa Ky Port, there are many guesthouses right along the road to the port, about 200m away, where you can rest.

From Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there are many high-quality bus companies such as The Sinh Tourist, Camel, Hoang Long,... to Quang Ngai. You can contact these bus companies to book tickets in advance (from 2 - 5 days depending on your travel time, during holidays you need to book early or there may be no tickets available).

By Train: There are 5 North-South Reunification Express trains per day. Depending on your schedule, you can choose a suitable train time (Odd-numbered trains depart from Hanoi, even-numbered trains depart from Ho Chi Minh City). Train tickets cost around 1.5 million VND for a round-trip soft seat with air conditioning.

After arriving in Quang Ngai, if you are in a large group, you should rent a taxi from the center of Quang Ngai City to Sa Ky Port (about 20km away). Alternatively, to save costs, you can use bus route number 03 with a schedule from Quang Ngai Bus Station to Sa Ky Port. However, please note that you must take the earliest bus at 5 am to ensure you can reach the port early and not miss the train (the bus journey takes about 1 hour).

Buying High-Speed Boat Tickets to the Island:

• Ticket Price: From Sa Ky to the island: 105,000VND/one way
• From Ly Son to Sa Ky: 100,000VND/one way
• Boat Schedule: Morning: 2 trips at 7:30 am & 8 am
• Afternoon: 1 trip at 1 pm/1:30 pm.
• Phone number to book high-speed boat tickets at Sa Ky Port: 055.3626431 and provide personal information as instructed by the ticket office staff.

Unmissable Places When Traveling to Ly Son

The Ancient Tò Vò Gate

The Tò Vò Gate - a natural basalt arch, about 2.5m tall, is the most beautiful in Vietnam and a must-visit destination when exploring Ly Son Island. From the main bridge leading to Ly Son's welcome gate, turn left and follow the small road towards Đục Pagoda, you will see a small rock formation lying close to the sea. Looking south from the Tò Vò Gate is the thriving fishing village of the island's fishermen. Watching the sunset at the Tò Vò Gate is an exciting experience you should try.

The Tò Vò Gate at different times of the day (Source: collected)

Hang Pagoda

Hang Pagoda is located on the northeastern side of Thới Lới mountain - the highest peak of the five mountains, all of which are evidence of volcanic eruptions on this island. The path to Hang Pagoda winds along the coast, passing many stone steps carved by human hands. In front of Hang Pagoda, on a steep rock wall about 20m high, there are four Han characters engraved in yellow paint “Thiên Khổng Thạch Tự,” as if to inform tourists that there is a temple in this cave. Stepping inside the pagoda, lighting a joss stick, worshipping and reciting Buddhist scriptures amidst the dense smoke, visitors will feel like they are entering a fairyland cave.

The Most Beautiful Hang Pagoda on the Island (Source: collected)

View of the Sea from Hang Pagoda (Source: collected)

Dục Pagoda

Nestled halfway up the slope of Giếng Tiền Mountain, the dormant volcano has slept for thousands of years on the island. You have to climb over 100 terracotta steps along the mountain slope to reach Dục Pagoda. Dục Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda without a monk, according to Buddhist tradition, Quan The Am once chose to reside here, ensuring peace for the islanders, avoiding natural disasters.

Entrance to Dục Pagoda (Source: collected)

Thới Lới Peak

If you want to admire the entire Lý Sơn Island, climb to Thới Lới Peak - the highest peak on Lý Sơn Island (149m). At the mouth of the dormant volcano that ceased activity 2.5 million years ago, there is a freshwater lake used for both Big Island and Small Island. The locals call this miracle 'the creation of life amidst death.' Additionally, atop the summit, there is a flagpole waving the national flag.

Popular Check-In Spot - Thới Lới Peak (Source: collected)

Freshwater lake atop Thới Lới Peak (Source: collected)

National Flagpole atop Thới Lới Peak (Source: collected)

Small Island

Small Island, also known as An Bình Island, is located about 2 nautical miles north of Big Island. Visitors can travel by boat from one island to another. There are about 100 households here, engaged in garlic cultivation and fishing. Small Island remains untouched with a stunningly beautiful beach, crystal-clear water, and white sand.

The pristine beauty of Small Island (Source: Zing.vn)

Beach bathing in the pristine paradise - Small Island (Source: collected)

Fishing Cave

Fishing Cave (located in Dong Village, An Hai Commune, at the foot of Thới Lới Mountain to the northeast) has been eroded by sea waves and winds, 'carved deep' into the mountain for thousands of years from limestone. It takes about 15 minutes to travel from the district center to Fishing Cave. The air here is very fresh, the wind blows gently, and the sea waves constantly beat against the rocky cliffs, creating a picturesque and majestic scene.

Cave with majestic winding cliffs (Source: collected)

Blind Eye Island

Blind Eye Island is located to the east of Ly Son Island, 3.2km from the district center, close to the anchorage of Hai An fishing boats. Mù Cu is adjacent to Big Island, the smallest uninhabited island with unique natural rock formations. You can admire the sunrise at Blind Eye Island.

Blind Eye Island view from above (Source: collected)

Lighthouse on Blind Eye Island (Source: collected)

Garlic fields

When visiting the 'garlic kingdom,' don't miss exploring the garlic fields on Ly Son Island. Due to its soil fertility, Ly Son garlic is different from garlic grown in other regions. Walking among the strong-smelling garlic plants and observing how locals care for them is a fascinating experience.

Endless garlic fields (Source: collected)

Specialties of Ly Son Island

Seaweed salad

A daily rustic dish for Ly Son locals becomes a specialty for tourists. Seaweed is harvested, cleaned, finely chopped, and mixed with available ingredients such as raw vegetables, crushed peanuts, fish sauce, spices, and garlic, creating a delicious seaweed salad.

Cool and refreshing seaweed salad (Source: collected)

Garlic Salad

Ly Son garlic salad is made from the male garlic bulbs. Only the stems of the garlic are used, with the outer skin removed. After being cleaned and steamed until cooked, they are mixed with various spices and sprinkled with some peanuts, resulting in a salad with a strong, spicy garlic flavor that is incredibly delicious.

Garlic salad served with sauce and rice paper (Source: collected)

Jellyfish Salad

When visiting Ly Son, don't forget to try the Jellyfish Salad, especially on hot summer days. You can savor the sweet and soft texture, combined with the crunchiness of peanuts, creating a delicious and refreshing dish that reflects the simple charm of the countryside. Jellyfish Salad features a slightly bitter taste of banana blossom, the rich flavor of golden roasted peanuts, and the natural aroma of local herbs and vegetables.

Ly Son Jellyfish Salad (Source: collected)

Top Shell Snail

The peculiar shape of the top shell snail (Source: collected)

Top Shell Snail is the most famous seafood here. It's difficult to find, and Ly Son Island is the homeland of this species. The best and tastiest type of top shell snail is the large ones, about the size of an open hand, weighing around half a kilogram. When caught, they are fresh. If they are still alive, they are kept in saltwater or seawater ponds for future consumption. When prepared for immediate consumption, they are cleaned with saltwater or seawater, then boiled in boiling water. When the snails are cooked, they are removed from the pot and the meat is extracted. The snail meat is white and firm, similar to steamed squid meat, both fragrant and crispy like cartilage.

Emperor Crab

Emperor Crab – King of Crabs (Source: collected)

The Emperor Crab – a title bestowed upon this species by the local fishermen – is the specialty of Ly Son. Its distinctive feature is the thick and hard outer shell. The crab's shell is a vibrant yellow color, reminiscent of the royal yellow robes worn by ancient kings.

Flat Crab

Flat crabs nowadays have become a specialty aquaculture species for households on Ly Son Island. Moreover, flat crabs are even more favored than emperor crabs. Despite their rugged and wild appearance, when grilled, their fragrance fills the air. Peel off the charred black shell, revealing tender, firm white meat, dipping it in chili salt makes it absolutely delicious.

Flat Crab is more favored than Emperor Crab (Source: collected)

Seaweed Porridge

Seaweed Porridge with a Special Flavor (Source: collected)

Among the seafood dishes cooked into porridge on Ly Son Island, seaweed porridge is rated as the most delicious by those who have tasted it. Seaweed porridge is nutritious and has a uniquely delightful flavor: fragrant, sweet, slightly creamy but not overwhelming... all blending together to make those who taste it want to keep eating endlessly.

Abalone Stir-Fry

A Traditional Dish of the People of Ly Son (Source: collected)

Abalone can be prepared in various ways such as steaming, stir-frying, or grilling with garlic butter... But for the people of Ly Son, stir-fried abalone with papaya has become a traditional dish present at most wedding feasts, death anniversaries...

Parrotfish

This is a flat-bodied fish, brownish-black in color, mainly living in rocky reefs and very difficult to catch. Parrotfish can be used to make delicious and nutritious dishes such as grilled fish, sour soup, lemongrass soup, hotpot, or porridge.

Grilled Parrotfish (source: collected)

What to buy as gifts on Ly Son Island

Fragrant and delicious Peanut Brittle Candy (Source: collected)

Mạch Nha Candy (Source: collected)

Quế Trà Bồng is a specialty that once set a Vietnam record in 2012 (Source: collected)

The best way to enjoy Nhum Fish Sauce is with thinly sliced pork belly (Source: collected)

Rock Sugar (Source: collected)

Lý Sơn Garlic (Source: collected)

Black Garlic (Source: collected)

Hotels in Ly Son

Ly Son now boasts relatively good investment and a more diverse range of hotels for tourists, with room prices ranging from 100-500k VND. Some prominent hotels include:

A hotel with conference rooms accommodating over 200 guests; a buffet restaurant system, Sky Light Restaurant with a capacity of over 300 guests to offer tourists an experience of the vast ocean at night; especially, an outdoor restaurant with a capacity of over 500 guests to serve Team Building activities, bonfires, and BBQs; additionally, there is a unique beach for tourists.

Hotel swimming pool (Source: collected)

Luxurious bedroom interior (Source: collected)

In addition, tourists can consider the following budget hotels and guesthouses with good rooms:

Budget motel (Source: collected)

>> View all hotels in Ly Son<<

Here are some travel experiences for Ly Son Island from A to Z, hoping you will gain more insights into this famous destination. Wish you happy travels!

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