If you search on Google for images of Quy Nhon (pronunciation “Oeï Njon”) in Vietnam, you would probably want to grab your things right away and travel there. But most travelers skip this beautiful place. I honestly had never heard of Quy Nhon before and I didn’t read about it on any travel blogs. Until I was in Hoi An and saw that the drive to Da Lat would take more than 14 hours. I had no intention of doing that. I was therefore looking for a nice stopover and after some research I came across the nice city of Quy Nhon.
Tourism in Quy Nhon has not yet started, unlike many other coastal towns in Vietnam. The locals here are not used to seeing a tourist and still regularly wave enthusiastically at you. I wasn’t used to that anymore after a week in Hoi An and therefore looked strange when locals shouted from their car and waved at me on my scooter while we were driving on the highway.
I find it a bit strange that few tourists visit this city, because Quy Nhon has enough to offer for a few days and it is a perfect stopover between Hoi An and Da Lat. The city and the surrounding area surprised me very positively.
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4 most beautiful beaches of Quy Nhon
Quy Nhon has some great beaches, some of which you don’t have to share with anyone else.
1. Bãi biển Quy Nhon
The closest and longest beach is Bãi biển Quy Nhon. This beach runs along the entire city on the east coast and is connected to the boulevard. This is also relatively the busiest beach visited by locals. The more south you walk, the quieter it gets until you eventually meet a handful of others.
Because the locals are not yet used to tourists, it isn’t appreciated by the older population in particular if you walk around in your bikini or shorts. Keep this in mind and adapt to the values of the locals. So swim as a woman in a shirt and (half) long pants and as a man in a swimsuit up to (or over) your knees.
2. Ky Co Beach
Ky Co Beach is considered the most beautiful beach in Quy Nhon. Rightly so! The sand is beautifully white and the water clear blue. You can relax, swim and snorkel.
Unfortunately, the beach has been in private hands not so long ago which isn’t beneficial. A lot has been added lately, such as hotels and restaurants. You also pay 100,000 Dong entrance to enter the beach. It’s definitely worth a visit, but perhaps not because of the entrance fees.
3. Queens Beach
This long beautiful beach is located south of the city and is visited a lot less often than Bãi biển Quy Nhon. When I visited Queens Beach I saw no one else as far as I could see. The only drawback is that in some places there is quite a bit of washed up trash. So maybe bring a trashbag to do your bit ;).
Follow this route to navigate from the city to the northernmost tip of Queens Beach.
In the village on the beach is the Queens Beach Lepra Colony. Here patients live with their family in a beautiful place. It’s perhaps one of the most beautiful leprosy colonies. Important researchers and doctors are honored with busts in the square near the hospital.
4. Bai Xep Beach
If you drive even further south, you could end up at Bai Xep Beach. To reach the beach you first drive through the super narrow streets of the village. You can park your scooter with one of the locals for a small amount. Follow this route to reach Bai Xep Beach.
Bai Xep Beach is a bit more touristy, but still very quiet. You will find some accommodations on the beach and a few restaurants, but you can especially relax with a beautiful view.
4 things to do in Quy Nhon
1. Cham Towers (Twin Towers)
In the north of Quy Nhon you can admire the Cham Towers. These special temples were built by the Cham people. They are descended from the inhabitants of the ancient Champa kingdom in central Vietnam. The architecture of the Cham temples is somewhat like the Angkor temples that you will find in Cambodia.
Entrance to the Cham Towers is 20,000 dong per person.
2. Banh It Cham Temple
The Banh It Cham Temple is a larger and even more impressive variant of the Cham Towers in the city and definitely worth a visit! On the site are four towers which are one of the best preserved buildings of the ancient Cham architecture. The towers are located on a green hill and from the highest point you look out over the entire area.
You can visit the towers from the inside, but some are inhabited by bats, which can make it very smelly.
When we got there in the early afternoon, we didn’t see anyone else. Even the office was closed. We had this special place all to ourselves.
From the center it is about a 30 – 45 minute drive to the temples. Entrance is 7,000 Dong.
3. Vũng Chua Viewpoint
South of the city is the Vũng Chua mountain. After about a 20 minute drive from the center you will arrive at the Vũng Chua Viewpoint from which you have a very nice view over the city and the coast.
The viewpoint is only a bit hidden, because you drive past it quite quickly. After a while driving up the mountain, you will see a green hut on your right after a bend. Park your scooter there and walk around the cabin a little down. There you have the best view!
4. Linh Phong Pagoda
Did you know that the largest seated Buddha statue in Southeast Asia is located in Quy Nhon? You will find it at the Linh Phong Pagoda, about 28 kilometers north from the center of Quy Nhon.
To reach the Buddha statue, you have to conquer quite a few steps. But if you are upstairs you will certainly get something in return, because you have a very nice view of the surrounding area.
Transport in Quy Nhon
The easiest way to get from A to B in Quy Nhon is by scooter. You can often rent scooters at your accommodation, but if you google, you can also sometimes rent them from a rental agency nearby. Some driving experience is very desirable, because it’s quite busy in traffic. I think Quy Nhon is one of the busiest cities I’ve scooted during my South East Asia trip.
Taxis also drive in Quy Nhon, but of course you will have to pay more. You can also arrange with a taxi driver to drive you around for a day. It’s quite normal to negotiate the price and always pay the driver afterwards. As far as I know, there is no Grab (the Southeast Asian variant of Uber) in the city.
Where to stay in Quy Nhon?
Quy Nhon is still quite a big city and has quite a choice of accommodations. A super nice place to stay is John & Paul Inn which is within walking distance of the quiet part of Bãi biển Quy Nhon. Chances are you will meet other backpackers, because it’s a popular hostel. You can rent scooters, they regularly have live music and organize a fun activity almost every night.
If you prefer to stay outside the city and prefer the beach, Life’s A Beach on Bai Xep Beach is the place for you. They offer apartments and bungalows for a small price.
How to get to Quy Nhon
Hoi An – Quy Nhon:
From and to Hoi An you can take a direct bus that takes 5 to 6 hours. This bus arrives in Hoi An during the day or evening, but arrives at Quy Nhon at night. From what I have heard from other travelers, there is a real chance that you will be dropped on the highway at night, but luckily this is not guaranteed. This ride will cost you around 140,000 Dong.
But you can also choose to take a taxi to Da Nang and change to the train from there. It runs directly to the train station in Quy Nhon. A beautiful and relaxed ride. From the station, take a taxi (beware of the extreme taxi mafia!) to your hostel.
Da Lat – Quy Nhon:
From and to Da Lat it’s about 7 hours by direct sleeper bus. This ride costs about 220,000 Dong. When you travel to Da Lat, you will arrive in the city at night. At night there are minibuses that can drop you within walking distance of your hostel.
Look here for a complete overview of departure and arrival times from Quy Nhon.