Phu Yen province is the heart of many religious and historic remains, but today, it is best known for its beaches and bays. You can combine these destinations or choose among them based on your preference.
1. Bai Xep
This short beach, especially the two sets of sea cliffs on either end is so beautiful that it attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world to come here and take some pictures for your Instagram feed. With just 500 meters in length, the beach looks exactly like a small kingdom that is isolated.
If you climb up the cliff, there is a good chance you can clearly see your friend beneath – and who can deny the temptation of fresh air with the unique smell of the green grass and salty vibe from the ocean? Its tranquility and breathtaking features will absolutely blow your mind.
Bai Xep is over 14 kilometers far from Tuy Hoa. Located in district Tuy An, Bai Xep is not something you can walk to if you stay in Phu Yen’s capital town – but the distance is worth it when you witness the beauty of this place.
2. Mon Beach – Mui Dien (Dien Cape)
The very own charm of Mon beach is the tranquility and comfort coming from its own wild and untouched nature. You can expect all the freshness and relaxation when coming here while watching its crystal clear seawater and golden sand stretching out the shore. From here, there is one activity you can not miss: watching the sun rises since Mon beach is located at the easternmost point of the country. In other words, this place is also called “Vietnam’s earliest dawn land”.
Being the very first place in the country to watch the sunrise, Mon beach, especially Dai Lanh Cape is very attractive for both domestic and international tourists. Therefore, even though Dai Lanh Cape is 35 kilometers from the capital city of Phu Yen, many go a long way here just to catch the sunrise; or, you can easily choose an accommodation here.
3. Vung Ro Bay
The location of Vung Ro Bay is very ideal in Vietnam’s geology since it overlooks many beautiful beaches and ocean, yet has forested mountains to back it up, such as Hon Ba, Deo Ca, and Da Bia peak. Spreading over an area of 16.4 square kilometers, Vung Ro Bay is a tourist hot spot since it is nestled in the commune of Dong Hoa District, Hoa Xuan Nam, and at the edge of Ca Pass so the drive, from wherever you are, is absolutely scenic.
Visiting Vung Ro Bay, you can watch everything, from the unbroken scenery of the bay’s crystal clear water with tranquil fishing villages, green mountains, to energetic and clear white sandy beaches. The main bay is where hundreds of fish farms, wooden fishing boats, and floating homes gather.
Coming here, do not forget to enjoy a cool beer while floating on the blue lagoon. There are several seafood restaurants that offer fresh-catch dishes and centers providing recreation options such as snorkeling, jet-skiing, and visiting historical relics for interested visitors.
4. Van Hoa Plateau
Van Hoa Plateau is nestled at 400 meters height, Son Hoa District. If you are fond of tropical forest nature, the beauty of mountainous features like the trees, wild animals and even the gentle light of the sun and the smell of the wind can open the door to heaven on earth for you.
There are also national historic relics for history lovers to discover like the Uncle Ho House of worship or the military center of Phu Yen province base. And one more thing: Do not leave Van Hoa Plateau without trying some pineapples or jackfruits – these are the regional specialties.
5. Da Dia Reef (Ganh Da Dia)
The name Da Dia Reef, in Vietnamese literally means “the sea cliffs of stone plates” – and from this very exciting name, you, for sure, can’t miss this unbelievable destination.
The whole thing is simply a natural masterpiece with millions of basalt rocks inconceivable shapes stacked together to become an amazingly high and large complex of columns. The rocky landscape spreads over a kilometer of the area and just along the sea’s edge. Some even call this site a giant black beehive. The reason for its unique structure is because of the eruption of a volcanic from millions of years ago. When the burning lave fell into the cold seawater, the molten lava was cooled down and harden, creating its shape to today’s organized rocky phenomenon.
Unlike many other places in Phu Yen, Da Dia Reef is always crowded since, besides these places, there are only three more places on earth that bear a similar magnificent phenomenon. So there are no surprises that people from all over the world HAVE TO come to this famous reef to take pictures and admire magical views. Many couples come here for their wedding shoot, while others just need a picture of the out-of-this-world-view for their Instagram feed. But remember to bring sun cream, hats, and water with you since this area is really sunny and hot.
6. Nhan mountain
If you climb to the top of Nhan mountain, you will surely have the overview of Tuy Hoa City with its lush rice paddles and evergreen forest. You will also have an amazing experience of watching the panoramic view of the sunset from this 64 meters high summit. Tourists will have the chance to discover an ancient Champa relics from the 11 century built on the top of the mountain.
This Champa structure is called Nhan Tower – a symbol of Phu Yen’s original founders, the Cham people. You are free to visit its worshipping place, enjoy the evergreen scenery of the forest and Tuy Hoa City as well as taking some photos to show your friends at home.
7. Mang Lang Church
Built in 1892 by Joseph de La Cassagne, Mang Lang church is one of the oldest ones in Vietnam and Indochina combined. With its long and mysterious history, this is one of the hottest tourist spots in Phu Yen. The church, also known as Eglise de Mang Lang is just a 10-minute ride away from the famous Da Dia reef.
From the first look, you will understand why this church is so famous for its gothic structure with grey paint covered the whole artistic style of the church. Not only inspired many poets and artists for its aesthetic vibe, but the church is also home to Bishop Alexandre de Rhode and, more important, home to Vietnam’s first national book. You can witness the book preserved in a glass cabinet along with many other important pieces of historical evidence for over 120 years. With its unique beauty and glamour of history and artistry, Mang Lang church is a big MUST for those visiting Phu Yen.
8. Xuan Dai Bay
Covering 13,000 hectares, this wide, beautiful and rare bay is an ideal destination for those loving tranquility since it is still little-known to the public. 50 kilometers away from the capital city – Tuy Hoa, this bay has so many small and beautiful beaches with untouched scenery. Tourists can visit many hot spots from here, such as Mu U peninsula, small islet, like Ong Xa islet, as well as Da Mai mountain. You can also visit the famous Ganh Dia reef from here.
And the special thing about this beautiful bay is that, after enjoying the scenic beauty of natural, tourists can also watch the daily life of the local fishermen living nearby. They just need to get to Om beach, an ideal beach for camping – lovers.
You can totally camp there to enjoy a morning sunset, or have an unforgettable experience when watching how Vietnamese fishermen work while listening to all the stories and legends in the region.
9. Ong Cop Bridge
The bridge is also called Tuy An Bridge. It is the longest wooden bridge in Vietnam, connecting Tuy An District with Song Cau District. With its length for about 400 meters, the bridge starts to get noticed by international media in 2007 by appearing in a reality show in Vietnam Amazing Race. Opposed to its old and simple structure, the bridge is well-preserved so do not be afraid and just step on it! You will need only 10 minutes to walk across it, but if you bring a camera with you, you may need a little more time to totally catch all aesthetic scenes!
10. Chop Chai mountain
Another mountain helping you get a bird view of the lovely Tuy Hoa city is Chop Chai mountain. But one thing special about this peak is that you will see a military unit guarding on it, so you must talk to the soldiers there to get in to take pictures, but there is a high chance the station photography will be refused.
But do not worry, this mountain has more than that. With its 391 meters in height, you will see everything, from the tranquil paddle field to crystal clear ocean and even several historic and religious temples in the region like Minh Son, Hoa Son, Khanh Son, and Bao Lam pagoda on the foot of the mountain.
11. Da Trang Pagoda and Mountain
Da Trang mountain is a place where visitors can explore both the beauty of nature and the myth of historical temples. One of the most famous religious sights is Da Trang Pagoda, a holy place that attracting many domestic visitors and pilgrims every year. The pagoda is a lovely and small place to cool down after a hard mountain hiking.
For history and culture hypers, the pagoda has much to say. It was 100 years old and honored by the emperor in 1889, but then burnt to the ground in 1929. Thanks to a huge number of Buddhists all over Vietnam, Da Trang Pagoda was restored and recognized as a crucial cultural heritage site.
12. Hon Yen
If you are tired of adventures in the forest, it is time to merge yourself in the cool fresh water from a beautiful beach in Vietnam: Hon yen beach. Hon Yen is a very small island so it is easy for travelers to have panorama sights of it. Many tourists call this “heaven for diving and coral seeing” for a reason. The wind, the water, and humidity on this small island make it a perfect site for sight-seeing and coral diving. You can also rent a canoe to have a short ride around this lovely pearl.
13. The pretty nature of Phu Yen
In Phu Yen, during summer and spring, people are all about the picture-perfect wheat fields and wildflower gardens. There are a lot of flowers you can expect to see like sunflowers, tulips, lavender and so on. And do not forget the stunning, picturesque wheat fields with layers of lovely white, feather-like plants covering a large area of the mountain and some drops of palm trees behind.
Every year, many young Vietnamese girls dress up (this year’s trend is boho!) to take photoshoot here, do not be surprised if you see so many young and pretty girls wandering around this area!
14. And one last thing: Watching sunrises!
Wherever you go, whichever place you visit, it is a pity if you come to the very point of Vietnam without watching the magical sunrises in Phu Yen. And it is not just about the natural, but they’re also early-risers who are fishermen, farmers, and students who need to wake up early for a long day ahead.
You will experience first-hand how an early day starts in this lovely city of Vietnam with traditional boats quietly make it way to the ocean for a morning catch, the sound of the cocks, and the fantastic moment when light starting to coloring the whole landscape like a wake-up call. And for those interested, you may see some cows – yes, cows, strolling along the beach if you are lucky enough.
