If you have traveled to Nha Trang, you must have heard of 2 destinations, Binh Hung Island and Vinh Vinh Hy. But Should you go to Binh Hung or Vinh Hy? when time is limited. People who take photos at Binh Hung and Vinh Hy all look beautiful, so Should you go to Binh Hung or Vinh Hy here?
Recently, Cuong Du Lich has received many questions about travel experiences in Nha Trang, including a question about whether to choose Binh Hung or Vinh Hy for a long trip to Nha Trang, which is more beautiful, cost-effective, and offers more activities. The road to Vinh Hy – Binh Hung is on a single route, about 30-40km away, so make sure to leave early. The mountainous road is very beautiful, allowing you to enjoy the scenery while traveling, so you can cover many kilometers without feeling far away. If you have plenty of time, you can visit both places, but if time is limited, choose one of the two.
>>>Read more: Tour Hang Rai – Binh Hung – Vinh Hy 1 day
Should you go to Binh Hung Island or Vinh Vinh Hy?
Cuong Du Lich has also had some experiences in both places, during his trip to Nha Trang, so there is some information to share with you, hoping to answer your questions about these two tourist destinations.
First, let’s determine the location of these two tourist destinations.
Where is Vinh Vinh Hy located?
Vinh Vinh Hy is located in the Northeast of Ninh Thuan province, about 40 kilometers from Phan Rang city. Vinh Vinh Hy is right next to Nui Chua National Park, the road is beautiful and relatively easy to travel. The sea at Vinh Vinh Hy has not been commercialized as it is not well known, so when you visit, you will be amazed by its wild beauty. Vinh Hy is a small village, like any typical Vietnamese countryside. When I experienced a night at Vinh Vinh Hy, it took about 15 minutes to drive through this small, charming village.
How to get to Vinh Vinh Hy
Because of the pristine and untouched beauty of the blue sea, white sand, mountains, and nature, Vinh Hy is extremely rare and, of course, enough to make you swoon! On the way to Vinh Vinh Hy, you will encounter very beautiful, wild, and challenging roads, so drive carefully if you are on a motorbike.
If you are traveling to Vinh Hy by car, no worries, just look out the window and admire the beautiful coastal road. The road to Vinh Vinh Hy is currently being expanded. If you are coming from Phan Rang city, you can take a bus directly to Vinh Hy. There are many regular bus routes here throughout the day.
If you are coming from Cam Ranh, you can also drive to Vinh Hy Bay via National Highway 1 and TL702. This road also passes through the famous Binh Tien beach. In total, it’s only about 40 kilometers to get there.
You can rent a motorbike and drive to Vinh Hy Bay yourself, just need to know the route a little, maintain a steady speed and you’re good to go. The road from the city to the bay passes through Ninh Chu Beach, one side hugging the Chua Mountain, the other side the stunning blue sea. If you’re on a motorbike, you can comfortably stop anywhere to explore or… take some “Instagrammable” photos because the scenery here is beyond words!
>>>Read more: Guide to Nha Trang for 3 days and 2 nights
Where is Binh Hung located?
Binh Hung is one of the three islands of Tam Binh in the deep waters of Cam Ranh Bay (Khanh Hoa province). According to some locals on Binh Hung Island, the island is also known as Hon Ty or Hon Chut, sounds interesting, right?
How to get to Binh Hung Island
If you are traveling to Binh Hung starting from Phan Rang City, you can take National Highway 702 towards Vinh Hy Bay about 57 km, at Vinh Hy intersection, turn left onto the new road for another 13 km to Bai Kinh. From here, tourists can take a boat to the island which takes about 10 minutes, costing 10,000 VND per person one way. If you want to ride a motorbike on the island, the cost to bring a motorbike over is 10,000 VND. There is only one electric car route on the island from the pier to the lighthouse with a price of 20,000 VND per person per way.
From Binh Ba, tourists can rent a boat to Binh Hung Island which takes about 60 minutes and vice versa. However, if you are traveling in a group, it’s better to go on weekdays, while solo travelers can save on boat rental costs by going on weekends or holidays. Boats back from Binh Hung Island run all day, with a break around 6 pm.
Oh, I almost forgot, I have to introduce to you the fun activities at these two tourist destinations, because they are the key to finding the answer to the question of what to do in Vĩnh Hy and what is the most enjoyable thing to do when traveling to Bình Hưng?
What to do in Vĩnh Hy?
In Vĩnh Hy, you can not only enjoy swimming in the sea, but also participate in many interesting activities such as:
Take a glass-bottom boat to see the coral reefs in Vĩnh Hy Bay
Taking a glass-bottom boat to see the coral reefs: With such a beautiful sea, you must definitely take a boat tour to explore the bay and go out to the sea to see the coral reefs! You can book a tour with the boat right at the bay or be picked up by an electric car to the boat dock, then head straight to Vĩnh Hy resort, contact them to book the service there, and it’s better to go with a group of over 10 people for a cheaper price. The price ranges from 100-150,000 VND per person for diving, this is a general price, the difference is only between a large and a small group. If there are fewer people, you may need to negotiate a bit.
When you reach the coral reefs at Vĩnh Hy Bay, the boat will stop for visitors to explore. If you know how to swim, that’s great, just need a diving mask and a breathing tube to swim with the fish under the clear water and admire the beautiful coral reefs. If you don’t know how to swim, you can still see the coral reefs through the boat’s glass bottom! I don’t know how to swim, so I booked the service to go on a glass-bottom boat to see the coral reefs.
To participate in this tour, you should book a boat in advance at the bay. The coral viewing area is about 3km from the bay, and when you arrive, the boat will turn off its engine so that tourists can admire the magnificent beauty of the colorful coral reefs and the small schools of fish swimming under the coral.
Alternatively, you can also rent a fishing boat outside the bay, or join a mountain climbing tour at Bai Ba Dien, then visit Da Tron Beach to admire the various shapes and colors of the wave-eroded rocks. The first time I went to Vinh Hy Bay, I took a canoe to Bai Ba Dien to see the coral through a snorkel only, without climbing the mountain due to my limited strength.
>>>> See more: review tours to the islands in Nha Trang
Eating Seafood at Vinh Vinh Hy Bay
When you arrive at Vinh Hy Bay, you will be invited to enjoy fresh seafood at the aquaculture rafts right in the bay. The raft owners will prepare the food on the spot for you to enjoy. The prices are cheap, the food is fresh and delicious. You can contact 0944099933 to pre-order food. After coral viewing, you will have food right away, no need to wait long. The food on these rafts is very cheap, of good quality, and the owner is friendly and hospitable. It’s up to you to decide whether to eat or not. As for me, I didn’t eat on the rafts, but returned to the port, where there is a village park in the afternoon where locals sell a variety of food, plenty to eat and drink, and the prices are even cheaper. Eating while listening to the sound of the waves crashing is a delightful experience, especially with a sip of foamy beer.
If you eat seafood outside the bay, after finishing your meal, you should visit the Nui Chua National Park to learn about the diverse and rich plant ecosystem here.
>>> See more: Hang Rai – Binh Hung – Vinh Hy 1-day Tour
Visit Hang Rai
You cannot miss Hang Rai, one of the most beautiful destinations in Ninh Chu. The name of this place originates from two reasons. One is that in the past, there were many stingrays here. The other is that there are many “rai” trees, a type used to extract ship paint oil to prevent leakage. Watching the sunrise and taking photos at Hang Rai is also an unforgettable experience.
If you visit Vinh Hy Bay without exploring Hang Rai, you will regret it for a lifetime! Because this is a truly beautiful place, whether for sightseeing or taking photos. It’s called a cave, but in reality, it’s a rocky area that extends straight into the sea with natural rock formations stacked on top of each other. Many small caves here are the habitat of the sea urchin, hence the name Hang Rai.
Hang Rai is especially beautiful at sunrise. The sun rising paints a large area pink. At this time, Hang Rai looks like paradise in another land! That’s why many people come to Vinh Hy, even risking their lives to capture a timeless photo at Hang Rai.
What to do on Binh Ba Island?
That’s Vinh Hy Bay, so what can you do on a Binh Hung tour?
When you set foot on the island, you will be immediately captivated by the blue sea and the pristine white sandy beaches of Binh Hung. The beaches here may not be as long and wide as those in Mui Ne or Nha Trang, but they are always clean and clear to the bottom. The sea at Binh Hung is not very deep, just wade out a few dozen meters, water up to your chest, and you will see coral right under your feet. Especially, on the beaches are colorful and lively rock formations of various shapes and sizes.
The people on Binh Hung Island mainly make a living by fishing, especially lobster farming, which is highly developed here. The houses on Binh Hung Island are usually close together and face the sea, and another impressive thing is that the roads around the island are very clean. The sea area near the shore, where the lobster farms are, is not as clear as on the other side of the mainland. But it is still much cleaner and clearer than many other beaches.
Places you can’t miss when visiting Binh Hung Island are:
Kinh Beach
The first stop when arriving at Binh Hung, here you can get on a boat to eat, play, and especially the sea water here is very clear, you can see the bottom very clearly. Swimming in the sea here is extremely enjoyable. You can go to Binh Hung Island by boat for around 10 – 20k VND/way. When you arrive around noon, head straight to the seafood restaurants on the floating houses. Hong Nhan floating house is where you can see a giant grouper weighing up to 100kg still alive, but they don’t sell the fish meat, just for visitors to see.
>>>Read more: Mud bathing experience in Nha Trang
Freshwater Beach
This tourist spot in Binh Hung is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cam Ranh Bay with emerald green water. Freshwater Beach is a beach with the sea on one side and a rock cave with freshwater on the other. The sea here is clear and you can also see the marine life swimming under the water. When you get tired of the sea, you can move inside to enjoy swimming in the freshwater.
Banana Beach
Banana Beach in Binh Hung has the widest sandy beach in the Binh Hung Island area, as well as the deepest water level. You should only explore this beach if you are a good swimmer or have a life jacket when playing. During windy season, this beach in Binh Hung usually has big waves so there are fewer visitors. You can reach the beach by road, following the Binh Tien road, heading from Kinh Beach to Vinh Hy, about 1km you will see the road down to the beach.
Me Beach
Located on Binh Hung Island, but to reach this beach you need to rent a boat, as there is no road down to the beach. This beach is quite small, with mainly coral sand so it is very clean. The water here is green and clear like a swimming pool, you can still see the bottom at 5m depth.
Chut Lighthouse
Following the small road up to Hon Bu mountain, in no time you will be at Chut Lighthouse, a beacon that has been present in Cam Ranh Bay for over 100 years. Standing on the lighthouse, you can observe the bustling life of cargo ships at Cam Ranh port to the West and gaze out to the vast sea to the East where small fishing boats dot the horizon.
What is the weather like in Vinh Hy Bay?
So now you know the tourist spots in Binh Hung and the hottest attractions in Vinh Hy, let’s find out about the weather for traveling to these two places:
As Vinh Hy Bay is a small bay, surrounded by Chua Mountain, it is understandable that the weather in Vinh Hy is quite mild and generally pleasant all year round. You can visit Vinh Hy at any time, just avoid the rainy season. However, if possible, plan to visit Vinh Hy around May to August as this is the best time. But note that prices during this time will be slightly higher than usual.
What is the weather like in Binh Hung?
You can visit Binh Hung Island all year round, but it is best to travel to Binh Hung in the summer when the weather is sunny, the sea is clear, it’s wonderful to explore Binh Hung under the best conditions. Summer is also when everything is neatly arranged, students have time off, many companies organize vacations for employees. However, please note when traveling to Binh Hung in October, November, the weather in Binh Hung is rainy, if you unfortunately encounter rain when traveling to Binh Hung, your island exploration may not go as planned.
Now that you have chosen the best time to travel, let’s find a place to stay overnight. After all the fun and food, it’s time to rest.
>>>>Read more: Nha Trang travel review
Where to stay in Vinh Hy?
If you like to stay in a luxurious place and have an extremely generous budget (emphasizing once again, extremely generous), you can choose the 6-star Amanoi resort nestled in the middle of the mountains. With the high prices here, you can experience a peaceful resort space but still extremely luxurious with extravagant services. The most luxurious or “fancy” resort in Vinh Hy is
If you only need a place to stay that is just right, Vĩnh Hy also has some guesthouses at very reasonable prices for you to choose from. Make sure to research and book your room before you go.
But if you are adventurous, you can prepare a sleeping bag, a tent to camp right on the beach, or ask to stay at a local’s house around here. It will be quite an exciting experience!
Where to stay in Bình Hưng?
At local houses: Local hosts now offer accommodation services, where guests can sleep on hammocks or mats at a very affordable price, 50,000 VND per person per night. This option is suitable for those who want to experience the feeling of swaying on the sea to listen to the sound of the waves or the bustling sound of fishermen rowing their boats every morning at dawn.
Homestay service: You can contact local households. This option allows travelers to experience the convenience, thoughtfulness, and warmth of the hosts. Cuong Du Lich also recommends a homestay with an extremely beautiful location, just a few steps from the beach, called LOST Station. This is a classic, luxurious homestay, from design to household items, giving you a nostalgic feeling of your childhood. You can accommodate up to 12 people at a very good price.
Guesthouses: There are some guesthouses on the island run by fishermen for about 70,000 VND per person per night. In addition, tourists can easily find rooms with fans, air conditioning, and good facilities.
Camping: This option is chosen by young travelers, traveling in groups or on backpacking trips. Choosing beautiful beaches like Bai Kinh to camp, pitching a tent overnight is a wonderful experience.
>>>Read more: Tour Hang Rái – Bình Hưng – Vĩnh Hy 1 day
Where to eat in Vĩnh Hy?
Eating is the most enjoyable part of the trip, if there is any loss, it is probably just in the “Instagrammable” photo category. When you come to Vĩnh Hy, you can rest assured, the food here is delicious and very cheap!
The prices of dishes like pancakes, noodle soup, and spring rolls here are only around 5-15 thousand dong. So a hearty breakfast or a snack will only cost about 25-30 thousand dong per person.
With seafood, you can buy it right on the shore in the early morning when it’s just been caught. Or it’s best to rent a boat to go out to the seafood rafts in the sea to choose the freshest shrimp, fish, crabs, etc. You can choose and prepare to eat right on the boat or buy it as a gift. The locals here are very friendly and genuine, so there’s no need to worry about being ripped off!
How to eat in Binh Hung?
THE SPECIALTY OF BINH HUNG AND BINH BA IS LOBSTER.When you come here, if you don’t taste this specialty, it’s a big miss. Try the lobster here, you won’t regret it. Simple ways to cook it like boiling, grilling, making porridge. Keeping the best flavor of the lobster.
There are also many other delicious seafood dishes that are processed into specialties such as Mai fish salad, Ta Pin Lu, steamed crabs, grilled sea urchins… very delicious and fresh.
Don’t miss the Sea Urchin
Sea Urchin, also known as Nhum, is a very easy dish to prepare, can be eaten raw with lime, lemon, grilled with butter or garlic. Especially the Sea Urchin porridge and Sea Urchin with eggs are a perfect combination of colors, flavors of the ingredients creating a nutritious dish and an effective health tonic.
Kinh Fish
Speaking of fish, perhaps the most impressive dish is the Kinh fish grilled over charcoal, wrapped in rice paper with some fresh vegetables and raw mango, dipped in lime fish sauce, will surely make you “forget the way back.”
Seafood Pancake
Extremely fresh and delicious seafood filling with shrimp, squid, clams, and cooked oysters that retain their sweetness. Another distinctive feature that makes Binh Hung seafood pancake special is that the pancakes are small, slightly crispy, slightly golden, with very little oil so they are not greasy to eat.
Fish Cake Noodle Soup
The sweet and clear taste of the fish broth, a hint of sourness from tomatoes combined with the rich flavor of fried fish cakes, and a spicy kick from chili… that’s all it takes for the Binh Hung fish cake noodle soup to be uniquely delicious.
Squid Cake
If you have ever tried the fresh squid cake in Binh Hung, you will surely remember it. The main ingredients to make squid cake are rice flour and fresh squid. Put the batter in a hot clay mold for about three minutes until the cake is cooked, fragrant, and crispy, and you have a wonderful hot squid cake to enjoy.
Some notes when visiting Binh Hung Island and Vinh Hy Bay
- It is advisable to pack light, cotton clothing that is thin and cool. Remember to bring swimwear because Binh Hung Beach and Vinh Hy Bay are very beautiful.
- Bring sunscreen, a raincoat, or a rain jacket to be prepared for any weather conditions.
- Binh Hung and Vinh Hy Bay are still quite undeveloped, so it is recommended to carry some light snacks in your luggage to cope with hunger at any time.
Cost of visiting Binh Hung Island or Vinh Hy Bay
In general, after Cuong Du Lich has experienced Vinh Hy Bay and Binh Hung Island a few times, there is some sharing with you. If you have the time, you should visit both of these tourist destinations because each offers a different beautiful scenery. However, if you have limited time and must choose one of the two, you can choose based on your budget. Generally, visiting Vinh Hy Bay will be cheaper. Cuong Du Lich once had a 2-day 1-night trip to Vinh Hy Bay departing from Saigon by motorbike for a group of 6 members for only 700k per person, which was very affordable. On the other hand, the cost at Binh Hung is around 1.5 million VND or more because the prices of goods in Binh Hung are slightly higher than in Vinh Hy, but the seafood like lobster in Binh Hung is so tempting that you can’t resist. As for the beautiful scenery, every place is stunning, and you’ll be snapping pictures non-stop.
>>>Read more: Hang Rai – Binh Hung – Vinh Hy 1-day Tour
Video of the trip to Binh Hung – Vinh Hy
With these shares, hopefully, you will have the information to choose the suitable travel destination based on your needs and preferences. Wishing you new, enjoyable, and memorable experiences on your trip. And now, don’t forget to like, share, and follow the channel to receive more new videos about travel experiences. Thank you for watching the video, goodbye, and see you again.
