Quang Nam Travel Guide

Quang Nam province is located in the South Central region, in the key economic zone of the Central region, 820km north of Hanoi, 60km north of Da Nang city and 900km south of Ho Chi Minh City. Quang Nam borders Da Nang city, Thua Thien Hue province, Kon Tum and Quang Ngai, has a 125km long coastline and nearly 160km of border with Laos. The capital of the province is Tam Ky city, in addition to Hoi An ancient town, Dien Ban town and 15 districts. Quang Nam is also the locality with the most UNESCO-recognized world cultural heritages in the country, including Hoi An ancient town and My Son sanctuary. Quang Nam has two rainy (October-December) and dry (February-August) seasons, influenced by the northern winter. The average annual temperature is 26 degrees Celsius, the lowest is about 12 degrees Celsius. The months of the year have many types of weather and quite a lot of rain. The best time to travel to Quang Nam is from around February to the end of summer.

Move

There are many means of transport to Quang Nam , by road, rail, sea and air. Airway

Chu Lai Airport. Photo: Luu Bang

Visitors to Quang Nam can land at Da Nang or Chu Lai airport. Depending on the destination, choose the appropriate airport. If going to Hoi An, you should fly from Da Nang and travel by road about 30km, while Chu Lai to Hoi An is 70km. If going to Tam Ky city, the distance from the airport is 25km. Domestic airlines Vietjet Air, Vietnam Airlines , Bamboo Airways all fly to Da Nang daily from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with many flights. Round-trip ticket prices range from 2.5 million to 5 million VND depending on the time. Domestic flights to Chu Lai are only available from Vietnam Airlines, round-trip ticket prices from 2.5 million VND. Railways Thong Nhat trains departing from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City include SE 1-2, SE 3-4, SE 5-6, SE 7-8 and SE 11-12, all stopping at Tam Ky station. Round-trip fares range from VND1.5 million to VND2.7 million, depending on the type of train, type of carriage and position in the carriage. National Highway 1A and Ho Chi Minh Road both run through Quang Nam province, making it convenient for tourists from all three regions of the country. Passenger vans from Da Nang to Hoi An or Tam Ky have transportation and tourism service providers such as Hoi An Express, Queen Cafe, Dong Hanh Travel Bus, Hanh Cafe, Sinh Cafe, Ha Linh, Truong Thinh. Vehicles include limousines or 45-seat vehicles, with fares ranging from VND100,000 to VND150,000 one way.

Bus running route Da Nang - Hoi An.

Bus number 14 runs from Da Nang city center to Hoi An and vice versa, every 15-20 minutes. Ticket price is 30,000 VND. Travel time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Connecting to Tam Ky in Hoi An. Taxis or 5-7 seater service cars running the Da Nang - Hoi An route cost from 200,000 VND. In addition, visitors can also choose shared trips (shared with others) from the station or airport. Sea and inland waterways Quang Nam has Truong Hai port in Chu Lai open economic zone. However, this is only a port for large cargo ships. Cruise ships often dock in Thua Thien Hue or Da Nang, then visitors travel by road. From Cua Dai beach, visitors can go to Cu Lao Cham by small speedboat (canoe) of service providers. There are trips every day from 7:30 am to 5 pm. Ticket price is 100,000 VND per person one way.

Accommodation

As a locality with strong tourism development, Quang Nam has a large number of hotel rooms, homestays and resorts. Of which, the resort category is the most developed with dozens of areas, mainly located along the beaches of Ha My, An Bang, Cua Dai or Thang Binh.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai is the most luxurious resort in Quang Nam, with room rates ranging from about 20 million VND to more than 100 million VND per night. Other coastal resorts such as Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa, Palm Garden Resort & Spa, Wyndham Hoi An Royal Beachfront Resort & Villas, Citadines Pearl Hoi An, Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hoi An, Hoiana Hotel and Suites, Hoi An Beach Resort, Tui Blue Nam Hoi An have prices ranging from 1 to about 5 million VND per room per night. In the ancient town of Hoi An, there are also many riverside resorts or boutique hotels in the city that are highly appreciated by tourists such as: La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa, RiverTown Hoi An Resort & Spa, Allegro Hoi An Luxury Hotel & Spa, Little Hoi An Hotel & Spa, Lantana Boutique Hoi An Hotel, Almanity Hoi An Resort & Spa, Vinh Hung Riverside Resort with room rates ranging from 1 to 2 million VND per night.

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

In addition, Hoi An also has many homestays and smaller hotels with prices ranging from about 300,000 VND to less than 1 million VND per night. In the Tam Ky city area, visitors can choose hotels such as Muong Thanh Grand Quang Nam, Ban Thach Riverside Hotel & Resort, Tam Thanh Beach Resort & Spa, Phu Long Tam Ky Hotel & Restaurant with room rates ranging from 500,000 VND to 1.2 million VND per night.

Sightseeing

Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town. Photo: NickM

Hoi An is definitely a place not to be missed when coming to Quang Nam. This is one of two World Cultural Heritages of the province with its cultural values ​​and ancient architecture remaining almost intact. Hoi An is also a destination for lovers of cuisine, fashion and photography. In Hoi An, there are many delicious and typical dishes such as Cao Lau, Quang noodles, Banh Dap, Banh Bao - Banh Vac. Hoi An also has beautiful street corners, ancient yellow walls, and mossy tiled roofs. Hoi An ancient town is considered by foreign tourists as "the most beautiful city", with services that tourists enjoy such as tailoring clothes or making shoes immediately. Bay Mau Coconut Forest

Bay Mau Coconut Forest. Photo: Quynh Tran

Bay Mau Coconut Forest (Cam Thanh Coconut Forest) is a famous eco-tourism area, about 3 km from the center of Hoi An ancient town. Coming here, visitors will experience sitting in a basket boat to visit the green coconut forest in a peaceful space, admire the basket dance, boat racing and enjoy local specialties. Entrance fee is 30,000 VND per person. The price to rent a basket boat is 150,000 VND to 200,000 VND per boat. Opening hours are from 7am to 5pm daily. My Son Sanctuary

My Son Sanctuary. Photo: Tuan Dao

My Son Sanctuary is located in Duy Xuyen district, 40 km from Hoi An. This is the Hindu holy land of the ancient Champa Kingdom. This area was discovered by a group of French soldiers in 1885, followed by many other researchers and archaeologists. My Son Sanctuary is located in a valley about 2 km in diameter, surrounded by   is a hill, consisting of 70 temple towers divided into many clusters. The structure of each cluster consists of the main temple, surrounded by small towers. The main temple symbolizes Mount Meru, the center of the universe, the place where gods converge and worship Siva. The architectural styles here are divided into 6 types: ancient style, Hoa Lai, Indochina, My Son, Po Nagar and Binh Dinh style. Common motifs are flowers and leaves, animals such as elephants or lions, Kala - Makara images (symbols of the Cham people), Apsara dancers, musicians, guardian gods or Makara sea monsters. The relic site is open from 6am to 5pm from Monday to Sunday. Ticket price: 100,000 VND (Vietnamese) and 150,000 VND (foreigners).

Cu Lao Cham

Cu Lao Cham is nearly 20 km from the center of Hoi An city, with a total area of ​​about 15.5 km2 and a population of 3,000 people. This place preserves an almost intact marine ecosystem of 950 aquatic species, including many rare fish and coral species. The island is also a suitable destination for tourists to explore during the day. Hai Tang Pagoda, storm shelter wharf, ancient Cham well, Bai Ong relic are destinations on the island. Tourists can go fishing, squid fishing, diving to see coral, and enjoy fresh seafood. There are no hotels on the island, tourists who want to stay overnight should contact the locals in advance. Tam Thanh mural village

Tam Thanh mural village seen from above. Photo: Dac Thanh

Tam Thanh mural village is located in Hoa Trung hamlet, Tam Thanh commune, about 7km from Tam Ky city. The village is located on one side facing the sea and the other side facing the Truong Giang river. The village has about 30 colorful paintings covering the old walls. The houses next to each other in the village create a lively painting space. The murals in the fishing village all depict landscapes, life, people, marine life...

However, the paintings were made in 2021, recently many paintings have faded, been erased, and covered with paint, causing the overall deterioration. Cua Dai, Ha My, An Bang, and Thang Binh beaches are famous beaches in Quang Nam. These are all beautiful beaches with clear blue water, white sand, and gentle slopes, suitable for swimming. Among them, Cua Dai is the most exploited beach for tourism, but in the past 10 years, it has been eroded, with waves washing away hundreds of meters of land each year. Local authorities have invested hundreds of billions of VND in efforts to save Cua Dai. In 2022, more than 2 km of underground wave-breaking dykes were built, and about 500,000 m3 of sand was poured to restore the beach after many years of erosion. Cua Dai is gradually reviving. In addition, there are a number of smaller beaches such as Rang beach and Tam Thanh beach.

A corner of An Bang beach. Photo: Hongtham

Phu Ninh Lake National Monument 7 km from Tam Ky city center, Phu Ninh Lake is a prominent eco-tourism destination of Quang Nam. With a cool climate, primeval forests and more than 20 large islands along with natural mineral water mines, visitors will be free to visit, enjoy the cool green natural space and participate in many games and outdoor activities. Mother Thu Monument

Mother Thu's monument. Photo: TL

Quang Nam not only has natural and cultural tourist destinations but also historical relics, of which the most prominent is the Mother Thu monument. The monument was built in Tam Phu commune, Tam Ky city with the largest scale in Southeast Asia. This is the place to commemorate the Vietnamese Heroic Mother Nguyen Thi Thu. She is the mother with the most children sacrificed in both the resistance wars against France and America: 9 sons, a son-in-law and 2 grandchildren. The main statue is 18.5 m high, made of granite, transported from Binh Dinh, depicting the image of a mother opening her arms to embrace the children of the country. Next to the main statue are blocks of statues running along a 120 m wide arc. Thanh Ha Pottery Village When traveling to Quang Nam, you cannot fail to mention traditional craft villages. Thanh Ha Pottery Village is where you can admire the sophisticated ceramic products made by the hands of artisans from Thanh Ha. In addition, you can also make your own products as souvenirs or bring them back to relatives and friends. Tam Ky City

A corner of Tam Ky city seen from above. Photo: BV

In Tam Ky city, tourists can visit Quang Nam provincial museum, Ky Anh tunnel, Chien Dan tower. The above mentioned tourist attractions such as Mother Thu monument, Tam Thanh beach, Tam Thanh mural village, Phu Ninh lake are all just a few kilometers away from the city center.

Cuisine

Cau Mong Roasted Veal

Grilled veal at Cau Mong served with rice paper and raw vegetables and dipped in fish sauce. Photo: Linh Huong

Grilled veal is a popular dish in the Central provinces, but the most delicious and famous is Cau Mong, Dien Phuong commune, Dien Ban town. If you follow National Highway 1A, you will see grilled veal restaurants next to each other and all of them are crowded. Calves about 4-5 months old, weighing 50-60 kg, are slaughtered, the intestines are removed, stuffed with deodorizing leaves such as lemongrass and lemon, then sewn with steel wire, a long tree trunk is skewered along the calf's body, placed on two medium-heat charcoal stoves and grilled. When grilling, turn the calf evenly so that the meat is rare, soft and sweet, and the skin is golden. The cooked veal is cut into large pieces, hung in a glass cabinet, and only when there are customers is it sliced ​​into thin slices and arranged on a plate. Grilled veal cannot be eaten without Central Vietnamese fish sauce, raw vegetables and rice paper rolls.

Quang noodles This is a dish originating from Quang Nam - Da Nang (ancient). Quang noodles are made from finely ground rice flour with water from gardenia seeds and eggs for yellow color, then spread into layers, then cut into 5-10 mm noodles. Under the noodles are raw vegetables, in the Quang style, there must be 9 types to create flavor including basil, lettuce, young cabbage, blanched bean sprouts (or raw), cilantro, Vietnamese coriander, chopped green onions and thinly sliced ​​banana flowers. Served with pork, shrimp, chicken, snakehead fish, quail eggs. Other side ingredients include crushed roasted peanuts, chili satay. The broth is called nuoc nhan, condensed and thick. A bowl of Quang noodles is always served with rice paper. Cao lau This is considered a specialty of Hoi An. The dish has large noodles, served with shrimp, pork, raw vegetables and a little broth. The yellow noodles are due to the flour being mixed with ash from a local tree. The name "Cao Lau" means a delicacy and is enjoyed on a high floor. Diners can enjoy the dish while admiring the beautiful scenery of Hoi An from above. Cao Lau appeared in the 17th century, when Chinese and Japanese merchants came to Hoi An to trade. The dish is considered a blend of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Later, Cao Lau was adapted to suit Vietnamese tastes, and then became a specialty of the Central region. Tam Ky and Hoi An chicken rice are two places with famous chicken rice dishes. Decades ago, chicken rice was sold on street vendors in every street and alley. Gradually, the dish became popular in large restaurants. A proper plate of chicken rice must meet all the conditions: sticky, fragrant rice, firm, fatty chicken, flavorful chicken gizzards, crispy shredded papaya, sour mixed with Vietnamese coriander and indispensable a little simmered chili sauce. Use the chicken broth to cook rice. When the rice turns opaque white and the grains are tight, add the turmeric juice and stir well until the rice turns yellow.

In addition to the typical dishes mentioned above, Quang Nam also has popular dishes in the Central region such as rice paper rolls with pork, rice noodles, bread, tapioca dumplings, and grilled spring rolls.

Note

If you come to Quang Nam during the rainy season (September-January), visitors may encounter very heavy rains, even storms and floods for many days, making travel difficult.

Tam Anh

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