Ly Son seen from Thoi Loi mountain
Ly Son is an island district of Quang Ngai province, about 30km from the mainland. With its pristine scenery, sparkling blue sea that changes color according to the sunlight, it is often explored by young people and is likened to the Maldives of Vietnam. I have many friends in the North, Central and South who have been to Ly Son and all promise to return. Ly Son is a beautiful island of the sea and islands of the Central region. Green, clean and extremely charming!
With two distinct seasons of sunshine and rain, Ly Son in March is sunny but still has some cool breezes of spring. Choose March to avoid the peak season from April to June but it is also an extremely suitable time to enjoy the beautiful days and experience most of the sightseeing, entertainment and exploration activities of the island that is among the top islands worth visiting once in a lifetime.
From Ho Chi Minh City, I chose to fly to Chu Lai airport. This airport is about 42km from Sa Ky port, where I depart to Ly Son. If you have plenty of time and want to see the scenery along the length of the country, you can choose to go by train, which will take about 16 hours. I also chose this option when I first came to Ly Son a few years ago. From Chu Lai airport, if you want to be quick, taking a taxi back to the port is not too expensive. There are many trains departing daily, the travel time is less than 1 hour, depending on the wind and waves offshore.
Unlike many years ago, when tourism was not yet exploited much, Ly Son now has many hotels and motels with reasonable prices, full facilities and spacious. But because I love the feeling of experiencing life as a local resident, I chose a homestay to stay during the days I visited the island. With an area of only about 10km2, it only takes 2-3 days to fully explore this beautiful island.
Ly Son now has electric cars which are extremely convenient, but I still like the feeling of a true backpacker, so I rented a motorbike to go around. The rental price is only about 150,000 VND/day. Having just woken up from a slight seasickness, just breathing in the sea breeze is enough to make me feel refreshed again. Along the way across the island, the garlic fields are like green rice fields. Ly Son garlic has long become a specialty not only of the locality but also a national brand known to international friends.
I spent the first afternoon after arriving on the island visiting Duc Pagoda and Hang Pagoda. Duc Pagoda is located on the cliff of Gieng Tien Mountain at an altitude of 86m, which is considered an extinct volcano. To reach the pagoda, visitors must climb 100 steps along the mountainside. In front of the cave is a 27m high statue of Bodhisattva Guanyin facing the sea, called Quan Am Dai.
Hang Pagoda overlooking the blue sea
Hang Pagoda is an ancient pagoda over 400 years old, located in a large cave halfway up the mountain, facing the vast ocean. In the temple grounds, there are altars carved from natural stalactites bearing clear Cham Pa relics. The path leading to the pagoda passes through small, peaceful villages. I remember the first time I came here, because I didn't know the way, I was led to the place by an extremely friendly and hospitable local.
Before returning to the homestay to end the day, I did not forget to stop by Am Linh Pagoda about 500m from Ly Son port to visit the place of worship of the ancestors who had contributed to the island's exploration in the past. This is also the place to burn incense for the Hoang Sa soldiers who bravely crossed the sea hundreds of years ago to set up sovereignty markers. Every year, Ly Son people still organize many worship ceremonies, the most special of which is the Hoang Sa soldiers' oath-taking ceremony in the third lunar month.
In addition to the big island, Ly Son also has a small island called An Binh island and Mu Cu island. From the big island to the small island is about 3 nautical miles, there is always a canoe that rents the whole trip or takes a group trip, it only takes about 10 minutes. The sea water here is clear blue, in addition to swimming, you can take a small boat to dive and see the coral. Meanwhile, Mu Cu island is about 3km east of the big island with fresh air, pristine scenery, known as the place to see the most beautiful sunrise on the island.
Sunrise on Mu Cu island
I spent the remaining day visiting several places such as Ngang Beach, Bich Hoa Village, and Cau Cave. Ngang Beach has emerald green water where you can see colorful fish wagging their tails. Although Bich Hoa Village is small, its colorful murals are a favorite photo spot for many tourists. Cau Cave is also a place not to be missed if you want to kayak and take beautiful photos with vertical cliffs with unique and majestic shapes.
If Mu Cu island is the most beautiful place to welcome the sunrise, To Vo gate is the most beautiful place to watch the sunset in Ly Son. It is a stone gate about 2m high located on the coast. Some people believe that it was formed by lava from a volcano that gradually solidified 2 million years ago. Immersing yourself in the scent of the sea breeze, watching the moment the sun gradually expands and then sinks completely in the distant horizon, leaving a mysterious purple-red color on the sea surface, you will see the majestic and extremely magical nature.
Ly Son garlic fields have just harvested a new crop.
During my stay in Ly Son, I did not forget to enjoy many interesting specialties here. Ly Son is famous for its king crab, lobster, devil fish,... which are all deliciously prepared. I also did not forget to buy some original Ly Son garlic as a gift.
Although the trip was quite short, the experience was still very fulfilling and I felt like I was recharged with energy to be ready for the following months. Back on the mainland, I still miss the distant island, hoping to have many more opportunities to return./.
Hien Duong
Source: https://baolongan.vn/thang-ba-tro-lai-ly-son-a192503.html
Comment (0)