10 things to do when visiting Phu Yen

Text: Hai An, Photos:Dao Tien Dat,Hai An, Tran Quoi

1. Conquering Da Bia Mountain

Mount Da Bia, over 700m high, lies at the foot of Ca Pass. At its summit is a colossal rock nearly 50m tall. From Bai Xep and Bai Bang (Hoa Tam commune), Da Bia resembles a seated figure. From Hoa Tam, it looks like a standing Buddha. Legend says that King Le Thanh Tong, returning from his campaign against Chiem Thanh, stopped and wrote his name at this natural wonder. Conquering the mountain is a challenging and exciting experience. The reward at the summit for your efforts is the invigorating, breezy air, feeling as if you're soaring through the vast sky, your gaze reaching out to the boundless ocean.

2. Wandering on Mount Yan

Centuries ago, the Champa Kingdom left behind magnificent architectural works, and the Nhan Tower on the mountain of the same name is a testament to that golden age. On a sunny afternoon, you can cycle between rows of fragrant milkwood trees on Le Trung Kien Street, then stroll up Nhan Mountain. From above, the city of Tuy Hoa shimmers magically, the evening bells echoing in the distance, creating a strangely peaceful feeling that evokes nostalgic feelings in the traveler.

3. Watch the sunrise over the sea in the early morning.

Tuy Hoa is a coastal city, with a central square and a wide beach, ideal for beach activities. Tuy Hoa's beach, with its charming, curved coastline and lack of offshore islands, is a fantastic spot for watching the sunrise. On clear summer days, you can go to the beach around 4 am and watch the sun rise at 5 am like a fiery ball emerging from the sea – a truly spectacular moment.

4. Swim at Om Beach and watch the sunset over Xuan Dai Bay.

Xuan Dai Bay is one of Vietnam's most beautiful bays. When you ride your motorbike from Song Cau town down the dirt road to Vung La, you'll pass a fishing village on one side and the tranquil, waveless Xuan Dai Bay on the other. The feeling of going there at sunset is incredibly beautiful and poetic. If you have plenty of time, you should visit all the bays to see many beautiful sights and the activities of the fishermen at sea. Especially in Vung La, there's Om Beach, an incredibly beautiful and pristine beach, an ideal camping spot for all backpackers. It's wonderful to explore on your own and hear the locals tell you stories about the bays, like the local folk song: "Vung Dong, Vung Mam, Vung Chao; Vung La, Vung Su, every bay is lovely…"

5. Eat seafood at Gốc Beach.

Seafood at Gốc Beach in Phú Yên is famous for being both cheap and delicious due to its abundant resources and the unspoiled nature of its tourism services. Located north of Môn Beach, Điện Cape, and Tiên Beach, the beach belongs to Hòa Tâm commune (Đông Hòa district). Here, you can personally select your favorite seafood. Fresh, plump squid, shimmering silver mackerel, large round moon snails, king crab, and many other seafood options will satisfy your taste buds at surprisingly low prices.

6. Enjoy traditional local cakes.

Phu Yen is also home to many local, simple yet delicious cakes and pastries. Wander through the small streets, stop at a small roadside stall, and enjoy various cakes such as banh beo, banh hoi, and banh can, specialties of Central Vietnam. In Phu Yen, these cakes are often topped with oil mixed with chopped scallions and shredded dried shrimp, served with a very distinctive sweet fish sauce.

7. Camping on Hon Lao Mai Nha Island

Located about 4km from the famous O Loan Lagoon, Lao Mai Nha Island covers an area of ​​only about 1.2 square kilometers with its highest peak over 100m, yet it preserves almost entirely the stunning, unspoiled beauty bestowed by nature. The island has two beaches: the front beach with fine sand perfect for swimming, and a little further out is a vibrant coral reef. The back beach is a fun place to go fishing for a camping dinner by the sea. If you love the wild beauty of nature and want to escape the worries of life, Lao Mai Nha is a wonderful destination.

8. Leave your footprints at Ganh Dia Reef and Ganh Den Lighthouse.

With a width of over 50m and a length of approximately 200m, formed from volcanic eruptions over 200 million years ago, the Ganh Da Dia (Disk Rock Reef) is truly a unique wonder found only in Phu Yen. The stacked polygonal rock formations are miraculously straight. Half of the reef is submerged in the sea, while the other half rises above the waves year-round. Over time, water erosion has turned the rock surface a deep black and honeycomb-like pattern, creating bizarre shapes. Beside Ganh Da Dia is the ancient and peaceful Ganh Den Lighthouse. At the lighthouse, visitors can perch on the high rocks and admire the majestic natural scenery amidst the roaring waves.

9.Enjoy the night at Dai Lanh, and have fun during the day at Bai Mon.

Dai Lanh Cape – home to the centuries-old Mui Dien lighthouse – is also known as Mui Nay, Mui Ba, Mui Dien… and is located in Phuoc Tan village, Hoa Tam commune, Dong Hoa district. At the foot of the lighthouse lies Mon Beach, with its deep blue waters and year-round gentle waves. Enjoy swimming at Mon Beach and immerse yourself in the magical night at Dai Lanh. When night falls, the sky is full of stars and crystal clear, the darkness allowing the stars to sparkle. Sitting on the rocky ledge, gaze out at the vast, shimmering sea, looking down at a sea of ​​thousands of lights from squid fishing boats, and looking up at the countless twinkling stars. There is no sound of everyday life, no car horns, no shouting, no telephones, no place for hustle and bustle; everything is crushed and then vanishes into the wind.

10. Phu Yen chicken rice and tuna with mustard sauce

Phu Yen chicken rice is a very famous dish that tourists cannot miss when visiting this coastal city. The golden, sticky, and fragrant rice grains are made even sweeter by being cooked with chicken broth and curry. The steaming plates of fragrant rice, the succulent shredded boiled chicken, a little spicy kimchi, some pickled onions, and a bowl of the region's special fish sauce all contribute to the experience.

Phu Yen is the largest tuna fishing ground in the country. The firm, meaty tuna fillets are skillfully cut and attractively presented. To preserve the flavor, you should eat them raw with mustard greens and a mustard dipping sauce. Such delicious specialties are sure to impress even the most discerning travelers.

Additional information:

Means of transportation

PlaneThe new Dong Tac airport, located 5km from Tuy Hoa city, has flights from Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Tourist vehicle: Thuan Thao, Cuc Tu, Hanh Tho buses…

Train:Trains passing through Tuy Hoa station include the TN and SE express trains; and local trains such as SH and SQN.

Transportation in Phu Yen

Motorbike rental: prices range from 100,000 to 150,000 VND per day, available at hotels or by contacting a rental service.

Buses: Bus routes depart from the bus station in the city center, following roads to communes and districts.

Food destinations in Phu Yen

Chicken riceChicken rice is a popular breakfast dish here, and can be found along the sidewalks of Tran Quy Cap Street, or right at the corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets.

Vietnamese savory pancake (Banh Xeo):Eating banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) wrapped in rice paper and dipped in cloudy or clear fish sauce is also one of the unique features of Phu Yen. Banh xeo is served on a plate; the most famous is Dai Nam banh xeo restaurant in the alley where Nguyen Cong Tru and Chu Manh Trinh streets meet.

Hot steamed rice cakes (Bánh bèo nóng), rice vermicelli (Bánh hỏi):At the fork in the road leading up to Nhan Mountain, the shop only opens in the late afternoon.

Large tuna (humpback tuna):Typically, raw fish is wrapped in mustard greens and dipped in green mustard sauce, while braised fish eyes with Chinese herbs are a popular dish. Famous places include Mrs. Tam's restaurant on Le Duan Street near the intersection of Le Duan and Dien Bien Phu, or Phu Anh restaurant specializing in dishes made with ocean tuna.

Rice noodle soup with chives:Rice noodle soup, made with minced fish, fish cake, and especially garnished with finely chopped chives, is often sold at night next to the Tuy Hoa City Post Office or at Nang restaurant next to the pharmaceutical company.

Rice vermicelli with pork offal and pork offal porridge:Hoa Da restaurant (An My commune, Tuy An district) only sells in the mornings and is very famous.

Chop Chai Goat Hot Pot:Located on the old National Highway 1A, 3km north of Tuy Hoa City (next to the traffic police station), this restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes and the cooking process doesn't produce a strong goat smell.

Grilled spring roll wrappersNext to the old Nguyen Van Troi school, grilled pork skewers wrapped in Phu Yen rice paper and dipped in a thick, savory fish sauce are very delicious.

Hotels in Phu Yen

Saigon Phu Yen Hotel (057. 3823 775), Cong Doan Hotel (057. 3823 187), Da Giang Hotel (057. 3820 179), Quynh Hoa Hotel (057. 3823 401).

Soup to take home

Sun-dried squid (prepared twice), Phu Yen rice paper, sticky rice cake (banh tro), steamed rice dumpling (banh nam)...

The Thanh