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A small island in Song Cau town.
The Co Ngua mountain range, located north of Song Cau town, extends about 15 km into the East Sea, forming the Xuan Thinh peninsula that embraces Xuan Dai Bay to the south and Cu Mong Lagoon to the north. In particular, the incredibly beautiful and tranquil Xuan Dai Bay, situated right in front of Song Cau town, is famous for its coconuts and seafood.
Xuan Dai Bay, viewed from Gang slope on National Highway 1A, is shielded by the Co Ngua mountain range in the distance.
To the southwest of Xuan Dai Bay, Mu U Mountain juts out into the sea, forming a small cove that looks directly out to sea through the bay's entrance. Just behind Mu U Mountain, slightly to the south, lies Nhat Tu Son Island, situated at an angle from northwest to southeast, acting as a natural screen protecting the two fishing villages of My Hai and My Thanh further inland.
Nhat Tu Son Island is located a few hundred meters from the mainland.
The island belongs to Xuan Thanh ward, slightly south of Song Cau town, Phu Yen province. On Pham Van Dong road – the main road of Song Cau town – coming from the north, just after Tam Giang bridge, turn left onto Nguyen Hong Son road, which runs along the coast for a few kilometers, and you'll see the island. If coming from Tuy Hoa to Song Cau, after crossing Huyen bridge on National Highway 1A, turn right at the foot of the bridge and go less than 1 km to reach it.
Walk to the island
What's special about this small island is that, normally it's an island in the middle of the beautiful Xuan Dai Bay, but when the tide recedes, a sandbar appears connecting the "island" to the mainland, making it easy to walk to the island - and at times the water is so low that cars can even reach the island.
Typically, from the 1st to the 15th of the lunar month, the tide recedes in the afternoon, while from the 15th to the end of the month, the tide recedes in the morning. Central Vietnam often experiences many storms in the latter half of the year, so the best time to visit Nhat Tu Son is from February to August.
At midday, the water began to recede, and a faint golden sandy path emerged beneath the blue water.
At times when the tide begins to recede but hasn't completely dried up, a path dimly appears beneath the clear blue water, a truly fascinating sight. Walking to the island, the water only reaches just above the knees, making it look from afar as if you're "walking" in the middle of the sea.
Nhat Tu Son is currently managed by a tourism business. As of mid-2021, the entrance fee was 50,000 VND, which included drinks and the cost of a speedboat to and from the mainland. Wading to and from the island is an optional choice for visitors, but speedboats are always available to transport guests at any time.
In the distance, tourists are wading across the sea to reach the island.
Discover Nhat Tu Son
Not only is Nhat Tu Son unique for its walking path over the sea, but it is also attractive because of the lush green vegetation on the island. Services on the island are almost nonexistent, apart from a few common soft drinks, but in return, the cool, poetic green space, with rows of tables and chairs hidden among the trees and flowers, provides a feeling of relaxation and peace.
A trellis of flowers at a viewpoint where visitors can rest on the island.
Another unique feature is that the island is surrounded by a rather wide "rocky platform." You can take a walk around the perimeter of the island on this rocky beach, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, creating white foam. The walking path around the island mainly runs along the natural rocks, with a few places where very simple concrete bridges have been built to safely cross small water channels.
Walking around the island along the rocky shore, crossing incredibly simple "bridges".
At the end of the path across the rocky beach, there was a small cave entrance that seemed to lead underground to the other side of the island, because every now and then white foam would spurt up from beneath the cave's opening.
After traversing the nearly circular rocky coastline of the island, a small path winds through a landscaped garden with beautiful bird sanctuaries and Koi ponds hidden beneath lush greenery, and sun-kissed flowers dance on the ground as the wind rustles through the leaves.
Koi pond on the mountainside
After about half an hour of strolling along the rocky shoreline of the island, when your legs start to ache and your body feels tired from the sun, you return to the resting point near the pier on the island. Sitting on the stone benches under the trees or on the simple swings hanging from the branches along the path will be a very refreshing feeling.
A resting place full of shade and breeze.
For those who still want to explore, there's a path up the mountain with stone steps leading to the statue of the Goddess of Mercy at the summit. From there, you can gaze out at the vast sea, sky, and mountains, which is also a delightful experience. The mountains on the island aren't very high, so it's not too strenuous.
Statue of the Goddess of Mercy on the mountaintop
Farewell to the small island, returning to the mainland along a path hidden beneath the water's surface.
Currently, overnight stays are not permitted on the island. After 6 PM, canoe services cease, and visitors must leave. Once you've explored this fascinating island, if a canoe is available, you can immediately board it to return to the mainland. Otherwise, simply wave your hat from the island, and a canoe will come to pick you up. Though simple, Nhat Tu Son is a delightful destination well worth visiting in Phu Yen province.
