A weekend getaway along the central coast.

Central Vietnam boasts stunning coastal roads that can captivate any traveler's heart. Among them, the route from Tuy An district (Phu Yen province) to Quy Nhon city (Binh Dinh province) is particularly impressive, thanks to the breathtaking scenery along the way.

One Friday evening, he took a long-distance bus from Saigon to Tuy Hoa, slept through the journey, and woke up to find he had arrived. He stopped in Tuy Hoa to borrow a motorbike from a friend as previously arranged, had breakfast and coffee, and then set off heading north. From Tuy Hoa city, National Highway 1A ran alongside O Loan Lagoon; however, the area was quite densely populated, so he sped straight ahead.

After passing through Chi Thanh town in Tuy An district, National Highway 1A begins to curve and follow the coast, embracing Vung Lam Bay, Xuan Dai Bay, and Cu Mong Lagoon. From Binh Phu Bridge across Cu Mong Lagoon, the road splits into branches: National Highway 1D continues along the coast to Quy Nhon city, while the old National Highway 1A continues over Cu Mong Pass northward.

After passing the Mango Garden slope on National Highway 1A, one name that must be mentioned is Ong Cop Bridge, located right next to the highway. This long wooden bridge spans the confluence of the Vet and Phu Ngan rivers right in front of the Tieu Chau estuary, a place where countless travelers have come to check in and experience the thrill of riding a motorbike across the vast, windy river mouth.

Continuing north along National Highway 1A, past Ganh Do Pass and Quyt Slope, you can see Nhat Tu Son Island at the entrance to Xuan Dai Bay – a unique island that can be reached on foot from the mainland when the tide is low. At times, the water is so shallow that… cars can even drive to the island.

Beyond Song Cau town, National Highway 1A continues along the beautiful Xuan Dai Bay and, after crossing the Nai Pass – essentially just a relatively long slope – it runs alongside the Cu Mong Lagoon to the Binh Phu Bridge intersection. From here, the old National Highway 1A goes further west, crossing the Cu Mong Pass into Binh Dinh province, while the new branch, National Highway 1D, continues to hug the coast, winding up and down the mountain slopes to reach Quy Nhon city.

Right at the beginning of National Highway 1D, the straight asphalt road runs between white sand dunes, with the peak of Hon Nhon Island shrouded in white clouds stretching straight ahead. Just past the first bend on the slope, the deep blue sea unfolds before your eyes; the scene of Xuan Hai fishing village is enough to captivate any traveler strolling through this place. Colorful basket boats, nestled together on the curved, arc-shaped sandy shore, gleam brightly in the afternoon sun.

The road continues to wind along the coast, up and down the mountain slopes, running through arc-shaped golden sand beaches: Rang Beach, Bau Beach, Bang Beach - beautiful swimming beaches in Song Cau district, Phu Yen province.

Beyond Bang Beach lies Binh Dinh province, with a tiny, crescent-shaped sandy beach next to Bang Beach, known locally as Little Bang Beach. Further along is a long stretch of beach: Xep Beach, with the bungalows of the Anantara Qui Nhon Villas complex.

As the city of Quy Nhon unfolds with its towering buildings embracing the city's curving coastline, at the final bend on National Highway 1D before entering Quy Nhon, there's a stunning sandy beach shaded by lush green casuarina trees. In an instant, about 30 kilometers of National Highway 1D are behind us. The traveler seems to forget the time, mesmerized by the beauty of the mountains and the sea.

From Tuy Hoa city to Quy Nhon city, he only traveled along the national highway. Time was limited; in Quy Nhon, he wandered around the city, met friends there, and the next day he rode his motorbike back to Tuy Hoa, returned the "bike," took a long-distance bus to sleep, and then rushed into the new work week.

Lu Phong