An alluring coastal road winds its way south from Quy Nhon, taking in a collection of beaches, viewpoints and forested hills before dropping down to a vast lagoon and miles-long fishing beach at Xuan Hai.
In this distinctive part of Vietnam rugged, reddish cliffs are offset with lush forest. It all feels very Mediterranean and there are resorts popping up everywhere.
The main scenic stretch is only around 20 kilometres, but can easily take all day if you stop off and explore the various spots of interest, including the quirky and fascinating village of Quy Hoa.
I did just that, meandering along the coast before spending a night at the Bai Xep Beach guesthouse (formerly Life’s a Beach), sleeping in the shared dorm and chatting with an interesting group of tourists and expats.
Bai Xep
Bai Xep is a charming spot to stay or stop by with a tiny market square where street food vendors sell toasted banh mi and warm sweet tofu custard and a narrow, winding street leading down to the beach and three or four guesthouses.
There are a few spots for fresh seafood as well, to order by the kilo and the Bai Xep Beach staff will help you order in to eat at their tables.
March to September this coastline is a heavenly paradise of still, turquoise waters. In the stormy and winter months the sea churns violently, creating a wild and dramatic spray across the rocky headlands, but also spitting fishing trash up on the beach (mostly cleaned up in the mornings). There are also a few waterfalls in the area – ask at the guesthouse for advice.
I learned that this area is a magnet for returning ‘Viet Kieu’ (Returned Vietnamese) who have spent their working lives abroad and now want to retire in their country of origin. And why not.
One friendly couple tell me they split their time equally between Quy Nhon and Sydney and have just opened up a guesthouse in Vietnam. They are making the most of their time in Vietnam with massive seafood feasts inspiring the rest of us to splash out on plates of oysters.
Bai Xep is not the largest beach, but there is something about this place that makes it quite hard to leave.
Quy Hoa
En route to Bai Xep from Quy Nhon is the sleepy but fascinating village of Quy Hoa, created as a peaceful haven for leprosy sufferers. It’s worth taking time to wander around and look at the quaint and unique architecture and many busts of scientists and doctors.
The surprisingly lovely beach is fringed with casuarina trees and likely to be deserted in the cooler months apart from a lady or two selling coconuts. I had the pleasure of chatting with a couple of Vietnamese road trippers. The duo just happened to be a well-known fashion designer and film-maker who insisted on shouting me a coconut.
Viewpoints
Hitting the road again (albeit for ten minutes), my first stop off point is at the Trung Duong rest point.
It’s a lovely place to enjoy a cool drink and the stellar views (you’ll need to buy something to hang out here), and there’s access to a small secluded beach cove.
Phu Yen Beaches
Further down the coast road are three beaches – Bai Bang, Bai Bau and Bai Rang. Bai Bang is a larger beach but dominated by an enormous white resort. A more chilled and very local vibe can be found at Bai Rang, where a perfect crescent of white sand under swaying palm trees.
There is a shower and change room at Bai Rang, and dozens of shaded hammocks. You can buy drinks here, though not food – you will see locals eating freshly cooked seafood they have brought in themselves and asked the family to cook. Unfortunately this is also a popular venue for karaoke, though if it is too overbearing you can always move up the beach.
It is possible to camp on Bai Rang for a small fee, though the family didn’t sound too thrilled about the idea of a foreigner camping alone.
For sweeping views along the Xuan Hai peninsula and beyond, the next place not to miss is an unnamed cafe at the very end of the headland before the road plunges downhill. Look out for a bunch of vehicles parked outside.
Past the lookout point, the road continues along the peninsula, where it is possible to explore some dreamy countryside around the Xuan Hai Lagoon, and further on the honeycombed coastline towards Tuy Hoa.
