Ly Son Island: volcanoes and garlic in 2026

The island was formed 25–30 million years ago by erupting basalt volcanoes. Today the craters grow garlic that sells for four times the mainland price, and a 20-metre flag flies from the highest volcano. Tourists are still rare here — this is not Phu Quoc or Cat Ba, and you will barely hear English. But that is exactly why Ly Son is worth the trip: a working fishing-and-farming island that hasn't been repackaged for anyone.

• Thoi Loi Peak (Đỉnh Thới Lới): 169 m — the island high point, a crater lake and the flagpole
• To Vo Arch (Cổng Tò Vò): A volcanic sea arch — the island top photo spot
• Hang Cau Cliff (Hang Câu): 120 m cliff on the rim of the Thoi Loi crater
• Hang Pagoda (Chùa Hang): A 400-year-old cave temple, 24 m deep into the rock
• Hoang Sa Flotilla Museum (Nhà trưng bày Hải đội Hoàng Sa): Exhibition on the Paracel Islands naval flotillas
• Be Island (Đảo Bé): A tiny coral islet, boat from ~150,000 VND (~$6)

Five volcanoes and black cliffs

Ly Son is not a palm-fringed tropical postcard. It is a raw volcanic landscape: black basalt, sheer cliffs, wind off the sea. Beautiful — just in a different way.

Thới Lới peak — 169 metres, the island's high point. On top sits a crater with a freshwater lake and a 20-metre national flagpole. The 360° panorama takes in the sea, the garlic fields below and neighbouring Be Island on the horizon. The climb is 30 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by motorbike up the switchbacks.

The Cổng Tò Vò arch — a natural volcanic gate right at the water's edge. It is the island's top photo spot. At sunset, when the sun drops straight through the arch, everyone with a camera gathers here.

The Hang Câu cliff — a 120-metre wall on the rim of the Thoi Loi volcanic ring. There is a view of the sea from the edge and a wild black-pebble beach below.

The Chùa Hang pagoda — a 400-year-old temple that runs 24 metres deep into a cliff cave. At the entrance a statue of Guanyin faces the sea. It is quiet, cool and smells of incense. Free to enter.

The island has more than 50 Buddhist temples and shrines, plus the seaside Âm Linh Tự shrine and a small museum devoted to the Hoang Sa naval flotillas — the crews sent from Ly Son centuries ago to chart and defend the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. That history still runs deep here, and it is why the island matters to Vietnam far beyond its garlic.

The kingdom of garlic

Ly Son is nicknamed the "kingdom of garlic" for good reason. Some 300 hectares of fields grow garlic and onions on volcanic basalt mixed with sea sand and fed with seaweed. That combination exists only here.

Tỏi Lý Sơn is "pearl garlic." The cloves are small with a pearly sheen, and the flavour is sharper and richer than usual. Locals swear it cures everything, from a cold to high blood pressure. On the island a kilo starts around 200,000 VND (~$8), four times the mainland price.

Planting season is September–October and the harvest is in March. If you land between planting and harvest, you will see the checkerboard fields: brown basalt alternating with white sand and green shoots. Farmers haul the coral sand up from the shore by hand every couple of years to keep the top layer alive — the whole system is stubbornly manual, which is half of why the garlic costs what it does.

Garlic salad (gỏi tỏi) is Ly Son's signature dish — thinly sliced garlic with seafood, herbs and fish sauce. Try it at the night market.

How to get to Ly Son

Every ferry leaves from Sa Kỳ port in Quang Ngai province. From Quang Ngai town it is 30 km to the port, about 40 minutes by taxi (~200,000 VND, or ~$8).

There are 5–9 sailings a day, with the first departures around 07:30, 09:30 and 11:30. Summer and holidays add extra runs. Buy tickets a day ahead in peak season, and get to the port 45–60 minutes before departure.

Since 2022 a speedboat also runs direct from Da Nang. It costs more and takes longer, but it is handy if you would rather skip the detour through Quang Ngai.

Getting to Quang Ngai

• From Da Nang: train (3–4 h, from 100,000 VND) or bus (3 h, from 120,000 VND)
• From Ho Chi Minh City: a flight to Da Nang plus a bus, or the direct train (12–14 h)
• From Hoi An: a bus to Quang Ngai (2 h, from 80,000 VND)

The nearest mainland hub with its own airport is Da Nang; for a full city guide see our Da Nang guide, or read up on Quy Nhon a little further south.

Be Island — the uninhabited neighbour

Seven kilometres south of Ly Son lies the tiny island of Đảo Bé (An Binh). About 500 people live here, all fishermen, and there is no tourist infrastructure at all.

Why go: the water is so clear you can see the bottom 10 metres down. Coral reefs sit right off the shore, so you can snorkel without a mask — goggles are enough. White sand, silence. Spend 2–3 hours here, then head back to Ly Son.

A boat to Be Island runs from 150,000 VND (~$6) per person in a group. You can arrange one at the Ly Son pier in the morning — boats leave once they fill up, and the last one back is usually mid-afternoon, so don't dawdle over lunch. Bring your own water and shade: there are a couple of drink stalls and nothing else.

Where to stay and what to eat

Where to stay

There are no five-star hotels here — just guesthouses and mini-hotels along the main road.

Book ahead in summer (June–August) — rooms are scarce and domestic tourists fill everything.

Food

• The night market is the place to have dinner: garlic salad, sea urchins (nhím biển), crab and grilled fish.
• Seafood on Ly Son is cheaper than on the resort islands: a portion from 50,000 VND (~$2).
• Sea urchins are a specialty, in season from March.

Practical tips

Best time: March–September. The sea is calm and ferries run regularly. October–February brings storms, cancelled sailings and days when the island is cut off entirely.

Getting around: motorbike only. Rental is 100,000–150,000 VND a day (~$4–6). You can ride around the whole island in 30 minutes. The roads are narrow but smooth.

What to bring: cash (there is one ATM on the island and it is often empty), sunscreen and a snorkel mask (hard to buy locally). English is barely spoken, so a translation app helps.

How long you need: one to two days is plenty. One full day covers Thoi Loi and the arch in the morning, Be Island midday and the night market in the evening. A second day leaves room for the pagodas, the garlic fields and an unhurried swim.

Ly Son is one of the most unusual islands in Vietnam — and one of the country's better-kept hidden gems. The nearest mainland town is Quy Nhon, a short hop down the coast, and Da Nang is the closest hub with an airport and direct ferry.

FAQ

How do you get to Ly Son Island?

A speedboat ferry from Sa Ky port (Quang Ngai province) takes 30–35 minutes and costs 205,000–237,000 VND (~$8–9.50). There are 5–9 sailings a day. The port is about 40 minutes by taxi from Quang Ngai town. Since 2022 a direct ferry also runs from Da Nang (2–3 hours).

What can you see on Ly Son in one day?

Morning: Thoi Loi peak for the view over the volcano, then the To Vo sea arch. Midday: a boat to Be Island for snorkelling and the beach. Evening: the night market with garlic salad and sea urchins. With a second day, add Hang Pagoda, the Hang Cau cliff and the garlic fields.

Why buy garlic on Ly Son?

Ly Son "pearl garlic" grows on volcanic soil topped with sea sand — a combination found nowhere else. The flavour is stronger than ordinary garlic and the cloves have a pearly sheen. A kilo starts around 200,000 VND (~$8). A good souvenir to take home from Vietnam.

When is the best time to visit Ly Son?

March–September. The sea is calm and ferries keep to schedule. March is the garlic harvest, when the fields turn golden-green. Summer (June–August) has the clearest water for snorkelling. In winter (October–February) storms can cut the island off.

Can you swim on Ly Son?

Yes, but these are not resort beaches. The best swimming is on Be Island (clear water, coral). On Ly Son itself you can swim near the port and at Hang Cau, but the shore is rocky. This is an island for volcanoes and garlic, not for a beach holiday.