With beautiful white sand beaches, majestic and poetic rocky fields and cool
green coconut groves, Hon Son island appears like a sparkling gem in the middle
of the vast ocean without a trace of exploitation. With a quiet space and the
most attractive wild beauty, Hon Son Island in Kien Giang is an ideal
destination for vacations and picnics.
Coming to Hon Son, visitors can immerse themselves in the wild nature with the
sea, sky, mountains and forests, open their hearts to the hospitable coastal
people and enjoy rustic dishes, rich in the flavor of the sea.
About Hon Son island
Hon Son, also known as Hon Son Rai, is located in Lai Son commune, Kien Hai
district, Kien Giang province. It is located on Ha Tien bay, between Nam Du
archipelago and Hon Tre island, 65 km west of Rach Gia city.
The reason the island is called Rai Ca is because there used to be a tree called
the oil tree that grew abundantly on the island, and its sap was used to coat
the hulls of boats to prevent seawater from corroding them. However, there is
another opinion that there used to be a lot of otters living around the island.
In 1777, when prince Nguyen Anh fled the Tay Son army and came here, a giant
otter offered him seafood, so he named the island Hon Son Rai.
Hon Son has a natural area of 11.5 km2 with 7 undulating mountain peaks and is
surrounded by 6 beautiful beaches. From a deserted island in the early 18th
century, Hon Son now has more than 2,400 households with 8,200 people living.
People mainly live by farming, fishing, shipbuilding, processing shrimp, fish,
dried squid and making fish sauce.
Ideal time to travel to Hon Son
The weather in Hon Son island is pleasant all year round, so you can travel to
Hon Son island at any time of the year. However, the ideal time for you to
travel to Hon Son Island is from May to December because this season the sea is
calm, has few waves and has a lot of fresh seafood: squid, shrimp, crab...
On the island, there is the Nghinh Festival held on the 15th of the 10th lunar
month every year. You can come to the island on this occasion to immerse
yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the festival. On the festival day, all the
people of the island will gather, especially those who live by fishing at sea.
Before leaving, you should update the weather situation in the Ca Mau - Kien
Giang sea area and avoid rough seas and storms to ensure safety.
How to get to Hon Son Island
To get to Hon Son, you must first go to Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province. From
Hanoi, you can buy a plane ticket to Can Tho, then take a bus from Can Tho to
Kien Giang (aprox 2.5 hour drive). Another option is to fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi
Minh City and then take a private car or bus to Kien Giang (aprox 5 hour drive).
Boats from Rach Gia to Hon Son depart in the morning, you should go a day in
advance and stay overnight in Rach Gia City to arrive at the pier on time in the
morning. If you take a bus, leave the night before and arrive at Rach Gia bus
station at around 6am the next day. Some bus companies such as Phuong Trang,
Viet Duc, etc. all have the Ho Chi Minh - Rach Gia (Kien Giang) route. When
arriving in Rach Gia, a shuttle bus will take you to the pier in 30 minutes.
From Rach Gia, there are 2 main means of transportation to Hon Son Island:
Speedboat and passenger boat. You can choose the most suitable means of
transportation based on your travel time and preferences.
Speedboat: Travel time is 1 hour 30 minutes. With this means of transport, you
will save maximum travel time. Speedboats usually dock at ports 2 and 3 in Rach
Gia wharf.
Some shipping lines and specific departure times:
+ Ngoc Thanh Ship: Rach Gia Wharf ??? Hon Son: departs at 8:05. Hon Son ??? Rach Gia
Wharf: departs at 13:30
+ Superdong Boat: Rach Gia Wharf ??? Hon Son: departs at 7:20. Hon Son ??? Rach Gia
Wharf: departs at 11:15
+ Phu Quoc Express Boat: Rach Gia Wharf ??? Hon Son: departs at 6:30. Hon Son ???
Rach Gia Wharf: departs at 14:10
Passenger boat: If you bring a motorbike to visit the island and carry a lot of
luggage and goods, the passenger boat will be a suitable choice. The travel time
is quite long, about 3 hours and 30 minutes, but the fare is cheaper than the
speedboat. Passenger boats usually dock at port number 2 at the wharf. The two
main shipping companies are Thanh Tu and Duc Trung, both departing from Rach Gia
- Hon Son Wharf at 8:30 and returning at 10:00.
Departure times may change on weekends or busy days. Remember to call the
shipping companies to book tickets in advance and ask carefully when booking to
avoid missing the boat.
Getting around in the island
If you want to walk around the island, you should rent a motorbike with prices
ranging from 200,000 - 250,000 VND. You can rent directly at the hotels when you
check-in. If you go in a large group, another option is to rent a pickup truck
or a 12-seat passenger bus. In addition, you can also rent a fisherman's boat to
go around the island or go fishing, squid fishing is very interesting.
What to do in Hon Son island?
Hon Son Island has many attractive and interesting places to explore such as:
majestic high mountains, beautiful blue beaches, temples that are included in
historical relics... You should go to Hon Son for about 2 days and 1 night to
visit the characteristics of the island, watch the sunset and welcome the
sunrise on the island. At that moment, sitting on a large rock, looking towards
the sea, you will feel so small in the middle of the vast ocean.
Sea bathing
With a coastline of more than 1km curving along a crescent shape, Hon Son Island
has many beaches such as: Gieng beach, Bang beach, Bac beach, Da Chai beach...
Among them, Bang beach is considered a beautiful one.
With blue sea, white sand and golden sunshine all year round, gentle waves
lapping the shore, clean sea water and many large and small rocky beaches
suitable for swimming and taking pictures. Coming here, you will be able to
immerse yourself in the clear blue water, watch the coconut trees swaying in the
wind along the coast, and breathe the fresh, cool sea air.
Thien Tue beach is located in the west with strangely shaped rocks of nature
that make us surprised with its wild and unique beauty. Here, boats are also
anchored busily and rows of houses are built close together on the beach. Da
Chai Beach and Gieng Beach are located close to Thien Tue Beach, leaning against
a mountain range with primeval forests. Here, there are flat monolithic rocks
running to the water's edge. The open space here is very suitable for organizing
entertainment and camping.
Take a walk around the island
The road around the island is paved with beautiful wide cement, winding along
the coast with rows of coconut trees leaning over to reflect in the blue sea
water, making you really excited.
On the way through the mountains, one of the places worth exploring in Hon Son
is the only waterfall on the island. The waterfall brings the natural scenery of
the mountains and forests and all year round the water flows from the top of Ma
Thien Lanh to Bang beach, which is a precious source of fresh water for the
people on the island.
Lai Son wharf with anchored ships appearing in sight, helps you imagine the
peaceful life of fishermen.
Climbing mountain
In addition to common activities such as swimming, diving to see coral, fishing,
catching sea urchins, etc., mountain climbing or trekking through the forest are
also interesting experiences.
Hon Son Island has 7 mountains, of which the most prominent is Ma Thien Lanh
peak with a height of 450m. Climb the stairs and go through the gravel path to
reach the top of the mountain. Standing on the large rocks in the middle of Ma
Thien Lanh peak, you can gaze out at the immense, deep blue space of the sea and
sky. On the top of the mountain, there is a very large rock called "Fairy
Courtyard" associated with the legend that fairies often come down here to dance
and play. This wild, mysterious beauty also attracts many Taoists, hermits to
meditate in abandoned caves and temples. These folk tales make Ma Thien Lanh
even more challenging for explorers and conquerors.
To conquer Ma Thien Lanh mountain, from Bai Nha pier, you go about 1km towards
Bang beach. Then walk a little further, you will see the road on the left with
steps leading up the mountain. From here, you can follow the steps, starting the
journey to conquer the mountain top. When climbing in Hon Son, you can hire
local people to guide you. When climbing, you should wear clothes made of cool,
sweat-absorbent fabric. Climbing shoes must be light, hug your feet and have
good grip.
Sitting on the mountain top, taking photos, listening to locals recount the
legend of Ma Thien Lanh peak, the story of fairies descending to earth at San
Tien and the mysterious lives of Taoists who came here to practice... it was
definitely worth it!
Another attractive mountain is Ong Rong Mountain. The mountain is only 250m
above sea level, the road is also much shorter than Ma Thien Lanh Mountain, but
the road is more difficult, having to go through forests and cross streams. The
route to climb Ong Rong Mountain is only 1/3 of that of Ma Thien Lanh but
requires you to be resilient, because the higher you go, the steeper the road.
There are slopes up to a meter high, slippery, or almost vertical slopes, you
have to hold on to vines and forest trees to go. The forest path is always dense
with trees and many winding turns, you have to stay close to the person in front
or it is easy to get lost, even if only 1-2 meters apart.
After a while of weaving through giant rocks and dense trails, you will reach
Ong Rong peak. Here, the most impressive feature is the ancient cycad tree
growing in the cliff, its trunk lying long, winding, and curling like the body
of a dragon with its head facing the sea, the name Ong Rong mountain also
originates from here. According to researchers, this tree is over 300 years old
if calculated by leaf buds (changing leaves once a year).
Explore historical sites
In addition to the beautiful landscapes, Hon Son also has relics bearing the
spiritual features of the sea, associated with the legends of the indigenous
people. On the island, there are communal houses and pagodas such as: Nam Hai
Dai Tuong Quan Temple, Lai Son Temple, Ba Co Chu Temple, Cao Dai Holy See, Hai
Son Pagoda...
According to the islanders, Ba Co Chu Temple is the place to worship the first
woman to explore Hon Son Rai and is considered by the people to be the goddess
who governs the Lai Son sea. To commemorate her great merit, the people here
built a temple and hold a ceremony on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month every
year.
When you come to Hon Son, remember to visit the Nam Hai Temple located at Bai
Thien Tue. This is also the place where many whale skeletons are preserved. The
Whale Festival on the 15th and 16th of the 10th lunar month every year is a
unique cultural feature of the islanders.
Night activities
Standing on Hon Son pier at Bai Nha at night, looking out to sea is very
beautiful, in the distance the sea is the undulating light of fishermen's boats,
and looking at the beach along the road, the green and yellow lights, the city
lights reflect on the curved road, looking very poetic. Next to Bai Nha beach is
a prosperous night market with many fresh seafood of Kien Giang sea. From the
pier to the night market is about 200m. If you stay at a hotel near the port,
you can easily walk to the market. It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
The most attractive thing that you cannot miss when having fun at night on the
island is renting a boat to go squid fishing. The feeling of sitting on the
boat, listening to the sound of the waves and catching the fish will make you
very happy.
Sleeping in Hon Son island
Because it is still wild and has not been exploited for tourism, Hon Son Island
has a number of hotels, motels, and homestays to serve tourists. Tourists often
stay at the homestay located right at Bac beach, about 7 km from the pier. Here
you can swim and watch the beautiful sunset. Room rates range from 500,000 to
800,000 VND/night including breakfast.
In addition, camping overnight on the beaches is also an interesting choice. Hon
Son Island has electricity and you do not have to worry. However, if you go on
holidays or weekends you should book in advance.
Eating and drinking on Hon Son island
When coming to Hon Son, don't miss the fresh seafood dishes such as: crab,
snail, shrimp, mantis shrimp and other equally delicious dishes such as raw
herring with lemon, oysters with lemon milk or mixed with mango, sour sea fish
soup, squid porridge hotpot, oyster porridge, grilled sea urchin... with the
very typical preparation method of the islanders.
In addition to seafood, on Hon Son island, people raise chickens with coconuts
and the chickens are free during the day they go into the forest to find food
and at night they come back to sleep. The chicken here is very delicious and
sweet, especially the steamed chicken with fish sauce and grilled chicken, you
must try this dish when traveling to Hon Son.
In Hon Son island, popular dishes are available everywhere such as vermicelli,
rice or pho with prices from only 20,000 - 25,000 VND/bowl, you will easily find
many restaurants of all kinds with quite reasonable prices right at Bai Nha
wharf.
You can also go to Bai Gieng market or fishing boat anchorages to buy fresh
seafood and ask the hotel owner or the locals on Bai Bang beach to process and
provide drinks, dishes...
There is a restaurant that young people must check in at Hon Son, which is Quan
Bia - Hon Son Heaven Gate. About 3km from the pier. Coming here, you can drink
water, enjoy the breeze and take photos.
The night market in Hon Son is quite large, about 1000 square meters. Located in
the central area, about 200 meters from Bai Nha Pier. Full of dishes from food
to drinks.
Specialties on Hon Son Island to buy as gifts
Hon Son specialties are dried seafood, fish sauce, salt, tamarind... wines
soaked from plants and fruits available on the island such as Forest Grape Wine,
Forest Mai Wine, Dragon Blood Wine, Coconut Wine... Especially Hon Son fish
sauce. It can be said that Hon Son barrel fish sauce is the best specialty here,
don't forget to buy some as a gift.
Note: What if you run out of cash while on the island? Since there are no ATMs
or banks on the island, you should use Internet Banking to transfer money to the
homestay owner and exchange it for cash. It is best to prepare and bring enough
cash.
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