Quy Nhon

An undeveloped stretch of Central Vietnam's coast, with the Ky Co peninsula and Cham tower ruins, named a top destination by both Lonely Planet and National Geographic for 2026.

Quy Nhon lies on the central coast of Vietnam and was the capital of the former Binh Dinh Province (after Binh Dinh and Gia Lai merged in 2025, it now belongs to Gia Lai). It sits on a curved bay ringed by mountains and peninsulas, and was once the site of Vijaya, the capital of the Champa Kingdom. It is one of the few cities on Vietnam's coast that has not been heavily developed, and in 2026 it appeared on both Lonely Planet's and National Geographic's destinations of the year lists. The core area falls into three parts. The first is the city itself: a city beach of about 5 km along Xuan Dieu Street, the twin-tower Cham ruins in the center and seafood eateries. The second is the Phuong Mai Peninsula, northeast of the city across the Thi Nai Lagoon bridge, home to Tran Ninh fishing village, the Eo Gio headland, Ky Co beach, the big Buddha at Linh Phong Pagoda and the Phuong Mai dunes; it makes Quy Nhon's best day trip. The third is the cluster of Cham sites 20–50 km northwest of the city (Silver Tower, Duong Long Towers and Golden Tower), along with Tay Son uprising sites in the province. South of the city, the coast has the Ghenh Rang headland, Tho Trach village and quieter beaches toward Phu Yen. Climate: March to August is the dry season, with clear water and gentle waves, the best time for island trips and snorkeling; May to August is hottest (30–35°C). September to December is the rainy season, and typhoons and heavy rain are common in October and November, when speedboats to Ky Co stop running. January and February are cool, but sea conditions are mediocre. Getting there: Phu Cat Airport is about 35 km from the city, with flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (no international direct flights at present); the airport bus costs about 50,000 VND. From Da Nang, the train to Dieu Tri Station takes about 5–6 hours, and the bus takes 6 hours; from Nha Trang, the bus takes about 4–5 hours. In town, Grab and rented motorbikes (about 120,000–150,000 VND per day) are the main options; for the Phuong Mai Peninsula day trip you can hire a car or join a tour. We recommend 3 days: one for the city and beach, one for the Phuong Mai Peninsula (Eo Gio, Ky Co, fishing village) and one for the Cham ruins and Ghenh Rang. Tips: speedboats and entrance tickets at Ky Co beach are charged separately, and boats often stop in the rainy season; seafood is priced by weight, so ask the price first; many attractions are still under development with basic facilities; sunscreen and a waterproof bag are essential; English is not widely spoken, so use a translation app.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries