In the sunny and windy central strip, Hue is not as bustling as Saigon nor as chill as Sapa or Da Lat but has captivated many hearts every time they set foot in. Referring to Hue, people often think of ancient architectural works or the romantic Perfume River. Few people know that Hue has more than that! Green beaches, unspoiled islands are still waiting for you to explore. Hon Chao Island, Hue is an outstanding example!
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Where is Hon Chao Island?
Hon Chao is a pristine island located at the foot of Hai Van peak, in Lang Co territory, Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue province. It is located at the border between Da Nang and Hue, so many confuse Hon Chao Island in Da Nang.
According to historical records, Hon Chao was called Pearl Island from the Tay Son period; then, it was called Hon Son Cha during the French colonial period. Because it is easy to confuse with the name Son Tra island in Da Nang, it is officially named Hon Chao. It is called Hon Chao because it looks like an upside-down pan from afar.
At an altitude of 235m above sea level, Hon Chao is as beautiful as a painting in the middle of the vast sky and sea. Although it is only about 1.5km wide, it is not inferior to any famous sea in the country because Hon Chao island is full of terrain types, surrounded by cliffs stacked close to each other.
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The best time to explore Hon Chao
Like other central regions, Hon Chao is also affected by the tropical monsoon climate and suffers many storms every year. Therefore, when traveling and exploring Hon Chao island, you need to pay attention to the weather forecast. The most suitable time to go to Hon Chao is from February to August every year. At this time, the sunny weather is ideal for exploring and traveling to the sea.
How to get to Hon Chao island?
From provinces and cities across the country, you have many options to move to Hue. Popular means of transportation for you to choose from are plane, passenger car, train, etc.
For those who live far away, the plane, bus, or train are the most reasonable means of transportation. Phu Bai airport in Hue is only about 15km from the city center, which helps you stay far away to save considerable travel time. On the contrary, for those who live near Hue or love to experience and have plenty of time, you can travel to Hue by motorbike.
From Hue city center, you move to Lang Co bay. Then take a fishing boat or canoe to go to Hon Chao island.
Because Hon Chao has just been put into tourism, it is still very unspoiled, and there are few vehicle rental services. Therefore, traveling on the island is mainly walking to explore the wild beauty of this place.
What is Hon Chao Island to play?
Go to the beach
Coming to Hon Chao, the first impression for visitors is probably the beach with clear blue water. You will enjoy the feeling of walking barefoot on the rocky shores, listening to the sound of waves lapping through each hair. Admire the golden sands winding around the coast and then immerse yourself in the cool, blue water.
Especially if you come in the early morning or late afternoon, you will be captivated by the brilliant beauty of this island. At dawn, when the sun’s rays begin to shine, Hon Chao emerges from the misty morning mist, then glows under the rays of the sun. In the late afternoon, Hon Chao looks calm and wild under the bright red sunset.
Snorkeling to see corals
On beautiful summer days, visitors can indulge themselves with scuba diving to explore the beauty of this place. Although Hon Chao island is only about 1.5km wide, it has a vibrant marine ecosystem. The marine environment around Hon Chao is an ideal place for fish, shrimp, etc., to reside. Coral and seaweed are also highly diverse, with hundreds of different species. Therefore, Hon Chao has entered the list of 15 marine protected areas of our country.
The sea surface of Hon Chao is clear, through diving glasses, visitors can admire the beauty of colorful coral reefs, seaweed as well as many species of fish. Moreover, the coral viewing area is also relatively shallow, so you can safely dive.
Explore the primeval forest
In addition to the clear blue sea, Hon Chao island is also known for its pristine primeval forest. The forest here has dense trees and is a favorable habitat for rare species to live. Coming here, visitors will admire the wild beauty of the Hon Chao mountains. And forest exploration will be an excellent experience for those of you who like to discover new things.
Visit the lighthouse
The lighthouse at the top of Hon Chao was built during the French colonial period and is a favorite check-in point for many young people. If you come here, don’t forget to take pictures to remember.
Take part in water sports
Visitors to Hon Chao can freely experience sports such as playing sup boat, surfing, pulling banana buoys, skateboarding, etc. Especially for those who love adventure, these activities are not to be missed.
Fishing
Coming to Hon Chao island, in addition to swimming, scuba diving, and participating in sea games, visitors can join in other exciting activities such as fishing, squid fishing on the boat, fishing at night. You can hire and follow the ships of the fishermen here to catch at night.
What could be more wonderful than catching fish and squid and then processing it into delicious dishes? This will be a memorable experience in your journey.
Camping on the sea
Camping on the sea is also a very reasonable idea when coming to explore Hon Chao. Because Hon Chao is still very wild and has not been exploited much, staying overnight here will be very interesting. You can set up a tent and then make a campfire together, treat yourself to a small party with shrimp, fish, squid that you can catch by yourself. So it was a good party. There’s nothing more wonderful than gathering around the counter with friends and family and singing passionately in the middle of the vast sky. And this will be a destination for those who want to get away from the hustle of the city.
What to eat at Hon Chao island, Hue?
Hon Chao Island has fresh specialties that are extremely attractive to tourists. Coming here, you will enjoy new seafood dishes caught by local people on the same day. In addition, with the experience of night squid fishing and shooting fish, visitors can immediately get their products to grill and enjoy an outdoor barbecue right by the beach. The aroma and sweetness of the dishes here will give visitors a wonderful experience.
Some notes when traveling to Hon Chao
- All ships arriving at Hon Chao island must go from the direction of Lang Co and register at the Lang Co estuary border post to be allowed to enter the island. Therefore, to be able to go to the island successfully, you should move in the direction to Lang Co and register in advance.
- The weather in Hue is divided into 2 distinct seasons of the year: the dry season (from March to August) and the rainy season (from August to around January). Especially from October onwards, Hue often has storms and floods. Therefore, the dry season is the most ideal time for you to go to Hon Chao island. Before each trip, you should update and monitor the weather regularly so that you can take the initiative in clothes, equipment, and supplies when staying on the island.
- If staying overnight on the island, take the initiative to book a room or rent a tent in advance. You should also ask local people or local places to prepare food (especially Hon Chao specialties) to have the opportunity to enjoy the cuisine here.
- For an island trip, it is necessary to prepare personal belongings. In order not to forget things, please check the detailed list for your trip.
- If possible, prepare additional coral diving shoes to protect your feet from being scratched when exposed to some large corals.
- Prepare extra snacks to bring if the group is large or the family has young children.
- Don’t forget to bring your identification and prepare cash too. Because on the island it will not be easy to find cash machines.
With unspoiled beauty and many engaging tourist activities, Hon Chao Island will surely bring you and your family exciting experiences when you arrive. So do not miss this beautiful island in your upcoming Hue travel itinerary. Wish you will have a memorable journey when coming to Hon Chao.
