Experience a regal dawn on Quy Nhon’s Queen Beach

By Ngoc Thanh June 22, 2020 | 01:31 am PT

Queen Beach, on Vietnam’s central coast, has triggered curiosity among travelers for its countless boulders resembling giant birds’ eggs that cover over hundreds of square meters.

Dawn on Hoang Hau (Queen) Beach located on Ghenh Rang Hill, just two km from downtown Quy Nhon.Quy Nhon, a popular coastal town where fishing is the main livelihood of local residents in the central province of Binh Dinh, is blessed with a 42 km coastline, and has been dubbed the Maldives of Vietnam. One of the most beautiful beaches here, one that has got rave reviews from travelers and bloggers, is Hoang Hau (Queen). The arch-shaped beach combines fine white sand and clean blue water.

Dawn on Queen (Hoang Hau) Beach, located on Ghenh Rang Hill, two kilometers from downtown Quy Nhon.

Quy Nhon in the south-central province of Binh Dinh is blessed with a 42 km coastline, and often dubbed the "Maldives of Vietnam." One of the most rated local beaches, Hoang Hau is arch-shaped and combines fine white sand with clean blue water.

What makes the beach unique and distinct are the round stones like giant birds’ eggs that cover hundreds of square meters. This is why it used to be called Da Trung (stone egg) Beach.

What makes the beach unique are its boulders, resembling giant birds’ eggs that cover hundreds of square meters. The stones gave rise to its former name Da Trung (Stone Egg) Beach.

Hoang Hau got its name because Queen Nam Phuong, consort of King Bao Dai, chose the place for a private holiday with her husband in 1927. Bao Dai was the last king of Vietnam, reigning from 1926-1945.

Its low-profile status preserves the beach from the forces of mass tourism.

A large stone slab is placed right on the entrance to the beach, recording the legend of this place in Vietnamese and English languages.Legend has it that Hoang Hau got its name because Queen Nam Phuong, consort of King Bao Dai, chose the place for a private holiday with her husband in 1927. Bao Dai was the last king of Vietnam, reigning from 1926-1945.

A large stone slab placed at the entrance to the beach tells of Queen Nam Phuong, consort of King Bao Dai, who chose the spot for a private holiday with her husband in 1927. Bao Dai was the last king of Vietnam, reigning from 1926-1945.

Just walking on the rocks is like getting a foot massage.A visit to Quy Nhon is an opportunity to pay homage to Han Mac Tu, an unusual Vietnamese talent who tragically died young. The poet’s grave is on Thi Nhan Hill in the Ghenh Ranh Tourism Area, a few minutes’ walk from Hoang Hau Beach. Tu’s poems emerged in Vietnamese poetry circles during the 1920s-1930s as the heartbroken voice of a young soul. He had contracted leprosy, then an incurable disease, in 1937 and spent the rest of his life at the Quy Hoa Leprosy Village, which was established in 1929 by a French priest named Paul Maheu. He died two years later, just 28 years old.

Walking on the rocks equates to getting a foot massage.

A visit to Quy Nhon Town is an opportunity to pay homage to Han Mac Tu, an unusual Vietnamese talent who tragically died young. The poet’s grave lies on Thi Nhan Hill in Ghenh Ranh Tourism Area, a few minutes’ walk from Hoang Hau Beach.

Tu’s poems emerged during the 1920s-30s as the heartbroken voice of a young soul. He had contracted leprosy, then an incurable disease, in 1937 and spent the rest of his life at Quy Hoa Leprosy Village, established in 1929 by a French priest named Paul Maheu. He died two years later, just 28 years old.

According to local residents, the area has been deserted for more than two years, leaving stones there covered with the green color of moss.

February to June is best time to visit Hoang Hau Beach as well as popular tourist destinations in Quy Nhon like Eo Gio and Ky Co beaches, Thi Nai Bridge and Nhon Hai Island. Stormy July to early October is best avoided.

In between the busy coastal hotspots of Nha Trang and Hoi An, Quy Nhon, capital of Binh Dinh Province, stands as a quieter, less touristy destination. Most locals are fishers who head out to sea or swing along the coast in coracles to earn their living.