Experience a regal dawn on Quy Nhon’s Queen Beach

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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.