Experience the raw beauty of central Vietnam's Mai Nha Island

Mai Nha is part of Phuoc Dong Village in Tuy An District's An Hai Commune. The 1.2-square-kilometer island has rocky mountains, caves and long beaches.

The best time to visit the island and Phu Yen Province is between March and August when the sea is calm and the weather is sunny. Here is a series of photos taken by a traveler, Nguyen Thanh Tuan, on May 2.

An Hai Pier is where visitors can get boats from the mainland to the island. Some boat owners, who used to be fishermen, take visitors to the island at any time of the day in their wooden boats for VND50,000 ($2) per person.

Other options for travelers to choose from are motorboats, which costs VND100,000 - 150,000 ($4.3-6.4) for a round trip, and renting canoes for VND300,000 ($13).

After traveling for nearly 2 km, the first thing tourists can see are a long white sand beach and a fence of tall pine trees (Casuarina equisetifolia).

Since boats cannot come close to the shore, Ngo Thinh (left), a fisherman who has lived on the island for more than 20 years, uses a coracle to bring passengers ashore and vice versa, Nguyen Thanh Tuan (right ) said.

The beach has smooth white sand, clear and shallow water and coral reefs. Since the waves are gentle, the water is suitable for snorkeling.

The southwestern side of the island is deserted and has caves and rocky cliffs, and reportedly a more beautiful beach than the front part of the island. It takes 20 minutes over rugged and bumpy terrain to reach this part of the island.

Since Mai Nha is one of Vietnam's easternmost places, the sun rises and sets very early.

Mai Nha does not have hotels but travelers can camp overnight. Visitors will need to bring their own tent and camping gear and set it up by the beach, from where they can see a sky full of stars at night.

The island has two thatched houses whose occupants make a living by fishing and assisting tourists. There is a freshwater well, and visitors can bathe after seeking permission.

Visitors must bring their own food and drink. They can ask the fishermen to catch seafood like sea urchin, shrimp and fish and cook for them. A plate of four grilled sea urchins with onion costs VND80,000 ($3.4).

A trip to Mai Nhat costs around VND200,000 ($8.6) including train fares and meals. Near An Hai Pier are a number of homestays and guest houses for those who do not wish to camp.

To explore Mai Nha Island, visitors need to go to Tuy Hoa Town in Phu Yen by bus, train or plane, and from there travel 27 km by motorbike or taxi to the pier. The cost of renting a motorbike in Tuy Hoa is VND100,000 - 200,000 ($4.3-8.6) for a day, while a taxi costs VND300,000 ($13) one way.