Journey to the East: in search of the land that meets the sun

By Duong Thanh, Van Pham April 27, 2016 | 04:57 am PT

An itinerary featuring desert, jungle and a rocky seashore on the eastern tip of Vietnam will make anyone who think's Khanh Hoa is all about Nha Trang rethink their leisurely prejudice.

Located on the Hon Gom Peninsula (Van Ninh District, Khanh Hoa), the easternmost tip of the country is the first to greet the morning sun in Vietnam.

Start at Van Gia station, take 1A highway for 40 kilometers and turn right at Co Ma Pass foot to find Dam Mon hamlet, Van Thanh Commune, you will be able to park your vehicles there for VND10,000 ($0.4) right at 0 kilometer milestone Dam Mon.

Start at Van Gia Station, take Highway 1A for 40 kilometers and turn right at Co Ma Pass towards Dam Mon hamlet in Van Thanh commune where you will be able to park your vehicles for VND10,000 ($0.4) at Dam Mon kilometer marker 0.

Road to eastern tip includes various terrains, from white sand path, jungle path, rocky seashore and boat trip.

The road to the eastern tip features various terrain including white sandy paths, jungle trails and the rocky seashore.

Passing sand hill under the scorching heat of Central Vietnam, you will stand a chance to visit the guides house for a rest. Guiding service will set you back from VND300,000 to VND500,000 per group. A serving of food costs from VND50,000 to VND100,000, depending on how luxury you want, limeade is fixed at VND10,000.

Having crossed the sand dunes in the scorching heat of Central Vietnam, you have a chance to visit the guide’s house for a rest. Guides will set you back from VND300,000 to VND500,000 per group. Meals cost from VND50,000 to VND100,000, depending on how luxury you want to go, while lemon juice is fixed at VND10,000.

The tourists can cross the jungle to find Bai Rang for a night camping site. Flat and windless, Bai Rang is suitable for relaxing, BBQ and physical games.

Tourists can cross the jungle to Bai Rang and make camp for the night. Flat and windless, Bai Rang is great for relaxing, BBQs and sport.

Light pollution seemingly remains far from Bai Rang, leaving tourists a whole sky of stars on any clear day.

Light pollution seems a long way away from Bai Rang, leaving tourists a whole sky of stars to enjoy on clear nights.

It takes an hour of wriggling from Bai Rang to the inox milestone Mui Do, the purpose of the whole journey, so if you want to tell your beloved at home that sun sees you first in the morning, youd better start at no later than 4am.

It takes an hour of wriggling through the giant rocks from Bai Rang to Mui Do. If you want to show off about being the first person the sun sets its gaze on that morning, you’d better start at no later than 4am.

At 6am, the moment that everybody has been waiting for arrives.

At 6am, the moment everybody has been waiting for arrives.

The inox milestone is placed on a rock near the water, requiring a rope and some assistance to reach.

The milestone is placed on a rock near the water, and requires a rope and some assistance to reach.

Made of inox to prevent both the bad effects of weather and sweat, the milestone is irresistible to selfie generation.

Made of inox to prevent both the bad effects of weather and sweat, the milestone is irresistible to the selfie generation.

The fastest to leave the tip is to hire a boat capable of 10 people with VND1.2 million. Due to the reefs surrounding the beach, coracle boat is the only vehicle to carry passenger to the big boat.

The fastest way to leave the cape is to hire a boat capable of carrying 10 people for VND1.2 million. Due to the reefs surrounding the beach, coracle boats are the only way of getting out to the larger boats.

Photo by Vu Dinh Hoang Le