The Ultimate 2-Day-1-Night (2D1N) Ly Son Island Itinerary
Hour-by-hour self-guided Ly Son itinerary: Hang Cau, Mount Thoi Loi, sunset at To Vo Gate, An Binh Small Island coral snorkeling, and island seafood feasts.
Published: Jun 15, 2026(Updated: Oct 25, 2026)
#itinerary#2d1n#self-guided#small island#snorkeling
With 2 days and 1 night, you can explore the essential geological highlights of both Big Island (Dao Lon) and Small Island (Dao Be / An Binh) by following this field-tested itinerary.
Day 1: Big Island — Hang Cau, Mount Thoi Loi & To Vo Gate Sunset
Morning: Arrival & Island Check-in
- 07:30 - 08:30: Board the morning express ferry at Sa Ky Port, arriving at Ben Dinh Port.
- 09:00: Check in or store luggage at your hotel/homestay near the port. Rent a scooter for island exploration.
- 10:00 - 11:30: Visit the Hoang Sa Maritime Flotilla Exhibition House, learning about historic sailors who charted the Paracel Islands during the Nguyen Dynasty.
Scooter Rental on Big Island(Self-refuel (~50,000đ of gasoline covers the entire island perimeter))
120,000đ - 150,000đ / day
Afternoon: Hang Cau & Mount Thoi Loi Summit
- 14:30 - 16:00: Ride to Hang Cau, exploring dramatic vertical volcanic sea walls and beach reef formations.
- 16:00 - 17:00: Ascend Mount Thoi Loi — the highest extinct volcano crater on the island:
- Photograph the National Flag Tower facing the East Sea.
- View the volcanic caldera freshwater crater lake.
- 17:15 - 18:00: Ride to the western coast for sunset at To Vo Gate, watching evening twilight wash over the volcanic reef arch.
Evening: Night Market Seafood Feast
Dine at the seaside promenade or night market: taste freshly grilled sea fish, crispy fried squid, seaweed salad, and grilled sea urchin (nhum bien).
Day 2: Small Island (Maldives of Vietnam) & Mainland Return
Morning: Speedboat to Small Island (Dao Be)
- 07:00: Local breakfast of Ly Son fish cake noodle soup (bun cha ca).
- 07:30 - 08:00: Board a 10-minute speed cano at the pier to Small Island (An Binh commune).
Round-trip Speedboat (Big Island ↔ Small Island)(Speedboats run continuously from 07:30 to 14:00)
100,000đ - 120,000đ / passenger
- 08:30 - 10:30: Swim at Bai Sau (Back Beach) on Small Island — celebrated for its pristine turquoise waters and white coral sand.
- Basket Boat Coral Snorkeling: Board a traditional bamboo coracle steered by local fishermen out to the cabbage coral reef gardens (~80,000đ - 100,000đ/person).
Noon: Souvenir Gifts & Departure
- 11:00: Take the return cano to Big Island, followed by lunch.
- 12:00: Stop by island farming cooperatives to buy authentic dried lone garlic and purple shallots as culinary gifts.
- 13:30: Check in at Ben Dinh Port for the afternoon high-speed ferry back to mainland Sa Ky Port.