Diep Son Island – A Hidden Gem
DIEP SON ISLAND
Famed for its breathtaking winding path that stretches across the sea to wild and primitive beaches, Diep Son Island is a great place to visit if you want to cast off the humidity from the city, and get out into the great outdoors, off the coast of Nha Trang.
Located in Van Phong Bay (60km from Nha Trang), it consists of three small separated islets and is home to 97 households who use the island as their home and base for fishing trips. Each day, electricity is only available from(6:00pm – 9:00pm) thanks to a dynamo. There is one school for all the children from kindergarten to Grade 5. Every afternoon,, small wooden boats from the mainland will carry people from Tan Dan Village to Diep Son to collect the daily fishing harvest and this is the most bustling time at this tranquil village.
A rustic island that never attracted much attention from tourists, Diep Son suddenly became very famous from some photos posted on social media networks, and has since seen a marked increase in visitors who have become enamoured with the humble residents and beautiful natural landscape. However, this has brought its own set of consequences in the form of increased noise pollution and littering of plastic and waste.
The locals however, are happier having regular visitors to their little island for reasons that you would not expect. A young fisherwoman who had just received a big pack of rice paper from an enthusiastic tourist, took a moment to share her experience with Discover Nha Trang:
“Every day, we come here to catch crabs, but we are so scared of ghosts at night, because there are many old graves in this spot. But now, we feel much safer with lots of tourists because they will scare the ghosts away! Of course, sometimes the visitors are noisy and bring big electronic speakers, but most of them are very friendly and kind to us.”
Many tourists come to Diep Son to marvel at its beautiful winding path which is half submerged in the crystal waters, and dries completely when water subsides. There are also many hidden coves and caves scattered across the island that are perfect for exploration from a curious and determined visitor.
How to get to Diep Son Island
To get there, tourists can take a boat from Van Gia Port (60km from Nha Trang center).