Hoi An Travel Tips
Hoi An to Ly Son Island by Motorbike – The Honest 2026 Guide
Hoi An to Ly Son Island by Motorbike
130 km of coast road, one ferry, and a volcanic island most travelers never reach
Riding from Hoi An to Ly Son Island by motorbike is one of the most rewarding trips on Vietnam’s central coast — but almost every guide online gets the practical part wrong. Here is how it actually works in 2026: the real distance, the real ferry times, and the one decision that trips up most travelers before they even reach the port.
- Read this first: your bike probably stays on the mainland
- The route: Hoi An to Sa Ky Port, two ways
- The ferry: schedules, tickets, documents
- Getting around Ly Son once you land
- A realistic 3-day itinerary
- What to see on the big island
- Dao Be (An Binh), the small island
- When to go — and when not to
- Where to stay
- What to eat
- What the whole trip costs
- Not a confident rider? Honest alternatives
- Renting a bike from us for this trip
1. Read this first: your bike probably stays on the mainland
Nearly every “Hoi An to Ly Son by motorbike” article online implies you ride onto a ferry with your scooter and ride off on the island. That is not how most people do it, and if you turn up at Sa Ky Port assuming it is, you may miss your boat.
The fast catamarans that run the Sa Ky – Ly Son route are passenger vessels. Some of them will take motorbikes, but only 13 to 15 bikes per departure, at roughly 100,000–150,000đ each way, and cargo space is claimed first by islanders moving goods. In peak season it is often full by the time tourists arrive.
So the standard approach — and the one we recommend to our customers — is simpler:
- Ride the 130 km to Sa Ky PortThis is the beautiful part of the trip, and the part that actually needs your own bike. Coast road, rice fields, fishing villages.
- Park at the portCovered, guarded parking sits right at the terminal — around 10,000–20,000đ per night. Take a photo of your bike and the ticket.
- Take the ferry as a foot passenger35–45 minutes across 15 nautical miles of open sea. No paperwork for the bike, no queueing for cargo space.
- Rent a second bike on the islandAbout 150,000đ a day, usually with a full tank, offered right at Ly Son harbour or arranged by your homestay.
Shipping your bike both ways costs 200,000–300,000đ plus loading fees. Parking for two nights plus a day’s island rental costs roughly the same — and the island bike arrives fuelled, insured by its owner, and you are not responsible for a rental bike bouncing around a cargo deck.
The only travelers who should genuinely ship a bike across are riders on a long multi-week Vietnam loop who have luggage strapped to the bike and nowhere to leave it. If that is you, arrive at Sa Ky at least 90 minutes before departure and ask at the cargo window, not the passenger window.
2. The route: Hoi An to Sa Ky Port, two ways
Sa Ky Port sits in Binh Chau, Quang Ngai province — about 130 km south of Hoi An. By car it is a little over two hours. On a scooter, plan 3.5 to 4 hours including a fuel stop and a coffee, and add more if you are riding at 45–50 km/h on a 50cc.
Option A — the coast road (recommended)
Cross Cua Dai Bridge and pick up Vo Chi Cong, the coastal highway that runs 69 km from Hoi An all the way to Chu Lai airport. It is wide, modern, almost empty of trucks, and passes beaches and shrimp farms the whole way. At Chu Lai you rejoin QL1A south to Quang Ngai city, then turn east onto QL24B for the final 20 km to the port.
Slightly longer in kilometres, noticeably calmer, and far more pleasant on a bike.
Option B — QL1A the whole way
Straight down National Route 1A through Tam Ky and Quang Ngai, then QL24B to Sa Ky. Faster on paper and easy to navigate, but this is Vietnam’s main north–south freight corridor: heavy trucks, buses that overtake into your lane, and long stretches with no shade. Take it only if you are short on time and confident in traffic.
Google Maps will sometimes route you onto the Da Nang – Quang Ngai Expressway (CT01). Motorbikes are not permitted on Vietnamese expressways. Police check the on-ramps, the fine is real, and there is no shoulder to ride on. Set your map app to avoid highways, or simply follow signs for QL1A and Vo Chi Cong.
- Leave Hoi An by 7:00 AM if you want an early-afternoon ferry with buffer for the unexpected
- Fuel up in Tam Ky and again in Quang Ngai — stations thin out on the QL24B stretch
- Download offline maps — signal drops in places along the coast road
- Photograph your rental bike before you leave, from all four sides, with the odometer visible
- Bring a light rain jacket even in dry season; coastal squalls arrive in minutes
The road south is the trip. The island is the reward.— Anh Khoa, Hoi An local
3. The ferry: schedules, tickets, documents
Sa Ky Port is the only passenger gateway to Ly Son. Several operators run the crossing — Phu Quoc Express, Super Bien Dong and An Vinh Express among them — with roughly 10 departures a day in season, spread from early morning to mid-afternoon.
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Crossing time | 35–45 minutes15 nautical miles / ~28 km |
| One-way fare | from 160,000đplus 22,000đ port fee |
| Return fare | 300,000–340,000đvaries by operator and vessel |
| Frequency | ~10 departures/dayfewer outside Apr–Aug |
| Check-in | 30–45 min beforeID checked against ticket |
| Motorbike cargo | 100,000–150,000đ13–15 bikes per sailing, not guaranteed |
Documents — this part matters for foreigners
Ferry tickets are issued against identity documents and checked at the gate. Bring your original passport with a valid Vietnamese visa or e-visa. A photo on your phone is not accepted. Vietnamese travelers use their CCCD; children need a birth certificate or passport copy to get the child fare.
Between September and December, storms and rough seas regularly suspend the route, sometimes for several days in a row. Travelers do get stranded on Ly Son. Never schedule a flight out of Da Nang or Chu Lai for the day after you are due back, and check the forecast the morning you leave Hoi An.
Book online in advance during April to August and on weekends — sailings sell out. Outside peak season you can usually buy at the counter on the day, but arriving before 7:00 AM gives you the widest choice.
4. Getting around Ly Son once you land
The big island — Cu Lao Re — is about 10 km², small enough to circle in an afternoon and hilly enough that walking it is no fun in August heat.
| Option | Price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Motorbike rental | ~150,000đ/dayusually with full tank | Full freedom, sunrise and sunset runs |
| Electric car tour | ~300,000đ/circuitper vehicle | Families, non-riders, rainy days |
| Xe om / tuk tuk | ~50,000đ/tripshort hops | Getting to one viewpoint and back |
| Bicycle | Ask your homestay | Flat coastal loop only |
Bikes are offered the moment you step off the boat. Prices are fairly standard, so pick the machine that looks best maintained rather than the cheapest — check brakes and tyres before you pay, exactly as you would in Hoi An. Roads on the island are narrow and locals ride slowly; there is no reason to hurry anywhere.
5. A realistic 3-day itinerary
Two days is possible but rushed — you would spend most of it in transit. Three days is the sweet spot, and the version below assumes you leave your bike at Sa Ky.
Hoi An → Sa Ky → Ly Son
Ride the coast road with a proper stop in Tam Ky. Park at the port, buy your ticket, eat something at the terminal canteen. After checking in, spend the late afternoon on the harbour front and get to Cong To Vo — the lava arch on the west coast — before sunset. Dinner at one of the seafood places along the port road.
The full island loop
Ride out to Hon Mu Cu for sunrise, then catch an early boat to Dao Be for swimming and snorkelling at Bai Ngang. Return mid-afternoon, visit Chua Hang and Hang Cau, then climb Thoi Loi for golden hour over the crater lake and the garlic fields.
Ly Son → Sa Ky → Hoi An
Take an early sailing so a delay does not cost you the whole day. Buy garlic at the harbour market — it is the real thing here, small-cloved and intense. Collect your bike, ride back up the coast, and be home for a late lunch.
Sleep one night on Dao Be. The small island empties completely once the day-trip boats leave, and the stars over Bai Ngang with no streetlights are the thing people remember years later.
6. What to see on the big island
Thoi Loi Peak
The highest point on Ly Son and one of five dormant volcanoes that built the island. The crater holds a freshwater lake that supplies both islands. At the top stands the 20-metre national flagpole, and the view takes in the whole patchwork of garlic and onion fields below. Ride up — the road is paved.
Hang Cau
Wind and waves have carved a natural amphitheatre out of the volcanic rock at the island’s northeast corner. One side is vertical basalt streaked with mineral colour, the other a fine white beach. Snorkelling and kayaking are both good here, and it is far less crowded than the arch.
Cong To Vo (the Arch)
The island’s signature photograph: a basalt arch formed when molten lava hit seawater. Come for sunset, when light comes through the gap — but be honest with yourself about the crowds. It is small, it gets packed, and litter has become a genuine problem. Go early, take your rubbish, and if photography is the goal, Hang Cau at sunrise may serve you better.
Chua Hang (Thien Khong Thach Tu)
A four-century-old Buddhist temple built inside a natural sea cave beneath the volcano, with altars carved into the stalactites and Cham-era relics still in place. It honours both the Buddha and the settlers who first cleared the island. The path down, shaded by casuarina trees, is a viewpoint in its own right.
Chua Duc (Linh Son Tu)
Cut into the flank of the Gieng Tien crater on the western side, reached by a hundred steps. A 27-metre Quan Am statue faces the sea in front of the cave shrines. Climb past the temple to the crater rim for a view most day-trippers never bother with.
Am Linh Tu
The memorial hall to the Hoang Sa naval flotilla — the island men sent out on wooden boats centuries ago to chart and claim the Paracel Islands, most of whom never returned. Every year in the third lunar month, Ly Son holds the Khao le the linh Hoang Sa ceremony here. If you want to understand why this small island matters so much to Vietnam, start in this courtyard.
Hon Mu Cu
A rocky spit reached by a causeway past the lighthouse, and the best sunrise spot in the archipelago. Nobody lives there, so at 5 AM it is you, the fishing boats coming in, and the light.
7. Dao Be (An Binh), the small island
Three nautical miles off the big island lies An Binh, universally called Dao Be — the Small Island. It covers less than one square kilometre, and the water at Bai Ngang beach is the reason people compare Ly Son to the Maldives. It is not hyperbole; the coral sits a few metres from shore and the colour is genuinely unreal.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Return boat ticket | 80,000–100,000đper person, same-day return | 10 min by speedboat, 30+ by wooden boat |
| Private canoe charter | from 800,000đgroups | Worth it for 6+ people |
| Basket-boat + snorkel set | ~60,000đper person | 3–4 people per basket boat, life jacket included |
| Full snorkel kit + freshwater rinse | ~110,000đper person | Book at the beach |
| Island transport | ~50,000đper trip | Electric car, tuk tuk or xe om |
Boats leave Ly Son harbour from around 7:00 AM, with the last outbound sailing near 11:20 AM. Return boats run from about 10:00 AM to 2:20 PM, roughly every 20 minutes. Tickets go on sale at 6:00 AM and each person may buy a maximum of two — you need the ID of whoever you are buying for. Get there early in peak season.
Beyond the beach there is a small mural village near the pier, a five-thousand-dong footbridge over water clear enough to see coral from, and not much else. That is the point.
8. When to go — and when not to
Ly Son has two clear seasons, and the difference between them is the difference between a great trip and a cancelled one.
| Period | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| March – May | Warm, dry, seas calming25–30°C | Best overall balance |
| June – August | Hot and bright, calmest waterup to 35°C | Best for swimming, most crowded |
| September – December | Rain, storms, rough seas | Sailings cancelled often — avoid |
| Late Dec – April | Cool, green moss season | Quiet, photogenic, cold water |
Two seasonal details worth planning around. From late December to April, green moss carpets the coastal rocks — locally famous, spectacular in photographs, and slippery underfoot. And the garlic that made this island’s name is planted in September and October and harvested in February and March; visit then and the fields are at their most striking.
April to June is peak domestic season. If you want the same weather with a fraction of the people, aim for March or late August into early September — and watch the marine forecast closely for the latter.
9. Where to stay
Accommodation on Ly Son is simple and cheap — most rooms fall between 200,000 and 400,000đ a night. Almost everything clusters near the harbour on the southwest side of the big island, within walking distance of the restaurants.
- Ly Son Pearl Hotel & Resort — the island’s proper resort option, sea views, the most comfortable beds on Cu Lao Re
- Bep’s House — small, design-led homestay popular with younger Vietnamese travelers
- Be Ecolodge — relaxed eco-styled rooms, good for a longer stay
- DHT Hang Cau — a guesthouse out near Hang Cau, quieter than the harbour
- On Dao Be: Ly Son Bungalow (colourful wooden cabins), XaLaBin (elevated sea-view rooms), or Gio Bien
Book ahead between April and August. Outside those months you can generally walk off the boat and find a room, though fewer places stay open.
10. What to eat
Ly Son eats the way an island should: whatever came in that morning, cooked simply, with garlic in almost everything.
Goi toi — garlic salad
Made from the tender young garlic stems rather than the cloves, tossed with herbs, peanuts and a sharp dressing. You will not find it anywhere else in Vietnam, and it is the dish that best explains why islanders build their whole calendar around this crop.
- Cua huynh de — spanner crab, the island’s prized catch, sweet and worth the price
- Oc cu, oc tuong — sea snails, grilled with scallion oil or steamed with lemongrass
- Ca ta ma — a rocky-reef fish usually grilled whole over charcoal
- Bun rieu cua — crab noodle soup, served here with raw garlic on the side
- Nom rong bien — seaweed salad, cold, crunchy, perfect after a hot ride
- Dua hau hac my nhan — the local black watermelon, and banh it la gai for dessert
Most restaurants line the harbour road. Phat Hai and Khoi Chieu are long-running favourites; Dai Hang does good seafood rice and Ut Ngoc is reliable for a simple dinner. Prices are posted — ask before ordering live seafood by weight, as you would anywhere on the coast.
11. What the whole trip costs
A realistic breakdown for one person on a three-day trip, riding solo from Hoi An and leaving the bike at Sa Ky.
| Item | Cost (VND) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Motorbike rental, 3 days | 360,000 – 540,000120K–180K per day | Honda Wave to Vision/Air Blade |
| Fuel, 260 km round trip | ~150,000 | Roughly 6–7 litres |
| Parking at Sa Ky, 2 nights | 20,000 – 40,000 | Covered, guarded |
| Ferry return + port fees | ~350,000 – 390,000 | Book ahead in peak season |
| Island bike, 2 days | ~300,000 | Usually fuelled |
| Dao Be boat + snorkelling | ~200,000 | Optional but do it |
| Accommodation, 2 nights | 400,000 – 800,000 | Guesthouse to small resort |
| Food and drink, 3 days | ~600,000 – 900,000 | Seafood pushes this up fast |
| Total | ~2,400,000 – 3,300,000roughly $90 – $125 | Split the bike and room with a partner and it drops sharply |
12. Not a confident rider? Honest alternatives
We rent motorbikes for a living, and we will still tell you plainly: 260 km of round-trip riding on a national highway is not a beginner’s trip. If you learned to ride last week in Hoi An’s old town, this is not the ride to build confidence on.
| Option | Roughly | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Ride it yourself | From ~500,000đbike + fuel | Experienced riders wanting the coast road |
| Private car to Sa Ky | 1,000,000 – 1,300,000đper vehicle, one way | Families, groups of 3–4, luggage |
| Train Da Nang → Quang Ngai | from ~180,000đreturn | Solo budget travelers, then taxi 20 km to port |
| Bus Hoi An → Quang Ngai | Cheapest option | Patient travelers with a spare half-day |
A private car costs about the same as three ferry tickets and removes every risk from the mainland leg. Split between four people it is genuinely good value — and you can still rent a bike on the island itself, which is where a scooter is actually most useful.
13. Renting a bike from us for this trip
Affiliate link — the price you pay is the same, and we may earn a small commission that keeps this guide free.
If you do ride, a few things we tell every customer heading this far south — because the honest version serves you better than the sales version.
- Tell us where you are going. We service and check bikes differently for a 260 km run than for a week of beach hopping. It costs you nothing and we would rather know.
- Take a bike with some power. A 110cc Honda Vision will do it, but a 125–160cc scooter is far more comfortable overtaking trucks on QL1A. Our automatic scooter range starts at 180,000đ a day.
- A 50cc or electric bike is the wrong tool here. They are excellent around Hoi An and completely unsuited to a highway ride of this length.
- Licence rules do not change outside town. For anything over 50cc you need a valid Vietnamese licence or an IDP recognised in Vietnam. Police checkpoints on QL1A are more common than in Hoi An, not less.
- Understand what the damage waiver covers. Our damage waiver covers damage to the bike. It is not medical or personal accident cover — for a trip like this, travel insurance that covers motorbike riding is a separate and genuinely important thing to have.
- Support at distance is real but slower. We are on WhatsApp 24/7 and we will organise and pay for a repair wherever you break down. But 130 km from the shop we are coordinating with a local garage, not arriving in fifteen minutes. Plan for that.
Planning the ride to Ly Son?
Message us with your dates and we will recommend the right bike, check the marine forecast with you, and deliver it free anywhere in Hoi An.
84 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An · +84 935 206 306 · info@hoianit.comFrequently asked questions
Can I take my rented motorbike on the ferry to Ly Son?
Sometimes, but do not count on it. Ferries carry only about 13 to 15 motorbikes per sailing at 100,000 to 150,000 VND each way, and cargo space usually goes to islanders first. Almost everyone parks at Sa Ky Port for 10,000 to 20,000 VND a night and rents a second bike on the island for around 150,000 VND a day. Please also let us know in advance if you intend to ship one of our bikes across.
How far is Ly Son Island from Hoi An by motorbike?
About 130 km from Hoi An to Sa Ky Port, then a 35 to 45 minute ferry across roughly 28 km of sea. Allow 3.5 to 4 hours of riding each way including stops. The most pleasant route is the Vo Chi Cong coastal road to Chu Lai, then QL1A to Quang Ngai and QL24B to the port.
How much does the ferry from Sa Ky to Ly Son cost?
From 160,000 VND one way plus a 22,000 VND port fee, or roughly 300,000 to 340,000 VND for a return ticket depending on the operator. There are around 10 departures a day in season. Book online during April to August and on weekends, as sailings sell out.
Do foreigners need a permit to visit Ly Son Island?
No special permit is required, but you must present your original passport with a valid Vietnamese visa or e-visa when buying your ferry ticket and again at the boarding gate. A photograph on your phone will not be accepted. Bring the physical passport with you to the port.
What is the best time of year to visit Ly Son?
April to August has the calmest seas and clearest water, with June to August the hottest and busiest. March offers similar conditions with fewer people. Avoid September to December, when storms frequently cancel ferry sailings and travelers can be stranded on the island for days. Late December to April brings the green moss season on the coastal rocks.
How many days do you need on Ly Son?
Three days is the minimum that makes the journey worthwhile: one day travelling out, one full day on the island including a boat trip to Dao Be, and one day returning. Four days lets you sleep a night on Dao Be, which is the quietest and most memorable part of the archipelago.
Is a 50cc or electric bike suitable for the ride to Ly Son?
No. A 50cc scooter or electric bike is perfect around Hoi An but unsuited to 260 km of round-trip highway riding. Choose a 125cc to 160cc automatic scooter instead. Remember that for anything above 50cc you need a valid Vietnamese licence or an International Driving Permit recognised in Vietnam.
Updated: August 2026. Ly Son became an administrative special zone (dac khu Ly Son) of Quang Ngai province on 1 July 2025, and Hoi An now sits within Da Nang City following the same national reorganisation — older guides and maps may still show the previous names. Prices, ferry schedules and rental rates are indicative and change with season and operator; confirm current fares with the ferry company before travelling. Route and safety information reflects conditions at the time of writing. For a broader overview of the island we also recommend the VnExpress Ly Son travel guide. More routes from Hoi An: Routes & Day Trips.
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