The island district, which used to be off the beaten tourist track, has become increasingly popular tourism sites in the central coastal region. The number of visitors making a trip to Ly Son has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2016, the island welcomed 165,000 tourists, a 37.5-fold increase compared to 2010 and a 20-fold rise against 2013’s figure. In the first seven months of 2019, the island hosted 140,000 arrivals. However, the local authority temporarily banned foreign tourists from March for fear of COVID-19 infection. It then lifted restriction on September 8, allowing foreigners who have been in Vietnam for 15 days to visit the island. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ly Son island district consists of three islands: Dao Lon (Big Island), Dao Be (Small Island or An Binh Island) and Hon Mu Cu (Mù Cu Islet). The Big Island, also known as Cu Lao Be, hosts Ly Son’s centre, while Mu Cu Islet, the smallest of the three islands, is currently unpopulated. An Binh Island (Small Island) has an area of less than a square kilometer, but the respite and delight it offers are manifold. From Hanoi or HCM City, travellers can fly to Chu Lai Airport in Quang Ngai and then either catch a taxi or a bus to Sa Ky Port, which lies 42 kilometers away. Ly Son Island can only be reached by boat from Sa Ky Port. There are three round trips by speedboat each day for 300,000 VND (13 USD) to 350,000 VND (15 USD), taking around half-an-hour to reach shore. Visitors should remember to bring ID, driving license or passport when purchasing tickets. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ly Son Island is now home to 22,000 people, most of whom make a living on garlic and spring onion farming or fishing. Over the past years, residents on the island have started augmenting their earnings from tourism-related services, including providing homestays that blend harmoniously with the natural scenery. Particularly, homestay services are encouraged to develop in An Binh Island, where high-rise buildings are not allowed to be built. The island has ten homestay facilities with prices ranging from 150,000 VND to 350,000 VND (6.52-15.2 USD) per room per night. The island is also famous for a wide range of agricultural products. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Gieng Tien (Fairy Well) dormant volcano on Ly Son Island is around one million years old. Unlike Thoi Loi Mountain that has only rocks, Gieng Tien Mountain has a special fertile soil, similar to the Bazan soil in Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands). The locals often use this soil and sand to fertilize the garlic fields. Thanks to these fertilizers, the variety of garlic grown in Ly Son has a special flavour that is hardly found in other places. Around the crater of Gieng Tien Mountain that is smaller than that of Thoi Loi Mountain is a piece of land where no plants can grow. According to the beliefs of the locals, it is the sacred oil that was used as ash on the graves of soldiers of Kiem Quan Bac Hai Squad who laid down their lives when protecting Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands during the reign of King Minh Mang (1791-1841). (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
With its striking geographical features and stunning landscapes, built from volcanic eruptions over millions of years, Ly Son Island could be considered Vietnam’s equivalent of the Republic of Korea’s Jeju Island. Volcanic eruptions have formed various beautiful features on the islands such as Hang Cau (Cau Cave), and the Thoi Loi volcano mouth, which boasts a beautiful lake, and an aerial view of the entire island district. Before heading to Cau Cave, visitors can drop by the lighthouse located on the eastern coast of the island. From top of the 45-meter-tall tower, sightseers can view the entire island, including its garlic fields. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Nestled at the foot of Thoi Loi Mountain, Cau Cave has a majestic natural scenery between the sea and the mountain. Cau Cave is eroded by waves and sea breeze, "carved deep" into the mountains formed thousands of years ago from lava. The scenery here is quite untouched but bears a very poetic and charming beauty that attracts tourists. Cau Cave is a 15-minute-drive from the center of the island, with local waters ideal for scuba diving or kayaking. The two sides of the road leading to the cave are filled with garlic fields. The atmosphere in Cau Cave is fresh. When the wind blows and the waves touch the rock, together they create a poetic and majestic picture. Perhaps this is the place where the Ly Son people go fishing because “Cau” in English means fishing. (Photo: VNA) 
Ly Son Island has a dormant volcano and the terrain of the island was created from eruptions 25 to 30 million years ago, leaving the landscape with rocks, caves, cliffs and a lake. The island has been created in the hope that one day it will be recognised as a Global Geo-Park by UNESCO. Authorities in Quang Ngai province recently decided to charge an entry fee of 70,000 VND (3 USD) per person for visiting sites on the Big Island, the largest on Ly Son, which includes attractions like Cau Cave, Cave Pagoda, To Vo Arch, and Thoi Loi Mountain and 30,000 VND for the Small Island, which has its own historical and cultural sites and museums. They said the admission fees will be used for funding conservation efforts. 
Formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, Ly Son Island and its Thoi Loi Mountain boast a magnificent beauty. Seen from the shore on a fine day, Ly Son Island looks like a pyramid on the sea with its top being the peak of Thoi Loi Mountain. Among five mountains founding on the island, Thoi Loi is a rocky one. After a long time climbing the tortuous path on the mountain, tourists reach the peak of Thoi Loi where they have a panoramic view of garlic fields that look like a chess-board and an immense blue sea dotted with fishing boats from the distance. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Thoi Loi Peak is the highest peak in Ly Son Island from which visitors can see the whole of Ly Son and its emerald sea water, white sand and green garlic fields. It is told that during the old days there were a lot of precious trees in the centre of the volcano. Nowadays, on the peak there is a 30.000 cu.m fresh water lake that supplies water for the entire locals living on the island. The peak houses a 20 meter national flagpole which was built on May 4, 2013, turning towards the Paracel Island. The flagpole has four main parts, including the base, stairs, the flagpole body and the campus around consisting of concrete floor and lights. In the front of the flagpole are special parameters. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Seaweed is a product of the island. Visitors will sea local farmers rushing to harvest seaweed every afternoon. Apart from seaweed salad, Ly Son Island is also famous for dishes like goi toi (fresh garlic salad) and different versions of Oc mat trang (moon face snail). A local herbalist said bong bong salad helps reduce cholesterol, can prevent digestive cancer, and is particularly good for women’s health. But the aromatic taste of goi toi and oc mat trang are truly unforgettable. Ly Son Island is well known in Vietnam as the home of quality garlic which has much more aromatic flavour than garlic from the rest of the country. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
In a cave on the volcanic island cluster of Ly Son, Hang Pagoda adds a soulful serenity, attracting many Buddhists and tourists. The pagoda acquires its name from its location. Hang means cave in Vietnamese. Formed by a dormant volcano, the cave is 24 m deep, 20 m wide, 3.2 m high and has an area of 480 square meters. Worship spaces are arranged in accordance to the cave’s contours. According to writings engraved on stones in the pagoda, an official named Tran Cong Thanh was sent to guard Ly Son Island during the reign of King Le Kinh Tong (1588-1619) around 400 years ago. Here, he discovered and founded Hang Pagoda. After about 100 years, his descendants Tran Chau and Tran Tiem embellished and expanded the pagoda to what it is today. Many people visit this pagoda every year to worship and participate in different ceremonies including the Full Moon and Lunar New Year Festival. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
To Vo Gate is an ideal place to strike posts while on Ly Son Island. The gate is two meters high, formed via the remnants of volcanic activity millions of years ago when lava encountered the sea and hardened to create the unique arch. From the main jetty to the entrance gate of Ly Son, turn left and follow the small road near Dam Pagoda, visitors will see a small ledge close to the sea. To the south of the gate is a prosperous fishing village of fishermen on the island. This is one of the favourite places of photography enthusiasts when coming to Ly Son Island to pick up the moments when dawn comes up or when the sun gradually descends. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ly Son Island produced a whopping 2,700 tonnes of garlic last year. More than 70 percent of the 21,000 inhabitants involve in farming garlic, spring onions or fishing. It is seen as one of the most popular sites to visit for those with a sense of adventure because of its unique fossil rocks believed to date back 4,000 to 6,000 years and ever green garlic and onion fields in the spring. Ly Son Island is famous for its "lonely garlic," that is exported to many countries. Many people believe that garlic from Ly Son boosts the human immune system and even helps prevent cellular cancer. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
An Binh Island (Small Island) has an area of less than a square kilometer, but the respite and delight it offers are manifold. It is not far from the Big Island. An Binh Island is attracting increasing numbers of tourists thanks to its crystal blue waters, unspoilt beaches, and colourful coral reefs. Coracle paddling and diving are popular activities among tourists. Such rides cost 60,000 VND (2.6 USD) per person for a group of three or four, including rent for life jackets and goggles. Travellers can take a stroll around the island to see beautiful animals, visit garlic fields, then bathe on the beach and get back to the pier to rest and eat. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Previously, to reach this island, visitors had to hire fishermen to take them from the Big Island by small boats. Now, visitors can easily rent boats or canoes to get to the island in just 15 minutes. Boat trips to the island usually depart at 8 a.m and return to the Big Island at 2:30 p.m daily with prices ranging from 50,000 VND (2.2 USD) to 60,000 VND per person. An Binh Island, which has a total area of just 0.6 square kilometer, is home to 100 households who live mainly on fishing and garlic cultivation. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
