Vinh Hy Bay

Vinh Hy is a horseshoe bay on the Ninh Thuan coast, enclosed by the mountains of Nui Chua national park, and the approach is half the point: road 702 was cut along the cliffs and runs above the sea for kilometres with the dry mountains on one side. The park itself protects semi-arid forest - this is the driest part of Vietnam - along with coral in the bay and a nesting beach that is one of the few remaining sea turtle sites on the Vietnamese mainland, monitored by park staff and volunteers. Glass-bottomed boats run over the reef from the village.

What you actually see

• A horseshoe bay under dry mountains - enclosed by Nui Chua.
• A cliff road along the coast - route 702 north from Phan Rang.
• Semi-arid forest - in the driest part of Vietnam.
• A monitored turtle nesting beach - one of the last on the mainland.

When to go

February to September. A full day.

Honest expectations

Boat trips are commercial and the reef is not in great condition. The turtle beach is closed and monitored - it is not a visitor site. The coast is exposed and there is little shade. Development is arriving on the bay.

Nearby

Hang Rai is on the same coast road; Phan Rang is south.