6 things unique to Vietnam's islands

Traveling to the islands of Vietnam, tourists can discover many interesting things. Photo: @lee.halinh

Thanks to their pristine natural landscapes and friendly, hospitable people, the islands of Vietnam are gradually becoming top destinations. Especially during hot weather, many tourists tend to seek out islands to escape the heat, avoid the city's smog, immerse themselves in nature, and enjoy the slower pace of life.

Despite the nascent development of tourism and glimpses of modern amenities, the islands still retain many unique characteristics that cannot be found in other tourist destinations. Only by exploring and experiencing them firsthand can visitors fully appreciate the joy that island tourism offers.

Frequent power outages throughout the day.

Located far from the mainland, electricity on these islands mainly comes from generators. Therefore, power outages during the day to save fuel are common on islands such as Diep Son, Phu Quy, and Ly Son.

Nam Du Island only has electricity from approximately 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM to 11:00 PM each day. When visiting the island, tourists should bring a power bank to fully charge their phones, cameras, and other electronic devices.

The islands often experience power outages for several hours a day to save fuel. Photos: @nhminh1997, @iammonkei

Qui Lac, who has visited Nam Du Island, shared: "I chose to stay at a resort in Nam Du. This resort even has a schedule for turning the air conditioner on and off according to power outage times. Even when there is electricity on the island, it's quite unreliable and not as strong as on the mainland."

Daily power outages are commonplace for island residents. However, this can cause some inconvenience for tourists visiting the islands. Power outages are most likely in the evenings, bringing recreational activities to a halt. Tourists should prepare in advance with plans such as bonfires and BBQs on the beach to avoid boredom.

No fear of losing your motorbike.

Upon their first visit to the islands, tourists will be surprised to see many unattended motorbikes parked along the roads, at the harbor, or anywhere else. Some even leave the keys in the ignition, yet they haven't been stolen.

On the islands, locals often park their motorbikes in front of their houses regardless of whether it's day or night. Tourists who rent motorbikes also park them right by the roadside to ride around, take photos, and enjoy the scenery.

Tourists often park their cars right by the roadside and wander around taking photos and enjoying the scenery. Photo: @imagur

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong, a local tourism worker in Con Dao (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), the island is very safe, so even old motorbikes or those worth tens of millions of dong have never been stolen; the only cases are those where a vehicle is mistakenly taken. Furthermore, there are no places to buy or sell motorbikes on the island, and bringing a motorbike back to the mainland requires strict checks when boarding and disembarking from the ferry.

If a passenger gets into the wrong vehicle, they can simply post the license plate number on local social media groups and exchange it with another driver. This is a fun experience not found at tourist destinations on the mainland.

No internet, no phone signal.

The islands are located tens to hundreds of kilometers from the mainland, and the harsh conditions, coupled with strong waves and winds, result in unstable cell phone signals. Therefore, cell phone signals are quite weak, often with no signal at all.

Traveling to the islands is an opportunity for tourists to temporarily escape the "virtual world" and immerse themselves in pristine nature. Photos: @anhyngg, @nhnquinn

If you're planning a trip to the islands, you should put away your phone and dedicate time to fully enjoy the pristine nature, relieve stress with many attractive activities such as swimming, exploring the lives of the locals, visiting nearby destinations, and experiencing various water sports...

It is mandatory to bring identification documents.

Currently, transportation to the island includes speedboats, ferries, or canoes. Similar to air travel, tourists need to prepare identification documents as required by the Ministry of Transport, including a citizen's identity card, a driver's license for cars or motorcycles, and a personal identification certificate with a photo and seal.

When boarding the ship, the relevant authorities and the ship will check and compare the ticket purchased beforehand.

High-speed ferries strictly check passenger information when boarding and disembarking. Photo: @taucaotocvn

Additionally, when renting hotels, homestays, or resorts on the islands, tourists also need to present identification documents to be allowed to stay.

Tourists can check out several major high-speed ferry companies such as Con Dao Express, Phu Quy Express, Phu Quoc Express… SuperDong, in particular, operates across all the islands.

I became familiar with everyone on the island in a single day.

Besides larger islands like Phu Quoc and Con Dao, developing tourist islands such as Nam Du, Binh Lap, and Phu Quy still lack taxis. However, renting a motorbike from your accommodation or from locals to explore the island and visit fishing villages is a truly worthwhile experience.

Upon arriving at the islands, tourists can personally explore the lives of fishermen in the fishing villages. Photos: @_im.rot_, @ngocstagram

The rental price for a motorbike is 100,000-150,000 VND, depending on the fuel level. Tourists can pick up the motorbike themselves or have it delivered by locals.

The islands are not very large, and there aren't many households living there. Within a day, visitors can easily explore all the island's pathways and get acquainted with the locals, even joining them in casting and pulling in nets. Through conversations with the locals, visitors can learn more about their daily work and the simple way of life on the islands.

Carry cash with you at all times.

In travel groups, some experienced island visitors advise newcomers to bring cash to comfortably pay for food and other services on the island. Most islands do not have ATMs, and locals also limit their use of bank accounts.

Street food stalls usually don't accept bank transfers, so tourists need to bring cash to pay. Photo: Linh Ng

Tourist Nguyen Thuong, who recently visited Phu Quy Island, said that locals now accept bank transfers, but only 2-3 large restaurants do. The food at small local eateries or roadside stalls is tastier, so tourists should still bring some cash for meals whenever they visit the island.