Hon Son is not a resort island. There are no theme parks and no beach clubs. What there is: a mountain covered in forest, quiet beaches, and a whole island that still lives from the sea. I’m Giang, and I have lived and worked here for more than 30 years. These are the things I would tell a friend not to miss.
1. Hike Ma Thien Lanh at dawn
Ma Thien Lanh is the highest peak on the island. The path to the top is about 3 to 3.5 km. The first part is a concrete path up to Pho Tinh pagoda. After that comes about 1 km of forest trail, steeper and slippery after rain or morning mist, passing a cave the islanders call Mai Son Kiem Phap. In a few places you hold on to roots and rocks. It is not technical climbing, but go at a steady pace.
At the top is San Tien, a flat rock with a 360 degree view of the sea.
- Start at 5 to 6 am to avoid the midday sun on the open trail. If you are not on the path by 6, I would wait for the next morning.
- For sunrise on the summit, start around 2 to 3 am with a headlamp.
- For the forest section, going with someone who knows the trail is safer, and you hear the stories along the way.
- Best months are the north wind and chuong seasons (roughly November to March). In the middle of the south wind season the trail is wet and slippery.
2. Swim at Bai Bang and cool off in the freshwater stream
To me, Bai Bang is the most beautiful beach on the island. The water stays shallow a long way out, so it is comfortable for swimming.
Right next to it runs Suoi Tien, a freshwater stream that comes down from Ma Thien Lanh and does not dry up even in the dry months. Rinsing the salt off in fresh mountain water after a swim is one of the small pleasures of this island.
3. Ride around the island
Most visitors get around by motorbike, and it is the best way to see the island. A road of about 15 km runs around the island, and a road of a little over 4 km crosses it through the middle, finished in 2016. The cross-island road climbs through forest and passes the waterfall at about km 1.2 from the pier. Ride slowly, around 20 to 25 km/h: the road is steep in places and the views are worth stopping for.
Motorbikes usually rent for around 200,000 VND a day including fuel and helmet (August 2026). Your guesthouse can arrange a bike, and LAMOSE on the island can also help.
4. Get up early for the floating market
Between about 5 and 7 am, boats that have been squid fishing all night come alongside the floating fish farms to sell their catch, take on fuel and fresh water. It is not a show for visitors. It is simply how the island starts its day.
On land, the early market at Bai Gieng is busiest from around 6:00 to 6:30 and finished soon after. Come late and you will find it empty: not closed, just done.
5. See the floating fish farms
Out on the water, families raise fish in cages under floating wooden rafts. The farms move with the wind three times a year: to Bai Thien Tue in the north wind season, Bai Gieng in the chuong season, and Bai Bang in the south wind season. Seeing a fish farm up close, and eating seafood taken straight from the cage, is about as “Hon Son” as it gets. If you would like to go out to the rafts by boat, ask at your guesthouse; LAMOSE on the island can also help.
6. Find the waterfall
The waterfall sits on the cross-island road, falling in several steps down the rock. It has the most water around the 6th and 7th lunar months, in the rainy season. In the dry months it can be just wet rock, so time it right. More on when to come on the best time to visit page.
7. Visit the whale temple
At Bai Thien Tue stands Lang Ong Nam Hai, the temple where islanders worship the whale as the protector of fishermen. It is more than 100 years old, a provincial heritage site, and keeps the bones of whales washed up on these shores. Every year on the 14th to 16th of the 10th lunar month it is the centre of the Nghinh Ong festival, when fishing boats carry the procession out to sea. Please dress modestly and ask before taking photos inside.
8. Watch sunrise and sunset
On the south side of the island there is a spot where you can watch both sunrise and sunset from the same place. Ask at your guesthouse how to find it.
Good to know before you go
- Bring your passport and visa for the boat, and some cash. There is one ATM, a Kienlongbank machine at the Bai Nha pier (all cards including Visa, withdrawals only).
- Phone signal is good around the island but weak far out at sea and high on the mountain.
- How to get here: Rach Gia to Hon Son ferry. Everything else: Hon Son island guide and FAQ.
Quick questions
How long does the Ma Thien Lanh hike take?
Allow the morning. The path is about 3 to 3.5 km each way, with the last kilometre on a forest trail. Start by 6 am.
Where is the best beach on Hon Son?
Bai Bang, with shallow water and the freshwater Suoi Tien stream next to it.
When is the floating market?
Roughly 5 to 7 am, when the night squid boats come in.
When does the waterfall have water?
Most of all around the 6th and 7th lunar months, in the rainy season.
Sources
Checked on 12 October 2026. Island details come from my own life on Hon Son and from the articles on this site.
- Đảo Hòn Sơn: Kinh nghiệm leo Ma Thiên Lãnh (our Vietnamese article)
- Đảo Hòn Sơn: Lăng Ông Nam Hải (our Vietnamese article)
- An Giang TV: tourism on Hon Son (in Vietnamese)
- Đảo Hòn Sơn: Người Hòn Sơn sống theo gió (our Vietnamese article)
- Wikipedia: Hon Son (in Vietnamese)
Giang (Giang Bien Dao) has lived and worked on Hon Son island for more than 30 years. Last updated: 12 October 2026.