Hon Den
Phu Quy Island, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Hon Den sits on Phu Quy Island off the coast of Binh Thuan province, Vietnam, a rocky point where a small lighthouse and a scatter of black volcanic boulders frame a narrow strip of sand. The water here runs some of the clearest around the island, and it draws far more Vietnamese domestic travelers than foreign tourists.
One of the most photogenic points on an island most foreign travelers still skip entirely, though the exposed rock and lack of any real facilities mean it rewards a bit of scrambling.
Go at low tide, when more of the rock pools and the black sand shelf near the point are exposed and worth exploring on foot.
Phu Quy is reached by a several hour ferry from Phan Thiet on the mainland. On the island itself, a rented scooter is the normal way to reach Hon Den from the main town.
The final approach is a rough, unpaved path over rock and sand near the point, not suited to strollers or limited mobility.
The calmest sea crossings and clearest water run from roughly February through August, before the northeast monsoon picks up later in the year and makes both the ferry and the swimming rougher.
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