2 day itinerary to explore Phu Yen.

Phu Yen is a coastal province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam, bordered by Quy Nhon to the north and Nha Trang to the south. This province is renowned for its pristine natural landscapes, including the earliest sunrise spot in Vietnam at Mui Đien, and its spectacular coastal roads.

Phu Yen is divided into two main sightseeing routes: North and South, with Tuy Hoa city, the provincial capital, serving as the central hub.

The unique geographical position of Phu Yen makes it impossible to explore the entire province in one day. It is recommended to rent a hotel in the center of Tuy Hoa city (the midpoint) and dedicate two days to explore Phu Yen (one day for the North and one day for the South) in order to fully enjoy the stunning beauty of this coastal city.

And below is my detailed two-day itinerary to explore Phu Yen :

Accommodation : I rented a homestay in the center of Tuy Hoa city for the most convenient travel.

Transportation : I rented a motorbike at the homestay to travel during the two days of exploring Phu Yen .

DAY 1: North of Phu Yen.

1. Ganh Ba, Bai Xep, the scene of the movie "yellow flowers on green grass".

I begin the first day of exploring Phu Yen at 5 a.m., departing from the center of Tuy Hoa city and heading to Gành Bà to catch the sunrise. The journey covers about 11 kilometers, taking approximately 20 minutes by car.

Ganh Ba Address: Google Map.

Ganh Ba is located close to the sea of Bai Xep, a raised area with rocky outcrops extending into the ocean, making it one of the best spots to watch the sunrise in Phu Yen. Ganh Ba is also one of the lesser-explored tourist destinations, allowing it to preserve its original, pristine beauty.

Bai Xep is a newly emerging tourist destination in Phu Yen, thanks to its feature in the famous Vietnamese film: "I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass". The scenes from the film have been developed into tourist attractions, and there are entrance tickets for visitors.

Bai Xep opens at 9 a.m., so I decided to visit Ganh Ba first to take pictures of the sunrise along the coast, then have breakfast, rest, and finally head to Bai Xep.

There are very few restaurants around Ganh Ba and Bai Xep, and I had difficulty finding one near these two locations. I decided on a restaurant near a small local market that serves fish cake noodle soup (a type of noodle with thick, chewy noodles, served with a rich broth, quail eggs, fish cakes, and onions).

A bowl of fish cake noodle soup here only costs from 10,000 to 15,000 VND, depending on the amount of toppings. Although the restaurant is located in a corner of the street market with just a few tables and chairs set up on the sidewalk, it serves the best noodle soup I have ever eaten. I’m not sure if this restaurant is still open when you go, but if it is, you should definitely try it at least once!

After eating, I went to a nearby cafe to rest and filter the photos I took this morning. Since it is difficult to find a cafe near this area, I will leave the address here for you to easily find: Google Map.

After resting, I moved to Bai Xep, more than 500 meters away.

Bai Xep Address: Google Map .

Entrance fee: 20,000 VND / 1 adult.

Bai Xep is famous for its wild beauty, with smooth golden sand, clear blue water, and undulating rocky outcrops that create an incredibly poetic scene.

However, recently the landscape of Bai Xep has deteriorated quite a bit, and it has been closed for repair and renovation since September 30, 2024. You should check carefully to see if Bai Xep has reopened before visiting.

2. O Loan Lagoon.

This is a vast brackish water lagoon, surrounded by low mountain ranges and lush green forests. However, I didn't come here to admire the scenery, but to... have lunch. Dam O Loan is a place with many seafood restaurants serving fresh seafood located around the lagoon area.

O Loan lagoon address: Google Map .

Another reason I chose to have lunch at Dam O Loan is its location. Dam O Loan is situated between Bai Xep and Ganh Da Dia – the next destination I will visit, making it quite convenient for traveling.

3. Ganh Da Dia.

Ganh Da Dia is a natural masterpiece created from unique basalt columns, located beside the clear blue sea. It attracted over 500,000 tourists, both domestic and international, during their visit to Phu Yen in 2023.

Address of Ganh Da Dia: Google Map .

Entrance ticket to Ganh Da Dia : 40,000 VND / 1 adult.

Opening hours of Ganh Da Dia : 8am – 10pm

The ideal time to visit Ganh Da Dia as well as Phu Yen for sightseeing and travel is from March to August. It is advisable to avoid the period from September to December, as this is when storms, strong winds, and unfavorable weather conditions typically occur.

The left side of Ganh Da Dia is also a very beautiful rocky mountain area, offering a direct view of the East Sea. However, it is often overlooked because the road leading there is quite narrow, and the sign is placed in a hard-to-see location. Be sure to pay attention so you don't miss it when you visit.

I also have a very detailed article about Ganh Da Dia, with all the angles of this place. You can read more HERE .

4. Ganh Den Lighthouse.

After exploring all of Ganh Da Dia, I headed to the Ganh Den Lighthouse, which is only 1km away from Ganh Da Dia. You can either walk or ride a motorbike to get here, and there is a parking area right in front of the lighthouse.

Address of Ganh Den lighthouse : Google Map .

5. Nghinh Phong Tower.

After watching the sunset at Ganh Da Dia, I headed back to the city center for dinner and some rest. On the way back to the city center, you will pass by the Nghinh Phong Tower, a symbol of Phu Yen province.

Nghinh Phong Tower was inaugurated in 2021 and is located at the heart of Nghinh Phong Square, right by the Tuy Hoa coastline. The design of Nghinh Phong Tower is inspired by Ganh Da Dia – the famous natural wonder of Phu Yen.

The best time to visit here is at dawn or in the evening. If you go early in the morning, you can watch the sunrise on Tuy Hoa beach with Nghinh Phong Tower, and if you visit in the evening, you can enjoy the beautiful light show on the tower.

The tower is designed with a gap between two stone blocks, creating a "wind-catching" effect, true to its name "Nghinh Phong" (Wind Catching). Standing between the two columns of the tower, visitors can feel the strong sea breeze blowing through, offering a unique and refreshing experience.

6. Street food of Phu Yen.

After a long day of exploring many beautiful places in Phu Yen, I returned to the hotel to rest and went out for dinner. Phu Yen offers a variety of street foods worth trying, such as loi loi (skewered meat wrapped in lolot leaves and grilled spring rolls served with fresh vegetables), grilled spring rolls, chives noodle soup, and more.

And tonight, I chose Nhat Hoang grilled spring rolls restaurant, a very famous spot located right in the center of Tuy Hoa city, just over 1km from Tuy Hoa station.

Address of Nhat Hoang grilled spring rolls restaurant: Google Map .

The restaurant serves food quickly, the ingredients are fresh and delicious, and I especially love the dipping sauce here.

Right next to the Nhat Hoang grilled spring rolls restaurant, there is a delicious ice cream shop called “Duy Tan Longan Ice Cream” that you can try after your main meal.

Duy Tan longan ice cream address: Google Map .

The shop offers a variety of ice cream flavors to choose from, and you can mix and match different ones. The shop's most famous dish is longan ice cream. Be sure to try it if you have the chance to visit!

DAY 2: South of Phu Yen.

1. Electric nose.

I started the second day of exploring Phu Yen by visiting the earliest sunrise spot in Vietnam, specifically Mui Dien – the easternmost point of the S-shaped land.

Mui Dien Address: Google Map.

I left the homestay at 4 a.m. to arrive early before dawn. When I went, there were a few short sections of road under construction with no street lights, and the road surface was quite rough and dusty. However, most of the road was wide and easy to travel on.

You will also pass through the most beautiful coastal road in Phu Yen before reaching Mui Dien. When I left, it was still dark (it wasn’t dawn yet), so I just passed through and planned to come back here to take pictures after exploring all the places ahead.

The entrance fee to Mui Dien is 40,000 VND per person. You need to walk from the entrance gate to the top of Mui Dien, which involves mostly stairs and slopes. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothing to walk easily (avoid wearing high heels when visiting here).

The landscape here is surrounded by mountains and the sea in three directions, with the lighthouse situated on the highest mountain in the remaining direction. From the top, you can admire the vast sea and sky, especially the brilliant moment of sunrise over the ocean.

Mui Đien is one of the most beautiful places in Phu Yen (along with Ganh Đa Đia), in my opinion. This is definitely a must-visit destination when you come to Phu Yen.

Because there are so many beautiful scenes here, I have written a very detailed article about Mui Dien – the earliest sunrise spot in Vietnam. If you want to see more photos of Mui Dien, you can read it HERE.

2. Vung Ro Bay.

After exploring all of Mui Dien, I headed to Vinh Vung Ro – a famous destination with many floating restaurants on the sea to have lunch.

And today I will try the restaurant "Huong Bien", which received many good reviews on Google.

Address of restaurant "Huong Bien" in Vung Ro Bay: Google Map.

There were 3 of us, and we ordered 1 hot pot, 1 seafood fried noodles, 1 plate of grilled oysters with cheese, and 1 plate of milk oysters. The total cost was only 650,000 VND (about 25 USD), which was really cheap. The seafood here is very fresh and delicious. The only thing to note is the feeling of instability when eating (on a floating raft). This is also an experience you should try when visiting Southeast Asian countries in general and Vietnam in particular.

3. The most beautiful coastal route in Phu Yen

After having lunch at Vinh Vung Ro, I took a rest at a roadside café and then headed back to the center of Tuy Hoa city. On the way from Mui Dien back to the city center, I passed through the most beautiful coastal road in Phu Yen and stopped here to take photos (as mentioned above).

Address of the most beautiful coastal road in Phu Yen: Google Map .

This road is about 1km long, located on National Highway 29, stretching from Bai Tien beach to near the entrance of Mui Dien. With many winding curves, one side featuring rocky mountains and the other side facing the vast ocean, along with distant fishing boats, it creates an incredibly majestic scene.

After taking photos here, I headed back to the center of Tuy Hoa city to have a meal, check out of the homestay, and then travel to Hue – the ancient capital of Vietnam, the next destination in my journey to explore central Vietnam.

I chose a chive noodle soup restaurant in the city center for dinner, then went on to enjoy some snacks.

Duy Tan longan ice cream address: Google Map. (Open from 3pm – 10pm).

And the last restaurant before I left Phu Yen was “Che Thai Co Nhon,” the best chè shop I have ever tried. The chè is made from very simple ingredients but is incredibly fresh and delicious, especially the fruit chè here. Be sure to try it once when you visit Phu Yen.

Address of Thai dessert shop Co Nhon: Google Map.

And that wraps up my two-day journey exploring Phu Yen. If you're seeking a quick getaway to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life while soaking in the stunning natural beauty, Phu Yen is undoubtedly the perfect destination. Be sure to share your unforgettable moments in Phu Yen in the comments below! Thank you for reading through to the end of the article.

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