Exploring Hon Thi Island in Nha Trang

Hon Thi is a large island near Nha Trang City. It is three kilometers from the mainland, with a total area of 500 hectares.

The island attracts many tourists who come explore its rural beauty that has hardly been touched by people.

Hon Thi is a stop on the tour of Nha Phu Lagoon, and can be reached by boat from Da Chong Cape or from Ninh Ich Commune, Ninh Hoa District.

Long Phu Travel Service Co. has built a port for ships and boats on the white sandy beach of Hon Thi. From this port, tourists walk in a pathway under the shadow of the rows of willow on both sides.

There is an ostrich farm on Hon Thi island. Ostriches are very friendly with people and tourists are welcome to watch and feed them. Spotted deer are also bred on this farm and tourists can feed them with dry peanuts or corn.

Deer grow new antlers every year which can be purchased for five million dong per kilo, but orders must be placed in advance.

The day tour of Nha Phu Lagoon allows for time to visit the ostrich farm on Hon Thi; however, tourists may chose to make arrangements to camp on the island, but must bring their own food, water and tents. This allows for more time to discover this mysterious and attractive island.

Hon Thi has many beautiful beaches with fresh and shallow water. Shade is provided on the beaches by the sea spinaches growing alongside the high salt water trees.

There are also many orchards on the island with hundreds of ancient mango, guava, custard-apple, orange, dragon fruit and coconut trees. Long Phu Service Co. built a bee farm on Hon Thi because of the orchards and the many wild flowers in this island.

Visitors to the island will pass these orchards as they trek into the heart of the island, to an area with large blocks of rock.

Under these blocks of rock is a deep cave. It is not recommended to explore too far into the cave, but with a flash light tourists can safely walk in a short way.

In the past, Hon Thi was a shelter for fishermen from the whole central region who sought refuge here from the storms.

The island still has the vestiges of the floors of their houses, and their wells and orchards, as well as a hermitage built some hundred years ago by the fishermen to worship the god of the island. The hermitage was restored in 1998.

Source SGT