Diep Son: walking on a road through the sea
A day trip to Van Phong Bay, where at low tide a narrow strip of sand rises from the sea and you can walk between islands with water lapping on both sides.
- Area
- Islands & bay
- Start from
- Nha Trang
- Distance
- about 70 km north, then a 30-minute boat ride
- Time needed
- 1 day
- Best season
- February – August; check tide tables
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Transport
- Car or motorbike to Van Ninh, then a local boat
- Tickets & rules
- Small boat and island fees; check locally
Why go
Diep Son is a cluster of small islands in Van Phong Bay, far north of Nha Trang, and it has one trick that brings people all this way. At low tide a sandbar several hundred metres long emerges just under the surface, linking two of the islands, and you can walk along it with clear, shallow water on both sides, as if you were walking on the sea.
Even without the sandbar it would be a lovely place: clear water, a small fishing village on the main island, and a feeling of being on the edge of Vietnam, far from the resort towns. The bay itself is huge, sheltered and mountain-rimmed, one of the deepest natural harbours on the coast.
The journey north is part of the pleasure too. You drive along a coast of salt flats, fishing harbours and quiet beaches, and Van Phong Bay feels much as Nha Trang must have felt decades ago.
The story
Van Phong Bay is a vast sheltered bay with deep water close to shore, and for years planners have talked about turning it into a major port. Those plans have come and gone, and for now much of the bay remains a place of fishing villages, fish farms and a few small guesthouses.
The islands of Diep Son have long been home to fishing families who farm lobster and fish in floating cages and harvest seaweed. Life here is still shaped by tides and weather; the boats leave early and come home in the late morning.
The sandbar exists because of the way currents and waves deposit sand between the islands. It shifts with the seasons and with storms, so its exact shape and length change from year to year. Locals know the tides well, and boatmen time their trips so visitors can walk at the lowest point of the day.
It became famous only in the 2010s, when photographs of people walking across the sea spread on Vietnamese social media. Since then it has become a favourite day trip from Nha Trang, but on a weekday it is still often quiet.
Getting there
Drive or ride north on Highway 1 to Van Ninh district, about 1.5 hours from Nha Trang. Small boats to Diep Son leave from the shore near Van Thanh; the crossing takes about 30 minutes. Tours from Nha Trang combine transport, boat and lunch.
Low tide is essential. Ask your boat operator or hotel for the best time, and plan the day around it.
A suggested plan
- 7:00Leave Nha Trang heading north on Highway 1.
- 8:30Boat from Van Ninh to Diep Son.
- 9:30Walk the sandbar at low tide; swim off the islands.
- 12:00Seafood lunch in the island village.
- 2:00 pmBoat back; detour to Doc Let or Hon Khoi on the way home.
Where to stay
Most people go as a day trip from Nha Trang. There are a few simple homestays and small resorts around Van Phong Bay if you want an overnight away from the crowds.
Good to know
- Wear water shoes; the sand has shells and bits of coral.
- Bring cash for the boat and lunch.
- Go on a weekday to avoid crowds of day-trippers.
- Hats and sunscreen are essential; there is no shade on the sandbar.
- Check the tide; at high tide the sandbar disappears and the walk isn’t possible.
- Currents can be strong at the edges of the sandbar; don’t wade out into deeper water.