Diep Son Island Nha Trang: Sandbar, Boat Price, Tide

Diep Son is three small islands in Van Phong Bay, about 60 km from Nha Trang, reached by boat from Van Gia port. A sandbar joins them at low tide. Two guides give boat fares of VND 200,000 to 300,000 and 200,000 to 350,000 per person return, and a one-day tour is listed at VND 990,000.

By Vincent Nguyen

Diep Son is three small islands in Van Phong Bay, about 60 km from Nha Trang. A sandbar joins them at low tide. Boats leave from Van Gia port. Two guides give boat fares of VND 200,000 to 300,000 and 200,000 to 350,000 per person return.

Diep Son island boat prices and when the sandbar shows

Boat prices

The boat is the main cost. Each source has its own date, so read the table with that in mind.

The 2016 figure is a group fare and is shown only to date the others. Local Vietnam says pricing at the pier has been inconsistent. Visitors were quoted a per-person fare and then told the boat needs a minimum number of passengers. Settle the full cost before you board.

One-day tour from Nha Trang

Vietnam Booking lists a daily one-day tour from Nha Trang at VND 990,000 per adult. The page shows no date and says the price may change.

The tour price includes a 7 to 45 seat coach, a speedboat, Doc Let entry, a lunch at a restaurant on the island, a Vietnamese-speaking guide and insurance. The programme leaves the meeting point at 8:00 and reaches the Diep Son pier at 10:00. Lunch is at 12:00 and the boat back is at 13:30.

Children under 4 are free and ages 4 to 9 pay 75% of the adult price.

Staying overnight

Local Vietnam says there is one main restaurant and operator on Hon Bip, with basic bungalows and tent camping. It lists fan rooms at about VND 900,000 and air-conditioned rooms at about VND 1,200,000.

Book through the island operator at the Diep Son Restaurant, at the pier or by phone in advance. Electricity runs on generators and solar and is cut at times. Hot water is not guaranteed and toilets are basic.

When the sandbar shows

The sandbar shows at low tide, and the sources disagree on the best hour.

• VTV says it is partly submerged in the morning at high tide and dry in the afternoon at low tide.
• VinWonders says that from the 1st to the 15th of the lunar month the water recedes in the afternoon, and after the 15th in the morning.
• Local Vietnam says to aim for early morning, around 4 to 5 AM, and to check tide tables.
• Locals told VTV in 2017 that the sandbar is most visible from the 12th to 16th and from 25th to 30th of the month.

Check a tide table for your date, as Local Vietnam advises. Tide-Forecast.com lists daily low and high tides for Nha Trang for the next 30 days, in local time. The nearest station it lists is Nha Trang, not Van Gia; ask your boatman about local timing.

The low moves from day to day. For 13/10/2026 that page predicts lows at 6:01 am and 4:00 pm, and highs at 1:20 pm and 10:36 pm. Pick the hour from the table for your date, not from a blog.

What to see at Diep Son island

The islands

The national tourism authority says Diep Son, Hon Giua and Hon Duoc each cover several hectares, and Diep Son is the biggest. Locals call the biggest one Hon Bip after the many bim bip trees on it.

The authority gives Diep Son as 250 m long and 50 m wide, with a 130 m mountain in the centre. It says dozens of fishing families live on the island. Its page is dated 11/11/2016.

The sandbar

VTV reports a 700 m sandbank between Hon Giua and Diep Son. VinWonders says the walking path linking the islands is nearly 1 km long. Local Vietnam gives roughly 800 m to 1 km.

Local Vietnam says the sea sits at ankle to knee depth on either side when the bar is exposed. Van Phong Bay is one of the largest and most protected bays in Vietnam. Local Vietnam adds that drone footage of the sandbar went viral on Vietnamese social media and that foreign visitors remain a minority.

Day-trip boats from Van Gia usually arrive between 10 AM and midday, when the bar is often already partly or fully submerged. An overnight stay is the most reliable way to guarantee seeing it exposed.

CafeF (05/08/2026) describes two bars. A roughly 400 m stretch stays above water at any time, and the 700 m-plus bar shows only when the tide drops. If your boat lands when the longer bar is covered, the shorter one is still walkable.

A villager quoted by VTV warns of dark spots in the water next to the sandbar and says not to step on them.

The Pearl Bridge

VinWonders says the Pearl Bridge is more than 300 m long and the best place on the island for sunrise and sunset. Local Vietnam calls it a wooden pier mainly used for photography.

Swimming and kayaking

Local Vietnam says there are no lifeguards and no designated swimming areas. VinWonders warns to watch for jellyfish and sea urchins. Kayaks and motor-boat rides around the island are available. Kayaks can be rented from the main operator on Hon Bip.

Food and the village

Local Vietnam says oysters, snails, squid and fish come straight from the bay. Its local specialty is Diep Son cake, a crispy rice flour pancake filled with shrimp, fish and squid, served with green mango, dipping sauce and vegetables.

VinWonders says dining options on the island are limited, so bring snacks and water. Local Vietnam says fish soup and other extras can add up at VND 500,000 per kilogram.

The national tourism authority lists basic facilities: restrooms, wifi, electricity, seafood and vegetables. VinWonders asks visitors to avoid noise near houses where islanders live.

Who it suits (and who should skip it)

• Walkers who plan around the tide: the sandbar shows only at low tide.
• Overnight visitors: bungalows and tents are on Hon Bip.
• Visitors happy with basic services: restrooms, wifi and seafood are listed, and little else.
• Day-trippers who check the tide: boats arrive mid-morning, often after the bar is covered.
• Skip it for a comfortable beach resort: facilities are basic and hot water is not guaranteed.
• Skip it if you only have card payments: the island is cash only.
• Skip it if you need power all day: VinWonders says electricity runs only from 18:00 to 21:00.
• Skip it with a motorbike plan: motorbikes cannot go to the island.

How to get to Diep Son island

The national tourism authority says to travel 60 km from Nha Trang to Van Gia fishing port and take a speedboat to Diep Son. Local Vietnam puts Van Gia about 60 km away, roughly an hour by car or motorbike on National Highway 1A. From Tuy Hoa in Phu Yen, Van Gia is around 50 km to the north.

To Van Gia

Local Vietnam lists these costs from Nha Trang:

• Motorbike rental: about VND 100,000 to 200,000 a day.
• Taxi or ride-hailing: about VND 300,000 to 400,000 one way.
• Local bus: about VND 70,000, with fixed departure times and a longer journey.

The pier and the boat

The boat pier is on the seafront road, Tran Hung Dao, near the Diep Son Restaurant signpost. Speedboats take 10 to 15 minutes, and slower wooden boats take 30 to 45 minutes. VinWonders gives about 10 minutes by motor boat and 30 minutes by ferry.

Boats generally leave from about 7 AM, busiest between 7 and 9 AM. Local Vietnam says not to count on a boat back after 3 PM without confirming with the operator.

Motorbikes and bicycles cannot be taken to the island. Pier parking is about VND 10,000 to 20,000 per day.

Open Diep Son Island in Google Maps (opens in a new tab). For taxis and buses in the city, see getting around Nha Trang.

A note on licensed operators

A 2019 Bao Van Hoa report says the Khanh Hoa provincial committee banned unlicensed tourism on the island group. It reports that three people died when a fishing boat carrying a family of 15 capsized on 15 June 2019. It says the district allowed only two tourism companies on the island group. That report is from 2019, so ask the ticket seller which company runs your boat.

When to go and how long

VTV and VinWonders give December to June as the best period, the dry season. Local Vietnam calls December to June the reliable window, with calm seas and no disruption to boat services. It says July to November can bring rougher seas, storms and cancelled crossings.

VinWonders says the other months are quieter. For rain and storm data, read Nha Trang storm and flood season and best time to visit Nha Trang.

Plan the day around the boats and the tide. Boats start about 7 AM and the return boats thin out in the afternoon. The tour programme runs from an 8:00 start to a 13:30 boat back. Electricity runs from 18:00 to 21:00 only.

Nearby and how to combine it

The Vietnam Booking tour pairs Diep Son with Doc Let, with the speedboat back at 13:30. Read Doc Let beach for the beach leg. For a boat day closer to the city, see Hon Tam island.

Two ways to plan the day, using only sourced times:

Leave early for Van Gia and check the tide on arrival. Return before the afternoon boats thin out. For a longer plan, see Nha Trang in 3 days.

Before you go

• Bring cash: there are no card facilities on the island.
• Bring a power bank: electricity runs from 18:00 to 21:00.
• Pack sunscreen and footwear for coarse sand with shells and rocks.
• Bring snacks and water: dining is limited and fresh water is scarce.
• Learn a few Vietnamese phrases or use a translation app: English is limited among staff and boat operators.
• Agree the full return price and the return time before boarding.
• Leave the motorbike at the pier: it cannot go to the island.
• Take your litter back and keep noise down near houses.

Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Diep Son Island on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Van Gia Port on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @Ray Hoàng Sơn, @Dr. Aquarius, @TLKH, @Nam Nguyen, @Minh Phương Nguyen, @Phuc Thinh Tran.

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Not confirmed: Which operator to use: no current official list was found, and the only licensing statement is from 2019. Ask the ticket seller for the operator name and the full return price before boarding. Tide timing: the sources give different best times, so check a tide table for your date. Getting cut off: no source gives a cut-off time for walkers or a pickup rule, so ask your boatman when the bar closes and when he collects you.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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