Ly Son is a small island which has earned the nickname “The Kingdom of Garlic” because of its big fields and strong-smelling garlic. But more than this, the place is also famous for its seas, oceans and white sand, which is why it has become a growing tourist destination over time. Ly Son Island is located about 30 kilometers from the central province of Quang Ngai. It has a total land area of only 10 square kilometres but is home to over 20,000 people.

  Though generally small, Ly Son is the largest island among a group of several other islands. Most of the local residents live in the bigger areas of An Vinh and An Hai communes. There is only one trip to the island everyday and the travel will take between one-three hours depending on the mode of transportation taken. The wooden ship takes longer while the vessel is fairly fast, cutting the maximum travelling time in half.

  Ly Son Island is basically a provincial and traditional place, but commercial dwellings are also available such as the Ly Son Hotel which is the biggest one in the area. Room rates vary between VND350,000 to VND400,000. But for the budget travellers, they can opt to stay at the homes of the villagers themselves at a much cheaper price of VND50,000-100,000 per person per night. For the adventure seekers, they can even set up their own tents and spend the night along the coast. Like most provinces, Ly Son Island is rich in history and culture. Tourists can visit such sites as the Duc Pagoda; Hang Pagoda; To Vo Gate; Hoang Sa and Truong Sa army squadrons memorial; Am Linh Tu Temple; ancient houses in Ly Son District;

Thoi Loi Mountain; and a number of caves. Even the port itself has become like a tourist destination with its hustle and bustle of activities. When it comes to food, Ly Son boasts of several dishes like garlic salad, urchin porridge, black sticky cake, and king crab, just to name a few. If one is after the sun and sea which Ly Son Island is famous for, between June and September is the ideal time to visit the place. This is also the time when shallots and watermelons are abundant. Visitors will have the chance to see their plantations at the foot of Thoi Loi and Gieng Tien mountains.

The shallot beds provide a stunning sight when viewed from the top of the said mountains. The watermelons may not be as big compared to the products of the mainland, but the ones at Ly Son more than make up for it in taste. Known as the Kingdom of Garlic to begin with, tourists would surely want to witness and maybe even participate in the cultivation and harvest themselves. October to December is the best time to experience this famous event  in which visitors are given the opportunity to join in the harvest with the local farmers. Ly Son Island is made up of 300 hectares of garlic cultivation with a yearly harvest of 1,500 tons. It is usually sold at VND100,000 per kilo, but the special kind can sell up to VND1 million a kilo.

Both shallots and garlic are planted in big areas of land. Most, if not all, households at Ly Son grow both vegetables. Between late February and early March, the Hoang Sa Soldiers’ Commemoration Festival is celebrated which visitors can also join in. All year round is therefore a good time to visit Ly Son Island with its line of activities, sites and food which tourists will surely find memorable.