VietNamNet Bridge – Dong Cao Plateau and the islands of Co To and Ly Son offer several wonderful campsites in Vietnam during the summers.

Dong Cao Plateau

The plateau of Dong Cao in the northern province of Bac Giang is 140 km from Ha Noi.

Amidst the desolate mountains, Dong Cao looks outstanding with many green low hills, creating a special scene. The plateau is very generous with sunshine and wind, a vast pasture. At night, frogs and insects sing their own songs, in the moonlight and starlight. Cool wind will lull you to sleep.

How to get there: From Hanoi you go to Chu town in Bac Giang province, the provincial road that passes through litchi gardens. From Chu, you turn left to Dong Bam, travel for 15 km deep into the silent and quiet. Driving for another 5km on a dirt road you will arrive at Dong Cao. You can get there by motorcycle or car.

Time: 1.5 to 2 days.

Note: You can depart at Saturday noon and will arrive at Dong Cao in late afternoon to set up camp, sleep a night on the plateau and come back to Hanoi on Sunday. Take tents, sleeping bags, blankets, flashlights and stoves with you because a night on the plateau is quite cold. The camping site is far from residential areas and does not have fresh water, so remember to take water with you.

Co To Island in Quang Ninh

The island is about 1.5 hours by high speed boat from Van Don Pier.

Co To Island has three beaches. Uncle Ho Beach is 15 km long, running smoothly toward the end of the island. The beach with big waves has a path that runs along a row of pine trees.

Hong Van Beach, 8km from the town, is considered the most beautiful beach on Co To. The water here is transparent and blue. Van Chai Beach is located at the end of the island. It is a good place to welcome sunset.

How to get there: You should catch a car from Hanoi to the port of Van Don, Quang Ninh, 220 km from Hanoi. Travel time is about 4-5 hours. From Van Don Port, you board a high-speed boat at 7am and arrive at the island after almost 2 hours.

Duration: 5 days and the costs is about VND3 million ($150) per person.

Note: Food is neither plentiful nor diverse on the island, so if you go in large groups, you should take some food with you. You can buy seafood at the Co To market. In the evening there are many mosquitoes on the beach. It is pretty cold at night. You can rent tents on the island.

Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai Province

Ly Son Island is more than 20km from the city of Quang Ngai, 1 hour by boat from the coast.

The final point of the island, close to the Duc Temple, is the ideal campsite, shielded by many trees. This place is also not too far from residential areas. The island is a paradise for wilderness camping, with rock hollows on the beach forming natural corners on the beautiful curved beaches, water that is crystal clear to the bottom and sky blue.

How to get there: Catch a flight from Hanoi to Da Nang, then a bus from Da Nang to Quang Ngai and another bus to Sa Ky port. Sleep one night at My Khe beach, catching a boat at 7am to Ly Son Island. The trip is only one and a half hours but there is only one boat trip to the island each day. On a day of rain, the port can close at any time.

Time: 5 to 7 days and the cost is about VND5 million ($250) per person.

Note: Be sure to bring adequate food, water and basic personal items with you if you plan to go camping there. Food and drink on the island is quite cheap and seafood is delicious. Ly Son Island does not have fresh water so you must take water with you, along with tents, blankets and camping utensils.

Pha Le