Ky Co Beach in central town Quy Nhon is known for its distinctive beauty, boasting crescent-shaped coastline and crystal-clear water. 

Ky Co Beach is well-known for calm turquoise sea and rocky mountains.
Photo by Shutterstock/Jimmy Tran.

Located about 25 km northeast of Quy Nhon's center, Ky Co in Nhon Ly island commune embraces a captivating beauty thanks to the rocky mountains, stretches of white sand, and deep clear emerald sea water.

The most special feature of Ky Co is definitely the two distinct shades of green/blue water, prominent against its white sand.

The coast is curved like a crescent with three sides bordering the mountains and one side skirting the sea, facing out to the rocks, which might give you the impression of visiting a private island.

The large and sharp rocks allow for beautiful pools to form as the tide rises, with low tide exposing many caves.

Low tides expose caves in rocks. Photo by Shutterstock/Pierre06.

From Ky Co Beach, you can rent a canoe to explore the coral at Bai Dua, Hon Kho or Hon Sao islets. Many visitors here go for the special diving service that allows you to walk under the sea among the swimming fish, kitted out with an air tank, helmet, and underwater photography gear.

In addition, tourists can rent a jet ski, a boat to go fishing, or follow local fishermen out to sea. Or, if you are more laid back, just laze on the beach watching the turquoise sea water and listening to the crashing waves.

There is a long wooden bridge in the middle of the beach, from which people used to jump. Now, however, only photography is allowed here. Near the end of the day, the wind gets stronger and the waves louder on Ky Co.

To fully experience the beauty of Ky Co, spend at least half a day here. Do not miss the spectacular sunrise or sunset, and do not forget to visit nearby attraction Eo Gio Bay.

Ky Co Beach. Photo by VnExpress/Thuy Chi.

For those who have never set foot in Ky Co, here are some suggestions.

*How to go from Quy Nhon's center to Ky Co: Renting a motorbike is the most convenient way to travel to Ky Co. The service is available online or at hotels. Some people also choose to book a Ky Co tour which normally includes a boat service to take you to the island, a meal, and diving, all priced at about VND350,000 - 400,000 ($15-17) per person.

*Where to stay: The area is still quite pristine, thus there are not many hotels or resorts. The nearest is FLC Quy Nhon Resort. If you want to explore the area, I would recommend staying in the town, which has plenty of food and entertainment options. Going to Ky Co normally takes half a day, so people usually go on a day tour to Ky Co - Eo Gio then return to the town. On Agoda.com or Booking.com, hotel prices normally range from VND300,000 - 500,000 per night. If you really want to stay overnight on Ky Co Island, bring along a tent, tarpaulin, food, and drink.

*What to eat: Famous seafood in Ky Co includes grilled sea urchins, abalone, all kinds of snails, scallops, and blood cockles. However, the restaurant service here is still underdeveloped, which means you would find more options in downtown Quy Nhon. Huong Duong Restaurant is highly recommended by tourists, located on the main road of Eo Gio Tourist Area, Nhon Ly Commune. The cost is VND250,000 - 300,000 per person.

Sea urchins is a specialty of Ky Co. Photo courtesy of Huong Duong Restaurant.