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Destination Review: The Quaint, Quiescent Quy Nhon

“Quiet,” “nice,” “abandoned,” “dirty,” “pretty,” “untouched,” “okay.” Vietnamese locals responded with these types descriptions when I shared that my husband and I would be celebrating our one-year anniversary in Quy Nhon. The overall mediocre tone of these adjectives generated a bit of concern for Victor and me, but our four-day getaway quickly changed our perception of this truly quaint and quiescent coastal town.

quaint [kweynt] adjective 1. having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque 2. strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, amusing way 3. skillfully or cleverly made. 4. Obsolete. wise; skilled.

quiescent [kwee-es-uh nt, kwahy-] adjective 1. being at rest; quiet; still; inactive or motionless

The Beaches of Quy Nhon

Travelers to Quy Nhon indubitably go for the purpose of an uncrowded, non-touristy beach vacation. The beach is indeed beautiful - blue-green waters, soft sand, colorful fishing boats on the horizon, and angled mountains in the background. That being said, we found that the public beaches of Quy Nhon are generally unclean and perhaps disappointing. Trash is everywhere (in and out of the sea), and the water crashing on the beach is black and brown. Beach go-ers constantly throw rubbish on the ground and/or bury it in the sand. On the other hand, in complete contrast, the beaches outside of Quy Nhon City center, particularly the ones connected to hotels and resorts, are impeccably clean (see photos above right, and below). The staff at our resort were constantly cleaning the shoreline, the water and waves maintained their blue-green color, and the sand remained its sandy color and texture. The exquisite water and sand amidst the jagged rocks and dramatic mountains - talk about pure natural beauty, y'all.

Quy Nhon City

Despite the disappointment of the public beach pollution, Quy Nhon City upholds its “quaint” reputation. The city is walkable, with clean sidewalks on every major street. Restaurants and cafes abound. My husband and I felt confident in commencing our usual quest for beach-town ice cream. We first attempted to find the popular Ngoc Nga Kem Ice Cream shop. As we approached the smaller streets, Victor and I became a bit disheartened - the back streets are a bit dreary - mostly lackluster shops and numerous manifestations of the city’s poverty. We did find Ngoc Nga Kem, but the staff member said it was “closed” (unclear if indefinitely). Perhaps for the best, as it appeared that the ice cream freezer was broken and empty, and the shop itself was dark and drab. Our ice cream stomachs walked away disappointed, further saddened by streets filled with only repair shops and small pubs. Quy Nhon did not disappoint our high ice cream standards, though! Just minutes later, we opportunely stumbled upon the delicious Jolly cafe [Jolly - Kem Ý tự chọn Quy Nhơn], a bakery and Italian ice cream (gelato) and frozen yogurt buffet. Customers can combine as many flavors as they like, and top with as many toppings as they can jam into the paper bowl (see photo on right). Weight determines the final price. We tried the blueberry frozen yogurt, and almost every gelato/ice cream flavor and topping. I think the cashier thought we hadn’t eaten in days, or that we must be Americans :) Very pleased with Jolly - great quality and great flavor, friendly staff, vibrant and modern atmosphere.

Surf Bars I and II (two locations, adjacent to one another) are two more highly recommended cafes. Directly on the beach, the Surf Bars serve tasty drinks and smoothies, while customers can dig their feet in the sand and cheer on the lively impromptu football matches on the beach. Photo from the Surf Bar seating area is below.

And by dusk, Quy Nhon nightlife begins - energetic streetside pubs and beer clubs and discos surrounded with colorfully-illuminated streets and trees.

Xuan Hai Fishing Village

Another element of Quy Nhon’s quaintness and quiescence - the nearby fishing village of Xuan Hai. Arrive by bike or car, visitors can eat and relax at a variety of floating restaurants. The restaurants display the day’s catch (still alive, in the water), and guests choose the fish and style of preparation. Seated on mats on the ground or in hammocks, surrounded by the bay and the seabreeze, visitors experience a true feeling of relaxation. The seafood, including whole fish, prawns and lobsters, and a variety of conch and shellfish, is fresh in the truest sense of the word, and prepared simply (grilled or steamed) to maintain the fresh flavor. Prices are reasonable, and the staff is very friendly, allowing guests to digest and lounge (and/or continue eating) for as long as they wish.

Accommodations

Our first impressions concluded that most hotels in city-center were quite old with no direct beach access. We had many Vietnamese friends recommend options to us slightly outside of city-center: “Life’s a Beach” and “Haven,” both with direct beach access and “quaint” characteristics. As my husband and I were celebrating an anniversary, we splurged a bit, and stayed at AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa (formerly “Life Resort”). We were overwhelmingly pleased with our choice and highly recommend to anyone visiting Quy Nhon. The resort wow-ed us with its beautifully manicured grounds, delicious and high-quality food, exquisite spa setting and professional spa services (see picture above), chic and modern rooms, diverse activity and amenity offerings, impeccable cleanliness, and most of all, the exceptionally friendly and proactive customer service.

The Verdict

So the locals were correct - Quy Nhon is quiet, nice, abandoned, dirty, pretty, untouched, and okay - it is all of these adjectives simultaneously. The fact is, the city is naturally beautiful, and it’s only a matter of time before the city is developed into the more traditional, modern beach town. The benefit to its semi-underdevelopment? Fewer tourists, cheaper prices, more to explore, and a quiet ambiance.

Quy Nhon is quaint - it has an “old-fashioned charm,” it is “oddly picturesque,” and it is “strange, peculiar, and unusual in an interesting and pleasing way.” Quy Nhon is quiescent - it is at rest, it is quiet and still. For those looking for this type of unique beach vacation experience, Quy Nhon is the perfect destination.

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