Unlocking the potential of unique heritage
Ly Son Special Zone has an area of 10,390km2 , a population of over 22,000 people, located 15 nautical miles from the mainland. It takes about 40 minutes by boat from Sa Ky port to Ly Son port, this place possesses the potential of a unique natural heritage of geology and geomorphology.
Ly Son Island has 5 large extinct volcanoes, including Thoi Loi Mountain (peak 169m above sea level), Gieng Tien Mountain, Hon Vung, Hon Soi, Hon Tai, formed by volcanic eruptions about 25-30 million years ago, volcanic terrain accounts for 70% of the island's area. Ly Son also has underwater craters, especially the underwater crater in the south of Ly Son Island is quite large, almost equivalent to Thoi Loi Mountain peak on the ground, this volcano is located about 40-50m below sea level, the west of the island also has an underwater volcano near Gieng Tien area.
The geological structure of volcanoes creates abrasion ridges on cliffs, typically the cliffs at Hang Cau, Chua Hang, and Gieng Tien are large in size, hundreds of meters long, steep and massive.
At the end of January 2018, a group of experts from the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources (at that time under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ) announced the results of a study on the unique paleontological heritage of the "graveyard" of fossilized corals shaped like millstones near the scenic area of Hang Cau in An Hai commune (Ly Son island district). In addition, there are also fossilized coral blocks with diverse and wonderful ring patterns. Experts say that these fossil blocks date back 5,000-6,000 years, and are considered unique not only in Vietnam but also in the world.
Ly Son has two famous Sa Huynh relics, Oc Hamlet and Chinh Stream, dating back to about 3,000-2,500 years BC. These relics are not only evidence of Sa Huynh culture, but also reflect the continuous development process, cultural exchange and adaptation to the island environment. Current farmers take advantage of the land around the Chinh Stream relic to grow onions and garlic, combining the landscape of green coconut trees and white sand fields... creating an attractive check-in point for tourists.
Ly Son Special Zone “owns” more than 50 historical and cultural relics, including 6 national relics, 2 national intangible cultural heritages, and 19 provincial relics. Thus, every 1km on the island has up to 5 relics, a density rarely found anywhere else, even on the mainland.
In recent years, Ly Son has taken advantage of the island's strengths such as the garlic kingdom, the homeland of the Hoang Sa Fleet, the blue sea paradise... to develop community tourism. People organize tours on the island themselves, with basket boat teams, electric car transport teams to take visitors to visit Bai Hang, Bai Sau, Bai Tay... After only a short time, from an island with fishing as the main source of income, people have developed services, trade, product consumption, tourism development... helping to improve people's economic life.
Becoming a national sea and island tourism center
Ly Son is transforming from an “island district” to a “Ly Son special zone”, with a two-level local government apparatus from July 1 and continues to develop Ly Son island towards becoming a national sea and island tourism center. In the Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister, the goal is to develop Ly Son into a sea and island tourism center.
Not only promoting the advantages of natural and cultural heritage, Ly Son has made its mark by organizing a series of cultural and sports events to stimulate tourism. In April 2025, Ly Son organized the Ly Son Cross Island 2025 sea swimming competition on a national scale. In addition, there are activities such as the Hoang Sa soldier's memorial ceremony, the Tu Linh traditional boat race, the Vietnam Open Precision Landing Paragliding Competition, and the "Ly Son - Following the Footprints of the Frontlines" Cross-country Race....
In just the first 6 months of 2025, Ly Son welcomed nearly 82,000 visitors, an increase of 12.3% over the same period last year, including more than 1,170 international visitors, a positive number showing the growing attraction of island tourism here.
Along with infrastructure development, Ly Son currently has nearly 50 homestays serving tourists, not only providing accommodation but also organizing unique experiential activities associated with the lives of islanders such as: a day as a farmer growing garlic on volcanic soil, working as a fisherman harvesting seafood along the shore, fishing, preparing fish dishes, diving to see coral,... helping tourists discover the beauty of the sea and islands and indigenous culture.
Mr. Nguyen Minh Tri, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ly Son Special Zone, said: "The orientation for tourism development in Ly Son is to develop the economy with tourism as the center. Most importantly, the special zone government will be more closely involved in changing people's awareness, especially their thinking about tourism development in the community. It is no longer propaganda, but must go into specific activities and models such as homestay, onion and garlic growing experience tourism, promoting specialties related to Ly Son".
In the first 6 months of 2025, the total production value of Ly Son's economic sectors is estimated at 1,300 billion VND, up nearly 7% over the same period last year, reaching nearly 50% of the annual plan. Of which, trade and services are estimated at more than 572 billion VND, up 7.62%; agriculture reached nearly 515 billion VND, up more than 7%; industry, handicrafts and construction reached nearly 212 billion VND, up 4.54% over the same period last year.
The agricultural sector has two main crops: onions and garlic. In the 2024-2025 winter-spring garlic crop, 314 hectares were harvested, with a yield of more than 88 quintals/ha, and an output of nearly 2.8 thousand tons, an increase of 12% over the same period in 2024.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dac-khu-ly-son-xay-dung-trung-tam-du-lich-bien-dao-quoc-gia-post802225.html
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