Quảng Ngãi

Quảng Ngãi is a town that used to be neglected, forgotten, and bypassed by government, tourists, even the residents wanted to get out of this uneventful town. With oil money coming in, Quẚng Ngãi has been recapitalized, revitalized, and reborn with cafes, resorts, and upscale restaurants, and was home to 302,000 people in 2018.

Quảng Ngãi is surrounded by the Truong Son Mountains on one side and the East Sea on the other. The topography of the surrounding regions include mountains, plains, seaside and offshore islands.

Quảng Ngãi lies halfway between Hanoi (883 km north) and HCM City (838km south). Quảng Ngãi is close to other major tourist cities of Da Nang (130 km, ~3 hr) and Hoi An (116 km, ~2½ hr).

While Quảng Ngãi is a small city, many of the attractions are in the outskirts of town. The closest beach My Khe is 15 km away so a motor vehicle is needed to get around.

Quảng Ngãi's local places of attractions were once so neglected, abandoned, and desolated that there were hardly any visitors. Now the petrol money has turned these locations into must-see places. Overgrown vegetation has given way to manicured pathways, muddy riversides are now patios for trendy cafes, and isolated beaches have turned into weekend getaway destinations. It's tough to separate the old from the new, but Quẚng Ngãi is an ancient town that still possesses many of the historical sights of great significant. Fortunately, many of these sights are located a short ride from town.

• Ba Tơ Garden. 
• General museum of Quảng Ngãi Province, 99 Le Trung Dinh, ☏ +84 55 823 849. Contains cultural artifacts of Sa Huynh & Champa civilizations, and other ethnic minorities of Quẚng Ngãi Province. 
• Ly Son Island. Ly Son Island is 26 km (14 nautical miles) from Sa Ky Port. The island is about 10 km² and known as the Garlic Capital of Central Vietnam. There are traces of the ancient Sa Huynh and Champa cultures on the island. The local people live by farming and fishing. There are several beautiful spots on the island such as Cave Pagoda, An Hai Village temple, Hoang Sa Museum, and two volcanic mouths Gieng Tien and Thoi Loi. 
• My Khe Beach (15 km NE of Quẚng Ngãi & 2 km from My Lai Memorial). My Khe Beach is one of the best beaches in Quẚng Ngãi. It is about 8 km long with fine, white, and smooth powdery sands. Behind the beach is a green poplar forest creating a green space of hundreds hectares running along the internal tourist area. My Khe Tourist Resort is in this area. There are several food stalls erected along the beach, catering mostly to locals. This beach has yet to experience the rapid developments that plagued other resort areas in Vietnam. 
• Mỹ Lai Massacre Memorial Museum (13km NE of Quẚng Ngãi & 2km from My Khe Beach). A memorial to 504 victims killed in 1969 by US forces in the My Lai incident. The site is a solemn place and also the main reason foreign visitors choose to stop by this province. To get to the museum is easy; you just need to take the local bus (line: SAKI) from Quang Ngai downtown, in front of the Hotel Khách Sạn Hùng Vương (address: 45 Hùng Vương, tp. Quảng Ngãi, Quảng Ngãi, Vietnam). This 15-20 minute trip will cost 10,000 dong each way (Dec 2015). 
• Quảng Ngãi square, Phạm Văn Đồng street. 
• River Trà Khúc. 
• Sa Huynh Beach (60 km S of Quẚng Ngãi & along side National Highway 1). Sa Huynh is a beautiful beach with clear water and golden sand. Sa Huynh is also called Sa Hoang, means "gold sand" as the color of the sand is not white like some other places but is a glittered yellow sand. A popular stopover location for travelers to spend a few days on the beach, bordered by coconut groves and rice paddies, before continuing their journey. 
• Tam Thượng Harbor. 

• The Long Wall of Quẚng Ngãi. A version of the Hadrian's Wall. Discovered in 2005, the Long Wall of Quẚng Ngãi is a majestic architectural construction that still remains in its original state. Built over 500 years mainly with stones and earth, with an average high of 2 m, the wall spans over 113 km with several forts, roads, and military depots. The Wall was constructed in the early days by the Viet settlers when this region was Vietnam southern frontier. It later was upgraded and fortified by the Nguyen Emperors. The wall was built to regulate trade and defense with the hostile Champa civilization in the south. 
• Thien An Mountain (3km NE of Quẚng Ngãi). Squared in shape likes a seal hence the name Thien An (Heaven's Seal). This small mountain is revered by the locals as a spiritual place. A three-century-old pagoda sits near the top and at the summit is the tomb of the region's famous anti-colonial hero Huynh Thuc Khang. 
• Thien But Mountain (south of the city). Travelers to Quẚng Ngãi often inquired about Thien But Mountain along with its higher cousin Thien An Mountain. However, Thien But Mountain is more renowned in poetry rather than in reality. A small hill that rises 60 m high above the coastal plains. On a clouds covered day, Thien But Mountain looks like a calligraphy brush with its tip dipped into the clouds hence the name Thien But (Heaven's Brush). If visiting on a cloudy day, one can take a look to see whether Thien But Mountain is as poetically described. If so, then it is truly a spectacular treat. 

• Bike ride Co Luy Commune, Co Luy Commune (riverside paths around My Khe Beach). Visitors often ask where Co Luy Commune is. This area was once renowned in poetry and claimed to be second only to Hue for its bucolic, rustic rural charms. The area is slowly giving way to development. However, one can still find its coconut groves, its swaying pine trees, and meandering streams. Folks come here just to see whether it is as described in the poetry they once heard in schools. Some riverside cafes have popped up along the rivers to take advantage of the place's new-found attraction. Free. 

• Coop Mart Quẚng Ngãi, Nguyen Nghiem (Intersection Nguyen Nghiem & Nguyen Ba Loan). A department store with typical household items, clothing, grocery, and gifts. Air-conditioned so a good way to escape the heat and shop. 
• Quẚng Ngãi Market, Nguyen Ba Loan (Intersection Nguyen Nghiem & Nguyen Ba Loan). The main market of Quẚng Ngãi. Has everything from household goods to grocery. A typical market as can be found in many towns. There are also eating stalls in the market. 

At night you can find a good Banh Mi in the street Phan Chu Trinh near the number 8, in front of the “square” Hoa viên Trung tâm, Hùng Vương. The sandwiches without egg cost 10,000 dong and with egg 15,000 dong (Dec 2015).

In the morning you can find an amazing soup (Pho) near the hotel Khách Sạn Hùng Vương, in front of Taxi Quảng Ngãi

All day you can find good coffee and Banh Mi around the roundabout near the train station (address: Trần Quốc Toản, Trần Phú, tp. Quảng Ngãi, Quảng Ngãi, Vietnam)

Most hotels are on the two main streets of town, Quang Trung St and Hung Vuong St. Many sleeping options are available around the bus station on Le Thanh Ton. Mid-range hotels should have decent amenities and upscale hotels have all of the Western comforts. Best options are riverside hotels by the river on either sides of the Tra Khuc bridge. These hotels often cater to business people in the oil industry so they have all the high-end amenities and access to travel arrangements.

Most upscale venues - resorts, hotels and coffee shops - would certainly have Internet connections. Even mid-range hotels offer Wi-Fi connections these days. There are also Internet shops which provide computers and Internet connections for the locals.

Quẚng Ngãi is often a stopover destination for those heading north to Hoi An, Da Nang, and Hue or south to Qui Nhon and Nha Trang. Toward the central highlands, Kontum is the next destination from Quẚng Ngãi. Visitors can also take direct flights back to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

For those who wish to linger a bit more, Ly Son Island is a worthwhile visit.