Fishermen in the community tourism group use basket boats to take visitors to Yen Island (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

Hon Yen scenic complex is located in Nhon Hoi Village, An Hoa Hai Commune (Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province), 15 km north of Tuy Hoa City. In April 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized this place as a national scenic site.

The scenic complex includes: Yen Island, Hon Dun (Dun Island), Ban Than Reef, Yen Reef, Choi Island and Vung Choi forming a natural masterpiece by the sea. The most obvious highlight is Hon Yen located just a few hundred metres from the shore. Hon Yen and Hon Dun are located next to each other, creating a romantic and lyrical sea space that attracts tourists.

Hon Yen scenic complex on the sea dries day (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

Hon Yen cliff has many interesting layers, creating a wonderful picture of nature between the sea and sky. Hon Yen is a geological wonder with a column of basalt rock up to 70m high and thousands of black, red-brown rock columns with hexagonal shape, running along vertical and oblique circuits created by volcanoes from millions of years ago. Geologists said that Hon Yen was formed by the same tectonic process as Da Dia Reef.

Fishermen in the community tourism group use basket boats to take visitors along the creek to avoid trampling on corals (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

Coming to Hon Yen at the beginning or at the end of the summer month, when the tide recedes, visitors can walk on the open-air rocky beach that opens up a 20m-long sea-crossing road connecting Hon Yen and Hon Dun. Currently, people in Yen Village are supported by organisations that have formed a community to do tourism and protect the Hon Yen coral ecosystem.

The basket boat goes among the cages of lobster breeding (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

Hon Yen coral has all shapes and colours, looking from a distance like dancers having a lively dance of the sea, under the clear blue water. Somewhere appeared a school of small fishes, leisurely swimming under the corals. If you look closely, you can also see sea cucumbers, sea urchins and starfish clinging to the beautiful coral reefs. This is considered one of the rare coral reefs in Vietnam.

Hon Yen cliffs have many interesting layers, creating a wonderful picture of nature between the sea and the sky (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

According to local people, in the past here, swiftlets often flew back to live, the name of the island comes from this (meaning Yen in Vietnamese). In addition, Hon Yen from the sea looks like a giant sail symbolising the profession of reaching out to sea and protecting a peaceful fishing village. From another perspective, Hon Yen looks like a spear, the tip of the spear rises to the sky, like a unique feature of rock, water, ocean and the harmony of nature.

Experience weaving nets with fishermen (Photo: Phu Yen Online)

Today, visitors can travel to Hon Yen and experience the community-based tourism, immerse into the natural landscape and local people life with activities such as visiting Hon Yen complex by basket boat, exploring coral areas, lobster farming areas, Ganh Yen, Hon Dun, Lo Chao…;  discovering the Hon Yen complex with a walking tour of hilly roads; visit the profession of making bird’s nests, weaving fishing nets with fishermen and especially enjoying the sea-flavoured dishes.