Nam Du is a small archipelago in Kien Hai district, Kien Giang province. The largest island in the Nam Du archipelago is Hon Lon (Big island), in An Son commune, but in the past, people used to call it Cu Tron island. Tourism activities in Nam Du Island has not yet developed, everything is still quite wild and natural. In this article I would like to give you some information about how to visit Nam Du island.

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Boats to Nam Du Island
Basically the way go to Nam Du Island is the same as to Phu Quoc island, you will have to take a bus to Rach Gia, then get on the a to Nam Du. (Here you can find information about visiting Phu Quoc island).

To take a boat to the island, you must be at the port before 8:00. Ngoc Thanh high-speed boat, you can book tickets at 456 Mac Cuu street, Vinh Quang commne. Telephone: 077.3863019 / 0918914188, pick up tickets at the office or at the Rach Gia port.

For intrepid travelers who go to Rach Gia by motorbikes, you can park your motorbike at Rach Gia. Around the port there are many places to keep the bikes overnight, mainly the motels on Nguyen Cong Tru street, the price ranges from 10.000 - 15.000 VND / day, or you can keep the bike at Thien Trang motel (26 Nguyen Cong Tru, Rach Gia) about 150 meters from the pier, price 10.000 VND /day, with a large and safe parking room.

About 11 o'clock the boat arrives at Nam Du (Cu Tron island). You can have lunch at the local restaurant

Com Nam Nuong restaurant (Tel: 0169 247 6540), with this phone number, you can order in advance and your food will be ready when you arrive. The restaurant is pretty small, the price is quite reasonable from 35.000 - 50.000 VND / person, you can eat the rice and soup comfortably without paying extra as Ms Nam saying.

In case Ngoc Thanh high-speed boat is full, you can take the following wooden boat: Hoa Hop boat, starting from Cau Quay - Rach Soi port, running time about 7 hours - 8 hours.
Call 0946161120 (Mr Hoa) or 0917529549 (Ms. Huong)

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Food and eating on Nam Du Island
Breakfast: There are many restaurants in Bai Chet beach (near the boat pier) and even Co Nam restaurant sells all kinds of dishes from vermicelli, rice ribs, fish noodle soup.

Dinner: If you want to eat rice, you have to tell Ms. Nam to cook. Because in the afternoon, I didn't see anyone eat rice, so Ms. Nam does not cook it. Or maybe you can ask Ms Nam to buy seafood, you only pay for her cooking and spices. Fish grilled in foil costs 90.000 VND / fish.

In addition, you can contact Ms. Yen ( Kim Yen hotel - Tel: 0939486262) to order your meal, this seems like a family meal, about 50.000 VND/person, and they'll cook as you please, more like a family-style meal.

Sleeping on Nam Du Island
Kim Yen hostel: Tel: 0939486262 100.000 VND / room for 2 people, if staying 3, the surcharge will be 50.000 VND / person. The hostel is newly built, clean and overlooking the sea!. I voted for this hostel because it is clean, airy and fresh water can be used freely. We then learned that her family had a fresh water well, so water is abundant and can be used freely, and she also exchanged water to the local people here. This hostel is just close to Nam Du military border post, it's okay to have peace of mind and not need to inform the police, let the hotel take care of it.

Thuy Kiep hostel: Walk through the market a little bit, on the right hand side you will see this hostel, phone 077.3830.853 and 0914.499.863. The room rate is about 100.000 - 120.000. This hostel was built a long time ago, a bit old but in return there is karaoke room, this inn is farthest from the pier.

Sau Co hostel: From the wharf, see the signboard, turn your back 180 degrees, you will see on left hand side an alley, follow this alley about 20-30 meters, you will see a row of newly built rooms. The hostel has 4 rooms, the rate is about 100.000 / twin room. Tel 0773.690.225 and 0907.172.656. This hostel is close to Ms. Nam Nuong restaurant, very easy to find.

Instead, you can contact Ms. Nam Nuong to find a place to stay, right next to Co Nam's restaurant, there is a lady who has a room for rent with large group to sleep in the same room, 70.000 VND/ person / night. (This is a "backup" place when the other hotels are full. In the worst case that all of the hostel have run out of rooms, you just go to Nam Du and local people will find a room for you to stay at their houses.

Rent a boat to the islands:
Mr. Ngai boat (small boat for 5-10 people ) tel 01636977859, please talk directly with him to arrange a good price.

If you go in big group (10 - 20 people) you can contact Mr Phong Vu Nam Du boat (tel 0919138369) he will take care of your eating, drinking, and camping too.

For small groups and single travelers (2 people joining groups) just contact Ms Tu Tho boat, you will find her place right at the fishing port, tel 01664840940. Ms Tu's boat is quite large (can carry 20 people). But if you want to visit the islands, please contact her first, since her family also goes fishing, so if you do not contact before hand there will be no boat for you. Otherwise, you go to the high-speed boat pier, there are many fishing boats here, just talk and negotiate with them. Some of you rent out a motorboat, like in the Mekong delta to go to the islands, I won't recommend as it is very dangerous when the waves are strong, even though you wear life jackets.

Ngoc Thanh boat schedule:
Morning 8:15: Rach Gia - 8:50: Hon Tre - 9.50 Hon Son - 11:00 Nam Du (Cu Tron island)
Afternoon 12:15: Hon Cu Tron - 13:25: Hon Son - 14:25: Hon Tre - 15:00 Rach Gia

Ticket price: Rach Gia - Hon Tre: 65.000 VND - Hon Son: 140.000 VND - Nam Du: 210.000 VND. Nam Du - Hon Son 70.000 VND (price update on in 2013)

Motorbike to Nam Du lighthouse and Ben Ngu
Xe Om (Motorbike taxis): many on the island, the price is 80.000 VND / round trip to the lighthouse and 50.000 VND / round trip to Ben Ngu; 50.000 VND one way to the lighthouse.
Rent a motorbike: you can ask the hostel where you live or rent a motorbike, price is from 150.000 - 200.000 VND / day, you can freely enjoy both Lighthouse and Ben Ngu, and Cay Men beach (Note that the road to Cay Men is very difficult).

Places to visit on Nam Du Island
Usually the visitors to Nam Du for the first time likes to visit all places, while the people who has come more than once prefer camping and fishing.

Camping: Hon Mau island (but now slightly dirty due to trash), Hon Dau, Hai Bo Dam and Bai Cay Men. But recently, most of travelers have camped at Hai Bo Dam.

Nam Du lighthouse and military zone (on Hon Lon peak): from the pier to the lighthouse about 2.5km by asphalt road but steep so going up is very tiring, you can choose 4 options: walking (tired but it doesn't cost money), take motorbike taxi both to and back (80.000 VND), take a motorbike taxi 1 trip to get there, return trip on foot (50.000 VND, usually if you have time you should choose this option), rent a motorbike (you must be a good rider as the road is very steep, note to get a good bike if you do not want to walk it)

Bai Cay Men beach (Hon Lon): This can be considered as the most beautiful beach in the Nam Du archipelago, with green coconut trees , white sandy beaches and clear sea water lying in a small bay, so there are little waves.

Hon Mau island: If you want to get to Hon Mau, you have to hire a boat, Hon Mau is quite beautiful, but population is also gradually going up, and its consequence is human waste.

Hai Bo Dap island: is a beautiful island, calm waves, suitable for fishing and camping. This is the place connecting the two islands of Bo Dam, according to the boatman's telling, more than 40 years ago (about 1969) before the boat could pass through this place, but now it has connected the two islands together.

Hon Nom island: Usually some islands are uninhabited, some have only a few homes, we often watch from far away, because some of the islands have rocks underwater and the ship cannot come...

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