Quynh Lap Beach, located in Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town, Nghe An province, lies about 230 kilometers from Hanoi, making it accessible by car in just over 3.5 hours.

Stretching 12 kilometers along the coastline, this winding beach boasts a tranquil, untouched charm with uniquely shaped rocky formations.

During the summer, the sea turns a brilliant turquoise, waves remain gentle, and soft golden sands extend endlessly - prompting many to compare its beauty to the famous beaches of Nha Trang.

The beach is flanked by soaring casuarina groves and gently sloping hills. With few commercial establishments, the area remains peaceful and uncrowded.

“My hometown beach is beautiful and very pristine. Most locals rely on agriculture and fishing for a living. It’s only in recent years that tourists have begun discovering Quynh Lap Beach,” shared local resident Le Viet Anh.

Since 2021, Hanoi-based Oanh Do and her family have visited Quynh Lap Beach ten times. “We enjoy camping in unspoiled, rustic places. When we first came here, there were barely any articles about it online. We were amazed by the clear water, smooth sand, and clean, non-sticky sea breeze,” she said.

Now, whenever the family yearns for the ocean but has no time for extended travel, they head to what they call “Nha Trang just 3.5 hours from Hanoi.”

According to Oanh, the beach now has a restaurant and supporting services for tourists, including a picturesque, level campsite nestled beneath coconut and casuarina trees. Service prices remain affordable.

“Being a wild beach, there’s an abundance of seafood like mussels, mantis shrimp, and tiny shrimp. We often fish and catch them ourselves. Once, we caught a whole bucket of tiny shrimp, dried them right there, and brought them home to store,” she added.

Visitors can rise early to catch the sunrise, visit the local Quynh Lap fishing port, or go forest trekking to reach secluded beaches and try stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).

Between February and May, travelers may witness the locals hauling in a bountiful anchovy harvest. These anchovies are commonly dried, fermented into fish sauce, or cooked in dishes like braised fish, crispy fried snacks, and sour soup with pineapple or giang leaves.

“Local fishermen mainly use traditional methods. The seafood here is fresh, tasty, and inexpensive. Dried squid is the specialty - it’s not salty, but sweet and fragrant,” Viet Anh shared.

Freshly caught squid is sorted, and only the large, thick, white-bodied ones are selected to make premium dried squid.

With more time to explore Nghe An, travelers can venture through the Quynh Beach chain - a series of seven beaches from Quynh Lap to Tien Thuy commune in Quynh Luu district. These include Quynh Phuong, Quynh Lien, Quynh Bang, Quynh Luong, Quynh Minh, Quynh Nghia, and Tien Thuy.

Together, they form a nearly 20-kilometer stretch of serene and unspoiled coastline.

Linh Trang