Whatever the tourist brochures tell you, Hon Chong is not the Ha Long Bay of the south. A few rock pinnacles and limestone karsts do not a Ha Long make. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a worthwhile destination in its own right. A welcoming seaside village set on a rugged coastline, Hon Chong makes for a decent R&R stop on any Mekong tour or motorbike journey.
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This is especially the case if you’re heading to Cambodia using the Xa Xia/Prek Chak border crossing to Kep. Hon Chong is located on the coast west of Cay Duong bay, in between provincial capital Rach Gia and Ha Tien at the Cambodian border. It’s also possible as a day trip from Ha Tien. If you find yourself there with some extra days, it’s less than two hours away by motorbike.
Hon Chong: Sleepy. Photo: Cindy Fan
Though Hon Chong sees a flood of Vietnamese holidaymakers around Tet, it can feel practically deserted for the rest of the year, making it a locale to get away from the beaten track and the tourist crowds. The town’s sole road fronts along a tree fringed beach, but the swimming in Hon Chong isn’t great. The sand is brown and the water too shallow but you do get some pretty views, especially from the hillside restaurant at grandiose Hon Trem Hotel.
There are also some worthy photo stops along the drive to Ha Tien, where the flat rice paddies are punctuated by karst sprouting from the earth and towns line narrow water channels that empty into the sea. It may be enough to make up for the dreadful road. Though the Hon Phu-Tu “father-son” island pales in comparison to Halong Bay, they are legendary with locals and still to ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 300 words.)
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By
Cindy Fan.
Last updated on 14th October, 2016.
