Hon Yen Travel Guide
Lying just off the coast of Song Cau in Khanh Hoa Province, Hon Yen is a small, quiet retreat of an island and is particularly of interest to bird lovers.
- Worth It?
- Only really for bird lovers.
- What to Do
- seeing the salangane's nests, boating around the island.
- Best Time to Go
- Any time, but between December and March for the best weather and calmest waters.
- How Long?
- Half a day's tour is enough for Hon Yen.
- Trivia
- Hon Yen islet is home to the salangane's Yen Sao bird's nest.
Hon Yen is best known for its famous salangane (swift) birds, or, more specifically, the Yen Sao nests that they make. The nests are built high up on cave walls and ceilings on the island and are made using the birds' saliva. They are hot products, with most being exported to restaurants in Taiwan and Hong Kong and used in soups.
Bamboo scaffolding is erected to obtain the nests, which are produced at the rate of one a year during the springtime for the average bird. There are red and white nests, with the red ones being more valuable and taking on the color of the birds blood.
The best way to get the most out of Hon Yen is to do a tour from to the north of Nha Trang, which can be arranged through a tour agent.
Travel to Hon Yen - Getting There
You can get to nearby Song Cau direct by public bus and train from where local transport goes to Dan Phu for the boat ride to Hon Yen. Taking a tour from Tuy Hoa City, Qui Nhon or Nha Trang is however the best option. Tuy Hoa Airport receives flights from Ho Chi Minh City Airport; the closest airport at just one hour away.
Hon Yen Things to Do
Hon Yen Attractions
Best of the World 
Best in the Country 
Recommended 
