7 Best Sights in Quy Nhon, The South-Central Coasts and Highlands

This tiny commune is a true example of preserved architecture amid a stunning backdrop. The pristine Quy Hoa beach is right through the trees, just a short walk away from the center of the colorful village. Most of the actual lepers are elderly now, and it's mostly their descendants who populate the village, some of whom work in a small clothing factory or as crab fishermen. The residents are friendly and don't seem to mind foreigners wandering around. The village and its hospital is well-known among Vietnamese because one of the country's most famous poets, Han Mac Tu, died there in 1940 after contracting leprosy at age 38. The cemetery is interesting and colorful.

Located 10 km (6 miles) south of Quy Nhon, via a beautiful stretch of coastline, Bai Xep village is a narrow, confusing warren of dwellings which intersect and descend until they eventually spit you out on a pristine little beach. The beach is now occupied by a handful of guesthouses and a resort, but this has barely taken away from the pristine feeling.

Across the seemingly endless Thi Nai bridge (the second-longest sea crossing in Vietnam) is a vast, dusty landscape, which at first seems nothing more than industrial, but take the road south and be rewarded by delightful, traditional fishing villages. The village of Eo Gio is the most accessible, but just like Bai Xep, the "streets" are nothing more than tight, winding alleyways. This peninsula isn't the easiest to find your way around, so unless you're confident on a motorbike, inquire at the hotel first. Enabling Google Maps on your phone will also be helpful.

About 40 km (25 miles) west of Quy Nhon, the Quang Trung Museum is dedicated to Emperor Quang Trung, one of the leaders of the Tay Son Rebellion, which began in 1772 as a peasant uprising and eventually led to the temporary overthrow of the Nguyen rulers in Hanoi. The museum has limited signage in English and is only really of interest to committed historians, given its out-of-the-way location.

This white-sand beach is a long crescent dotted with basket boats that runs along An Duong Vuong Street. Like many parts of Vietnam, trash is a problem, but as of the present day the town seems to have made a real effort to look its best, and it's working. You can walk to the southern end of the beach, then up and over a headland to get to the more secluded but rocky Queen's Beach, then farther on to the Quy Hoa leper colony. Allocate half a day for this hike—it's a good 6 km (4 miles) or so. Amenities: food and drinks. Best for: walks; sunset; sunrise.

These restored Cham towers, built some time between the 11th and 13th centuries, are some of the most easily accessible in southern Vietnam, set in a little park that's a popular meeting place for locals. The twin towers, with their intricate carvings of mythical animals, are considered unusual relics of the Cham empire because most other towers were built in clusters of three. In truth, there are more impressive towers to be found further out of town, but these are worth a visit at breakfast time simply for the wealth of cheap, delicious street food on offer right outside.