Just one clove per bulb: Ly Son Island's "white gold"
Ly Son Island floats about 30 km off the coast of Quang Ngai province in central Vietnam. This volcanic island of just 10 km2 is called the "kingdom of garlic." Among its produce, the "single-clove garlic" is a mutant variety with only one clove per bulb. While ordinary garlic trades at 80,000 VND per kilogram (about 470 yen), single-clove garlic commands 700,000 VND (about 4,100 yen), about nine times the price.
This ingredient, still almost unavailable in Japan, is prized within Vietnam as a top-grade souvenir.
The miracle soil created by 25 million years of volcanoes
Ly Son Island was formed by volcanic activity about 25 million years ago. Traces of five craters still remain, and the entire island is a basalt lava plateau. This volcanic soil is rich in trace minerals such as magnesium, selenium, and germanium, creating a nutritional environment fundamentally different from ordinary farmland.
Even more unusual is the fertilizer. Farmers carry "sand" from the sea, but it is no ordinary sand. It is shell sand, formed over hundreds of thousands of years as oyster and snail shells were ground down by the waves. By spreading this seaweed and shell sand across the fields, minerals from the sea seep into the soil, growing garlic with a flavor and medicinal properties found nowhere else.
Characteristics and nutrition of single-clove garlic
| Item | Single-clove garlic | Ordinary garlic |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Only one clove per bulb | 6 to 12 cloves per bulb |
| Formation | A mutation during cultivation or a special growing technique | Normal clove division |
| Flavor | Mellow, with a mild pungency | Strong pungency depending on the variety |
| Main component | Allicin (an antibacterial and antiviral compound) | The same, but less concentrated per clove |
| Market price | About 700,000 VND/kg (about 4,100 yen) | About 80,000 VND/kg (about 470 yen) |
| Annual output | Only 1 to 2 tons per season | Several hundred tons |
| Certification | Geographical Indication (GI) protection | No |
Single-clove garlic is said to have a higher allicin content than ordinary garlic because its nutrients are concentrated into a single clove. Allicin is a compound with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, and benefits from selenium's antioxidant action and support for the cardiovascular system have also been reported.
The whole island is a garlic field: a year of cultivation
Garlic cultivation on Ly Son Island begins in October and is harvested four months later, in February and March. In the 2025-2026 winter-spring season, about 314 hectares were planted, yielding 500 to 600 kg per sao (360 m2).
But in 2026, farmers also face a harsh reality. The purchase price for ordinary garlic has fallen to 30,000-35,000 VND per kg (about 180-210 yen), dropping below the production cost of roughly 20 million VND per sao. Only single-clove garlic still holds a high price, intensifying the pressure to switch varieties.
Getting to Ly Son Island and things to do
Ly Son Island is about 30 minutes by speedboat from Sa Ky Port in Quang Ngai Province. From Da Nang to Quang Ngai is about a two-hour drive. Snorkeling in the crystal-clear water, trekking to the craters, and day tours to Dao Be (the small island) are the classic activities.
Garlic fields spread across every corner of the island, and during the harvest season in February and March you can see a landscape blanketed in green garlic fields. You can also buy directly from farmers, the surest way to get genuine Ly Son garlic.
Voices from the island: "This island is made of garlic"
- "The moment I arrived on Ly Son Island, the air smelled of garlic. The fields, the market, the restaurants; garlic is part of everything. It felt like the whole island was one big garlic farm." (A Vietnamese blogger based in Da Nang)
- "When I brought single-clove garlic home, all my friends asked, 'What is this?' The mellowness is completely different from Japanese garlic. You can slice it and eat it as is." (A Japanese tourist)
- "Prices crashed this year, and it's been tough. But single-clove garlic alone stays high. I'd like to switch half my field to single-clove, but the unpredictable yield scares me." (A Ly Son farmer)
Single-clove garlic as a souvenir: a buying guide
Ly Son garlic is a staple high-end souvenir within Vietnam. Here are the key points to check when buying.
| Item to check | How to spot the real thing |
|---|---|
| Geographical Indication (GI) mark | Check whether the packaging carries the GI certification mark |
| Color | Pale purplish white. Anything too pure white may be from China |
| Aroma | Strong but not harsh, and mellow |
| Form | A rounded, spherical shape with a single clove |
| Where to buy | Buying direct from farmers on the island is the surest bet. Fakes circulate in the markets of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang |
| Price guide | 500,000 to 700,000 VND per kg. Be suspicious if it is extremely cheap |
Practical information for Japanese travelers
Since there are no direct flights to Ly Son Island from Japan, going via Da Nang is the practical route. Da Nang has direct flights from Narita and Kansai, then it is a two-hour drive from Da Nang to Quang Ngai and a 30-minute speedboat ride from the port. A day trip is possible, but staying overnight lets you experience the garlic fields in the morning and the fishing port in the evening.
As a Vietnamese souvenir,Le Le Hong Kongit is one of the high-quality ingredients now starting to be used at the Vietnamese restaurants expanding overseas that we introduced. Bringing it into Japan is subject to plant quarantine, so check in advance. Dried garlic or black garlic (processed products) are often fine.
Basic information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai Province |
| Area | About 10 km2 |
| Access | About 30 minutes by speedboat from Sa Ky Port |
| From Da Nang | 2 hours by car plus 30 minutes by boat |
| Single-clove garlic price | 500,000 to 700,000 VND/kg (about 2,900 to 4,100 yen) |
| Harvest season | February to March |
| Garlic field area | About 314 hectares |
| Certification | Geographical Indication (GI) protection |
| Bringing it home | Processed products (dried or black garlic) recommended. Check plant quarantine rules for fresh garlic |
Summary: in search of garlic from a volcanic island
Ly Son Island's single-clove garlic is an ingredient created jointly by 25 million years of volcanoes and the sea. Only 1 to 2 tons are produced each year, a GI-protected treasure of Vietnam. On this island, beautiful enough to be a beach resort, you can walk the craters, look out over the garlic fields, and buy direct from farmers. Consider adding this kind of agritourism trip to your next Vietnam plan.
