About four hours south of Hanoi by car, on the Sam Son coast in Thanh Hoa Province, a rocky area once known only to locals is beginning to spread as a photo spot. "Hon Co Giai" (Hòn Cổ Giải) juts out into the sea from the foot of Truong Le Mountain. Vietnamese news site VietnamNet featured it on July 2, 2026, reporting that young people and travelers have started making the trip carrying tripods, aiming for the hours when the morning and evening light dyes the rocks and sea gold. It's a hidden spot, not yet officially built into tourist routes, where you shoot mixed in with Vietnamese. For anyone thinking of a weekend beach trip from Hanoi or Hai Phong this summer, it adds one more candidate destination.
What is Hon Co Giai?
Hon Co Gai is a rocky point where the southern slope of Truong Le Mountain in Sam Son meets the sea. Locals have long used it as a spot for seaside walks and fishing, but it has become known through social media over the past few years. The reason for its popularity is that the natural rock shelf jutting into the sea offers a sweeping view of the sky and horizon like a “balcony facing the ocean,” and its value lies in the untouched, bare rock face and sea that remain. In VietnamNet’s article, a visitor who actually went was quoted saying the contrast of light and shadow gives photos a sense of depth.
Why it's drawing attention now
Sam Son itself is a veteran beach resort representative of northern Vietnam, hardly a new destination. Its crescent of sand, running about 9 km, stretches from the foot of Truong Le mountain to Quang Cu village. As a down-to-earth swimming spot lined with beach huts and guesthouses, it is a summer staple that families from around Hanoi flock to. Hon Co Giai rose to attention against a shift in photography culture—wanting to shoot "untouched rock and light" rather than groomed plazas and man-made structures. Step just a little off the crowded main beach toward the mountain and you can get a quiet shot with no one in it. That contrast is drawing photo lovers to the foothills.
How to get there and the timing for photos
Sam Son is about 180 km from Hanoi; the basic route is a long-distance bus from Giap Bat or My Dinh stations, or the train to Thanh Hoa. Rough travel times and fares are as follows (yen figures are estimates assuming roughly 1 yen ≈ 170 Vietnamese dong; actual rates fluctuate).
| Means | A rough one-way fare | Estimated travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Long-distance bus (Hanoi–Thanh Hoa) | 100,000 to 180,000 dong (about 590 to 1,060 yen) | About 3 to 4 hours |
| Rail (departing Hanoi Station or Long Bien Station) | 160,000-280,000 dong (about 940-1,650 yen) | About 4 hours |
| Private car / taxi | ー | About 3 to 4 hours |
It's about 16 km from central Thanh Hoa city to the sea, and from there you reach Sam Son by taxi or ride-hailing app. The prime time to shoot is 30 minutes to an hour around sunrise and sunset. Rather than the harsh midday sun, low-angle light draws out the shadows in the rock face. The rocks are slippery and there are no handrails, so shoes with grip are safer than sandals. The best season is May to August, when clear skies continue — and now is right in season.
Reactions from locals and travelers
Looking at social media and local voices, reactions split roughly three ways. One rates it as a hidden gem: "quieter than the main swimming beach; in the morning we photographed the sea all to ourselves." Another is a safety point: since the path down to the rocks isn't maintained, "the footing is dangerous, so be careful with children." The third is the local residents' view—a mix of bewilderment at more people coming to a place they've used for fishing and walks, and a wish for the quiet scenery to stay as it is. The voices lamenting the current air, with its simplicity still intact before it becomes a famous spot, are shared on the traveler side too.
Takeaways for Japanese travelers
Rather than making Hon Co Giai a destination in its own right, it's more realistic to fold it into a morning hour of a Sam Son stay. It's easy to build a rhythm of beach and seafood eateries during the day, and the rocky area at the foot of the mountain in the evening. A day trip from Hanoi takes nearly eight hours round trip in travel alone, so staying a night is what lets you catch both the morning and evening light. The more used you are to polished destinations like Da Nang or Phu Quoc, the fresher this undeveloped scenery will look. That said, the tourism infrastructure is down-to-earth, and there are moments where English doesn't get through. Having a ride-hailing app, a translation app, and small-denomination cash on hand makes it easier to get around.
Tour it together with nearby sights
Truong Le Mountain is an area where not only Hon Co Giai but the faith and legends of the old town of Sam Son gather. 'Hon Trong Mai' (the Husband-and-Wife Rocks), two great stones overlapping to resemble a pair of birds, is a symbol of Thanh Hoa, famed for a tale of faithful love. A few minutes away is the 'Doc Cuoc Temple,' which preserves the legend of a giant who split his own body in two to protect the village from a sea monster, and higher up the mountain 'Co Tien Temple' is also dotted about. This mountain's appeal is being able to take in faith, strange rocks, and sea views all in one walk. After shooting the morning light at Hon Co Giai, you can walk on through the mountain in a half-day course to visit them all.
Summary: for a shot on your next beach trip
Hon Co Giai is best photographed now, before it's polished into a tourist attraction and you can capture the "raw Sam Son." For a weekend trip from Hanoi this summer, stay one night, catch the morning and evening light of Truong Le Mountain, and walk half a day pairing it with Hon Trong Mai and Doc Cuoc Temple. Have lunch at a seafood eatery and savor the down-to-earth sea air. It's a destination suited to anyone who wants to add a shot to this summer's itinerary that's different from the standard beach. For travel details,The period this summer when Vietnam's domestic flights ramp up sharplyandA heritage-train trip where riding is the point itselfconsidering these together makes it easier to plan a trip that includes getting around. On preparations before entry,The health declaration on entry to Vietnam, revived from Julyis also worth checking.
