An Binh, a small remote island floating off Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, is emerging as the most talked-about check-in spot for summer 2026. Through a large-scale mural project jointly carried out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Dutch paint maker AkzoNobel (Dulux), the exterior walls of 83 households in the fishing village were repainted into artworks themed on sea turtles and marine ecosystems.
The full picture of the project—painting 17,000 m2 with 10,000 liters
Carried out as part of the "Let’s Colour" initiative under the theme "Born to be Wild," this project was executed from October 2025 to February 2026. The IUCN, the Ly Son Marine Protected Area Management Board, and the Quang Ngai Province Fisheries Association collaborated to transform the whole island's scenery.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Painted area | Over 17,000 m2 |
| Paint used | About 10,000 liters (provided by Dulux) |
| Buildings painted | 83 houses, An Vinh kindergarten and elementary school, the Ong temple |
| New murals | 20 works |
| Main color | Sound Blue (Dulux 2026 Color of the Year "The Rhythm of Blues") |
| Construction period | October 2025 to February 2026 |
| Handover | March 21-23, 2026 |
The murals' theme—sea turtles and marine conservation
All 20 new murals are painted on the theme of conserving sea turtles and marine ecosystems. The waters around Ly Son Island are known as a sea-turtle nesting ground, and the murals aim to raise marine-conservation awareness among the island's residents and tourists.
The main color adopted is Dulux's 2026 Color of the Year, "The Rhythm of Blues." It's a color scheme drawing inspiration from the island's natural beauty—the blue sea and sky—calculated so the murals harmonize with the existing scenery.
Jake Brunner, IUCN's Lower Mekong region representative, commented, "Creating murals about marine ecosystems while revitalizing living spaces made for a creative approach that raises awareness of marine protection."
Marine-conservation training carried out
In parallel with the mural project, practical conservation training by the IUCN was held at the handover ceremony on March 21-23, 2026.
- For teachers: training on a class curriculum concerning marine conservation and sea-turtle protection
- For fishers: guidance on using a smartphone app to monitor and report bycatch of sea turtles and marine mammals
- For residents: hands-on practice in wildlife rescue methods and reducing plastic waste
Nguyen My Lan, director of AkzoNobel's ASEAN Decorative Paints division, positions it as "an effort to raise awareness of protecting the marine environment while preserving cultural and natural heritage."
Local reactions—social media and tourists' voices
After the project's completion, An Binh Island rapidly spread on social media, mainly among young people, as "the most talked-about check-in spot for summer 2026." Comments like "there are Instagram-worthy photo spots all over the island" and "I found a hidden gem of Vietnam" line up.
Thanh An, a tourist who actually visited, says, "The island has become brighter and more vibrant. The tourism potential is very large." From local residents too, positive voices are heard: "Tourists have increased and incomes have improved," and "The children are proud of the murals."
On the other hand, some concerns are also seen: "I'm worried the murals may weather," and "Won't tourists' manners become a problem?" AkzoNobel emphasizes the weather resistance of Dulux paint, and the restoration of murals that had deteriorated from wind and rain in the past is also included in this project.
Impact on Japanese tourists: access and cost
To Ly Son Island, it's about a 2-hour drive from Da Nang to Quang Ngai City, then about 30 minutes by speedboat from Quang Ngai City's Sa Ky Port. An Binh Island is a small remote island about 5 minutes by small boat from Ly Son's main island (Dao Lon).
| Route | Time required | Price guide | Yen conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Da Nang → Quang Ngai City | About 2 hours by car | Bus: 150,000 VND | About 880 yen |
| Sa Ky Port → Ly Son Island | About 30 minutes by speedboat | 180,000〜220,000 VND | About 1,060-1,295 yen |
| Ly Son main island → An Binh Island | About 5 minutes by boat | 30,000〜50,000 VND | About 175-295 yen |
Ly Son Island mainly has homestays and small guesthouses, with no luxury hotels. You can stay for 200,000-500,000 VND a night (about 1,175-2,940 yen). The island's garlic fields and volcanic-rock terrain also have many highlights.A Thao Dien café tour of Ho Chi Minh CityIn contrast to, you can savor a rustic remote-island experience.
Ripple effects on the industry—a new model of art tourism
The mural-village project is drawing attention as a model case that reconciles environmental conservation with tourism development. In Vietnam, efforts combining art and tourism are increasing, such as Hue's street-art projects and Hoi An's lantern festival, but Ly Son Island is the first case of collaboration with an international environmental-protection organization.
Le Le in Hong KongandLondon's HOP VietnameseAmid growing moves to send Vietnamese culture abroad, like this, Ly Son Island's mural village is positioned as a new tourism resource within Vietnam that fuses culture and the environment.
Practical info summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | An Binh (An Binh / Dao Be), Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai Province |
| Mural theme | Sea turtles and marine-ecosystem conservation |
| Access | Da Nang → Quang Ngai (2h by car) → Sa Ky Port (30 min by boat) → An Binh Island (5 min by boat) |
| Lodging | Homestays and guesthouses (200,000-500,000 VND per night) |
| Best season | March-September (dry season, summer) |
| Project organizers | AkzoNobel (Dulux) x IUCN x the Ly Son Marine Protected Area Management Board |
| Other highlights on the island | Garlic fields, volcanic-rock terrain, the To Vo Gate temple |
Summary—head to An Binh on Ly Son Island in summer 2026
An Binh Island, where an 83-household fishing village has turned entirely into artworks, is ideally visited before it becomes a talking point on social media. Take photos against the sea-turtle murals, stay at a guesthouse in the fishing town, and stroll the island's garlic fields. There you'll find a quiet but powerful Vietnamese remote-island experience, far removed from flashy resorts.
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