Yen Island (also known as Hon Noi), located in Nha Trang Bay, about 13 nautical miles from Nha Trang city (Khanh Hoa), possesses a wild beauty with its emerald green water surface, attracting visitors to visit and learn about local culture and history.
This is home to thousands of bird's nest, considered the cradle of bird's nest exploitation in Khanh Hoa. This is also the place with the largest reserve of bird's nest in Vietnam.
Not only outstanding for its poetic nature with its clear blue beach, Yen Island also possesses colorful coral reefs, hidden under the rough seas.
To get to Yen Island, visitors can travel by wooden boat or canoe from the traditional fishing port in Nha Trang.
The second time visiting the island, Mr. Hoai Bao, a tourist from Da Nang, was still impressed by the scenery here, especially the blue beach where coral and many species of life can be clearly seen.
"The steep cliffs with unique shapes and the experience of exploring bird's nest give us a new and interesting feeling" - Mr. Hoai Bao shared.
Currently, Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company has a plan to exploit a number of tours, bringing visitors from Nha Trang to Yen Island.
Before the tours are reopened, the unit will complete some related documents and legal documents.
Along with the profession of extracting agarwood, the bird's nest profession in Khanh Hoa was formed before the 17th century. Since then, local residents have taken bird's nest in coastal caves and formed early religious rituals, praying for the god to help those traveling by sea.
Over the years, Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Festival has developed from the folk beliefs of the communities of the wards: Vinh Nguyen, Phuoc Hai, Vinh Truong, Vinh Hai, Vinh Hoa, Phuoc Long, Phuong Son, Phuong Sai and the communes: Phuoc Dong, Vinh Luong (Nha Trang city), becoming an important festival of the locality.
In June 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism included the Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Festival in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Maintaining the festival not only has spiritual significance, but also contributes to preserving the traditional cultural features of Khanh Hoa province, associated with sustainable tourism development.
The ideal time to visit the island is from April to the end of August every year - when the weather is dry and cool and Yen Island officially opens to visitors.
Visitors coming here also have the opportunity to see the work of bird workers in natural grottos - where bird birds live.
