Nam Du Island is on the south coast of Vietnam and remains fairly elusive. Travelling to the Island to enjoy the beach is severely restricted. Overseas visitors will need to obtain permission from the authorities in order to be allowed to board a ferry to Nam Du. It makes sense to use a good Vietnam travel agent to advise on what can be included in a Vietnam tour package.

It is certainly worth bearing Nam Du in mind if you want a Vietnam beach holiday. There are plenty of things to do in Nam Du, and few crowds when you are doing them. Few places in the world have cheaper lobsters and the sea looks like precious gemstones. You may find that electricity only comes on a few hours a day but then if you are prepared, and really want to get away from it all and relax, it is a price worth paying.

There are 21 small islands, with all but two 50 nautical miles away from Rach Gia, the capital of Kien Giang in the Mekong Delta. The larger islands are inhabited by fishermen so the seafood is as fresh as it comes. There is a fast ferry linking three of the islands to the mainland, Hon Tre, Nam Du itself and Hon Son. Nam Du is the last stop on the ferry and the journey will take 2 ½ hours.

Because it is so remote, and lacking in tourist infrastructure, visitors used to need to stay in the home of a villager but a few guesthouses are now available for those given permission to travel to Nam Du. You should certainly not expect wi-fi and if Google Maps were to work, they would show a single road running around the island’s coast. There are fantastic views along the road and the beach called Bai Cay Men is palm-fringed and spotlessly clean. Hon Mau is another lovely beach a short boat trip away.

The menu is limited; fantastic seafood. You can expect lobsters, crabs, squid and clams at a fraction of the price tourists would pay in popular resorts. When it comes to the best time to visit Nam Du, the weather is similar to the Mekong Delta. The period between November and April is the dry season with the possibility of the ferry being cancelled at other times of the year when the wind might blow.