Under a burning sun, a high-speed boat brought ferried us and 20 other tourists from Hon Gai Quay in Bach Dang Ward, Ha Long City to Quan Lan Island. The journey lasted approximately an hour and a half.

We first visited Quan Lan Temple – a 19^th century monument dedicated to King Ly Anh Tong who oversaw the founding of Van don commercial port in 1149.  Located in the center of the Island, the old temple has weathered harsh conditions in the Bay, witnessing daily changes to the Island.

According to elders, the temple was originally placed at Cai Lang Quay of Van Don Port in the 17^th century of the post-King Le era. After many centuries of prosperous development, Van Don Port gradually became a ghost town as businesses and traders moved to Hien Town. The temple was moved twice before being situated at its current location.

The temples wooden frame is made of Man Lai, a rare timber found only in the Hai Van archipelago. After many centuries, the wooden pillars remain intact, showing no sign of deterioration.  Meticulously engraved details cover the wood and the cross beam’s ends are beautifully finished with carved dragon heads. Each dragon head is different, contributing to the temple’s unique historical status on the island.

The island’s beaches are still pristine. Investors have proposed to resorts beside the casuarina forest to serve the tourists. The three main beaches on the island include Quan Lan, Son Hao, and Minh Chau.

Instead of hotels, visitors can choose to experience a home-stay. This type of accommodation gives visitors a more intimate interaction with locals and, oftentimes, the chance to experience many interesting activities such as catching squid at night, digging peanut worms on the beaches in the morning, and more.

Tourists can also visit Tan Doai Fish Market and witness the bustling trade or take a 30-minute walk to visit the sea cliffs of stone plates at the entrance to the village. Minh Chau port offers guests a spectacular sunrise (approximately 10 kilometers away by rented motorbike).

Infrastructure was recently established on Quan Lan Island in 2014. Since then, there have been many great changes contributing to the development of the Island as a top tourist destination in Quang Ninh Province.