Kỳ Anh: Beaches, culture and green tea hills

In Kỳ Anh District, coastal communities meet traditional crafts and historic buildings. If you are looking for a holiday rental here, you can use your travel interests as a starting point when choosing a location: would you like to focus on the beach, explore old wells and local culture, or discover the green tea hills? Kỳ Anh’s many facets make it a destination for exploring more than just one theme.

Beaches and coastal communities

Kỳ Xuân Beach is located in the hamlets of Thắng Lợi, Nguyễn Huệ and Xuân Phú in Kỳ Xuân Commune. Kỳ Phú Beach is also part of the coastal beach group in Kỳ Anh District. During public holidays, these beaches attract visitors who come to swim, sightsee and sample seafood. The coast can therefore appeal both to beachgoers and to those who want to discover local produce.

The coastal national highway system connects the beaches of Kỳ Anh District and runs continuously from Thạch Khê to Vũng Áng. If you are making the coastal communities the focus of your trip, you can use this route as a geographical reference. When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first decide which stretch of coast you prefer, or choose another focus in Kỳ Anh, rather than assume one location will suit every excursion.

Tea garden and fish sauce

The Kỳ Trung tea garden offers a different kind of landscape. It is located in Kỳ Văn Commune, formerly known as Kỳ Trung, and is characterised by open, spacious surroundings and extensive green tea hills. This offers a clear contrast to the beach scenery: if you would like to include green landscapes as well as the coast in your trip plans, the tea garden is another distinct point of reference when choosing where to stay.

Xuân Phú fish sauce from Kỳ Xuân is also part of the local character. Its traditional production has been recognised by the province. At present, two cooperatives and 66 households produce fish sauce regularly. The area is therefore known not only for its coastal beach but also for its traditional food craft.

Old wells and history

The old well complex in Kỳ Khang comprises three relatively well-preserved wells: the Trung Giáp village well, the Đông Hải village well and Chân Tiên well. They are located in the hamlets of Trung Tiến and Trung Hải, about 1 km apart. The wells were built using Cham techniques and bear traces of historical cultural exchange. In the past, the wells near the coast provided fresh water to fishermen and traders at sea. The water in the Trung Giáp well remained fresh, not salty, despite its proximity to the coast.

Hữu Lạc Pagoda is located in Kỳ Bắc Commune, on Bình Xuyên Hill in Hữu Lạc Village, now in Bắc Tiến Hamlet. Its setting is shaped by the surrounding landscape: behind it, the pagoda backs onto the Kỳ Đầu Mountains, also known as the Bằng Sư Mountains. In front are the winding, clear Thăng Làn stream and the Cồn Đá ridge; the Voi Mountains, also known as Ngọc Thạch, lie to the right, and Hương Mountain to the left. The pagoda also served as a meeting place for Party members and had a printing workshop with lithographic plates for secret Party documents.

The old Kỳ Lạc stone fortification also tells the story of the region. It was reinforced as a defensive line in the 17th century during the Trịnh–Nguyễn conflict and was recognised in 2014 as a national architectural and artistic monument. Its importance for conservation and tourism adds another cultural point of interest in Kỳ Anh.

Traditions and choosing the right location

Kỳ Bắc has long-standing traditions of trò kiều, tuồng, hát sắc bùa, dân ca and ví đối đáp. All six hamlets in Kỳ Thư Commune have folk ensembles for ví and giặm; an exchange programme for ví and giặm is also held there every January. Another tradition is the craft of making Kỳ Thư conical hats, which was recognised by Hà Tĩnh Province in 2014.

The places and topics are spread across different communes and hamlets in Kỳ Anh District. When choosing your holiday rental, consider which aspect matters most for your trip: the coast, the tea garden, historic wells, or culture and crafts.

For the broader travel overview: Hà Tĩnh.