Lighthouses of Northern Vietnam

After being independent for many centuries, Vietnam was colonized by France from the mid 1800s until 1941, when the country was invaded and conquered by Japan. After the end of World War II in 1945, French attempts to re-establish control triggered 30 years of warfare, leading to the reunification of the country in 1975. Fortunately, the lighthouses were not usually seen as targets during the Vietnam War, and most of them survived the fighting without major damage. A few of the historic French lighthouses have been replaced, but most remain in service and are regarded as historic monuments. In general, Vietnamese lighthouses have resident keepers. Vietnam is long and narrow, with a coastline measuring some 3000 km (1875 mi) in length. The northern third of the coast faces the Gulf of Tonkin (Vịnh Bắc Bộ), and the rest faces east and southeast on the open waters of the South China Sea. Aids to navigation are maintained by the two Maritime Safety Companies (MSC). Originally MSC I maintained lights in the northern half of the country and MSC II the lights of the southern half. Sometime in 2010-11, the two companies changed their names to Vietnam Northern Maritime Safety (VNMS) and Southern Vietnam Maritime Safety (VSMS) This page includes the lighthouses of the VNMS service area, which extends from the Chinese border through Quảng Ngãi province (note that this is a larger area than the pre-1975 territory of North Vietnam). The Vietnamese words for a lighthouse are hải đăng or đèn biển. Dao or hòn is an island, mũi is a cape, cửa is a river. The Vietnamese language is written in Latin characters with various diacritical and tone markings; Unicode (UTF-8) encoding will be needed to display these markings correctly. Many of Vietnam's more recent lighthouses are not included on international light lists. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources Vietnam Northern Marine Safety - Beacon System An interactive map of lighthouse locations, linking to pages on the individual light stations.

Long Châu Light, Hải Phòng Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Northeast (Tây Bắc) Lighthouses

Quảng Ninh Province Lighthouses

Vĩnh Thực 1962. Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); white flash every 6 s. 18 m (59 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a colonnaded 1-story keeper's house. Entire structure painted white. A photo is right, and Google has a satellite view. Vĩnh Thực is one of Vietnam's largest islands, about 25 km (15 mi) in length, parallel to the coast a few miles south of the Chinese border. There are efforts to develop tourist facilities on the island. Located at the eastern tip of the island. Site status unknown. ARLHS VIE-007; Admiralty F3315; NGA 20216.5. Đảo Trần (Lo Chuc Dan) 1996. Active; focal plane 201 m (659 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a keeper's house. Entire structure painted white. Google has only a very distant satellite view of Đảo Trần, an island about 30 km (20 mi) off the coast of Quảng Ninh province in northernmost Vietnam. Although it remains on the VNMS web site, the Admiralty deleted this light from its list in September 2012. The island and its surrounding waters have been proposed as a protected marine reserve. Located on the highest point of the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS VIE-032; Admiralty F3314.5; NGA 20213.5. * Cô Tô 1961. Active; focal plane 116 m (381 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 12 s. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Lighthouse painted ochre with gray trim, as shown on an April 2007 closeup and another closeup. A VNMS photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Cô Tô is an inhabited island about 40 km (25 mi) east of Cam Pha. Located on the highest point of the island. Site open; the photo suggests the lighthouse may be open for tours at some times. ARLHS VIE-002. Không Phải Date unknown. Active; characteristics unknown. Approx. 24 m (79 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Lighthouse painted (top to bottom) with green, white, red, and gold horizontal bands. A 2007 photo is available. This lighthouse is apparently located on one of the extremities of Cô Tô; we need more information! #Hạ Long (Hong Gai) Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 17 m (56 ft); flashing red light (?). Approx. 16 m (52 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Paul Tuyen has a 2007 closeup photo, and a 2005 photo shows the lighthouse standing next to a ferry landing. A 2009 photo shows a suspension bridge that has replaced the ferry, and the lighthouse has been removed. Hạ Long (formerly called Hong Gai) is the capital of Quảng Ninh Provinc. Formerly located on the west side of the entrance to Ha Long Bay, near the city's tourist hotels. Site open. Soi Đèn (Le Cancrelat) 1964. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); white flash every 5 s. 13.5 m (45 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with a large round watch room structure and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available, and clouds block Google's satellite view. This light replaced a 5 m (17 ft) tower. Located on a rocky islet about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Hạ Long (Hong Gai). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS VIE-031; Admiralty F3306; NGA 20214. Hạ Mai 2005. Active; focal plane 181 m (594 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 11 m (36 ft) lantern mounted on a square concrete block keeper's house, painted yellow. Google has only a very distant satellite view of the area. Hạ Mai is the southernmost island of Quảng Ninh, about 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Hạ Long (Hong Gai). Located on the southern end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown.

Vĩnh Thực Light, Quảng Ninh Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo Cô Tô Light, Quảng Ninh Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Red River Delta (Đồng Bằng Sông Hồng) Lighthouses

Hải Phòng Province Lighthouses

Long Châu (Xuy Nong Chao, Grande Norway Island) 1894. Active; focal plane 110 m (361 ft); white flash every 4 s. 30 m (98 ft) round stone tower rising from the center of a square 2-story masonry keeper's house. The tower is unpainted gray stone; lantern painted white with a dark metallic dome. The VNMS photo is at the top of this page, but Google has only a very distant satellite view of the island. The traditional landfall light for Hải Phòng, this is a staffed station. Located on the highest point of Xuy Nong (or Long) Châu, the largest of the Long Châu Islands, about 60 km (37.5 mi) southeast of Hải Phòng. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS VIE-020; Admiralty F3232; NGA 20216. Van Châu (Song Bach Dang) 1900. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); one long flash and three short ones every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. Skeletal tower atop a small house, mounted on piles. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the Nam Trieu River at the mouth of the Bach Dang River, in Hải Phòng. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS VIE-040; Admiralty F3280.4; NGA 20264.5. * Hòn Dấu (Hải Phòng) (2) 1894 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 63.5 m (208 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with blue trim; the blue on the angles of the tower has the effect of narrow blue vertical striping. Lantern dome is gray metallic. A VNMS photo is at right, Do Son Duong has a 2007 closeup photo, a second closeup is available, and Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo contributed by Michel Forand, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the island. The original 1st order Fresnel lens has been removed from the lantern and is apparently on display under the portico. Located on a small island on the south side of the entrance to Hải Phòng, about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the city; transportation should be available from resorts on the island. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS VIE-024; Admiralty F3236; NGA 20268. Đảo Bạch Long Vĩ (Nightingale Island) 1995. Active; focal plane 80 m (262 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, centered on an octagonal 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted gray with white trim, keeper's house yellow with white trim. A VNMS photo is at right, a 2010 photo is available, but the island is barely visible in Google's satellite view. Bạch Long Vĩ is an isolated island in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin, halfway between Vietnam and the Chinese island of Hainan. In 1887 China was obliged to cede control of the island (then uninhabited) to France. The island was occupied by Japanese forces during World War II and then by Nationalist Chinese forces after the war. The Nationalist troops were overcome by forces of the People's Republic in 1955, but in 1957 the Chinese government agreed to return the island to Vietnam. Late in 2000, Vietnam and China signed a treaty establishing the maritime boundary between the two countries, and this agreement confirms Vietnamese ownership of Bạch Long Vĩ. Located on the highest point of the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS VIE-016; Admiralty F3230; NGA 20273.

Hòn Dấu Light, Hải Phòng Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo Đảo Bạch Long Vĩ Light, Gulf of Tonkin Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Thái Bình Province Lighthouses
* Diêm Điền

1997. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 5 s. 23 m (75 ft) round concrete tower with 8 buttresses, lantern, and gallery. Lighthouse painted gray, buttresses white. Additional photos are available (halfway down the page), but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of this area. Diêm Điền is a fishing port on the Gulf of Tonkin about 40 km (25 mi) south of Hải Phòng. Located on the Diêm Điền waterfront. Site probably open, tower closed.

* Ba Lạt 1962. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 20 s. 34 m (112 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 1-story keeper's house. The tower is painted gray; lantern and gallery painted white, keeper's house yellow. Nguyen Trang has a good 2007 photo, and another photo is available, but clouds obscure Google's satellite view of the area. Located on an island off the mouth of the Ba Lạt River, the principal branch of the Red River, about 55 km (35 mi) south of the Hòn Dấu Light. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS VIE-009; Admiralty F3233; NGA 20272.5. Nam Định Province Lighthouses Quất Lâm (2) Date unknown (station established 1966). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) hexagonal cylindrical with lantern and gallery, painted with red and buff horizontal bands, rising from or adjacent to a 1-story station building. Lantern roof is gray metallic. A VNMS photo is at right, a closeup of the lantern is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of this area. The former lighthouse was a square steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted gray. Quất Lâm is a fishing port about 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Nam Định city. Site status unknown. * Lạch Giang 2001. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower centered on the roof of a 1-story building. Tower painted with red and white horizontal bands, building painted yellow with white trim. The building appears to be a harbormaster's office. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the waterfront of Lạch Giang, a small port about 35 km (22 mi) south southeast of Nam Định city. Site open, tower closed.

Quất Lâm Light, Nam Định Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

North Central Coast (Bắc Trung Bộ) Lighthouses

Thanh Hóa Province Lighthouses
* Lạch Trào

1965. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 22 m (72 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted gray, lantern yellow. 1-story keeper's houses, painted yellow. Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the estuary entrance. Lạch Trào is the seaport associated with Thanh Hóa, located about 13 km (8 mi) east of the city. Site open, tower closed.

Hòn Mê (2?)

1977. Active; focal plane 154 m (505 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 15 s. 18.5 m (61 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. A 2009 photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Hòn Mê is an island about 15 km (9 mi) offshore and 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Tĩnh Gia. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS VIE-026; Admiralty F3225; NGA 20274.

Biển Sơn (2) 1962 (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 31.5 m (103 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) square skeletal tower mounted on a 1-story square concrete service building. Tower painted black, building yellow. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Biển Sơn is an island just off the coast opposite Hòn Mê. Located on the northern tip of the island, which shelters a small harbor. Site status unknown. Nghệ An Province (Vinh Area) Lighthouses Hòn Mát 2004. Active; focal plane 202 m (663 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 10 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with double gallery. Lighthouse painted yellow with white trim. 2-story keeper's house, also painted yellow with white trim. Google has a very distant satellite view of the island. This is the landfall light for the port of Vinh, the largest city of Vietnam's north central coast. Hòn Mát is an isolated high island about 20 km (13 mi) off the coast just north of Vinh. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Cửa Hội (Vinh River) 1966. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) square steel skeletal tower, painted gray. Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Cửa Hội estuary about 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Vinh. Site status unknown. ARLHS VIE-043; Admiralty F3220; NGA 20276. Hà Tĩnh Province Lighthouses Cửa Sót (2) Date unknown (station established 1969). Active; focal plane 90 m (295 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with three galleries, painted yellow with white trim. A photo is at right, and Google has a very distant satellite view. The present lighthouse replaced a short concrete beacon, seen to the left of the tower in the VNMS photo. Located on a forested headland on the north side of the entrance to the Cửa Sót estuary. Site status unknown. Cửa Nhượng 1967. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, rising from or adjacent to a 1-story keeper's house. The tower is painted with red and white horizontal bands. Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Cửa Nhượng estuary about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Hà Tĩnh city. Site status unknown.

Cửa Sót Light, Hà Tĩnh Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Mũi Ròn 1999. Active; focal plane 205 m (673 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower with an expanded upper section. Lighthouse painted gray. 2-story keeper's house painted yellow with white trim. Google has a satellite view. Mũi Ròn is the cape at the end of a 5 km (3 mi) long peninsula that projects suddenly into the South China Sea, forming a significant hazard to navigation. Located on the headland at the tip of the peninsula. Site status unknown. Quảng Bình Province Lighthouses * Cửa Gianh 1970. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 10 s. 20 m (66 ft) round concrete tower with gallery. The tower is unpainted gray concrete; gallery painted white. 1-story keeper's house. Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Cửa Gianh estuary about 10 km (6 mi) north of Ly Hóa. Site appears open, tower closed. * Nhật Lệ 1974. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 12 s. 20 m (66 ft) hexagonal concrete tower with lantern and two galleries, painted yellow with black trim. A 2007 photo and a more distant view are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the mouth of the Nhật Lệ River in Đồng Hới. Site open, tower status unknown. Quảng Trị Province Lighthouses * Mũi Lay 1976. Active; focal plane 37.5 m (123 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower rising from one end of a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Formerly painted white, the lighthouse is now unpainted dark gray concrete. Google has a satellite view. Located on a prominant cape about 20 km (13 mi) north of Gio Linh. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS VIE-045. Cồn Cỏ Date unknown. Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Entire building painted yellow with white trim. Huu Thanh has a 2012 photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Cồn Cỏ is an inhabited island about 23 km (14 mi) northeast of Mũi Lay. Located on the highest point of the island. Site status unknown.

Cửa Tùng Light, Quảng Trị Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

* Cửa Tùng Date unknown. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 20 s. 27 m (89 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted in black and white spiral bands (an unusual pattern for Vietnam); lantern roof is silver. A photo is at right above, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Cửa Tùng estuary, about 8 km (5 mi) south of Mũi Lay. Site open, tower closed. * Cửa Việt 1980. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with a square lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 3-story masonry keeper's house. The keeper's house is painted yellow and the light tower is gray. A VNMS photo is at right, a 2007 photo and a distant 2004 photo are also available, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse was originally painted white. Cửa Việt is just south of the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and was an important American base during the Vietnam War, but this lighthouse was built after the end of the war. Lennon and other visiting U.S. veterans were allowed to stay in the building during their 1998 visit. Located at the mouth of the Cửa Việt estuary about 25 km (15 mi) north of Quảng Trị. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS VIE-014; Admiralty F3216; NGA 20277. Thừa Thiên–Huế Province Lighthouse Thuận An (Thai Duong Thuong) 1979. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 18 m (59 ft) square steel skeletal tower, painted gray. 1-story keeper's house. Google has an indistinct satellite view of this area. Located on the northwest side of the entrance to the Tam Giang lagoon near Huế. Site status unknown. ARLHS VIE-039; Admiralty F3213; NGA 20278.

Cửa Việt Light, Quảng Trị Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Chân Mây

2001. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); white flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower centered on the flat roof of a 1-story square keeper's house. Tower painted with red and white horizontal bands; house painted yellow with white trim. Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Lop An. Site status unknown.

South Central Coast (Nam Trung Bộ) Lighthouses

Đà Nẵng Municipality Lighthouses

Sơn Chà Date unknown. Active; focal plane 240 m (787 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 6 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted light blue with white trim. The VNMS photo is at right, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at the summit of Hòn Sơn Chà, an island on the north side of the entrance to Đà Nẵng (Danang), about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northwest of the Tiên Sa lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. [Quản Tượng (Fort Point)] Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 3 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) round concrete tower, painted white; access to the light is by an external ladder. A photo shows the top of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. Although small, this is a historic beacon. Located atop a promontory at the northeastern entrance to Danang Bay. Site status unknown. Admiralty F3206; NGA 20296. * Tiên Sa (Mũi Đà Nẵng) 1903. Active; focal plane 158 m (518 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The tower was formerly painted white, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is located within the Sơn Trà National Park. Located at the end of the Sơn Trà peninsula, about 20 km (13 mi) northeast of Đà Nẵng (Danang). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS VIE-015; Admiralty F3204; NGA 20292.

Sơn Chà Light, Đà Nẵng Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Quảng Nam Province Lighthouses

Cửa Đại 2000. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 15 s. 23 m (75 ft) square steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. 1-story keeper's house painted yellow with white trim. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Cửa Đại estuary, east of the city of Hội An. Site status unknown. Cù Lao Chàm 2003. Active; focal plane 128 m (420 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 16 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with gallery and a short post light, centered on the roof of a 2-story concrete keeper's house. Building painted yellow with white rim and blue shutters; the light post is red. Google's satellite view does not show the lighthouse. Cù Lao Chàm, an island about 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Cửa Đại, has several popular beach resorts and is accessible by ferry from Hội An. Located atop a steep bluff at the northeastern point of the island. Site status unknown. Tân Hiệp 2000. Active; focal plane 42.5 m (139 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Google's fuzzy satellite view does not show the lighthouse. Located on a headland on the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Cù Lao Chàm. Site status unknown. * An Hòa 1995. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 12 s. 19 m (62 ft) round concrete tower with six ribs, lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The VNMS photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory near Núi Thành, about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Tam Kỳ. Site open, tower closed.

An Hòa Light, Quảng Nam Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Quảng Ngãi Province Lighthouses

Vạn Ca 2000. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower centered on the flat roof of a 1-story square keeper's house. Tower painted with red and white horizontal bands; house painted yellow with white trim. Google has a satellite view of the station. Located on a sharp, north-pointing promontory about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of the An Hòa lighthouse. Site status unknown. * Lý Sơn (Cu Lao Re) (3?) Date unknown (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white flash every 5 s. 45 m (148 ft) round white concrete tower with two galleries, four ribs, and four buttresses near the base. The VNMS photo is at right, a March 2007 photo is available, another photo is available (third photo on the page), Cao Minh has a distant sunrise view, and Google has a satellite view. This is Vietnam's tallest lighthouse. The former light is described by NGA as a black and white metal tower, and there may have been a different French lighthouse earlier. Lý Sơn, formerly called Cù Lao Ré or Canton Island, is an island off Mũi Ba Làng An (Cap Batangan) and about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Quảng Ngãi. The island has a population of about 20,000 and is accessible by air or by ferry from Sa Ky. Tourist facilities are being developed. Located at the northeastern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS VIE-013; Admiralty F3184; NGA 20320. Lý Sơn East Beakwater 2000. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available (first photo on the page), but the tower is hard to distinguish in Google's satellite view. Located on a rocky reef at the end of the east breakwater of Lý Sơn harbor, on the south side of the island. Site status unknown, but presumably there's a good view from ferries arriving at the island. * Lý Sơn Harbor 2000. Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Located on the waterfront of the harbor at Lý Sơn. Site open, tower closed. * Ba Làng An (Cap Batangan) (3) 1982 (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 8 m (26 ft) short post light mounted on the roof of a 2-story keeper's house. Building painted yellow with white trim; light post painted red. The tower cannot be distinguished in Google's distant satellite view of the area. The original lighthouse was on a lower site with a focal plane height of 25.5 m (84 ft); this appears to be the second light at the present location. Mũi Ba Làng An (Cap Batangan) is a very prominent cape about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Quảng Ngãi. Located on a headland at the cape. Site open, tower closed.

Lý Sơn Light, Quảng Ngãi Vietnam Northern Marine Safety photo

Sa Kỳ

2000. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. The light is not visible in Google's distant satellite view of the area. Located on a reef in the entrance to the Sa Kỳ estuary, about 6 km (3.5 mi) southwest of Ba Làng An. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed.

Sa Huỳnh

2004. Active; focal plane 87.5 m (287 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) post light on the roof of a 2-1/2 story station building, painted yellow with blue trim and a red roof. Google has only a very distant satellite view of the area. Located at a harbor entrance about 8 km (5 mi) north of Tam Quan. Site status unknown.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Hòn Dấu Resort, Hải Phòng Province, has a prominent faux lighthouse; it is active but not known to be an aid to navigation.

Adjoining pages: North: Guangxi | East: Hainan | South: Southern Vietnam

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Posted April 24, 2006. Checked and revised September 18, 2012. Lighthouses: 44. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.