Stand on Trần Hưng Đạo in the late afternoon and the two brick towers of Tháp Đôi rise directly across the road, their carved sandstone catching the light while motorbikes stream past the park fence. A few minutes' walk north and the streets go quiet, the river opens out, and Qui Nhon starts to feel less like a transit stop and more like a place to spend a few unhurried days.
The city suits travellers who are already comfortable in Vietnam and want a coastal base with Cham ruins, working pagodas and a well-known local food scene rather than a resort strip. Distances are short, the centre is walkable in parts, and several of the best sights sit on the road to or from Phù Cát airport.
This guide covers the Cham towers and Buddhist temples worth your time, how to string them into a single day, and the practical questions that come up when planning. Everything named below is drawn from the source material, so you can plan around what is actually there.
Top things to do in Qui Nhon
1. Tháp Đôi (Doi Cham Towers / Twin Towers)
These are the most accessible Cham towers in the country, standing on Trần Hưng Đạo about 2 km from the city centre. The Hindu Cham began the two 20-metre towers in the 11th century; three were planned, but only two exist, which is how they became known as Tháp Đôi. The construction departs from the usual multi-storey square Cham form in favour of a large rectangular base topped by a carved pyramid, and the sandstone carvings include lotus bases, elephants, lions, monkeys and dancing humans, with the holy bird Garuda on the roofs above.
The towers were restored in the 1980s and 1990s with help from a Polish archaeological team, and the surrounding area has been developed into a small park that shields the site from the traffic outside. Opening hours are daily 08:00–11:00 and 13:00–18:00, and unlike the countryside towers, ticket collectors here are always present, so expect to pay 20,000 dong. The neighbourhood just to the north is a quiet residential area on the river bank with a few local cafes and restaurants, which makes a good add-on after your visit.
2. Tháp Bánh Ít (Banh It Cham Towers / Silver Towers)
One of the best large surviving Cham sites and the most accessible and best restored in the countryside, this is a cluster of four towers built in the 10th–11th centuries on a hilltop overlooking the river. The Cham laid out the site to sit in harmony with its surroundings, and the result is a medley of rolling hills, river and towers. The early French colonialists named Champa sites after minerals, so the "Silver Towers" name stuck even though the site has nothing to do with silver; the Vietnamese name Bánh Ít comes from a local sweet cake.
Approaching from the east, the first structure is the 13-metre gate, with three larger towers up the hill, the biggest standing 20 metres high and carrying carvings of humans, birds, flowers, the elephant god Ganesa and the monkey god Viyu in dancing pose. The site is at Đại Lộc village in Tuy Phước district, roughly halfway between Qui Nhon and Phù Cát airport, so it combines easily with a trip to or from the airport. Two bus routes, T4 and T6, run infrequently from stops at the Quang Trung roundabout and Tháp Đôi Towers, leaving a 20-minute walk to the towers. Hours are daily 07:00–11:00 and 13:30–17:00; entry is 10,000 dong and parking 5,000 dong, though the site is little visited and you may enter without seeing anyone. If you explore the undergrowth around the main towers, do not disturb or remove anything — it is illegal to take, sell, export or damage historical relics in Vietnam.
3. Duong Long Cham Towers (Tháp Dương Long)
Three Cham towers built in the late 12th century and the tallest Cham structures still remaining in Vietnam: the centre tower is 24 metres high and the two outer towers 22 metres each. The bodies are brick while the bases are built from massive carved boulders, with patterns showing flowers, gods, elephants, large human breasts and dragons. The towers once stood in the middle of a civic area, now visible only in the ruins and artefacts strewn across the surrounding grounds, and the site feels abandoned and wild.
They sit about 50 km northwest of Qui Nhon. Bus T6 brings you closest, or take any larger highway bus, and the trip combines with a day out to the Quang Trung museum 10 km to the west. Hours are daily 07:00–11:00 and 13:30–17:00. Preservation funding was cut in the late 2000s, so apart from an occasional caretaker the site is empty and there is no information on site; when the caretaker is present and awake, entry costs 3,000 dong.
4. Chùa Long Khánh
A large and very important Buddhist temple in Qui Nhon and Bình Định province, first constructed in the early 1700s, though nothing of the original structure remains. The current main building was erected in 1956, and the Buddha statue and lotus pond were completed in 1972. Inside is a statue of Avalokiteśvara, the embodiment of infinite compassion of all Buddhas, who uses his thousand arms to reach out to help the suffering masses. The bell, 1.7 metres high and 700 kg, is believed to have been cast in 1805.
To the side of the temple stands a 17-metre bluestone statue of Amitābha (Vietnamese: A-di-đà) resting on a 5-metre lotus base. The temple is at 141 Trần Cao Vân, with the main entrance between Tăng Bạt Hổ and Phan Bội Châu. Entrance is free every day from early morning until late evening.
5. Chùa Minh Tịnh
A large and active Mahayana Buddhist pagoda complex in the city centre, a 10-minute walk west of Coopmart at 35 Hàm Nghi, between Võ Lai and Ngô Mây. Founded in 1917 outside the city, it was moved in the 1960s to its current location to make room for the expansion of the airport during the Vietnam-American war. The well-maintained temple is surrounded by spacious and peaceful grounds with many colourful statues, and it functions as an active centre of spiritual studies, community outreach and charity activities.
Visitors are welcome daily from morning to evening. Because it is a working temple rather than a monument, it rewards a slower visit than the towers — pair it with Chùa Hiển Nam, which is a short walk away.
6. Chùa Hiển Nam
A medium-sized Buddhist temple at 3 Trần Thị Kỷ, between Diên Hồng and Hàm Nghi, and a 4-minute walk from Coopmart just west of Nguyễn Tất Thành Street. It is open daily from morning to evening and is easy to fold into a walk around the city centre rather than a trip in its own right.
Its position makes it the natural companion to Chùa Minh Tịnh, since both sit within a short walk of the same stretch of the centre. Combine the two on the same outing and leave the larger Chùa Long Khánh for a separate visit.
7. Chùa Phổ Minh
An impressive and little-visited Buddhist temple of 800 m² set on tranquil riverside grounds of 1,800 m², on the northern side of the riverside quay, 50 metres east of the bridge on Lê Thanh Nghị. Work began on the site in 2011.
Its riverside setting makes it a calm stop on a walk along the quay, and the small scale means it takes little time. Because it sees few visitors, it is best visited as part of a wander along the water rather than as a destination on its own.
8. Thu Thien Cham Tower (Tháp Thủ Thiện)
One of several Cham towers found around Qui Nhon, many of which are free and accessible by public transport if you take your time to explore them. Little further detail is recorded about this one, so treat it as a stop for travellers who have already seen the main sites and want to seek out the smaller towers at their own pace.
Allow extra time for transport, since reaching the outlying towers generally means infrequent buses and some walking. Bring water and do not rely on on-site information.
9. Canh Tien Cham Tower (Tháp Cánh Tiên)
Another of the Cham towers scattered around Qui Nhon, in the same group as the free, publicly reachable sites. It suits travellers building a slower itinerary around the towers rather than rushing between the headline ones.
As with the other outlying towers, plan your transport in advance and expect limited facilities. Combine it with other towers in the same direction rather than making a separate trip.
10. Phu Loc Cham Tower (Tháp Phú Lốc)
Part of the same collection of Cham towers around Qui Nhon, many of them free and reachable by public transport with patience. It is a stop for those who want to see the wider spread of Cham remains beyond the restored sites.
Check your route before setting out, since bus services to the outlying towers are infrequent. The undeveloped surroundings are part of the appeal, so allow time to walk.
11. Binh Lam Cham Tower (Tháp Bình Lâm)
The last of the Cham towers named around Qui Nhon in the source material, and like the others it is best approached as part of a patient, self-directed exploration of the area's Cham heritage rather than a quick stop.
Because these smaller towers have little infrastructure, treat a visit as a half-day outing with transport arranged both ways. Do not disturb anything on site.
12. Qui Nhon's local dishes
Qui Nhon is home to several domestically famous Vietnamese dishes. Bánh xèo tôm nhảy, the jumping-shrimps fried pancake, is made with special formulas, and each restaurant has its own way of making the distinguished dipping fish sauce for it. Bánh hỏi cháo lòng combines two sub-dishes: bánh hỏi, a type of rice cake, and cháo lòng, a pig's internal organs porridge.
Also worth seeking out are bún chả cá, fish-cake rice vermicelli, and chả ram tôm đất, shrimp spring roll. These are everyday local dishes rather than restaurant set pieces, so build them into your days rather than planning a single meal around them.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Tháp Đôi on Trần Hưng Đạo as soon as it opens at 08:00, while the light is still soft on the sandstone carvings. Walk north afterwards into the quiet residential streets on the river bank for a coffee, then continue to Chùa Phổ Minh on the riverside quay, 50 metres east of the bridge.
Afternoon: Head to Chùa Long Khánh at 141 Trần Cao Vân, where entrance is free and the 17-metre Amitābha statue and lotus pond are the highlights. From there, walk to Chùa Minh Tịnh at 35 Hàm Nghi and then Chùa Hiển Nam at 3 Trần Thị Kỷ, which is a 4-minute walk from Coopmart — the three sit close enough together to cover on foot in an afternoon.
Evening: Return to the centre for dinner and work through the local dishes: bánh xèo tôm nhảy, bánh hỏi cháo lòng, bún chả cá or chả ram tôm đất. If you are flying out the next day, save Tháp Bánh Ít for the journey, since it sits halfway between Qui Nhon and Phù Cát airport.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to visit the Cham towers?
The main towers keep fixed hours: Tháp Bánh Ít and Duong Long Cham Towers are open daily 07:00–11:00 and 13:30–17:00, while Tháp Đôi is open 08:00–11:00 and 13:00–18:00. Arriving at opening gives you cooler conditions and, at the countryside sites, a better chance of having the place to yourself.
Do I need to pay to enter the towers and temples?
It varies. Entry to Tháp Bánh Ít is 10,000 dong with parking at 5,000 dong, and Tháp Đôi charges 20,000 dong, with collectors always present there. Duong Long costs 3,000 dong when the caretaker is present. Chùa Long Khánh is free, and several of the smaller Cham towers around Qui Nhon are free as well.
Can I visit the towers without a car?
Yes, with patience. Two bus routes, T4 and T6, run infrequently from stops in the city at the Quang Trung roundabout and Tháp Đôi Towers, leaving a 20-minute walk to Tháp Bánh Ít. Bus T6 brings you closest to Duong Long Cham Towers, or you can take any larger highway bus. Many of the Cham towers around Qui Nhon are free and accessible by public transport if you take your time.
Which sights can I combine with a trip to or from the airport?
Tháp Bánh Ít sits roughly halfway between Qui Nhon and Phù Cát airport, so it fits naturally into a transfer day. Duong Long Cham Towers can be combined with a day trip to the Quang Trung museum 10 km to the west.
Pick the towers you want to see, check the opening hours against your travel days, and start mapping the rest of your time around the river and the city centre.