Planning to take the Ly Son ferry after leaving Hoi An? With a private car service from Hoi An to Quang Ngai will ensure a door-to-door journey, rather than leaving the final leg of your trip to chance. Long-distance buses passing through Quang Ngai typically focus on continuing their journey southward, which could leave you stranded along National Highway 1 instead of reaching your actual destination in the city or at Sa Ky Port. If Ly Son Island is your next stop, this transfer becomes even more critical, as the ferry operates on its own schedule, and missing a departure could mean a very long wait for the next one. Book a private transfer through Mui Ne Private Car, and a vehicle will take you directly from your hotel in Hoi An to your hotel, the train station, Sa Ky Port, or another confirmed address in Quang Ngai, with a pickup time arranged to fit your upcoming schedule.
| Distance | ~141 km (88 miles) |
| Driving time | ~2 hours 35 minutes (closer to 3 hours with a short stop) |
| Main road | National Highway 1 (QL1A) through Tam Ky and Nui Thanh |
| Suggested departure | Any time of day · earlier departures suit onward Ly Son ferry connections |
| Pickup points | Hoi An Old Town hotels · Cua Dai and An Bang beach resorts · homestays and villas around Hoi An |
| Drop-off points | Quang Ngai city hotels · Quang Ngai railway station · Sa Ky Port (Ly Son ferry terminal) · Son My Memorial Site on request |
Hoi An sits firmly on the tourist trail; Quang Ngai does not. Most long-distance coaches treat it as a fuel and toilet stop on the way to Quy Nhon or Nha Trang, dropping passengers at a station on the highway bypass rather than anywhere near the city centre. If your actual destination is a hotel downtown, the railway station, or Sa Ky Port for the Ly Son ferry, that bus stop leaves you arranging a second ride anyway - often at an odd hour, with limited local taxis waiting.
Booking a private taxi for the full 141 km removes that second leg entirely. Your car goes straight to the address you give us, whether that is a hotel reception, a ferry terminal or a historic site outside town. For anyone timing a Ly Son Island trip, this matters more than it sounds: the ferry from Sa Ky runs on a fixed schedule, and a coach running even thirty minutes late can mean a half-day wait for the next sailing.
Travellers with a looser schedule get a different advantage. A private chauffeur can slow down for Phu Ninh Lake, swing by the Son My Memorial Site, or climb the short road to Thien An Hill without any of it costing you a missed connection elsewhere, since the whole day belongs to your itinerary rather than a fixed timetable.
Ferry connection tip: If you are heading on to Ly Son Island, tell us your intended ferry departure when booking. We plan the pickup time from Hoi An backward from the boat, with a safety margin built in.
Two and a half hours is comfortable in any of these; pick by group size and how much luggage is coming along.
Kilometre marks are approximate. Your driver will adjust the pace to traffic and weather on the day.
The car slowly left Hoi An, gliding past closed lantern shops and early-morning market stalls, crossing one of the bridges spanning the Thu Bon River before the town gave way to the wide-open countryside. Vegetable plots, duck ponds, and the occasional water buffalo appeared along the first stretch of the journey - a world entirely different from the elegance of the Old Town just minutes earlier.
Small trading towns followed one after another, each with a morning market spilling onto the roadside - baskets of fresh vegetables, live poultry, and motorcycles piled high with sacks of rice. This is Quang Nam at its most unassuming, and there’s something deeply familiar about watching the scenery pass right before your eyes rather than from a bus window three towns away.
This road merges with National Highway 1 not far from here, and the driving style changes noticeably: the lanes are wider, the trucks drive faster, and the driver has now settled into a steady rhythm, taking you nearly all the way to Quang Ngai.
Tam Ky appears as a neat grid of government offices, banks, and roadside noodle shops - a bustling city rather than a tourist stopover, and the perfect place to grab a quick cup of coffee if you’ve left Hoi An without having breakfast. To the west of the highway, though not visible from the road itself, lies Phu Ninh Lake - a large reservoir surrounded by densely forested hills, where locals often go to relax on weekends; a short detour there would be a well-deserved reward for anyone traveling without a fixed itinerary.
To the south of the city, the landscape shifts to rolling hills planted with rubber and cashew trees, their straight rows forming a contrast to the rice paddies to the north. Small brick and tile kilns dot the roadside, their kilns emitting wispy plumes of smoke - a reminder that this stretch of highway still runs through a working, unpolished part of the country.
Traffic on this stretch is usually steady rather than heavy, consisting mainly of interprovincial freight trucks and local buses. Your driver is well-versed in the passing lanes and the sections where patience is needed rather than speed, so the trip proceeds smoothly even when traffic is heavy.
After passing Mount Thanh, the coastline gradually comes into view, and the highway runs parallel for a short stretch to the vast industrial and logistics zone of the Chu Lai Economic Zone - which includes factories, container yards, and a domestic airport, all located on the same site. This is a striking change in scenery compared to the rice fields behind, and the view passes by very quickly.
As the road approaches the provincial border, the terrain gradually shifts to sandy soil dotted with scattered cypress groves. Fishing villages line the national highway here, with fishing nets drying on fences, and the sea reappears between the sand dunes.
The crossing from Quang Nam Province into Quang Ngai Province takes place quietly - marked only by a change in road signs and a slightly different rhythm among the roadside stalls - but it marks the psychological midpoint of the journey. From here, the city of Quang Ngai is about a forty-minute drive away.
When going through Bình Sơn District, the highway winds through fields of sugarcane and cassava, with occasional side roads marked by signs pointing toward Son My Village - home to the deeply moving Son My Memorial. Many visitors, who might otherwise have driven straight through, decide to stop here, and traveling by private car makes this decision easier rather than posing logistical challenges.
Closer to the city, the road crosses the wide Tra Khuc River on a long, modern bridge, with Thien An Hill emerging upstream to the west - a solitary hill graced by a centuries-old pagoda that has witnessed this river flow through many generations. On a clear afternoon, the view from this bridge alone is enough to make you look up from your phone.
Quang Ngai City is compact and laid-back; its streets are designed to suit the pace of provincial life rather than the flow of tourists. The driver will take you straight to your hotel, the train station, or on to Sa Ky Port if the ferry to Ly Son is your next stop - the 141-kilometer journey behind you has been completed in one continuous trip, with no need to change vehicles.
Route Map: Hoi An to Quang Ngai via National Highway 1 · Tam Ky · Nui Thanh · Binh Son
A wide man-made reservoir surrounded by forested hills and small islets, popular with local weekenders and almost unknown to foreign travellers passing through on the highway. A short stop by the water makes a peaceful break from the road. Allow 30 to 40 minutes including the detour.
A memorial and small museum commemorating the events of March 1968, set in a quiet garden with sculpture and preserved foundations. It is a sobering stop rather than a scenic one, and most visitors find 45 minutes to an hour appropriate for a respectful visit.
A low hill on the north bank of the Tra Khuc river, topped by a pagoda dating back centuries and a viewpoint over the river, the city and the surrounding rice plains. It is one of the few genuine landmarks inside Quang Ngai itself and a pleasant stop after a long drive. Twenty to thirty minutes is usually enough.
The mainland ferry terminal for Ly Son Island, a short drive from Quang Ngai city centre. If the island is your next stop, we can take you straight to the pier instead of into town, saving a second taxi ride and keeping your ferry time comfortable.
About stops & pricing: Fares on this page cover the direct Hoi An to Quang Ngai run. Detours to Phu Ninh Lake or Son My may add a small fee depending on timing. Tell us what you would like to include when you book, and we will confirm one clear total in advance.
Mui Ne Private Car provides chauffeur-driven transfers across Vietnam for travellers who would rather book one fixed price than assemble local transport leg by leg. Many of our guests book us again for the next stretch of their itinerary once they see how the first ride runs.
Our drivers cover the Hoi An to Quang Ngai corridor often enough to know the town centres where traffic slows, the detour roads to Phu Ninh Lake and Son My, and how much buffer to leave for a Sa Ky ferry connection.
Every vehicle is air-conditioned and maintained for multi-hour drives, with enough luggage space for the group size you book. Bottled water is provided for each passenger.
The quoted fare covers fuel and tolls for the full distance. Any extra stop or detour is priced and confirmed before departure, so there is nothing to negotiate once you are on the road.
Baby and booster seats come free on request; just mention your child's age when booking. For larger parties, the 16-seat van keeps everyone and their luggage in one vehicle.
Ferry time changed, plans shifted, need an extra stop? Message us on WhatsApp or Zalo at any hour and we will adjust your pickup or drop-off without fuss.
Our drivers and support staff - ready for every journey, day or night
| Vehicle | Capacity | Luggage | Price / Car |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sedan (4 seats) |
1–3 pax | 2 bags + 2 handbags | $70 USD |
|
Medium SUV (7 seats) |
1–4 pax | 3 bags + 2 handbags | $80 USD |
|
Large SUV (7 seats) |
1–5 pax | 4 bags + 2 handbags | $85 USD |
|
Van 16 seats |
1–12 pax | 8 bags + 6 handbags | $100 USD |
Rates can rise around Vietnamese public holidays such as Tet. Send your travel date by WhatsApp or Zalo and we will confirm the exact fare.
Q1: How long does a private car take from Hoi An to Quang Ngai?
A: Around 2 hours 35 minutes for the 141 km stretch of Highway 1, without stops. Most travellers add a short break along the way, bringing the total closer to 3 hours.
Q2: Can the driver take me to Sa Ky Port for the Ly Son ferry?
A: Yes. Sa Ky Port sits a short drive from Quang Ngai city and is a common drop-off for travellers connecting onward to Ly Son Island. Share your ferry time when booking so the departure from Hoi An is planned with a safety margin.
Q3: Is there a direct bus from Hoi An to Quang Ngai?
A: Long-distance buses pass through, but they typically stop at a station on the highway bypass, well outside the city centre and far from the Sa Ky ferry pier. A private transfer goes straight to your actual destination instead.
Q4: What is worth seeing along the way?
A: Phu Ninh Lake near Tam Ky, the Son My Memorial Site, and Thien An Hill overlooking the Tra Khuc river are the most rewarding stops, each reachable with a short detour from Highway 1.
Q5: Which vehicle should I book?
A: A sedan suits one to three passengers with light bags. Choose a medium or large SUV for small families or groups with more luggage, and the 16-seat van for larger parties travelling together.
Q6: How much does the transfer cost?
A: Per vehicle, one way: $70 for a sedan, $80 for a medium SUV, $85 for a large SUV and $100 for a 16-seat van. Fuel and road tolls are included.
Q7: Can we stop at Son My on the way?
A: Yes. Son My sits a short detour from Highway 1 close to Quang Ngai city. Let us know at booking so the stop is built into your schedule without rushing the visit.
Whether you are racing to make the Ly Son ferry, visiting Son My, or simply tired of long-distance buses that stop everywhere except where you actually need to go, a private driver from Hoi An to Quang Ngai gets the 141 km covered in one direct, comfortable ride. Send us your pickup location, destination, travel date and time, and passenger count, and we will confirm your quote quickly.
For last-minute or same-day requests, WhatsApp or Zalo is the fastest way to reach us. Our team answers around the clock.