Where do I eat Ô Loan oysters in Phu Yen?
O Loan oysters come from Dam O Loan lagoon, 22km north of Tuy Hoa. Best eaten on floating restaurant platforms in the lagoon — a short boat ride from shore. 100,000–200,000 VND/kg fresh; grilled half-shell 30,000–50,000 VND each. Best season: October to March when the water cools and the oysters sweeten.
The most direct way to eat O Loan oysters is to take a boat to where they were growing this morning and eat them there.
Dam O Loan is a natural lagoon 22 kilometers north of Tuy Hoa, enclosed on three sides by low hills and connected to the sea through a narrow inlet. The brackish water — part salt, part fresh from the surrounding hills — is the environment the oysters here have been filtering for years. The floating restaurants on the lagoon pull them from the cages beneath the platform and serve them within minutes.
Getting to the lagoon
From Tuy Hoa, follow National Highway 1A north for approximately 22 kilometers to Chi Thanh town in Tuy An district. The lagoon is visible from the road — look for the wide, flat water. Small wooden boats at the pier ferry visitors to the floating restaurants: 50,000–100,000 VND per person return (sometimes included in the meal bill — confirm before boarding).
The ride takes two to five minutes. The floating platforms are moored in the middle of the lagoon.
What to order
Hau song (raw oysters): On the half-shell with lime and chili salt. Order by the kilogram: 100,000–200,000 VND/kg at the lagoon itself, depending on season and which platform you’re at. A kilogram is roughly 10–15 oysters.
Hau nuong mo hanh (grilled scallion oil oysters): Half-shell oysters grilled over charcoal, topped with chopped scallion fried in oil and crushed peanuts. 30,000–50,000 VND each at the platform. The heat opens the oyster and the scallion oil adds richness. This is the preparation most people order alongside the raw.
Hau chay toi bo (garlic butter oysters): Less traditional but available at many platforms — grilled with garlic, butter, and sometimes cheese. Good if the raw preparation isn’t your preference.
Best season
October to March: The brackish water cools in the dry season, and cooler water produces firmer, sweeter oyster meat. October through December is when the oysters are at their best. They’re available year-round but the quality is most consistent in the dry season.