Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is the provincial capital of Binh Thuan Province. Situated in the South-Central coastal, Phan Thiet is an important junction of national highway No.1A , national highway No.55 , and national highway No.28. It is one of the most attractive tourism cities in Vietnam.
General information:
Area: 206 sq. km.
Population: 211,000 habitants (2007)
Administrative divisions:
- Ward: Mui Ne, Ham Tien, Phu Hai, Xuan An, Phu Tai, Phu Thuy, Phu Trinh, Thanh Hai, Binh Hung, Hung Long, Duc Nghia, Duc Thang, Lac Dao, Duc Long.
- Commune: Thien Nghiep, Phong Nam, Tien Loi, Tien Thanh.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Cham, Hoa…
Location:
Phan Thiet is the provincial capital of Binh Thuan Province. Situated in the South-Central coastal, Phan Thiet is an important junction of national highway No.1A connecting Ho Chi Minh City, national highway No.55 to Vung Tau, and national highway No.28 to the Central Highland. It borders with Ninh Thuan to the North, Lam Dong to the Northwest, Dong Nai to the Southwest, Ba Ria – Vung Tau to the south and the East Sea to the East. It is one of the most attractive tourism cities in Vietnam.
Weather and climate:
Phan Thiet is situated in a tropical zone with perfect weather for sea holidays, lots of wind and sunlight year-round, rare of storm, without hoarfrost, annual temperature from 25oC to 27oC. Rainy season lasts from May to October and dry season is from November to April. Average yearly rainfall is 1,328mm. Relative humidity is 80%. Total hours of sunlight per year are 2,784 hours.
Getting to Phan Thiet:
There is no airport and flight to Phan Thiet but Thong Nhat express train and waterways also cross the city.
Many important national highways cross Phan Thiet and link it to other provinces and cities. Phan Thiet is about 250 km from Nha Trang, 220 km from Da Lat and 200 km from Ho Chi Minh City. So travel by bus in to and around Phan Thiet is very easily and conveniently.
Tourism:
With many potentials in natural and human resources, Phan Thiet has recently had a fast development in tourism industry and services with increasingly sea tourism and a number of investment projects concentrating in Phan Thiet, Ham Tien, Hon Rom, Long Son area, Suoi Nuoc, Mui Ne and Tien Thanh.
Lying on the coastal line of Southern Center of Vietnam, Phan Thiet now offers many beautiful tropical beaches with resorts, hotels, restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops, services of internet, moto, bicycle rubber dinghy, surfboard, and buoy for hide.
Some major tourist attractions of Phan Thiet include Phan Thiet Water Tower (symbol of city), Mui Ne beach, Hon Rom beach, Doi Duong beach, Mui Ne white sand dunes where you can kiteboarding and windsurfing, Po Sha Nu Tower- ancient temple of the Champa Kingdom, Duc Thanh School, Van Thuy Tu Temple, Ke Ga Lighthouse- an unique lighthouse setting on the rocky island and Ta Cu pagoda and mountain
Phan Thiet also hosts many festivals suach as Ka Te Festival of Cham people, Nghinh Ong (whale worship) Festival of Hoa people, traditional boat (dragon boat) racing festival of Kinh people on Ca Ty River, or enjoy “hat boi”- a classical dramas performances or “hat ba trao” - singing local traditional folk songs.
Besides relaxing on the beach, taking part in sporting activities, other must do is to sightseeing by xich lo, try fresh local seafood like “ca mu”, “ca bo”, “dong”, “banh re”, “banh can”, “muc mot nang”.. which is only described as an unique cuisine of Phan Thiet.
About Mui Ne:
Mui Ne has long been considered the “Hawaii” of Vietnam. Its features are immense sand dunes meandering through kilometers of red, yellow and white, shady roads under coconut trees, beautiful rows of palm trees and cliffs battered by the waves of the sea. The beach is shallow and sloped, the water is clean and blue and the sun rarely hides behind clouds. The typical scenery of Mui Ne lies in the moving lines of golden sand caused by the wind and when they are seen from afar they look like moving waves. The scenery looks more fascinating at dawn, when young Cham girls in green dresses go to work. That’s why no photographer fails to visit this area.
Mui Ne is an ideal place for rest and relaxation. Mui Ne has known as “resort capital” of Vietnam with many resorts along the seacoast. Tourists can swim in the blue water of the sea, slip on the sand dunes, relax in swimming pool of resorts or kite board and windsurf. The beach has the best conditions for water sports because it has strongest and most consistent cross-onshore winds in Asia and the lowest rainfall in Vietnam. There are currently about a dozen kite boarding centers in Mui Ne and the competition is fierce. In addition, tourists can go shopping at the Mui Ne Market for types of fresh sea-food and local specialties.
