Phan Thiet (Vietnam)

According to clothesbliss, the city of Phan Thiet is located on the coast of the South China Sea, 200 km east of Ho Chi Minh City. This is a large fishing center, whose main attractions are the harbor and bridges, which are lined with colorful fishing boats, as well as a colorful city market. Also interesting in Phan Thiet are the Fisherman’s Temple of the Whale (in Vietnam, the whale is considered a sacred animal), where a whale skeleton 24 m long is exhibited, the Chinese Temple dedicated to the Chinese Com, who, according to legend, lived at the beginning of our era in Vietnam, and the only city shopping center “COOP” (Coop). Not far from Phan Thiet you can see the three ancient towers of Poshan – a temple complex of the 7th century AD, built by the Cham people, whose small representatives still live in these places and profess Hinduism.

Beach areas stretch on both sides of Phan Thiet: Mui Ne, Hon Rom, Suoi Nuoc and Ca Na beaches stretch to the north, Doi Duong and Tien beaches to the south Thanh (Tien Thanh). Of all the beaches, the most popular are the northern ones, which are concentrated near the fishing village of Mui Ne. located 22 km from Phan Thiet. The main occupation of the locals is fishing, so you can see fishing boats everywhere along the coast. The resort area of the same name – Mui Ne – stretches southwest from the fishing village towards Phan Thiet and is considered one of the most popular not only in this part of Vietnam, but throughout the country. Mui Ne is one of the few places in Vietnam where you can relax all year round, even during the rainy season (from June to October). Mui Ne Beach is about 15 km long. Numerous hotels line it., each of which offers tourists its own beach with sun loungers and umbrellas. Mui Coast Not known as the mecca of kitesurfing and windsurfing. Strong winds blow here almost every afternoon. The peak of the skiing season falls on the drier months – the period from November to May, when northeast monsoon winds prevail, often reaching speeds of 20 m / s, at this time hundreds of kite and windsurfers can be seen in the sea. In the period from June to October, southwestern winds of lower speed prevail – up to 12-13 m/s. It is worth noting that during the season, Mui Ne turns into a noisy resort, where every evening bars and restaurants are filled with surfers, while in the rest of the year there are noticeably fewer fans of water entertainment, this time of year is suitable for a relaxing holiday. Equipment can be rented at the kitesurf stations, of which there are about a dozen. Beginners at the stations are offered the services of experienced instructors. Also on Mui Ne beach you can ride aqua bikes, banana or rise above the sea on a parachute controlled from a boat.

The only street in Mui Ne is Nguyen Dinh Chieu. Hotels lined up along the street from the sea side, and restaurants, bars, shops, souvenir shops, stalls with exotic fruits and spa centers on the opposite side. Mui Ne restaurants offer both traditional European dishes and dishes of Indian, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. Here they prepare the most incredible dishes of snakes, crocodiles, turtles, lobsters, lobsters, crabs, sharks, moray eels, eels and marine fish. No less popular are Mui Ne spas, which offer all kinds of massages, from relaxing aroma massage to Thai massage and hot stone massage. Almost every hotel in Mui Ne has its own spa, prices here are higher than in street spas.

On the other side of the village of Mui Ne, the beach areas of Hon Rom, Suoi Nuoc and Ka Na stretch. It also has hotels, but the beaches are mostly occupied by fishing boats and are used by fishermen for most of the year. However, there are many attractions in their vicinity. The beaches are surrounded by sand dunes, the height of which reaches 10 m. Some of them are smaller – the Red Dunes – are located 5 km from the village of Mui Ne, others are higher – the White Dunes – 40 km. Tourists are invited to ride along the dunes in jeeps and admire the beautiful view of the sea from here. Locals also offer plastic “sleds” (small plastic sheets) that can be used to slide down the sandy slopes. Not far from the Red Dunes, the Red Canyon is interesting formed by a small stream. The canyon is shallow, decorated with bizarre sand formations of various colors. In the vicinity of the White Dunes is Lotus Lake, so named because its shores are overgrown with lotuses.

The beaches located south of Phan Thiet – Doi Duong and Thien Thanh – are also occupied by local residents. They are suitable for short stops during excursions. Opposite Thien Thanh Beach, on the small island of Ke Ga, stands a 19th-century lighthouse that was built by the French. Tourists are taken to the lighthouse (the island is located a few hundred meters from the coast) on fishing boats. From here you have a breathtaking view of the sea.

From Phan Thiet you can go to the sacred mountain Ta Ku located 30 km to the south. The road here passes through the plantations of one of the most bizarre and one of the most useful Vietnamese fruits – “dragon heart”. In the 18th century, a pagoda was built on Mount Ta Cu, which later became part of a whole Buddhist temple complex with monastic cells, statues and burial places of Buddhist saints, and in the middle of the 20th century, at an altitude of 600 m, the largest statue of the reclining Buddha in Vietnam, 49 m long and 11 m high. Every day, Buddhist pilgrims come to bow to the statue of Buddha, and until recently they overcame the climb up the mountain on foot, now a cable car has been laid to the statue from the foot of the mountain.

Also, tourists vacationing on the beaches surrounding Phan Thiet are offered excursions to the Binh Chau hot springs. (Binh Chau), on the basis of which a spa complex was built with hotels, pools filled with hot mineral water, a mud bath, restaurants and even a crocodile farm, and in the “city of eternal spring” – Dalat .

Phan Thiet (Vietnam)