 Phan
Thiet , Vietnam
City Guide
Introduction
| Attractions
| Entertainment
& Eating Out | Tourist
Information Offices | Shopping
| Cyber
Phan Thiet | Getting
from A to B | Tours
| Events
Introduction
Phan Thiet, a 4-hour
bus journey from Ho Chi Minh City, is a small and sleepy seaside town that
has a certain quaint and colorful fishing village charm. With a population
of just 200,000 people, the town is embraced by a series of undulating hills,
lush greenery and a blissfully secluded dune covered coastline. Despite
the onset of tourism, the fishing industry is still the main source of income
for the locals and many sustain their living from the sea as fishermen or
producers of "nuoc mam"- the pungent fish sauce that is so popular
with the Vietnamese.
The growing number of sophisticated beach resorts seems to have had
little impact on Phan Thiet's gentle pace of life - the beaches are particularly
quiet and devoid of intrusive vendors. This is not somewhere you come for
action but more for the laid back ambiance; the motto here is kick back
and take your time.
Situated 198 km east of Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet is a refuge for many
folks who come for the weekend to exchange the tension of the noisy traffic
and trade of the city with the comforts of a hotel room right on the beach
and a hearty appetite of succulent seafood. No doubt as Vietnam develops,
so will Phan Thiet.
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Attractions
The attraction of Phan
Thiet is the beaches. Although there are not too many to choose from, what
are available are quite good, clean and tranquil. About 10 minutes from
town is the longest and popular Mui Ne beach. It can be considered
as the main tourist area as most of the resorts are located here. Mui Ne
is a long, straight and narrow road with resorts by the beach and a handful
of restaurants on the other side. The water is not crystal clear but the
beach is broad and you can walk for miles on the fine sandy beach fringed
by rows of palm trees. As most of the resorts are set apart from each other,
peace and privacy are pretty much guaranteed.
A similarly attractive beach and a more exclusive choice can be found
right in front of the Novotel Coralia Resort Ocean Dunes. Since it is the
only hotel here, do not be surprised to have the beach to yourself. The
other attraction of this resort is the 18-hole golf course designed
by Nick Faldo which is so far the only one in town. The scenic course features
some challenging holes with stunning ocean views and sand dunes. Green fees
range from USD 45-70 but hotel guests enjoy lower rates.
For a nicer more idyllic beach, you need to venture further a field. A good
1½ hours drive away is Ca Na Beach which promises pristine turquoise
water and white sandy beach.
The Red Sand Dunes in Mui Ne draws a steady stream of curious crowds.
The climb up to the top is fairly steep but manageable - proper footwear
helps. Once at the peak, the view is magnificent, the smooth velvety mounds
cascade up and down like giant folds of silk fabric, leaving one to feel
almost ashamed to leave footprints over the flawless formation. With the
shift of winds, the dunes take on a different character at each visit. You
can either slowly work your way down from the dunes or take the quick and
fun way - slide down on a plastic sheet.
By day, Phan Thiet town is a vibrant commercial area for the fishing industry.
The best time to capture the delights of this little fishing harbour
is in the early morning when the entire place has a lively buzz - there
are fishes of all shapes and sizes and the local housewives come to bargain
for the day's catch. The place is a little messy, noisy and the air smells
fishy but still it is about the most action you will get in town. There
are some good pictures to be taken as well, the colorful traditional boats
that dock in the river right in the center of town or the man with his cart
piled high with ice rushing for a timely delivery.
While in town, be sure to hop over to the Thuy Tu Fishermen Association
where fishermen come to pay their respect to the Gods of the Sea. This association
looks like a Chinese temple and is quite an intriguing place to visit. Over
a century ago, whales were frequently spotted in the surrounding coast of
Phan Thiet and fishermen believed they were Gods of the Sea who guided and
protected them. When a whale died, their remains were brought back and buried
in the grounds of the association. After 3 years the bones were placed in
a pagoda for worship. Inside the association, different rooms store tons
of whale bones, some over 100 years old. On display is the preserved
bone structure of an enormous fin whale that is over 120 years old, 22 meter
long and weighs over 65 tons. This ritual is still practiced today and the
last whale burial was in 2002.
Also in town is the Ho Chi Minh Museum, which has a rather neglected
feel. The museum has mainly newspaper clippings and old photographs of the
country during the revolution under the revered and affectionately known,
Uncle Ho. If interested, bring along a guide for translation as most of
the literature is in Vietnamese. Across from the museum is a small school
and garden that is kept in memory of Ho Chi Minh who lived and taught there
while he was in Phan Thiet. The locals are proud of this visit and even
the trees in the garden that have lived longer than their "hero"
earn a certain respect.
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Entertainment
and Eating Out
When it comes to eating
out in Phan Thiet, the choices are quite limited but what is there is
generally excellent. As a newly developing tourist town, one can expect
the dining options to change quite rapidly, it is worth checking with
the hotel what is current.
One highly recommended place is the Italian Restaurant, Luna D'autunno,
located along Mui Ne near the Bamboo Village Resort and is run by a young
and very laid-back Italian. The all wooden and thatch roof interior gives
it a great rustic appeal. There are no closing regulations so do not be
surprised if the salsa party goes on all night. Everything sounds good
on the menu but go for the seafood. Try the Tagliatelle with crab and
avocado sauce and end with a delightful Tiramisu and if the heat doesn't
bother you, finish off with a citrus sweet lemon cello liqueur. Reasonably
priced and a must for all visitors.
The Good Morning Vietnam Italian restaurant belongs to a chain
of restaurants found throughout Vietnam. The food is not very refined
but offers a cheap and decent place to eat. Some of the resorts have good
restaurants and ambience as well. The Coco Beach Resort has a French
chef who has been with the resort since it opened in 1995. The restaurant
cum bar by the beach specializes in seafood while a new restaurant opened
in September 2003 is dedicated to French cuisine.
Other resorts worth popping by are the Ngoc Suong Resort that has
a good Vietnamese restaurant and the small Mediterranean style resort,
the Sailing Club which has a contemporary jazzy bar that is perfect
for evening drinks.
Along Mui Ne there are a few seafood restaurants right on the beach, the
Cay Bang, Dung Su and Hiep Han are all popular choices.
While in Phan Thiet town, the locals favour Toan Duong Quan and
Kim Son Lau.
For a taste of something out of the ordinary, there is an eccentric restaurant
in the residential part of town that serves exotic meats. No one speaks
a word of English so your Pictionary skills will have to do. A big snake
can be made into 7 different dishes, which is a whole meal on its own.
Ever tried barbequed porcupine or lizard soup? How about a fox? If there
is a little kitten hanging around the kitchen, it is the owner's pet or
that is what they say. Not typical Vietnamese cuisine but one that is
considered a luxury and is affordable though not by local standards. Definitely
not for animal lovers.
When night falls, Phan Thiet becomes quite dead. Apart from hanging out
at the bar in some of the more sophisticated resorts, Karaoke is the big
hit. For fun, most young girls head over to Phan Thiet town and leisurely
ride their motorcycles up and down the broad avenue, side by side and
holding hands - quite a novel sight.
There are surprisingly quite a few discos in Phan Thiet town and
though they are not fancy or ultra cool, they do provide a better place
to hang out if belting karaoke tunes is not your cup of tea. The most
talked about disco in town is MTV and Gossip and a new and improved one
called Sunrise is purported to be better than the others and will open
near the Novotel Resort sometime in October 2003.
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Tourist
Information Office
The government run
Binthuan Tourist is located on 15 Nguyen Du Street in Phan Thiet city
and in Mui Ne Resort there is a Sincafe. Both operate more like travel
agents than a tourist center. Hotels can provide useful information as
well.
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Shopping
If the nightlife is
backward, the shopping here is worse. Phan Thiet is not the place to shop,
the main shopping area is the Central Market opened in the morning
till late afternoon. It is a combination of food, garments and provision
shops that sell useful everyday stuff. It takes a bit of browsing and
hunting for the odd souvenirs.
The Victoria Phan Thiet and Novotel Coralia Resort both have small
gift shops with quite a few items albeit overpriced. Shopping is best left
for Ho Chi Minh City.
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Cyber
Phan Thiet
Most of the hotels
have internet access and there are a few simple, hole-in-the-wall type
places to be found in Phan Thiet town.
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Getting From A to B
The main transport in
Phan Thiet is the motorcycle. Most resorts offer motorcycles for
rent at about 10 USD per day. Along Mui Ne there are a few makeshift shacks
with bikes lined up. Some can be a little dodgy so make sure the vehicle
is safe and thoroughly checked for scratches before renting to avoid any
misunderstandings. A photocopy of your passport is often required for security.
Be really careful on the road, the left hand driving in Phan Thiet takes
getting used to for some and as for overtaking, it can happen anytime and
anywhere. Use of the horn is constant and the general rule of thumb is,
if it is bigger than you, get out of the way. As such the bigger trucks
and tour buses rule the road. If you cannot ride a bike, there are motor-taxis
that can zip you around but this is recommended only for short trips.
The traditional
cyclos are widely used in Phan Thiet. These are sort of a bicycle
driven trishaws with the rider behind and a fairly spacious seat compartment
in front. It is no chariot but for the same price as a motorcycle rental,
you get chauffeured around at a nice leisurely pace - a good way to take
in the sights and sounds.
Taxis are available
but can get expensive. Car rentals come with a driver for about 50 USD
a day. Renting a car without a driver is unheard of.
From Ho Chi Minh,
it takes about 3 hours by car and a little longer with the big coach buses
to get to Phan Thiet. The well-known Sincafe Vietnam in Ho Chi
Minh is one of the better travel agents and a roundtrip ticket costs only
13 USD. Alternatively the hotels in Phan Thiet can arrange car transfer
for about 60-70 USD per way.
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Tours
The serene and
beautiful White Lake is about 65 km north east of Phan Thiet. The
lake is aptly named because of the white sand dunes that border around it.
However the landscape has changed over the years and the white sand is now
mostly covered by greenery. But the lake has a stunning display of Lotus
flowers that bloom along the water's edge, like pink icing on a cake.
Just 30 km south of Phan Thiet lies the graceful 49 meters long and 10 meters
high reclining Buddha of Ta Cu Mountain. It takes a bit of
effort to get a glimpse of this impressive statue so be prepared to hike
up a series of winding steps guided by a forest of tall trees. After 1½
hours the spectacular view at the top is a big reward.
On the island of Khe Ga 45 km south east of Phan Thiet is the historical
lighthouse built at the end of the 19th century by a French engineer.
The lighthouse, prompted by the then increasing French army presence, was
needed to ensure the safety of commercial and naval vessels. The solid 65
meter granite structure has stood the test of time and remains as the only
prominent symbol of European influence in the region.
For an exciting and rugged way to explore the terrain of Phan Thiet, take
a jeep. Fasten your seat belt and get ready for a bumpy ride from a trip
to the Red Sand Dunes to a refreshing ride along the coastline.
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Events
Most events in Phan
Thiet are religious in nature. The most celebrated event is the Lunar
Tet Festival, the equivalent of the Western New Year. The dates are
never fixed and change according to the lunar calendar. This 5-day event
falls between the months of January or February. In Phan Thiet the river
Ca Ty in the city comes alive with colorful boat races, traditional operas
and plenty of song and dance.
The Mid-Autumn Festival held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar
month or between August and September is a favourite event among kids.
The full moon is celebrated with a parade of colourful lanterns and sweet
moon cakes.
Typical to Phan Thiet and celebrated in a grand scale is the Mbang
Kate festival, a religious event celebrated by the Cham people during
8th and 9th months of the lunar year. The day starts with worship and
pilgrimage to the shrines and temple and ends with a thanksgiving of games
and entertainment.
A non-religious event is the Phan Thiet Golf Open, which is held
at the Novotel Coralia Resort Ocean Dunes. Throughout the year, many other
tournaments are held there.
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