The coastal city of Phan Thiet

A perfect beach getaway which can easily be reached from Ho Chi Minh City within only 4 hours.

If you are looking for a quiet beach escape to enjoy a palm dotted coastline and various sightseeing opportunities in the surrounding area then it is a great idea to take either the train or a bus to Phan Thiet to have the relaxing time that everybody deserves and needs every once in a while.

Phan Thiet can be visited all year round and has its high season from October to April.

The city of Phan Thiet has a population of around 400.000 and has a coastline of more than 60 kilometers, most residents live in the city center but more than a quarter of the population live in the four wards, located along the coastline.

Besides tourism the main industries of the city are fishing and the manufacturing of fish sauce. Therefore you will find a colorful fleet of fishing boats at the port, which is definitely worth a visit for a picture moment.  

The first introduction of tourism and its beach resorts took place in the mid-1990s in the wards of Hung Long and Phu Thuy in the city center as well as in the wards of Phu Hai and Ham Tien. A wheel was set in motion and from that point on lots of resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops and bars were built in the city of Phan Thiet.

One of the many reasons that people discovered the beauty and potential of Phan Thiet was because of the solar eclipse on October 24, 1995, as scientists predicted that one of the best places in the world to experience this total eclipse was on the beaches northeast of Phan Thiet’s city center.

Every ward of Phan Thiet has its own sights to be discovered and unique characteristic:

South of the city center you will find Ke Ga and Tien Thanh ward which both will offer you a quiet and peaceful getaway. Due to the fact that there are only a few hundred of people living there you will have the chance to retreat in serenity without being bothered by the noise of motorbikes, cars and more of the hustle and bustle. In Ke Ga you will find the lighthouse which was built in 1899 by the French and provides breath-taking views for its visitors nowadays.

In the city center of Phan Thiet you will not be overwhelmed with beach resorts and therefore as a tourist you will have the chance to experience the hustle and bustle of a Vietnamese city once you would leave the resort. Here you also have the opportunity to enjoy traditional cuisine in many of the restaurants, go shopping in a mall or visit the museum and school where Ho Chi Minh taught before leaving to Paris. 

Along Ham Tien ward you will find a palm dotted beach strip where most of the action can be found, so if you are looking for action and something to do 24/7 then this is the place to be. This beach is called Rang beach and is famous for being one of the top kite surfing destinations in the world and along this 10 kilometer long beach you find loads of restaurants, souvenir shops, bars and tour operators. If you are up for the challenge you can rent and hire equipment and a instructor to give you lessons on how to kite surf or challenge the waves with a jet ski or windsurf.

One of the most beautiful sights to visit in Ham Tien is the ‘Fairy Stream’, which is a small stream that has created a colorful canyon marking its path in the sand dunes.

Just a stone throw away from Ham Tien you find the ward of Mui Ne which is made up of two communities and two beaches. When visiting Mui Ne it is a good idea to experience the lively town in the early morning when all the colorful fishing boats are heading back to the port or in the early evening when many of the locals go out for coffee or dinner at one of the many restaurants and cafes that can be found nearby.

The meaning of Mui Ne comes from the locals as the word ‘Mui’ means cape in Vietnamese and ‘Ne’ means shelter, this because for centuries they have been using the cape to shelter their fishing boats from the wind. This ward has two beaches named Ganh and Suoi Nuoc beach, especially for those who are not looking for a busy tourist strip this is an ideal location. The most visited attraction here are the red sand dunes.

Around 23 kilometers away from Mui Ne you will find the larger white sand dunes where one can visit by Jeep and upon arrival you have the choice to either discover these dunes further by jeep, quad or by foot. Also take the opportunity to make some beautiful pictures and slide down the dunes on a board provided to you by the local children, for a small fee.

No matter which ward you decide to visit, you definitely ( or for sure) will enjoy the great location that brings you lots of things to do and to see all around.