Binh Thuan Province

Binh Thuan is a coastal province located east of Ho Chi Minh City. Eight ethnic minorities populate this area: Kinh, Cham, Hoa, Tay, Nung, Ra Glai, and Ma. The climate is tropical with hot and dry weather and an annual average temperature of 26°C.

Area: 7,922 sq km

Population: 921,000

Provincial Town: Binh Thuan Town

Districts: Tuy Phong, Bac Binh,

Ham Thuan Bac, Ham Thuan Nam, Ham Tan, Duc Linh, Tanh Linh, and Phu Quy

Economic potentialities: agriculture, marine resources, wood-processing industry

Binh Thuan attracts tourists from everywhere for its lovely landscapes. The mountains lie from west to east and reach the beautiful beaches. Famous tourist sites include Ca Na, Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, and

Ham Tan. There are many great architectural sites such as towers, communal houses, pagodas, temples, shrines, and tombs. Lively cultural activities including festivals, traditional customs, dancing, and traditional music take place in Binh Thuan. The population of Binh Thuan still follows traditional values of Sa Huynh and Cham ancient cultures.

Binh Thuan is a province on the southern part of the central coast. It has a considerably large plain running along the coast. It leans against the Di Linh Plateau to the west and criss-crossed by several rivers including the Long, the Luy, the Cai and the Dinh rivers.

The provincial township is likely to be guided on tours to see fishing river wharves where a large number of fishing boats are mooring at night. at dawn they can enjoy the scene of many boats and trawlers sailing out to sea for a day's fishing. On the beaches, you can see hard-working fishermen tending their fishing nets or drying the fish on the ground along village roads or on the roofs and front yards of their houses. The pervading smell you cannot fail to notice is the good smell of high quality fish sauce. The locally made fish sauce is high in the content of protein. It is good for the health of those deep sea divers who always sip some fish sauce to warm themselves against the coldness in the deep sea.

Phan Thiet is 200 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City.

Relics and Beauty spots in Binh Thuan:

Vinh Hao hot spring:

The hot spring at Vinh Hao is also called the spring of crystallization because the hot water contains a high content of carbonated substance the property of which is ideal for health rehabilitation purpose. In the old days the hot water was used by the ancient Cham People to make Holy water for the washing of statues of gods. Nowadays the hot water as warm as 30 degree Celsius has been purified and bottled to make a good mineral drink.

Duc Thanh historic site and Ho chi

Minh Museum:

The area is located in the centre of the town.

Cham Treasury House:

The treasury is kept by Nguyen Thi Them, the descendant of the last lineage of the Cham King. The house is in Phan Thanh village in Bac Binh district, about 60 kilometers north of Phan Thiet.

Chua Hang-Co Thach Tu (Grotto pagoda - Co Thach Tu):

This area is located close to Binh Thanh swimming beach. The pagoda was built inside a grotto surrounded by a beautiful greenery made up by the mountain and the sea below. The whole area is in Binh Thanh village in Tuy Phong district, about 115 kilometers north of Phan Thiet.

Pagoda on Ta Cu Mountain:

The pagoda perches on a mountain slope about 500 meters above sea level. The natural surroundings offer visitors rare chances to enjoy the unique combination of the structure of the pagoda and the local landscapes. The pagoda is about 30 kilometers south of Phan Thiet.

The pavilion of Ong Hoang:

The pavilion is situated within lust beautiful surroundings, a harmonious combination of the mountain and the sea. The pavilion is located within the premises of the Cham tower complex Posainu, a Cham ancient architectural style which often provokes poetic aspirations. This is the place where is located the tomb of patriot Nguyen thong who died in the late 19th century. Moreover, it is also the place surrounding which a legendary painful love story has been made between the nationally famous poet Han Mac Tu and his love, Mong Cam. This area is seven kilometers Northeast of Phan Thiet.

Doi Duong Swimming Beach:

The beach is a narrow strip of sand on the three-kilometer coastline in the town of Phan Thiet.

Rang swimming beach:

This is a 10-kilometre beach which is famous for its beautiful landscape at Da Ong Dia (Boulders of Earth God), suoi Tien (Celestial Stream) and a coconut forest. The place, 15 kilometers Northeast of many foreign tourists as a Paradise on Earth.

Co Thach Pagoda:

Co Thach Pagoda is located in Binh Thanh village, Tuy Phong district, in Binh Thuan province, on a 64-m-high mountain, next to Ca Duoc Beach.

It was first a hatch-roof hut set up by venerable Master Bao Tang in the middle of the 19th century. Ho Cong Diem rebuilt the pagoda more majestically and named it Co Thach. The pagoda, after the unification with Binh Phuoc Pagoda, was again restored and enlarged. It was also renovated many times from 1956 to 1964.

Lao Cau:

Lao Cau Islet belong to Phuoc The village, Tuy Phong district 7 kilometers offshore. It is a quiet islet with total area of 10.000 square meters. In the islet, thousands of diversified and original rocks alternate with several lushly green "s.' The islet has been projected to be an aqua conservation zone and an eco tourist site.

Mui Ne, an attractve tourist site (Binh Thuan Province):

Mui Ne is located 24 km north-east of the town of Phan Thiet. It is a fishing village as well as a familiar tourism area in Binh Thuan Province.

It is found on Highway No. 706, and features sweeping sand dunes and beautiful rows of palm trees. The beach is shallow and sloped, the water is clean and blue and the sun rarely hides behind clouds.

There are desolate and primeval beaches that have never witnessed human exploitation as well as imposing landscapes. There is also Doi Cat (Sand Hill), which has long been a creative subject of artistic photographs and paintings. Besides beaches and sand dunes, there are also beautiful landscapes such as Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring), the Ong Hoang Building and the Poshanu Cham Tower.

Mui Ne has long been considered the "Hawaii" of Vietnam. It boasts shady roads under coconut trees, a beautiful beach and cliffs battered by the waves of the sea. 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. Visitors can certainly enjoy swimming in the blue water of the sea, climbing the sand dunes or relaxing by a swimming pool. In fact this oasis entertainment people of all ages, and furthermore, provides an endless inspiration to the artists' creation.

Phu Quy Island :

Phu Quy Island, 32 square kilometers, is 56 nautical miles off Phan Thiet coast. In the island, several pagodas and temples such as Linh Quang, Cao Cat, An Than have been recognized to be cultural -historic relics. The island is surrounded with white sandy beaches and 9 islets, of which Hon Tranh, Hon Den ( Black islet ), Hon Trung (Egg islet) are attractive aqua tourist spots.

Po Klong Garai Towers :

The Po Klong Garai Towers, located west of Phan Rang near the Thap Cham railway station in Ninh Thuan province, consist of four towers, remainders of a group of six towers constructed during the 13th century. From the top of the hill where the towers were built, one can admire impressive views of the entire valley and surrounding countryside.

The main tower was built to worship Po Klong Garai King, who, according to the legend, suffered from leprosy. Despite the passage of time, the 21-m tower has remained intact. During excavations of the tower, even recent ones, archaeologists found jewellery inside the towers.

Ta Cu Pagoda :

Ta Cu Pagoda, also called Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda, is located in Ta Cu mountain, at 400 meters above sea level. Ta Cu mountain (649 meters above sea level) is located in Tan Lap village, Ham Thuan Nam district, 30 kilometers south of Phan Thiet.

Behind the pagoda is the Lying Sakiyamuni Buddha, a 49 meter concrete buddha. Here, the scenery is enchanting with a long coast, diverse rocks, and surrounding forest, which make Ta Cu Pagoda appear great and imposing.