Introduction to Phan Thiet, Travel Tour Vietnam

How to get here: Phan Thiet is 198km from Ho Chi Minh City, 247km from Dalat, 250km from Nha Trang.
Train - National Highway 1 passes through Phan Thiet. All vehicles going north or south along the coasts pass through the town.
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The friendly fishing port of PHAN THIET is one of the stepping stones between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, not least because of its proximity to wonderful Cape Mui Ne, a 21-kilometre-long arc of fine sand. Though Mui Ne is undoubtedly the main draw of the area, Phan Thiet does have some hidden charms of its own and makes a good break from the beach. Quaint colonial villas season Phan Thiet's main streets, some decorated with glazed ceramic tiles, most with louvred windows and colonnaded facades. Turn left off the southwestern end of Tran Hung Dao Bridge, and stroll along Trung Trac, and you'll soon plunge into the wharfside fish market. Back in the other direction, Trung Trac skirts the city centre en route to the riverside Ho Chi Minh Museum (Tues–Sun 7.30–11.30am & 1.30–4.30pm; 5000d), rather a flat museum, but with some nicely quaint memorabilia. A couple of hundred metres south on Tran Phu, Ong Pagoda also merits a browse. Over Tran Hung Dao Bridge, Vo Thi Sau strikes off to the right and to the city beach which, 700m northeast, opens out into a more pleasant pine-shaded spot.

FISH INDUSTRY
Phan Thiet is the largest town in Binh Thuan province with an estimated population of close to 100,000 people. The town sits on the borders of Ca Ty river, is 20 Km from the ocean and swells with boats during the fishing season in the summer months. Fishing is Phan Thiet's largest industry. According to local statistics, some 100 different varieties of fishes are caught here with an annual yield of over 70,000 tons. As a result, Phan Thiet is famous for its Nuoc Mam (fish sauce), a seasoning used in Vietnamese cuisine. Most visitors to Phan Thiet will notice the pungent odor that is associated with fish sauce production. This is a process where anchovy-like fishes are caught, cleaned and place in large vats of brine. The whole concoction is cured over a period of eight months to a year before the fish by-products are strained and the liquid is then diluted into less concentrated solutions to be bottled. Fish sauce from Phan Thiet is available throughout Vietnam. Today, the annual production of nuoc mam in Phan Thiet is 16-17 million liters per annum. The salt used in the production of fish sauce is also a local product of Binh Thuan province. Although fishing is a big industry in Phan Thiet, it still remains a family business for many people in the region. While the men are out at sea, women and children often stay home to support the business by mending nets and tending to shore related chores.

Mui Ne Sand Dunes
However, by far the most popular among tourists are Mui Ne Sand Dunes and Mui Ne Beaches located 12 miles East of Phan Thiet. The sand dunes in this area are shaped by the elements of the wind and therefore is a spectacular site to the visitors.