Vietnam is a country of contrasts and Phan Thiet is no exception. This seaside town was once home to the ancient Cham civilization and for centuries has been a busy fishing port; a legacy of the Cham people. Across much of Vietnam, the burgeoning tourist industry has called for modern facilities to co-exist alongside traditional practices. Phan Thiet has successfully achieved this in the Ocean Dunes Golf Club. Designed by Nick Faldo, this championship 18-hole links course is a great destination for golfing enthusiasts. Off the fairway, there are plenty of local cultural attractions to interest visitors.
Getting to Phan Thiet
The seaside town of Phan Thiet is located in Binh Thuan province, 200km east of Ho Chi Minh City and 250km south of Nha Trang. Visitors can get to Phan Thiet from either city by bus (departing from Mien Dong bus station in Ho Chi Min City), train or private transportation. The journey takes 4-5 hours.
Golfing at Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is home to the beachfront Ocean Dunes Golf Club. Designed by Nick Faldo, this championship 18-hole links course is a fitting test for golfers of all abilities with water in play on ten holes. Instructional programs are offered at the Golf Academy to include one-off sessions to immersion programs. Practice facilities include a putting green and driving range. Stay-and-play packages are offered through the Novotel Phan Thiet, where golfers can go from bed to clubhouse in a matter of minutes.
In addition to the Ocean Dunes Golf Club, located just 22km east of Phan Thiet on Route 706, is the Sea Links Golf and Country Club at Mui Ne Beach. This is another 18-hole links course offering spectacular views across the South China Sea.
Phan Thiet’s Cultural Attractions
The approach to Phan Thiet is most remarkable for its pungent odour. The major industry of this coastal town is fishing and the production of fish sauce (or nuoc mam). Anchovy-like fish are caught, cleaned and placed in large vats of brine. After 8-12 months the concoction is strained and the reserved liquid diluted and bottled for sale. It has a strong, and to many repugnant, aroma but it is a major ingredient (providing the salty element) to many of the delicious Vietnamese dishes visitors will try when in the country.
Each morning Phan Thiet’s harbour provides a colourful spectacle with the return of the fishing fleet from night fishing in the South China Sea (from the shore their lights look like the glow of a distant city on the horizon). The harbour is chaotic with boats vying for a place to dock and unload their catch, handed over in net baskets to family members who sort the seafood by size and species on the docks.
Takou Mountain, located 28km south of Phan Thiet, is home to Vietnam’s largest reclining Buddha. The 49m white Buddha, along with a pagoda built in 1879, are located at the mountain’s summit. They can be reached by a short cable-car ride through tropical rainforests, then a short, but steep, hike to the summit. Those with more energy could opt for the two-hour trek to the top.
The Poshanu Cham Tower Temples is another cultural site of interest, located 7km north-east of Phan Thiet. This ancient relic of the Cham civilisation was built in the 8th century and is thought to be the oldest Cham ruin in Vietnam. Fishermen who live in the region come to Poshanu to ask the gods for safe passage before going to sea.
Visitors to the region who are looking for more choice in accommodation than that offered at Phan Thiet and who are interested in windsurfing, kitesurfing or sailing, should visit Mui Ne Beach. This popular beach resort area provides additional attractions to those on offer at Phan Thiet.
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Sally Piper - Sally Piper is a published writer whose fiction and non-fiction has appeared in Australia and the UK.
