Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [151]
The south–central coast
Aside from Phu Quoc Island (see "Phu Quoc Island"), the south central Coast is the best region for good beaches in Vietnam. Nha Trang is still the country’s premier beach resort, though up-and-coming Mui Ne edges it out for trendiness and surfer cool. Besides these options, there are half a dozen other barely-developed beaches where you might actually get some rest, including Ho Coc, Ninh Chu, Ca Na and Doc Let.
Sea-fishing provides a living for a considerable percentage of the region’s population. Fleets of fishing boats jostle for space in the cramped ports and estuaries of the coastal towns, awaiting the turn of the tide; and fish and seafood drying along the road are a common sight. The fertile soil blesses the coastal plains with coconut palms, rice paddies, cashew orchards, sugar cane fields, vineyards and shrimp farms. One of the most commonly seen fruits here, especially around Phan Thiet, is the dragon fruit, which grows on plants with distinctive, octopus-like tentacles. Another striking sight is the blinding white rectangles of the salt flats that occasionally border the road.
Historically, this region of Vietnam was the domain of the Indianized trading empire of Champa. Courted in its prime by seafaring merchants from around the globe, Champa was steadily marginalized from the tenth century onwards by the march south of the Vietnamese. These days a few enclaves around Phan Thiet and Phan Rang are all that remain of the Cham people, but the remnants of the towers that punctuate the countryside – many of which have recently been restored – recall Champa’s former magnificence.
On leaving Ho Chi Minh City, there’s an early choice to be made: Highway 1 runs inland until it reaches Phan Thiet (near Mui Ne); while, from Bien Hoa, Highway 51drops down to the coast at Vung Tau, once a French seaside resort, and now a smart, oil-rich coastal town with average beaches, though much better beaches can be found further up the coast at places like Ho Coc. Few beaches in this region have been developed as yet, so with your own transport and an adventurous spirit, you’ll find somewhere to pace out a solitary set of footprints in the pristine sand. While in exploring mode, consider a trip to the former French prison islands of Con Dao, which can be reached by plane from Ho Chi Minh City or an irregular boat service from Vung Tau.
You’ll never be alone at Mui Ne, which is perhaps a sign of things to come for Vietnamese tourism – slick resorts rubbing shoulders along a fine sweep of soft sand, looking out over aquamarine waters. This tourist enclave attracts a steady stream of overseas visitors as well as expats from Ho Chi Minh City on a short break. Those for whom a day sunbathing is a day wasted will prefer to make a little more headway, and rest up around Phan Rang, site of the most impressive of the many tower complexes erected by the once-mighty empire of Champa(see "The kingdom of Champa"). The nearby beaches at Ninh Chu and Ca Na aren’t quite in the same league as Mui Ne, but both make appealing options for a bit of peace and quiet.
If you press on to Nha Trang, however, you can enjoy a combination of Cham towers, the attractive municipal beach and diving and snorkelling trips. Other, more secluded, beaches that warrant an expedition further north include Doc Let and Sa Huynh, while for a little more civilization, Quy Nhon makes a useful halt above Nha Trang. The scars of war tend not to intrude too much along this stretch of the country, though many visitors make time to visit Quang Ngai, where Vietnam’s south-central arc of coastline culminates, and view the sombre site of the notorious My Lai massacre perpetrated by US forces in 1968.
* * *
The south–central coast |
Highlights
Con Dao Islands Discover the site of Vietnam’s most feared prison, which now welcomes divers, trekkers and beach bums.
Deserted beaches Explore some fantastic off-the-beaten-track beaches,