Phan Thiet

Drop your bags off at your hotel and head straight for the beach. Doi Duong offers stunning sands at the heart of the city, while Bai Rang and its captivating rock formations connects fishing villages to luxury hotels. Hon Rom is a picture-perfect image of white sands with waving palms. Whether you want to be among the crowds or all alone, more than 30 miles of beaches in Phan Thiet means there’s a spot for everyone. The beach is also the best place to watch the sunrise or sunset.

You can spend the rest of your time dining in street-side cafés or luxury restaurants. Get your pulse racing on the dunes with quad-bike safaris or sand-boarding. Try your hand at kitesurfing, or lose yourself among the underwater corals with an afternoon of snorkelling. Cycle out of the city to find ancient ruins at Po Shanu Cham Towers. Or, for unforgettable views, hike up Ta Cu Mountain – or ride the cable car to the top.

From street food to luxury dinners, Phan Thiet never disappoints when it's time to eat. You can stroll through the early morning fish and fruit markets, where you’ll feel the anticipation in the air, as eager chefs select the ingredients for their daily creations.

Wake up to oysters and wasabi or dine later on rich Vietnamese dishes made in the home of fish sauce. Choose from net-fresh seafood, such as red snapper, clams, mussels and scallops. For sweeter flavours, you can tuck into dragon fruit, lychees, mango, and papaya. Try something different with a serving of crocodile or snake. Choose a classic dish from Japan, Italy or India, or dine in a place where South Asian traditions are fused with French cooking. For a small city, Phan Thiet packs a mighty punch when it comes to food.

Phan Thiet is the perfect getaway if you’re looking for tranquillity among stunning scenery – but it's also a great place to get active. You can rent a bike and explore the city like a local, or head out into the stunning countryside. Get your adrenaline pumping with a quad-bike ride on the famous White Sand Dunes. Or you can slide down ever-changing slopes when you go sand-boarding down the Red Sand Dunes at the heart of the city.

Tip-toe through the ankle-deep waters of the magical Fairy Stream, which weaves past rock formations and jungle landscapes as it meanders between the beaches, fishing villages, and dunes. You can get out on to the ocean when you try kitesurfing or windsurfing, just off-shore. Or dive under the waves to explore unspoiled waters and colourful marine life. Whatever you’re into, Phan Thiet holidays are ideal for active adventures.

Temperatures vary very little in Phan Thiet from averages of 30°C in December and January, to 35°C in May and June. The best time to visit is between October and April, when the skies are clear and rainfall is at a minimum.

September to December offers perfect conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing, while December to April brings the ideal weather for beach time and outdoor activities. June to September can see heavy rains, but they usually come in short, sharp bursts. We’d recommend avoiding going between June and August. This time of year can be very busy due to local holidaymakers, and lots of seaweed is often washed ashore.