Biking tour along Central Region of Vietnam

Biking tour along Central Region of Vietnam for both amateurs and professional bikers - Heading off the beaten track to explore rural life and take in the beautiful scenery of central Vietnam.

The Central Region untouched by modern life is extremely attractive to tourist, partly for its immense blue sea, the idyllic villages and fields that run along both sides of the main trunk highway. How exciting to leave the national highway and bike head off to explore the un-spoilt inland provinces. To explore the local communes, towns and villages. It’s unsure when this craze first started, but cycling heading off into the central regions of Vietnam has become very popular. This is especially so for European tourists, even despite the scorching heat and dry winds, they still flock to this region.

Professional bike tour organizer of Vietnam, Hung, or “Joe” to his foreign friends, has dark tanned skin. He is an expert on the biking routes on both sides of the North-South main trunk road. To be able to setup an attractive journey for adventurous tourists the tour organizer must find out the most interesting routes, both adventurous and safe. Many of tourists have already cycled under the blazing sun of the Sahara or in the snowy Swiss Alps. Mr Joe avoids state highway no.1, because of the cars, big trucks and countless buses. He instead takes bikers through the villages and towns. Crossing fields and coastal roads are his favorite places as the tourists can enjoy the full feeling of rural life. He knows where the bikers should stop to shoot pictures. Similarly to sport biking, the bikers should stop every 10 to 15 km to rest and take in some food and water for the next cycling miles.

In Vietnam, GPS is not necessarily as it is not as dangerous as getting lost in Sahara. But some tourists still have to hire o local to guide them back to the main road after getting lost in the network of village paths. Biking routs from Hue to Hoi An, From Tam Ky to Quy Nhon, along the coastal road to Nha Trang then to Da Lat or biking through Phan Thiet to Ho Chi Minh City, the commune roads don’t have many sign posts, however, guest can see real local life, meet and talk with the local people. It is fantastic to bike through and around crowds of students bicycling home in their white Ao Dai’s and conical hat, like a swarm of butterflies. In Binh Dinh countryside, on the coastal roads, the tourists find many interesting thing to see. They can breathe the fresh sea breeze and watch the fishing boats bring their daily catches into the local markets. Also on these small roads, the bikers can enjoy mouth-wetting, cheap seafood, very different from eating in air-conditioned, expensive restaurants in the cities.

The most difficult route among Central Vietnam biking routs is along the tarmac roads through the hot sand dunes in Quang Ngai, there are no trees for ten kilometers. The most idyllic moments are biking in the yellow sunset along Thu Bon river, with its lush gardens and paddy fields on its bank. The Central Region’s landscape changes a lot in each area, some area very verdure alluvial plains, some are dry and hot. The society’s development is changing quickly, but luckily it is still retains much of its countryside beauty and untouched landscapes. This makes biking in the Central Region of Vietnam very attractive for visitors. Not only professional bikers who have biked in many countries around the world are fond of these tours, there is an increasing number of amateur bikers who want adventure and to explore the countryside of Vietnam, under the guidance and watchful eye of tour organizer.

www.vietnamtravelguidelines.com - Biking tour along Central Region of Vietnam.

Binh Thuan is not just Mui Ne

Where to go around for tourists of Binh Thuan.
Beside the must visit place Mui Ne Beach, here are some other tourists destinations of Phan Thiet - Binh Thuan that visitors should not miss when traveling here.

Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda (or Ta Cu Mountain Pagoda)

The pagoda is perched at 400m on Ta Cu Mountain In Tan Lap Commune, Ham Thuan District, about 28km south of Phan Thiet. The pagoda was founded by Patriarch Huu Due in the late of 19th century, and was restored in 1963.

The site includes the Patriarch's Tower and, behind the pagoda, there is a 49m-long and 6m-high statue of Lord Buddha at his Parinirvana, built in 1963. The landscape here is majestic and romantic with a long beach, rock mountains, and lush green forests.

The Buddha statue on Ta Cu mountain

Hang Pagoda (Co Thach)

Hang Pagoda, also called Co Thach Pagoda, is located on the beach of Binh Thanh Commune, Tuy Phong District, 105km north of Phan Thiet City.
It was built in a large cave by Buddhist monk Bao Tang in the middle of the 19*h century. The path and stairs that lead up to the pagoda are made of stone, and the two sides of the balcony are decorated with dragons. On the small rock mountain by the sea is a statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and the pagoda contains a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Next to the pagoda is the Ca Duoc multicolored rocky expanse that stretches for nearly 1 km along the coast. Recently, a new Co Thach tourism village was constructed with many attractive stilt-houses available to both pilgrims and to those who come to enjoy the beautiful landscape.

Duc Thanh School

Duc Thanh School is where President Ho Chi Minh, called Nguyen Tat Thanh at the time, taught in 1910-1911. The school, situated in the centre of Phan Thiet, was transformed into a museum displaying exhibits about President Ho Chi Minh's life and his revolutionary ideas.

Van Thuy Tu

Van Thuy Tu Communal House was built in 1762 at Ngu Ong Street, Phan Thiet City. The Communal House is dedicated to Nam Hai God. About 100 skeletons of whale have been kept at the communal house, of which one is of great size and strictly preserved during the past 200 years.

The Communal House houses a bronze bell cast in 1872, under the reign of King Tu Due, and 24 royal edicts, one of which dates back to 150 years ago. This communal house has been recognized a national treasure in 1996. A festival takes place twice a year at the communal house, in the 2nd and 8th lunar months.

Po Sha Nu Towers

The complex is a masterpiece of the Cham nation, also called Phu Hai Tower, where three" towers can still been admire. These constructions of My Son E1 artistic style date back to the 8th century. They are located on Lau Ong Hoang Hill in Thanh Hai Ward, 6km north-east of Phan Thiet City, which is named the Prince Palace.

The area between Phan Thiet and the Prince Palace is a site that attracts many researchers and tourists. The rocky path going up to Prince Palace displays many ancient remains and beautiful landscapes.

Next to Po Sha Nu Complex is the Buu Son Pagoda and Co Mountain, where patriot poet Nguyen Thong was buried. Further along the beach are the Ong Dia Temple and Mui Ne Beach.

Po Klong Moh Nai Temple

Po Klong Moh Nai was the last Cham king, who ruled at the beginning of 17th century.

The Po Klong Moh Nai Temple, also called Bac Binh Temple, is located on a hill close to National Highway 1A, in Bac Binh District, 60km north of Phan Thiet.

Three statues sculpted in dark blue stone representing Po Klong Moh Nai and his two wives, as well as numerous other meticulously sculpted statues, remain in the temple.

Cham Royal Family Collection

This collection is composed of precious articles that belonged to King Po Klong Moh Nai and other Cham kings. More than 100 original rare and precious objects are displayed in this exhibition, in Phan Thanh Commune, Bac Binh District, about 60km north of Phan Thiet. The most remarkable items are the gold jewellery and the clothing (royal coats and boots) of King Po Klong Moh Nai and Queen Popia Som. The collection reflects the well-developed handicrafts (sculpture, carving) of the Cham people.

Phu Quy Island

Phu Quy Island is 56 nautical miles (100km) from Phan Thiet. On the 16.5 sq.km island, there are large well-known pagodas, such as Linh Quang Pagoda and Cao Cat Pagoda, which have been listed as national heritage sites. The long coast line fine white sand beaches with clear blue water.

Phu Quy is surrounded by nine small islands, including Tranh, Den, and Trung islands, where there are many beautiful landscapes with potential for developing aquatic ecological tourism.

Bau Trang (or White Lake)

Bau Trang is located in Hoa Thang Commune, Bac Binh District, about 65km northeast of Phan Thiet City.

Bau Trang was formed a long time ago; as for its name, this is a fresh-water lake in the mid- die of the vast sand dune. Among the dune are groups of short trees. The lake water is very fresh and clear. It has the area of 70ha, the widest place is about 500m, the average depth is 5m, and the deepest is 19m. From the distance, visitors can see a cool green color covering the white sand dune.

A dune divides Bau Trang into two, Bau Ong (Man Lake) and Bau Ba (Lady Lake). With year-round fresh water, it relieves the scorching air of the immense sand dunes. Bau Trang is not only the place to enjoy fresh water but it is also a beautiful sight. Along the £ lake side, there are many lotuses. They grow naturally, and bloom in almost seasons that have complemented to the sand dune a blaze of color.

Visitors to Bau Trang can hire local boats for going on excursions, enjoying the lake view and fishing or camping at the lake side. In addition, visitors can go to the south of Bau Trang to see the remains of Yana Temple that the Cham people had built to worship the God who brought the water source for humans and animals in the dry season.


Suoi Tien

The environment untouched site of Suoi Tien

Another place to go for tourist of Phan Thiet - Binh Thuan is Suoi Tien. Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring) is situated in a nice place on the way to Mui Ne, about 18 km northeast of Phan Thiet City. One side of Suoi Tien are solid white and red sand hills mixing together, another side are rows of shading coconut palms, lines of trees with luxuriant leaves. The spring derives from the height of some 6 meters on hillslopes around Ham Tien, crossing green lines of coconut palms and a red immeasurably high sand hill then go down. The water stream of Suoi Tien marvelously turns into red color thanks to the combination of sunlight and the red sand in the bottom of the stream.

Coming to Suoi Tien, visitors will have the chance to contemplate a natural beauty spot with a magnificent landscape of mountains and water, the color blending of nature of soil and sand, a primitive environment untouched by human beings.

Vinh Hao - Tuy Phong Resort

Tuy Phong is the northern district of Binh Thuan Province, bordering Ninh Thuan Province and lying along National Highway 1A. It is famous for Vinh Hao Mineral Spring. Its 50-km seashore is where Vinh Hao Resort, Lao Cau and Ganh Son islands are located and such historical and cultural sites as Co Thach tu (Hang Pagoda) and Podam Tower.

The route from Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, or Nha Trang, to Tuy Phong is very convenient. Tuy Phong has comfortable hotels, villas, and inns.

You can visit Hang Pagoda and the exhibition house of Cham royal family's relics, or go to Lao Cau Island to view sea animals, to sea-bathe or go sailing, immersing yourselves in nature and the fresh atmosphere.

Hon Rom Tourist Area

Travel 22km from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne, then follow the 4-km coastal road, you will arrive at the Hon Rom Tourist Area. The beach here is clean and the water clear. Behind the beach are fruitful coco trees, and wavy dunes of yellow and white sand one after another. The dunes keep changing their shapes as a result of wind blowing. All this creates a wild, attractive scene. Tourists often come here to sight-see and discover the unique beauty of the sand dunes. Newly-built bamboo cottages on sand dunes and new forms of entertainment such as sand surfing, sea-bathing, fire burning outside camps, or boarding on fishing boats add greater charm to the resort

Where to go around for tourists of Binh Thuan

Mui Ne beach of Phan Thiet - Binh Thuan

Mui Ne Beaches

Mui Ne is 22km from the center of Phan Thiet City. Along the road from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne are innumerable sand dunes with imposing landscape of beautiful rows of coconut trees and clean beaches. 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 beautiful sand dunes of Doi Cat have long been a creative subject of photographs and paintings. The place is suitable for rest and relaxation all year round. Many beaches in Mui Ne now remain its pristine scenery and pure atmosphere. Traveling to Mui Ne, visitors can take sea bathing, playing water sports such as surfing, parachute pulling, playing golf and go fishing and much more since tourist service of Mui Ne is quite good with many resorts and tourist destinations of many ranks, many price levels.

A kid hire out his sand-slide-mats

Also worth visiting in this area: Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring); the Ong Hoang Building; and the Po Sha Nu Cham Tower (about 5km out of Phan Thiet on the way to Mui Ne), which you can check out all together with other tourist destinations of Binh Thuan here.

Travel of Beaches in Center Vietnam

Canh Duong, which is sixty kilometers from Hue City, is widely regarded as the most beautiful beach of Thua Thien Hue province. The eight kilometers of beach arc between the Western and Eastern Chan May Mountains. The beach is sheltered, and its sand is white and fine. Cảnh Dương is popular with tourists and local residents alike and is famous for its many sporting activities. 

Lang Co Beach, stretches along National Highway 1A for 10km with white sand and clean and shallow waters. Looking Lang Co from the northern side of Hai Van Pass, one can see the rows of coconut trees and simple roofs adjacent to a sand dune similar to a visor stretching out the sea.
Since coming into operation in 2001, the Lang Co Tourist Park has become a key tourist and beautiful site in Viet Nam and the region. The park is built in a white-sand dune covering an area of 10 hectares. The pleasure-houses here are designed in the Hue traditional styles combining the architecture of mausoleums, palaces, temples, pagodas and the green areas of garden-houses in Hue.
In Lang Co, tourists can have chances to admire white sand-dunes under the shadowy rows of coconut trees and take part in
interesting activities such as sea-bathing, beach-volleyball, tennis, sea diving, and fishing in the open sea.
Around Lang Co, visitors can experience other pleasures in exploring springs, caves, waterfalls, lakes, and stone grounds of
natural and virgin beauty. Near the beach, there are many tourist attractions such as Chan May Mountain, Tu Hien Estuary, fishing village.

Lang Co beach

Non Nuoc Beach, known during the American War as ''China Beach,'' runs for five kilometers alongside the Marble Mountains and is bordered by Dien Ngoc Sea to the south and Da Nang City to the north. The water here is famous for its' clarity. Local residents cultivate and harvest seaweed for export. Non Nước is popular with domestic and foreign tourists, who can stay in the several five-star hotels or in less expensive housing. 

Dai Lanh Beach which is eighty kilometers north of Nha Trang and close to Highway 1, has been famous throughout history for its white sands and sea-pine trees. In fact, "Dai Lanh'' was carved on the of the Nine Urns in the Mieu Courtyard, which King Minh Menh (rule: l820-l840) built in Hue. 

The beach city of Nha Trang

Nha Trang City has a population of 300,000 yet has retained a small-town atmosphere. This city 442 kilometers north of Hồ Chí Minh City is well known for its friendly people and for its ten kilometers of prime beaches with year-round warm water (average temperature of 26⁰C) and the lowest humidity in Viet Nam. Famous nearby islands are the Truong Sa (Spratleys), Hon Tam, Hon Tre, Hon Yen, and Hon Rua. 

Mui Ne - Hon Rom Beach Area is two hundred kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City and eleven kilometers east of Phan Thiet. Its huge sand dunes have been the subject of many photographs and video clips. Visitors can follow the Suối Tiên (Fairy Spring), a stream that run through some of the dunes. The beach, which is internationally known among wind and kite surfers for its prime wind conditions, boasts outstanding facilities for guests.

- Beaches in Vietnam -