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If a nation is endowed with a 3,200-kilometer coastline, it
stands to reason that it has many beaches. Many. Beaches that have different
features and match different tastes.
And among this assortment, the central region can claim to have the most
beautiful beaches and resorts that dot the S-shaped coastline.
Five years ago, the Forbes magazine had this to say about the Da Nang beach:
“The beach is one of Asia's prettiest and most historic, with yellow sand
stretching for almost 20 miles and traditional round woven boats one of the best
ways to ride the waves.”
These 20 miles can be said to be a string of stunning beaches like My Khe, Nam
O, Xuan Thieu, Thanh Binh, Tien Sa, Son Tra, Bac My An and Non Nuoc.
Calm seas and crystal clear water are common features of these beaches, but My
Khe stands out a bit.
Just 900 meters in length, My Khe is renowned for its white sands and delightful
scenery. For years, it has attracted not only surfers from all over the world,
but those taking a break on their way from Da Nang City to the heritage town of
Hoi An in Quang Nam Province.
The Non Nuoc Beach, which runs for five kilometers along the Ngu Hanh Son (Five
Elements Mountains), is also one of the most crowded among Da Nang’s beaches.
The clear blue waters attract tourists all year round.
Near this beach is the Ngu Hanh Son range, also known as the Marble Mountains.
With numerous caves, tunnels and old pagodas, the place is well worth a visit.
Ngu Hanh Son is a cluster of five marble hills called Kim Son (Metal Mountain) -
Thuy Son (Water Mountain), Moc Son (Wood Mountain), Hoa Son (Fire Mountain) and
Tho Son (Earth Mountain).
Each mountain has different colored marble – there are pink ones (at the marble
on the Water Mountain, white marble in the Wood Mountain, red marble in Fire
Mountain, water-colored marble on the Metal Mountain and brown marble on the
Earth Mountain. The colors change under different lighting conditions.
The Non Nuoc craft village at the foot of the Marble Mountains is also a good
stop where artists can been working on different kinds of marble, creating large
sculptures of people, animals and deities as well as small trinkets like
bracelets, rings and beads.
And just 10 kilometers from the downtown of Da Nang City, is the Son Tra
Peninsula, a natural wonderland with long, white sandy beaches, charming
landscapes and lush green forests.
The peninsula’s beaches, including Bai Bac, Bai Nam and Bai But, are perfect
spots for those who love swimming, fishing and sightseeing on boats, not to
mention diving and exploring the local coral reefs.
Moving 540 kilometers south of Da Nang City, Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province has
developed into a well-known resort town; and the island-strewn Nha Trang Bay is
widely considered as being among the world's most beautiful.
As the water is warm all year round in Nha Trang Bay, swimming, scuba diving and
snorkeling are activities that bring in people from all over the world and all
corners of the country.
A very special adventure that can be enjoyed with a spectacular view of the Nha
Trang Bay is a 20- minute balloon ride at a height of 150 meters.
The largest island of the bay, Hon Tre (Bamboo Island), which has pristine
beaches surrounded by mountains, now hosts a five-star resort operated by
Vinpearl Land Tourism JSC.
Apart from its beautiful beaches, Nha Trang Town is also renowned for plenty of
historical vestiges - the Po Nagar Cham Towers, King Bao Dai’s Palace, Tri
Nguyen Aquarium, and the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography Museum.
Phan Thiet Town needs no introduction. Located in the south-central province of
Binh Thuan, around 200 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, the town has been known
for many beauty spots and the most popular spot in the town is the Mui Ne Beach
that has transformed the place for ever.
The name “Mui Ne” is derived from the fact that this place used to provide
shelter from storms to fishermen during their fishing trips. “Mui” means cape
while “Ne” means hiding.
Along the 22-kilometer road from the center of Phan Thiet Town to Mui Ne are
innumerable sand dunes, also known as “Flying Sand Hill” because the wind makes
the hill a constant work in progress. The sight of these dunes are so arresting
that it attracts a constant stream of photographers and painters.
The Mui Ne Beach, fringed with coconut trees and blessed with the clear blue
water, has become a beehive of resorts that people from HCMC rush to during
weekends for a much-needed respite from city life.
Thuan Quy in Binh Thuan’s Ham Thuan Nam District, around 30 kilometers south of
Phan Thiet offers a quieter more pristine alternative to Mui Ne.
The unspoilt Thuan Quy Beach, adorned with line after line of pine trees, gives
visitors the feeling that they are the first to arrive there.
Besides its beaches and sand dunes, other picturesque landscapes in Phan Thiet
include the Lao Cau Island, Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring), the Poshanu Cham Tower and
other places of interest that await your discovery.
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