Buzz
With 5 destinations Vũng Tàu – Phan Thiết – Phan Rang – Nha Trang – Phú Yên, your New Year adventure will be filled with exciting and unexpected experiences.
Below is a 9-day travel itinerary recommended for those who want to explore coastal cities.
Day 1: Vũng Tàu, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu
Upon arrival in the coastal city, you can take a cable car ride to the Ho May Tourist Area. This place is likened to a fairyland with a man-made lake space on the largest mountain in Vietnam, a majestic 9-meter-high waterfall, a 30-meter-high statue of Buddha, diverse ecological gardens, and an enticing play area for all ages.
After lunch and rest, you can explore some other interesting spots in Vũng Tàu such as the White Palace (Bạch Dinh) of King Bảo Đại. This white villa boasts distinct late 19th-century French architecture and preserves many ancient artifacts.
At the foot of Tao Phung mountain stands a 32-meter tall statue of Jesus Christ. Conquer 133 spiral steps to reach the outstretched arms spanning 18.4 meters and behold the panoramic view of the city from above.
As the cool evening sets in, indulge in the refreshing waters of Sau Beach and admire the romantic scenery as dusk descends upon the sea.
In the evening, relish in seafood delicacies, sip on coffee, or ascend the lighthouse on Little Mountain for a new perspective of the cityscape at night before resting and rejuvenating for the journey ahead.
Day 2: Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan
Enjoy the crisp morning air and savor the renowned delicacy of Vung Tau, banh khot, before embarking on a journey to Phan Thiet.
After approximately 4 hours, arrive at the heart of Phan Thiet city. Explore Duc Thanh School, where Uncle Ho once taught, housing invaluable historical artifacts.
In the evening, you can head to Rang Beach, the most beautiful beach in Phan Thiet. Here, you can not only immerse yourself in the cool water under the coconut trees but also fly kites, windsurf, canoe, or sailboard.
About 4 km from Rang Beach towards Phan Thiet lies Ong Dia Rock Beach, one of the spiritual areas of coastal residents. Further about 30 minutes by car, you'll reach the Phu Hai cluster of towers to explore the Cham culture.
In the evening, you can admire the cityscape and indulge in the unique flavors of squid teeth, sailfish, Mai fish salad, specialty dishes like pancake, Vietnamese savory pancakes, grilled rice paper with onion oil, etc.
Day 3: Mui Ne, Phan Thiet
Welcoming the sunrise at Mui Ne Market is an exciting start to the day. The coastal life becomes lively as boats dock, bringing in fresh seafood.
Hon Rom in Long Son hamlet, Mui Ne ward, is an ideal beach for swimming. Near Hon Rom is the Mui Ne Sand Dunes for thrilling sandboarding experiences. After enjoying to your heart's content, you can savor three-coconut water, Phan Thiet rice dumplings, etc.
Walking in Suoi Tien next to Hon Rom, a stunning sand valley unfolds before you with natural rock formations in peculiar shapes.
18 km from Hon Rom is Bau Trang. This freshwater lake is nestled amidst an incredibly pristine landscape. Here, visitors can rent fishermen's boats to explore, stroll, fish, and enjoy moments of relaxation in the fresh nature.
Day 4: Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan
The journey from Phan Thiet to Phan Rang will pass by Ca Na Beach, known as the sleeping princess. The beautiful scenery and cool air will make travelers forget all the fatigue of the trip.
Phan Rang city reveals itself with a rugged, adventurous landscape featuring vast salt fields, wandering flocks of sheep on dry dusty hillsides.
The Poklong Garai Tower is a must-visit. Standing tall through the trials of time, these towers boast mysterious beauty with intricate carvings. The Cham Museum here houses many unique artifacts of artistic value. At Ba Moi vineyard, you can take photos, handpick juicy clusters of grapes, and indulge right away.
An ideal stop at the end of the day in Phan Rang is Nam Cuong Sand Dunes. The stretches of red sand reaching to the sea become even more mystical under the sunset. Witnessing that spectacular scenery, you'll feel the allure of this sunny and windy city.
Day 5: Vinh Hy Bay, Ninh Hai, Ninh Thuan
Vinh Hy Bay is 42 km northeast of Phan Rang city center, the destination for the fifth day of the journey. The glass-bottom boat will take you into the vast, surreal, and stunning world of blue sea, deep forests, rocky mountains, coral reefs, and myriad marine species.
You can enjoy the cool, clear seawater at Ba Dien Beach, then explore the coastal life, try your hand at fishing for tuna and mackerel at Tay Sa Beach and Bo Bo Island. The delicious taste of grilled squid under the sun will make the trip even more unforgettable.
Day 6: Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
Leaving Phan Rang, two hours later you will arrive in Nha Trang. Ponagar Tower is less than 2 km from the city center of Nha Trang, where you can enjoy Cham dances and songs, and admire the seaside city from above. After visiting Ponagar Tower, you can combine with mud bathing at the nearby Thap Ba hot spring mineral resort to relax after many days of travel.
Hon Chong tourist area, about 3km northeast of the city center, is an ideal seaside spot thanks to its tranquil, cool, and romantic scenery. Sitting here sipping coffee while leisurely enjoying the sea view will give you an extremely comfortable feeling.
The most exciting evening in Nha Trang is exploring Thap Ba culinary street and strolling along the beach at night. Thap Ba Street offers a variety of delicious dishes such as seafood, pancake, grilled rice paper with toppings, fish cake noodles, etc. This street is always bustling with both locals and tourists.
Day 7: Yang Bay Waterfall, Khanh Hoa
Visiting Yang Bay Waterfall, you will admire the magnificent natural landscape and experience exciting activities. Located about 45 km from Nha Trang city, at an altitude of 100 m above sea level and covering an area of over 570 hectares in the valley surrounded by primeval forest.
In the forest is the 'Wooden God', a giant ancient tree over 25 m tall with a root circumference larger than 20 people hugging. Yang Bay tourist area has hot mineral bathing area with natural spring sources, fun games such as pig racing, crocodile fishing, visiting the bear breeding area or trying once to ride an ostrich.
In addition, you can enjoy local specialties and learn about the customs and practices of the people through exotic musical instruments, eye-catching items displayed, and traditional music performances of the Ra Glai people such as stone instruments, flutes, and monochords.
Day 8: Phu Yen
The final destination of the journey is Phu Yen. It takes about two hours by car from Nha Trang. Phu Yen has many attractive tourist spots, most notably Ganh Da Dia, a unique natural masterpiece in Vietnam. Nearby is Ganh Den Lighthouse, though not grandiose, it boasts a rather beautiful location.
From Ganh Den Lighthouse, you can head towards National Highway 1 to visit Mang Lang Church - one of the oldest churches in Vietnam, built 120 years ago in Gothic architecture with many exquisite decorative motifs.
Continuing along National Highway 1, you can see Tam Giang Dam and then visit Tuy An Wooden Bridge, the longest wooden bridge in Phu Yen. Heading towards the city, you can stop at O Loan Lagoon to enjoy specialties like oysters and blood cockles.
In the evening, take time to wander around the city and savor the flavors of squid stuffed pancakes, snails, chicken rice wrapped in leaves, grilled corn with fermented fish sauce, cinnamon pork sausage bread, tuna eyes, fruit desserts, etc.
Day 9: Returning to Saigon
In the morning, you can visit Tuy Hoa Market for breakfast and shopping before packing up to return to Saigon, concluding the 9-day journey with many memorable experiences.
According to Vnexpress.net
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourJanuary 20, 2016
