The route connecting Bình Thuận and Ninh Thuận provinces is known as one of the most beautiful routes in Việt Nam. VNS Photo Văn Châu

With special geographical locations on the south-central coast, Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận provinces have many natural and cultural resources and are well placed to develop marine tourism.

Owning a coastline of over 105km, beautiful beaches, a diverse marine ecosystem and warm weather all year round, Ninh Thuận has a lot of advantages to attract more visitors.

The province is focused on investment in expanding marine tourism, eco-tourism and resort tourism. Bình Sơn-Ninh Chữ and Cà Ná resorts have been formed while the construction of Bình Sơn and Vĩnh Hy tourist sites are underway. It plans to turn Bình Tiên Beach, which is associated with Núi Chúa Biosphere Reserve with diverse marine and forest ecosystems, into a leading tourist attraction of the region and the country as a whole.

Coming to Ninh Thuận, visitors have a chance to experience a 105km-long coastal route from Bình Tiên to Cà Ná, one of the most beautiful routes in Việt Nam.

Beaches in Ninh Thuận are still pristine, pollution-free and off the beaten path. VNS Photo Văn Châu

Along the way are forests, rocky mountains, streams and bays with dozens of beaches with clear blue water and a long stretch of white sand. There are also large and beautiful sand dunes close to the sea, notably Nam Cương and Mũi Dinh dunes, which are suitable for the development of various types of eco-tourism and adventure sports.

Vĩnh Hy Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the country, and Núi Chúa National Park is home to 1,500 plant species, 160 bird species and 60 mammal species.

Covering more than 106,600 hectares, Núi Chúa Biosphere Reserve has a peculiar topography with the convergence of three natural areas of forest, sea and semi-desert.

In addition to possessing a diverse natural landscape and dozens of species of flora and fauna listed in both the Vietnam Red Data Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, Núi Chúa also features a large coral population of more than 350 species.

Located inside Núi Chúa Biosphere Reserve, Vĩnh Hy Bay is listed among the top eight most beautiful bays in Việt Nam. The bay is part of Vĩnh Hải Commune, Ninh Hải District, about 40km from the centre of Phan Rang City.

This is home to stunning coral reefs, magnificent caves, white sand beaches, and crystal-clear water interspersed with different shades of blue.

Vĩnh Hy Bay is one of the most wonderful bays in Việt Nam. VNS Photo Văn Châu

While Vĩnh Hy Bay has been dubbed the “Mediterranean of Vietnam”, Hang Rái is a majestic, rare and impressive wonder with large and flat limestone surfaces and ancient coral reefs that were created by geological tectonics thousands of years ago. Locals say that this place has housed many species of otters, which brought the name Hang Rái (Cave of Otters).

The best time of the day to visit Hang Rái is at low tide when the sea water overflows on the rock surfaces and then recedes to form a unique waterfall in the sea.

Thanks to its favourable geographical location and convenient transport service, Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve is on the way to becoming an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists, providing an opportunity for Ninh Thuận to further advertise its beautiful natural scenery, people and unique culture.

Sand dunes and beaches

Bình Thuận is equally outstanding with Phú Quý Marine Protected Area, the wild beauty of Cù Lao Câu Island and well-known destinations with iconic landscapes such as the Mũi Né sand dunes and ancient Kê Gà Lighthouse, which is one of the seven tallest lighthouses in Việt Nam.

Phú Quý Marine Protected Area is on Phú Quý Island, situated about 120km off Phan Thiết City, and has that remote, wild allure.

In recent years, Phú Quý Island has become a more popular destination among travellers.

Tourists have learned about Phú Quý only over the last two years, and are mostly backpackers.

If you travel to Phú Quý, you should not miss attractive landmarks such as Gành Hang Cliff, Triều Dương Bay, Linh Quang Pagoda, Phú Quý Flagpole, Phú Quý Lighthouse, Mộ Thầy Temple, Bãi Nhỏ Beach, and more.

Surrounded by the deep blue ocean, the most distinctive characteristic of Phú Quý Island is its gorgeous beaches and bays. The water there is the best and clearest among the many islands of Việt Nam.

Not only that, Bình Thuận is also a convergence of many cultural heritages associated with the history and development of the province, and multiple ethnic communities.

Cultural tourism resources and craft villages in the province are very diverse, including Pô Sah Inư Chăm Tower, Thầy Thím Palace, and national cultural festivals such as the Kate Festival, Nghinh Ông Festival, and Whale-Worshipping Festival along with the pottery villages of the Chăm ethnic people.

According to Nguyễn Văn Khoa, chairman of the province's Tourism Association, the province is located in a tropical climate area, with lots of wind, sunshine and sunny days, so tourism activities can take place all year round, including swimming and relaxation activities.

This is an attractive destination for tourists who love a warm vacation in a tropical country with fresh air, beautiful nature, blue seas, white sand, golden sunshine, and the unique cultural features of many ethnic groups living together on the south-central coast.

Developing marine sports

Besides the advantages of beautiful beaches, islands and bays, Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận also have favourable weather and terrain to develop marine and adventure sports.

Marine sports in Bình Thuận such as windsurfing are of great interest to international tourists. VNS Photo Văn Châu

With sunny, windy weather, both provinces are looking to expand unique tourism products for visitors.

Hòn Hồng (Pink Mountain) is a well-known destination for paragliding in Việt Nam, located just 45km from Phan Thiết City and 20km from Mũi Né City in Bình Thuận. The peak is 200m above sea level and towers close to a sand dune. From the top of the mountain, visitors can take in a magnificent panorama, making it a great spot for paragliding.

According to Cao Thái Tân, a coach of the Việt Nam Air Sports Training Centre (VNAA), Hòn Hồng is one of the top places for lovers of paragliding.

Its height and gentle slopes with few obstacles make it suitable for paragliding. Hòn Hồng meets the requirements of this sport, such as safe take-off and landing zones.

To be able to participate in paragliding, people must be in good health with no cardiovascular diseases or fear of heights. Many people choose to conquer Hòn Hồng by paragliding because of its ideal setting and beauty.

Thanks to the conditions around Hòn Hồng, paragliders can enjoy their sport ten months a year, and the sport has developed professionally.

Kitesurfing is also another famous adventure sport in Ninh Thuận.

Kitesurfing uses the wind with a powerful kite to pull the rider across the water. Kitesurfers enjoy Mỹ Hòa Beach, which has year-round wind that is perfect for this sport.

Ninh Thuận's territorial waters are considered a "paradise" for kitesurfing. The province has been chosen as the venue for domestic and international kitesurfing competitions such as the 2016 Kiteboard Tour Asia, the 2022 International Kitesurfing Week and Ninh Chữ Kiteboarding Festival 2019, which attracted hundreds of international athletes from Russia, South Korea, Australia, England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Bình Thuận is also diversifying tourism products, and turning the locality into an international marine sports centre.

Since 2020, Mũi Né has been recognised as a National Tourist Site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Therefore, for marine sports and entertainment tourism, Bình Thuận focuses on attracting investment in tourism projects and high-class, green-clean-beautiful resorts associated with services, entertainment, commerce, sports and casinos.

The province has hosted national and international sports competitions such as the Windsurfing World Cup tournament of the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA).

Delicious seafood

It is truly a mistake if you do not experience fresh seafood when coming to Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận.

Going to the beach cities, the famous dish that no one can ignore is seafood. Seafood in the two provinces includes the famous 'moon' crab, which is very tasty with fragrant meat.

Some other delicious dishes to try are dragon fruit seafood salad, grilled squid teeth, fish salad, red grouper, and snail salad. So if you are a seafood lover, come here and you will find some of the best in Việt Nam.

Seafood hotpot is a special dish originating from the fishermen of Bình Thuận. VNS Photo Văn Châu

Seafood hotpot is a special dish originating from the fishermen with the main ingredient being herring.

It is prepared with a yin and yang philosophy, bringing high nutritional value and health benefits. The dish is therefore not only a local specialty but also embodies a philosophy of life with profound meaning in Vietnamese cuisine. VNS

Bình Thuận and Ninh Thuận are about 200km and 300km from HCM City, respectively.

There are no airports in both provinces. The nearest airport to Bình Thuận and Ninh Thuận is Cam Ranh Airport (about 195km away from Bình Thuận and 90km away from Ninh Thuận).

The option of flying to Tân Sơn Nhất Airport then continuing the journey to Bình Thuận and Ninh Thuận is most popular among backpackers because there are plenty of buses and trains operating the route between HCM City and the two provinces.

It will take about three hours to get to Bình Thuận and about five hours to Ninh Thuận by bus or train from HCM City.

The two provinces are only about 150km apart. So the best way to explore both provinces is by motorbike at a cost of only about VNĐ150,000-200,000 (US$6.5-8.5) per day.

The best time of the year to explore the two provinces is during the dry season, between December and June. But the ideal swimming months are March through April, when the sea is calm.

There are many hotels and resorts in the two provinces. For regular days, you can comfortably book a hostel or homestay. But if you come on public holidays, you should book in advance.

Staying in a homestay is the most interesting option. The price of hotels and resorts is from VNĐ300,00 to 5,000,000 (US$13 to $215) per day. – VNS