6 Best Sights in The South-Central Coasts and Highlands, Vietnam

The narrow Doi Duong Beach, at the end of Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, is not the prettiest in the country, but it is well maintained and is loved by the locals anyway. It has a fantastic view of the bay and Mui Ne in the distance to the north. Crowds descend in the early morning and late afternoons, when the weather is not so hot. Couples stroll along the paved beachside walkway, families picnic in the adjacent park, and everyone eats snacks from the many itinerant food vendors. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking.

Ho Chi Minh (then known as Nguyen That Thanh) himself supposedly taught here in 1910 as he was making his way down to Saigon, from where he set sail for Paris and other foreign shores. History records him as teaching Chinese, Vietnamese, and martial arts to the second grade. The school is a beautifully tended and unusual monument, with interesting little placards marking out where Uncle Ho rested and read.

This riverfront museum traces the life of Ho Chi Minh from his humble beginnings to his death in 1969, with displays of objects from his life. Some exhibits relate to the history of Phan Thiet and there are also some preserved specimens of local wildlife and large squid. The museum was built in 1986 on the site of Ho Chi Minh's former home, when he was a teacher at the Duc Thang School across the road.

These three crumbling towers, relics from the 8th century when the Cham empire ruled this part of Vietnam, are not the best examples of such ruins—the towers in Nha Trang and Hoi An are more extensive and better preserved even though they pale when compared to the magnificence of Angkor Wat in Cambodia—but still worth spending an hour or so exploring. The towers, in front of a working monastery, are about 7 km (4½ miles) east of Phan Thiet on Ong Hoang Hill. Even if ancient history does not appeal, the hilltop where the towers are situated offers possibly the most panoramic view of the city of Phan Thiet and the ocean.

The largest reclining Buddha in Southeast Asia is on Ta Cu Mountain, which dominates the skyline in an otherwise low-lying landscape. Located about 28 km (17 miles) southwest of Phan Thiet, the 49-meter-long and 18-meter-high white concrete Buddha is at the top of a large temple complex, past a range of other deities, and offers stunning views of the surrounding land. Access is via a cable car that provides stunning views of the area and then a long haul up some steep stairs. There are usually plenty of pilgrims praying and lighting incense for all of the deities, including the reclining Buddha (Thich Ca Nhap Niet Ban), depicted as he enters Nirvana and shown with the most serene smile on his face. Several years ago, when renovation work was underway, every visitor to the site was asked to carry two bricks to the top of the complex for general absolution as well as to assist the construction workers.

The main attraction at this small temple, built in 1762, is the 22-meter-long whale skeleton. The temple honors the deity Nam Hai (the whale), who is believed to protect fishermen. There are two sections to the temple, a large room that houses the complete skeleton and a small temple with an interesting and colorful miniature ship and glass-fronted cabinets containing assorted whalebones.