Phan Thiết

Phan Thiet Thành phố Phan Thiết
City
"Phan Thiet Water Tower": symbol of Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet
Coordinates: 10°56′N 108°06′E / 10.933°N 108.100°E / 10.933; 108.100Coordinates: 10°56′N 108°06′E / 10.933°N 108.100°E / 10.933; 108.100
Country	Vietnam
Province	Bình Thuận
Founded	1898, as Phan Thiết town, by Thành Thái
Incorporated	1933, as the Commune of Phan Thiết
Consolidated	1999, as the City of Phan Thiết
Named for	Hamu Lithit (Cham language)
Area
• City	206 km2 (80 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• City	335,212
• Density	1,627/km2 (4,210/sq mi)
• Urban	299,680
Time zone	MST (UTC+7)
ZIP codes	80xxxx
Area code(s)	62

Phan Thiết (Vietnamese: [fan.tʰíət]) is the capital of Bình Thuận province, on the coast in south-eastern Vietnam, where all government offices for the province are located. While most of the inhabitants live in the city center, the others live in the four wards, extending from Suoi Nuoc beach in the north-east to the Ke Ga lighthouse in the south-west.

Traditionally, fishing and manufacturing of fish sauce has been the main source of Phan Thiet’s income thus far, the picturesque fishing fleet in the harbor colorful proof. Drawn by the beautiful beaches of the area, tourism is rapidly replacing the fish industry as the main employer.

The first resorts along the beaches of Hung Long and Phu Thuy wards, as well as Phu Hai and Ham Tien wards east of the city center appeared in the mid-nineties. Since then, tourism has boomed and hundreds of hotels, restaurants, resorts, guesthouses and shops have been constructed along the coastline.

Rang Beach in Ham Tien ward was discovered by foreigners in 1995, while they watched the solar eclipse. Misled by guidebooks, which incorrectly labelled Rang Beach as “Mui Ne Beach”, they were the first of a long row of tourists mistakenly calling everything east of the city center Mui Ne.

Each area of Phan Thiet has its own characteristics. The beaches of Ke Ga and Tien Thanh are peaceful and quiet, inviting tourists to swim and relax. There is not much traffic on the roads along the coastline, so walking or riding along the beach is quite peaceful.

Compared to Nha Trang, the density of resorts along the beaches of the city center in Phan Thiet is quite low, so when tourists leave their hotels, they step into the middle of the bustling daily life of a Vietnamese city. You can walk to many restaurants, museums or shopping malls - even visit the school where Ho Chi Minh taught before he went to study in Paris.

Phu Hai ward covers a hilly area along the coastline and has many small beaches and hidden coves. Many of the resorts in this ward are built above the water on the hills and have a small beach to themselves. Sea Links City, composed of a hotel, condos, apartments, a winery and a golf course is located here. Phu Hai is the place of the old Thap Poshanu Cham Tower, built in the 8th century and worth a visit.

Alongside the 10 kilometer strip of Rang Beach in Ham Tien ward, you will find a lively tourist strip. Hundreds of resorts, hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, and spas are situated here.