Blue Ocean resort

Blue Ocean resort, originally uploaded by Khoa Trần.

Blue Ocean Resort under management by Life Resorts Management Company boasts of avant-garde designs, vibrant play of colors and offers modern features, facilities and amenities.

Located in Mui Ne, a destination that promotes fun and activities for the whole family, the Blue Ocean Resort is a perfect get-away for couples and families with a wide variety of day time and night time activities that the whole family can engage in.

Known for its beautiful beaches, Mui Ne is also the country’s capital for kite-surfing and kite-boarding. These are but some of the many water sports to choose from.

Ocean Star Resort

Ocean Star Resort, originally uploaded by Andrew Birch.

Phan Thiet is a tourist site indispensable for travelers who desire to get a true relaxing Vietnamese experience. It is fairly close to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 200kms) where the temperature remains enjoyable all year. It is well-know as a stunning coastline stretching for more than 20 kilometers beneath thousands of great coconut palms.

Modeled in the style of an authentic fishing village, Ocean Star Resort resides within three hectares of swaying palms and tropical flora, framed to the East by the pristine sand and crystal waters of Mui Ne beach.

Ocean Star Resort gives you a variety of seven different types of accommodation. Therefore, it will be adapted to the customers’ purposes of stay.

With a well-trained professional team used to experience at highly standardized international hotel, Ocean Star Resort, a four star lodging property has come out in gestation of doing something to modify the perfection of the hospitality service and the pleasure of experience in Phan Thiet , which only a come face to face with reality speaks up the meaning . A new concept, a new look, a new though, a new experience : being all of what the management and the staff ring a bell to the customers.

Ocean Star resort aim to create a real sensation of relaxation where time and stress should be forgotten during your stay. All you may experience here will go beyond your expectations, from the breath-taking white sand beach to the smiley faces from our friendly staff.

Our goal is to bring the professional attention to the detail of all requirements to ensure that all stay with us become a memory of satisfaction.

Pho Hoi Riverside Resort

Pho Hoi Riverside Resort, originally uploaded by Hoang Viet.

Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An offers world class accommodation near the center of the city. As soon as you step inside the Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An, you would remain spell bound with the mesmerizing interior.
The hotel offers the latest of amenities and services. With excellence in every aspect - from rooms to hotel amenities, the hotel makes an earnest effort to give the guests more than their money's worth. Let's glance through the various features of this hotel:

Location of Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An

The location of the hotel is excellent, being situated a few minutes' driving distance from the center of the city. The Location of at Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An is 800 meters from the city center.

The place where the hotel is situated has good connectivity with the rest of the city. There are quite a few tourist attractions close to the hotel.

Room facilities at Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An

Bask in ultimate luxury in the cozy rooms of Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An. The rooms of this hotel are spacious and are elegantly furnished. Every one of them is designed exquisitely and is adorned by impressive decor. Each of the rooms is appointed with meticulous care to ensure that you have the most comfortable stay.

Also, every one of the rooms dons bright wall paints that exude a lot of warmth and cheer. Room facilities at Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An feature a wide range of modern and beautiful lightings.

Hotel Amenities and Services at Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An

The mind blowing span of hotel amenities and services at Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An encompasses every aspect of comfort and pleasure. The hotel gives equal attention in the matters of fitness and recreation. There are several sports activities offered. Some of them are Billiards, Boating, Fishing, Badminton and many more.

The hotel houses a great restaurant. Authentic cuisines are brought to table by the chefs. There are 200 seats in this restaurant. The awesome ambience of this beautiful restaurant is really enchanting.

The hotel also offers upscale business facility. So, come to Pho Hoi Riverside Resort in Hoi An and you would be treated to a fine time indeed.

Mui Ne beach

Mui Ne beach, originally uploaded by grolli77.

Mui Ne is a coastal resort town in the Binh Thuan Province of southeastern Vietnam, located on an arm of the South China Sea. The town is close to the city of Phan Thiết. Tourism has transformed Mui Ne into a resort destination since 1995, when many visited to view the total solar eclipse of October 24, 1995.

Mui Ne Beach is a popular tropical beach. Strong sea breezes make it very popular for kitesurfing and windsurfing. The tourist season is from December to May. The average temperature is 27°C, and the climate is hot and dry for most of the year.

Sand Dunes in Mui Ne

Mui Ne 002, originally uploaded by philippebierny.

Travel to Mui Ne, every day in the morning and late afternoon, children and adults alike gather at the yellow sand dunes in Mui Ne in Phan Thiet to fly their colorful kites for fun at dawn or sunset while viewing the far away ocean and the shining sand.

They usually run up and down the sand dunes for several seconds to give their kites a good start before flying high in the sky. On windy days, there's no need to run, just stand still on top of the dunes as strong winds blow the kites as high as people can see.

Flying high in the sky are many kites in the shapes of bats, butterflies, dragons and other figures in black, red, yellow, orange and the combination of different colors.

As usual, people fly kites of different colors and big sizes so that they can see them in the very far distance, especially when the sun has gone down the western horizon.

Travel to Mui Ne, you can bring your own kites to the sand dunes for them to blow in the wind or you can buy the kite of your choice from an old man who does not want to tell visitors his true name but asks them to call him "the man who sells kites."

The man sells his kites for VND25,000 (US$1.50) to VND70,000 (US$4.30), and of course offers discounts to good bargainers. The most expensive kite is the bat-shaped one in black that the man says is an imported product and made of durable fabric so it can withstand very strong winds. However, this black kite does not look distinctive from other flying kites, particularly when the darkness pervades the sky.

It is easy to find the man. Just go up to the sand dunes from the trunk road from the heart of Phan Thiet City to Mui Ne, and the kite seller often stands or sits near several trees that grow well on the dry sand dunes.

To satisfy your passion for flying a kite above sand dunes and stunning ocean views, you will pass through a group of children who closely follow and ask you to rent their plastic boards to ski from the top of the sand dunes to the bottom.

If this is not your cup of tea, keep going up the dunes to buy the kite you like and the children will disperse when they know your real interest.

Remember that bigger kites fly higher, as the kite seller says. One thing you should bear in mind is a kite that is made of durable fabric will not be torn by strong winds.

Travel to Mui Ne Vietnam, you can see kite flying is a common hobby of many Vietnamese children, particularly those in the countryside. On windy and beautiful afternoons, children go to the fields near their homes to fly kites that they have usually make themselves for fun or to mingle with the dreams of flying in reality.

(Source: SGT)

Romana Resort & Spa

The only resort in Mui Ne where all rooms have ocean views and each villa has a private pool. From the reception area, you can capture a dramatic view of the deep blue sea and the soothing sound of the surf against the shoreline.

The gentle touch of a fresh breeze and warm tropical weather give a sense of utmost peace and comfort. Upon entering Romana Resort & Spa, the hustle and bustle of life and work become even farther away.

Romana Resort and Spa
Km 8, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam
Tel: (84-62) 374 1289 - Fax: (84-62) 374 1281.
Email:info@romanaresort.com.vn - Website:www.romanaresort.com.vn

Source photo: KD Group

Phan Thiet- a place to explore and stay in

Visitors to new places often remember them because of beautiful landscapes and local specialties. In Phan Thiet, a coastal city about 200 kilometers from HCMC, people are not only attracted by the tourism sites in the area but also by something interesting on the way to the city and back.


For many travelers, riding on a motorbike is the best way to experience beautiful sights along the road, to enjoy ancient streets in the warm and pleasant air of the central region during any season of the year. On Ham Tien, a romantic street which runs beside many popular resorts and the Lau Ong Hoang, visitors should never miss a chance to drop by Poshanu Cham Tower, a complex of towers and temple relics of the Cham dynasty on Ba Nai hill.

Visitors to Phan Thiet can learn about the history of the city from hearty local residents. Many years ago, Cham ethnic people called the land Hama Lithit, which means “a flat field near the sea”. Later, the name Lithit was passed down orally by Kinh people, gradually turning out to Phan Thiet.

Today the city is a famous tourist destination with many beauty spots. Ca Ty River is considered one of the most interesting with bridges above and the ideal venue for grand festivals, like ship races and flower lantern floating. Such events attract hundreds of thousands of local and international visitors to the river and nearby locations each year.

Located by the river is Phan Thiet water tower with the French name of Château d’eau. The 32-meter tower, which was constructed by Laos’ architect and king Souphanouvong in late 1928, is a symbol of the city. Words of U.E.PT (Unise Des Eaux de Phan Thiet) on the body are joined from broken glass due to economical difficulties after the tower was completed in 1934.


It is interesting to wander to each corner of the city on a warm evening and drop by street eateries to enjoy specialties like banh xeo (rice pancake), or snail salad. Many people love can cake, a traditional dish with green onions, boiled eggs, braised fish and sour pickles.

The beautiful images of sights and people in Phan Thiet City seem to cling to many tourists when they leave. With the sweet and red dragon fruits, dry fish, or scented fish sauce along side, they feel like bringing parts of the city to their home.

By Khue Viet Truong/
The Saigon Times

Early morning on Lagi beach

While the sun is still sleeping and it is not yet dawn with the weak light of the crescent moon, Lagi beach has been awakened by the noise of fishermen, shouts of salesmen and the murmur of couples. Lagi beach seems to be busy very early in the morning.

About 200 kilometers from HCMC, the beach is located in the new town Lagi in Binh Thuan province’s Ham Tan District, hence its name. Lagi beach promises to be a fresh, vital tourist destination on the Vietnam tourism map in the near future.

Currently, the beach also attracts thousands of tourists every year with its charms and low priced services. For those who want to experience a slight cool breeze, the murmur of the waves and the stirring of life on the beach, an early wake-up and short walk will satisfy them.

The fishermen who have finished a night’s work in a small fishing boat are selling fresh seafood to salesman in the beach. Meanwhile the salesmen are hastening to set up a fresh seafood market to supply tourists who wish to buy and cater themselves for their holiday.

Together with the noise of the market, the beach is aroused by shouts of services providers of tables, chairs, hammocks and sunshades and a catering area. They all have to wake up early to get ready for the tourists. Among them are the still half-asleep children, dragging buoys to the beach to lease out so they can earn a living.

The beach is full of life by the time it is flooded with morning sunlight. Some tourists come to do exercises along the coast, some kids play football, others take a walk to enjoy the dawn while others go swimming to experience the buoyant feeling of the morning sea.

After relaxing in Lagi beach, tourists can find some tranquil moments in Thay Thim Palace in Ham Tien Commune, about 10 kilometers away. Situated in the middle of a quiet deciduous forest, flanked by verdant rice fields and white dunes and completely separated from the hustle and bustle of daily life, the palace was recognized in 1997 as a national heritage monument. It attracts hundreds of tourists every weekend, especially during the Thay Thim Cultural Festival for Buddhist pilgrims that will take place next week. The festival week is during the middle of the ninth lunar month annually. It is an historical, cultural, architectural and religious experience.

Apart from the simple life in Lagi beach and the sacred life in Thay Thim Palace, travelers can also enjoy relaxing moments in nearby luxurious Mom Da Chim Resort (The Bird Rock Resort). The named was inspired by large rocks with flat surfaces worn out by the sea waves, which are a gathering place for many sea bird species. The resort is a high-tech complex with a 160-room hotel, restaurant, and playground for kids as well as luxury spa.

Mom Da Chim is a completely relaxing space where you can swim in the sea, soak in the pool, rest in a beach chair, relax in the spa and enjoy fresh seafood from the ocean. You can also sit on the smooth rock to hear the waves crashing onto the shore and enjoy the view of sunset.

Source: SGT

Atop a mountain, a smile radiates peace

The Ta Cu Mountain is imposing as it rises out of a 25,000-hectare primary forest, but the spectacular view, fresh sea breeze and beatific smile of the dying Buddha sets the stage for an inward journey.

We had a choice – take the cable car or a three-hour hike through the forest. Like many others, we decided to take the cable car. A trolley took us and other visitors from the entrance gate to the cable car station at the foot of the mountain.

The panorama of the city spread out below us as the cable car took us up. A meandering river ran past vast paddy fields, red-roofed houses and green trees. The scenery of the city was hidden from view as the cab got higher. We were surrounded then by high and low hills covered with various kinds of trees and plants standing so close, they seemed to be joined to each other. In the far distance mountain ranges emerged hazily from the sea. When we got nearer to the top, we could see almost nothing as white clouds obstructed our view.

We got out of the cable care and began to walk through the forest, and then climbed over a hundred steps to get to the ancient temple built by a Buddhist monk named Tran Huu Duc in 1872. The temple is now under reconstruction. Climbing further, we reached the site where a set of three seven-meter statues of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas of the Mahayana-tradition stood in eternal meditation.

In the middle was Amitabha, the Buddha of the Pure Land, flanked by Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara on his right and Mahasthamaprapta on his left. As we rested awhile, the songs of birds resounding from the vast green forest behind the statues augmented the tranquil ambience.

Even further up, on the top of the mountain, lay the 49-meter long, 10-meter high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha created by sculptor Truong Dinh Y in 1962. No construction machinery or equipment had been used to build the statue. It was a true labor of love. The statue is of the dying Buddha, reclining on his right side. The compassionate and peaceful smile on the exalted face touches Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

Many people tried to climb up to sit or stand on the feet of the Buddha statue to take photos. No matter what they did, however, a silent smile always appeared on the Buddha’s delusion-free countenance.

As we soaked in the scenic beauty and fresh sea breeze, from far below, the temple sent up the melodiously vibrating echoes of the ringing bell to soothe away all our daily problems and tensions. At that moment, we seemed to forget all our regrets about the past as well as worries about the future, and stand as one with nature. It was easier then to reflect and realize that true happiness was simply the inner peace within our self in the present moment.

We climbed down the mountain, trying to retain images of the captivating scenery on both sides in our mind. At the foot of the mountain was a banana forest producing very long bunches of the fruit. The flesh of bananas in Ta Cu is especially sweet, my traveling companions decided. It seemed a fitting way to end the trip, savoring the fruit of a fertile soil that had given us food for reflection and introspection.

Located in Ham Thuan Nam District of Binh Thuan Province, about 28 kilometers southwest of Phan Thiet City and 167 kilometers north of HCMC, the Ta Cu Mountain stands 474 meters above sea level. The Ta Cu or Linh Son Truong Tho Temple is perched at the height of 400 meters. A two-way journey by cable car costs VND55,000 per adult.

(Source: SGGP)

Phan Thiet

Located in Binh Thuan province, Phan Thiet is 200 km from Saigon and lies south of Cam Ranh bay on the southernmost stretch of Central Vietnam. Binh Thuan was once a part of the Cham kingdom. In 1692, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu captured the area and named it Binh Thuan Dinh. Binh Thuan is quite important in Vietnam's history, as it was because of this area that in 1306 King Tran Nhan Tong agreed to the marriage of princess Huyen Chan to King Jaya Sinhavarman III of the Cham Kingdom. During the revolution against the French, it was in this area that the two patriots Phan Chu Trinh and Tran Quy Cap had their start. Furthermore, according to local lore, the area around Phan Thiet is where Han Mac Tu, the disfigured poet, spent his time forlornly as he waited for Mong Cam, the lady of his dreams.

Hardly a hardship posting: Mui Ne

Sometimes in the rough and ready world of lifestyle reporting, intrepid wordsmiths are sent on hectic postings of epic proportion. But this mission to the sandy shores of Mui Ne was anything but a hardship.


Trembling and hung over form another Hanoi farewell party and karaoke session, myself and my intrepid accomplice hopped aboard an early morning Vietnam Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the big city clutches of which we eagerly escaped in the direction of our destination, Mui Ne.

A stone’s throw from the quaint beachside town of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province, Mui Ne make for a beautiful getaway, and for the citizens of HCMC and ideal weekend escape. We had decided to bivouac at the well-appointed Full Moon lodgings, as it more than offered the living standards to which we have become accustomed.

We met with Pascal Lefebvre, who with his wife Phuong has established the perfect beach side establishment. Drawn from a great reservoir of hotel experience, particularly with the renowned Victoria chain, which has established a presence throughout Vietnam, Full Moon is perfection to a T.

Formally greeted by a group bearing a large and freshly caught barracuda, one that would become our welcoming feast of delicious sashimi, we were being forewarned of the sumptuously absurd volume of fresh seafood delicacies we would chomp our way through during our stay.

When Pascal first arrived in 1995, power, water and other amenities were unavailable, and the access road was little more than some dusty wheel ruts cutting through the dirt. Now there are around 90 restaurants and forty odd self-proclaimed “resorts” along the beach.

While he expects the development to be as consistent as it has been for the last few years, you can still find some really out of the way places in the bays just north of Mui Ne town.

That Pascal also happens to be a keen windsurfer means that life beside a beach with, as he put it “the most wind in South East Asia”, was more than a happy coincidence.

As such Full Moon offers more than just standard accommodation, as a few steps down the golden sands is Jibes, from where all manner of water toys may be rented. But we will come to that in good time.

Now this thatch roofed gem proved to have in store every little thing this reporter demands of a beach. At first glance, it appears to be a restaurant and bar, although that was because we came at it from the beach side. Adorning the beach were loafers and small tables sporting extremely relaxed looking holidaymakers sipping away at (I know you are all consistent Good Life readers!) a few tasty Laure's.

On the road side of Jibes I thankfully found a store selling funky and functional beach attire, which given that I had recently scorched the skin from my back in Ha Long meant that I could acquire exactly the kind of skin protection I needed, in the form of a nice new rash vest.

Also, upon my first frolic along the beach, I discovered that all the self-denial that accompanies losing a few pounds hadn’t been in vain, as my board shorts failed to fit snugly – a terrifying thought once you encounter a few pants-stealing waves. A good thing Jibes was a conveniently located fitting pants replacing shop.

Ahh, yes the beach house packed to the gunnels with water sport equipment. Inside was a Mecca (well for us Hanoi urbanites anyway) of Windsurfers, surfboards, kites and kite boards, kayaks body boards, this that and the other board.

Now originally the intention of this trip had been to do a stunning expose on kite surfing, but as we were informed upon arrival, we had arrived at the wrong time of year for solid wind. I have come to believe that its more to do with the fact that I am simply jinxed and the water spirits are interested in offering me neither wind nor surf.

As it happened a typhoon was howling around way off shore and a gentle little surf swell picked up for several days, giving me if not kite borne airtime, some well-needed wave action. As we kicked back after a day of hardcore sport and feasting that Pascal confided in us.

“The biggest stress around here”, he said his eyes wandering off down the beach, “is waiting for the wind.”

Pascal also let it be known in quite plain language that won’t be repeated here, that he believes windsurfing to be the more technical of the water sports, and he far prefers it to kite surfing. Although he hasn’t been out with a kite in around 18 months, he provides a full and comprehensive service.

A dangerous sport is this kiting, what with a ten meter power plane strapped to you belt, and some teaching, particularly on safety measures, is well in order. As such, Jibes has two instructors on hand to make sure its all done in the right manner. So successful is his endeavour that other hotels have pretended they offer windsurfing and kite surfing in their brochures, without having any gear at all. No skin of Pascal’s nose though, as another batch of punters wander down the beach to rent surfboards from the beach house.

As we settle into the bar at Jibes to watch another in a long list of videos made of the extreme sports on offer in Mui Ne, we get a definite insight into life here at the beach. Play, relax and play some more.

Having talked to several local Vietnamese who professed that they hardly ever made it into the water (indeed a certain chef all the way from Hanoi admitted to swimming just twice in the last two years) I was impressed by the board skills the local employees had. Indeed just watching them hammer around on all manner of water toys was inspirational stuff. You can believe me that the decision to return to Hanoi was not determined of my own free will.

Life in Mui Ne has attracted around 15 expat’s, most of whom seem well into their extreme sports, aside from monkey maltreatment man, but we wont be getting into that at all.

Another expat, formerly a builder in England, Paul Clayton, 32, has made the obviously excruciating decision to stay for the long haul. As a kite instructor at Jibes, with plans to get into his own venture at a later date, he says that while the off season can have that small town feel to it, around December the place is hopping mad.

There is some respite if chilling on the beach is too much for you, as nearby Phan Thiet boasts a couple of accessible, if a little overly dodgy for this worldly journo, nightclubs.

There are several moderately priced seafood restaurants that have all manner of critters to tempt you taste buds. May I recommend the rock lobster, a fantastic idea – this creature is basically a box shaped shell of tasty goodness, cooked I do believe, by externally applied and burnt off alcohol rather than good ol’ boiling like mum used to.

We were there in the off-season, and a steady trickle of clientele was still making its way through. Around half the rooms at Full Moon were full for the week we stayed, and there was much talk of people booking rooms or six months at a time, so it’s advisable to book ahead. Getting there is easy; just pick up either a local minibus or an open tour type tourist bus from HCMC. The ride takes about three hours.