Thanh Hoa province
Thanh Hoa is the last of the north-central Vietnamese coastal provinces before the provincial break-up dissolves into a patchwork quilt of thumb-sized mini-provinces scattered around Hanoi. The province and it's same named capital are, like the provinces directly to the south, ideal for travellers who want to get off the beaten track and see Vietnam at its most local.
That's to say, nobody much stops here because there's little to see or do in the traditional sightseeing sense.
However, we found the capital, Thanh Hoa, to be quite an attractive little joint. There's some good eating, an interesting market stretch and the provincial hinterland is supposedly abundant with attractions. Though, to be honest, we didn't get around to trekking 85km northwest of town to see a hot spring, nor 46km southwest to see the National gardens -- and for that we do apologise... next time!
However, if you find yourself in Thanh Hoa town, we dug up lots of goodies to keep you in good lodgings and well fed and watered, so we hope you forgive us a little.
