Binh Thuan province
The small coastal province of Binh Thuan, around four hours along the coast to the north from Saigon, is best known for the beach district of Mui Ne, a further dozen kilometres north of the provincial capital, Phan Thiet. As with many of the Vietnamese coastal towns, the primary industry here is fishing and the legion of colourful boats you'll see moored in both the capital and at the northern end of Mui Ne will leave you wondering how there could possibly be any fish left in the sea.
Very, very few travellers opt to stay in the provincial capital, heading istead to the beach area where a far better range of both accommodation and restaurants are available. Famed for both its windsurfing and kite-surfing, the area surrounding both Mui Ne and Phan Thiet is also known for desert-like dunes, which while not quite of Saudi Arabian proportions (without sometrick photography anyway), are nevertheless quite stunning in the late afternoon light and fun to slide down.
A number of other minor treats -- Cham towers, huge cemeteries and a "fairy stream" -- can all be easily visited either independently or through one of the travel agents in Mui Ne.
If you happen to have a tardis (Dr Who's time machine) on hand, Binh Thuan was one of the prime viewing spots worldwide for the total solar eclipse on October 24, 1995.
