Phan Rang Thap Cham
Attractions and distractions
Attractions and distractions
While backpackers often scurry between Mui Ne and Nha Trang, there’s a whole lot of coast to be explored in between. The relatively new coastal road between Phan Rang and Ca Na begs for travellers to slow down, get off the bus, get off Highway 1 – and get onto a motorbike. On one side of the road, dramatic desert landscape; the other side ocean blue. And in the middle of the journey is one ... Read more about Coastal drive Phan Rang to Ca Na .
West of Thap Cham train station, in the northwest corner of the city, Po Klong Garai is a collection of 13th and 14th century Cham towers perched on Trau Hill. Thap Cham means “Cham tower”, the historic site is obviously the town’s namesake and one of the main reasons travellers stop in this city. The towers were constructed by King Jaya Simhavarman III to honour the legendary King ... Read more about Po Klong Garai Cham Tower .
This tower isn’t easy to get to like Po Klong Garai, but that’s what makes it worthwhile. Named after the last king of the independent Champa Empire, Po Ro Me is a single tower perched on an isolated hill in the middle of a desert lowland ringed by high hills. The location is stunning, and the fact the caretaker needs to unlock it for you adds to the atmosphere. Once there you’ll want to ... Read more about Po Ro Me Cham Tower .
If you are headed south from Phan Rang Thap Cham on Highway 1A, perhaps to visit Po Ro Me Cham Tower or if you are on the move to Mui Ne, there are two craft villages that are an easy stop along the way. We recommend stopping at the Bau Truc Cham pottery village, while we’d give the “weaving village” My Nghiep a skip unless you want ... Read more about Bau Truc Cham Pottery Village and My Nghiep Weaving Village .
Desert landscape Some impressive sand dunes lie six kilometres south of the river, at the southern edge of Phan Rang Thap Cham city. Unlike Mui Ne’s famed dunes, which are usually crawling with tourists, there’s a good chance you’ll be the only one struggling up these ... Read more about Sand dunes .
The Vinh Hy-Binh Tien Pass is a scenic motorbike ride that we rank as one of Vietnam’s best. We’ve written all about it in detail here, from the perspective of driving south to it from Cam Ranh, but you can also arrive by driving north from Phan Rang-Thap Cham. Here’s how to get the isolated fishing village of Vinh Hy (pronounced vinh hey), the start of this memorable coastal ... Read more about How to get to the Vinh Hy-Binh Tien Pass .
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