Bình Thuan Province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam is best known for the beach resorts of Phan Thiet and Mui Ne. It doesn’t have the level of tourism of Nha Trang and Da Nang (not having an airport is a major factor), but it has its own niche of visitors.

In the before times, Phan Thiet was popular with Russian tourists and kite surfers. The pandemic and closing down of international borders for nearly two years dealt a devastating blow to the tourism industry of Phan Thiet.

While a trickle of domestic tourists has kept the lights on for some of the resorts, a drive down Nguyen Dinh Chieu (the main tourist road between Phan Thiet and Mui Ne) is a depressing sight of closed-down hotels and restaurants that catered for tourists.

[Closed tourist shops on Nguyen Dinh Chieu.]

Despite this gloom, Phan Thiet has a bright future ahead. It just remains to be seen if the good times take a year or a decade to come back. There might be a demographic change in visitors in the future as well. Maybe the Russians don’t come back en masse, and with so many other competing beach resorts in Vietnam, it might be hard to secure a meaningful amount of international tourists like before.

On the other hand, Phan Thiet may see a surge in domestic travellers with the new transport options that will soon be available. A new airport might see more Northern Vietnamese tourists, and the new motorway from Ho Chi Minh City will make it more appealing for Saigonese to make a quick visit. And if the high-speed railway ever gets built, then that will put Phan Thiet within commuting range of Ho Chi Minh City. It would be easier to come here than to Vung Tau (the closest beach to Saigon).

I visited Binh Thuan Province in April 2022. I stayed on the beach in Phan Thiet and used that as a base to visit some of the major projects on the coast. I was last here in September 2020, so I went back to some sites I knew were active to see how they were progressing. I also visited some districts that I haven’t visited before. A masterlist of all projects can be found at Future Binh Thuan.

Binh Thuan Map

All of the projects listed on this page are pinned on this map.

Map of Binh Thuan Province.

And for further reference, here is a map of Phan Thiet. Some places are referred to as Mui Ne, even though it is only one ward of Phan Thiet.

[Wards of Phan Thiet City (via Wikipedia).]

Phan Thiet City

Ocean Dunes Phan Thiet

Location: Nguyen Tat Thanh, Hung Long, Phan Thiet.

Ocean Dunes is a new urban area in the city of Phan Thiet. Not much progress has been made since my last visit, with only a few houses scattered around the new streets.

Progress has been made on the Rang Dong Headquarters building (Rang Dong are the developers of this project).

The building is a pastiche of several centuries of European architectural styles, and it now sticks out for miles in this otherwise lowrise city.

Phu Hai and Ham Tien (Mui Ne Coast)

Phu Hai and Ham Tien are two wards to the east of Phan Thiet city that are often called Mui Ne.

Mui Ne Summerland

Location: Vo Nguyen Giap, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.

Vo Nguyen Giap is the upper road that connects Phan Thiet City to Mui Ne, and it will be the road to use to get to the future airport. I would expect more development along this road, and Mui Ne Summerland is leading the way here.

Some of the shophouses that face Vo Nguyen Giap have been completed, though they are still not opened.

Work was still underway at the rest of the site.

The Seahara Hotel & Resort Phan Thiết

Location: Vo Nguyen Giap, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.

On the other side of the road of Mui Ne Summerland is Seahara Hotel & Resort Phan Thiet project. This is also referred to on Google Maps as The Seahara Mui Ne Hotel & Villa. Neither of these projects are in Mui Ne, but such is the brand power of the name Mui Ne that many resorts use the name Mui Ne instead of Phan Thiet.

The two main towers will be 25 floors high. The height isn’t mentioned, so it’s hard to tell if it will be the future tallest building in Phan Thiet. Even if it’s not the tallest, it will look like the tallest because it sits on top of a hill.

Tien Thanh

Tien Thanh encompasses the southern coastline of the city area.

NovaWorld Phan Thiet

Location: 194A Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.

NovaWorld Phan Thiet is a beachfront resort/new urban development 12 km from Phan Thiet city.

At the entrance to the NovaWorld area is the Movenpick Hotel. According to the designer of the hotel, the “architectural design is inspired from Port Royal castle, where was once a Caribbean pirates “capital” in the past, with Dutch colonial architecture taste.”

NovaWorld was still a work in progress when I was there, but some of the shophouses were open for business.

The site also includes Adventure World theme park.

Another section under development in NovaWorld is called Santa Monica.

Most vehicles here were construction-related.

The beachfront section is called Bikini Beach.

And a sign on the beach, in case you forgot where you were.

Home Land Beach Resort

Location: Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.

Progress appears to be made at the Home Land Beach Resort with a new sign erected at the site.

Streets have also been built, though so far there are no other details about it.

Mui Ne

This is the real Mui Ne, which includes the fishing port town and the beaches on either side of Mui Ne town.

Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne

The Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne opened in November 2021. According to the PR blurb, “Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne is inspired by the rich maritime heritage of Binh Thuan and the Mediterranean, transporting guests back to a romantic era of intrepid sailors and seafaring explorers.”

Apec Mandala Wyndham Mui Ne

Location: Xuan Thuy, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.

Apec Mandala Wyndham Mui Ne is to the north of Mui Ne town. This is the first big development on this stretch of beach, and the combination of four large towers sitting on top of a hill with nothing else around it really makes it stand out.

It is a long and steep way from the hotel to the beach, so I am curious to see how the path to the beach will eventually look compared to the promotional image.

Ham Thuan Nam

Ham Thuan Nam is a rural district south of Phan Thiet, and it is famous for the Ke Ga Lighthouse.

Thanh Long Bay

Location: Road DT719B Tan Thanh commune, Ham Thuan Nam district.

One of the projects I was most curious to see the progress of was Thanh Long Bay. This resort city is so big that it could also be classified as a new urban area. The project features a row of apartment blocks that remind me of The Interlace in Singapore.

I was here in September 2020, and in the time since I was last here the project has been scaled down somewhat. There is now only a small section that will feature the stacked blocks of apartments. Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the cost of building such technically challenging structures.

La Gi

Lagi New City

La Gi is a fishing port city that doesn’t see much in the way of tourism. There is a big seafront redevelopment happening in the city centre called Lagi New City.

Transport

Phan Thiet Airport

After years of delays, the Phan Thiet Airport project commenced construction in April 2021. The airport was initially estimated to be completed by the end of 2022, though there haven’t been any updates on the project since then.

Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Expressway

The Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Expressway is a 99km section of the North-South Expressway. This highway improvement will shorten travel times to Ho Chi Minh City, making Phan Thiet a more appealing destination for HCMC residents. The project was meant to be finished in 2022, but it was reported to be further delayed at the start of 2022.

North–South Express Railway

There have been no meaningful updates on the status of the North–South Express Railway. Despite that, I went for a road trip to Tuy Phong District to have a look at an area that has been selected for an express station. Here is my report on the proposed Tuy Phong Station.

Bình Thuan province is located in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. The capital of Phan Thiet is a fishing port city that is best known in Vietnam for its beaches.

The biggest tourism attraction is Mui Ne, which is a popular destination for Saigonese looking for a convenient city break. Mui Ne is also hotspot for Russian tourists, with many shops and restaurants advertising in Russian.

There is no airport in Binh Thuan province, and it’s about a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, the province hasn’t developed as rapidly as other beach resorts in Vietnam. There are plans for an airport and an updated expressway from Ho Chi Minh City, both of which may accelerate the future growth of the province.

Here are some of the major construction and infrastructure projects that are planned for Binh Thuan province.

Binh Thuan Maps

All of the projects listed on this page are pinned on this map.

Map of Binh Thuan Province.

Most of the projects listed here are within the administrative boundary of Phan Thiet city. This map shows the wards that make up the city area.

[Wards of Phan Thiet City (via Wikipedia).]

Trip reports

Binh Thuan trip report (2023 edition)
Construction update on the Southeast coast of Vietnam. The weird building in a land corruption scandal, a mega-hotel on top of a sand dune, empty new urban developments, and the lost beach of Mui Ne.

Novaworld Phan Thiet review (2023)

Binh Thuan construction update – 2022 edition

Phan Thiet City

Ocean Dunes Phan Thiet

Location: Nguyen Tat Thanh, Hung Long, Phan Thiet.
Developer: rangdonggroup.com.vn

Ocean Dunes is a new land project in the centre of Phan Thiet city. The project is next to the Phan Thiet Ocean Dunes Resort and covers an area of 62 ha. This massive empty land in the city centre was previously the Ocean Dunes Golf Club, which opened in 1996 and was operating at continuous losses. Rang Dong Group, the owner of Ocean Dunes, were given the approval to turn the golf course land into a new urban area.

At the time of my visit in September 2020, the streets had been laid out and some houses have already been built.

The current trend in Vietnam are fake European mansions. This is the Red House.

The Rang Dong office building is a European-style castle-mansion.

This is what the area might look like when it’s finished.

The statue in the first image is a monument to the Nam quoc sơn ha poem, and it can be found at Le Loi and Mau Than (see map above).

Ocean Light Center Phan Thiet

Location: Nguyen Tat Thanh, Hung Long, Phan Thiet.

Ocean Light Center Phan Thiet is an urban redevelopment project next to Ocean Dunes. It will re-landscape a lake into a resort, amusement park, and accommodation area.

Phu Thinh Plaza

Location: 173 Le Loi, Hung Long, Phan Thiet.
Developer: phuthinhgroup.com.vn

Phu Thinh Plaza is a social housing development for low-income people. I’ve included this as it appears to be one of the tallest developments in the province. So far the beach resorts of Binh Thuan have not followed the high-rise trend like in Nha Trang and Da Nang.

City Project (Unidentified)

Location: Corner of Nguyen Tat Thanh and Tuyen Quang, Binh Hung, Phan Thiet.

Phu Hai and Ham Tien (Mui Ne Coast)

Phu Hai and Ham Tien are two wards to the east of Phan Thiet city that are often called Mui Ne. Many of the hotels along this stretch of coast have Mui Ne in their name, but for this post I’ve separated them into their proper ward.

Mui Ne Summerland

Location: Vo Nguyen Giap, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.
Website: muinesummerland.vn
Developer: Hung Loc Phat

Mui Ne Summerland is being marketed as a resort, though it could also be a new urban area. The project faces Vo Nguyen Giap Road outside of Phan Thiet city. It’s not on the beach road, thus it’s better to think of it as a place to live rather than a holiday destination near the beach.

These photos are from my visit in September 2020, and construction was under way.

[Mui Ne Summerland construction entrance.]

[Mui Ne Summerland – Vo Nguyen Giap frontage.]

[Mui Ne Summerland construction work.]

Queen Pearl Mui Ne

Location: Nguyen Thong, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.
Website: queenpearlmuine.vn

Next to Summerland Mui is Queen Pearl Mui Ne (both of which aren’t technically in Mui Ne).

There is a showroom on the site but no other sign of activity. On the Google satellite view it appears that the roads for Queen Pearl and Summerland align, so it could form a coherent urban area instead of a sealed-off resort/gated community.

Vietnam Square

Location: Nguyen Thong, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.
Website: vietnamsquare.vn
Developer phuckhang.vn

Vietnam Square is a shopping centre development next to Queen Pearl, though not part of it. There were excavation workers onsite when I visited.

The Seahara Hotel & Resort Phan Thiết

Location: Vo Nguyen Giap, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet.

Mui Ne

This is the official Mui Ne area, which includes the fishing port town and the beaches on either side of Mui Ne town.

Goldsand Hill Villa

Location: Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.
Website: goldsandhill.com.vn

Goldsand Hill Villa is a villa resort development near Mui Ne town.

News
Fear in Binh Thuan after real estate project wreaks havoc – [27/04/21]
‘Binh Thuan residents are living in fear after their homes were flooded with muddy sand from an uphill real estate project during a downpour. Almost a week after flood waters mixed with sand and mud from the Goldsand Hill Villa real estate project spilled over and into the Manta Sail Training Center’.

Sentosa Villa

Location: Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.
Website: sentosavilla.com

Sentosa Villa is next to Goldsand Hill Villa, and on the Google Map they appear to be one and the same even though there are still different websites.

Apec Mandala Wyndham Mui Ne

Location: Xuan Thuy, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.
Construction: ricons.vn

Apec Mandala Wyndham Mui Ne is the biggest development on the beach north of Mui Ne town. This is about 20km from the future airport, so this coastline would be in the sights of developers.

Tien Thanh Beach

Tien Thanh is a ward of Phan Thiet, encompassing the southern coastline of the city area. There is a big NovaWorld project here which I’ve seen advertised all over the country. There are also big blocks of reserved land with few other details. I’ve marked them on the map for future reference.

NovaWorld Phan Thiet

Location: 194A Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.
Website: novaworldphanthiet.com.vn
Developer: novaland.com.vn

NovaWorld Phan Thiet is a resort and new urban development 12 km southwest of Phan Thiet city. There are hotels and resort entertainment by the beach, and on the other side of the highway are villas that are being marketed as second homes.

Read more about NovaWorld Phan Thiet, and my NovaWorld Phan Thiet review from 2023.

The project was under construction during my visit in September 2020.

[NovaWorld Phan Thiet tree planting.]

[NovaWorld Phan Thiet – Movenpick.]

[Novaworld Phan Thiet beach.]

Hai An Eco-Tourism Resort

Location: Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.

A reserved block of land for what translates as the Hai An eco-tourism resort project.

Tien Thanh Resort

Location: Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.

Two blocks of land on either side of the road. No signage on-site, but marked on Google Maps as “Tien Thanh Resort”.

Home Land Beach Resort

Location: Lac Long Quan, Tien Thanh, Phan Thiet.

South of the Tien Thanh Resort reservation is another reserved lot for the Home Land Beach Resort.

Ham Thuan Nam

Ham Thuan Nam is a rural district southwest of Phan Thiet. It has a long coast line with lots of great beaches, so it was only a matter of time before developers looked towards this part of the Binh Thuan coastline. It’s not as popular as the Mui Ne side, though there are some small hotels and resorts already here.

The name isn’t well known in the country, let alone internationally, so some of these developments have been marketing themselves as Phan Thiet. The landmark here is the Ke Ga Lighthouse (the oldest in Vietnam).

Thanh Long Bay

Location: Road DT719B Tan Thanh commune, Ham Thuan Nam district.
Website: thanhlongbay.vn

Thanh Long Bay is a resort/new urban development covering an area of 90.3 ha with a beach front of 1.7km. It includes resort villas, apartments, hotels, and shophouses.

Here is a full report on Thanh Long Bay.

The Farosea

Location: DT719, Thuan Qui, Ham Thuan Nam district.
Website: thefarosea.vn

The Farosea is a resort development on Tan Thanh Beach. The site is opposite the Tropical Ocean Villa & Resort, which is part of the project.

[Farosea and Tropical Ocean.]

Aloha Beach Village

Location: Thuan Quy, Ham Thuan Nam district.
Developer: greenreal.vn

Aloha Beach Village is a holiday resort and apartment project. When I visited (September 2020) the two rows of shophouses facing the main road were finished but unoccupied.

This is what it is projected to look like.

The area on the beachside was also closed when I visited.

La Gi

Queen Pearl Marina Complex

Location: Highway 55, Tan Phuoc commune, La Gi.
Investor: Vi Nam Construction – Trading – Service Company Limited.

Transport

Phan Thiet Airport

Location: Thien Nghiep, Phan Thiet.

The future Phan Thiet airport is located about 20 km from Phan Thiet city, but more crucially for tourists it’s located about 5km from the Mui Ne beach area.

The runway is 2,400 metres long, which is suitable for 737/A320 aircraft. The airport code is PHH.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2015, but the project has since stalled. This hasn’t stopped real estate speculation around the area of the airport site.

News
Phan Thiet airport to start construction in March – [06/03/21]

Work on Phan Thiet Airport to begin in 2020 – [12/02/20]
“Work on Phan Thiet Airport, which will be used for both civil and military purposes, in the south central province of Binh Thuan is set to begin in 2020.”

Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Expressway

It takes 3h 35m to travel the 180km from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet by car. Add a rest break and it’s 4 hours by car (and a bit longer by bus). That’s about 45 km/h, which is slow going.

There is a modern highway out of Ho Chi Minh City, but once you get to Long Khanh the road becomes two lanes.

This road is part of the national North-South Highway, which has been undergoing a gradual upgrade to a minimum of four lanes. The Dau Giay-Phan Thiet leg is one of three sections that will be upgraded next, and work is scheduled to begin in 2020.

[Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Expressway (image via baobinhthuan.com.vn).]

This section is 98km, making it about 55% of the road from HCMC. An upgraded highway should bring the journey down to under 3 hours.

Phan Thiet Railway

The Saigon-Phan Thiet Railway is one of only branch lines off the main North-South Railway (the other being Quy Nhon).

At present there is a daily direct service from Saigon to Phan Thiet which takes 3 h 44 m for the 185 km journey (that’s 49.55 km/h).

There have been many plans over the years to update the national railway, which would be of great benefit to Binh Thuan Province. If a high-speed railway is ever built then it would put Phan Thiet within a commutable distance to Ho Chi Minh City. Those villas being marketed as second homes would become feasible weekenders.

Read more about the Vietnam high-speed railway project.

News

Province cancels urban area project to protect mangrove forest – [29/10/22]

Former Bình Thuận Province officials disciplined – [27/04/22]
“…the provincial People’s Committee and many organisations, as well as individuals, violated the Party’s regulations and State laws in land use and management and the implementation of several projects, leading to many officials and Party members, including senior officials of the province being arrested.”

Dau Giay – Phan Thiet expressway takes shape – [06/05/21]
“After seven months of construction, the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022.”

Novaland partners Michael Dukakis to promote $5-billion tourism city – [18/11/20]
“The Vietnamese property developer continues to approach the world’s leading consultants to hasten the development of the mammoth NovaWorld Phan Thiet tourism city.”

Binh Thuan eager to restore Ke Ga tourist resort – [01/09/19]
“Over the last two decades, the Ke Ga tourist resort in Binh Thuan Province was completely destroyed by the construction of a port project by Vinacomin (TKV). However, after canceling this project, Binh Thuan Province rushed to re-kick off the old tourism project once again, to attract similar investments, especially tourism resort projects with the target to recover and restore the beautiful beaches in this area.”