Ca Na

During the 16th century, princes of the Cham royal family would fish and hunt tigers, elephants and rhinoceros here. The best of the beach is just off Hwy 1, a kilometre north of the fishing village. It’s a beautiful spot, but it’s tough to ignore the constant honking and rumble of trucks.

The terrain is studded with magnificent prickly-pear cacti. Bright yellow Lac Son, a small pagoda on the hillside, makes for an interesting but steep climb.

If you stay here, be aware that there are no banks or ATMs and absolutely no one accepts credit cards.

Ca Na Hotel ( 068-376 0922; www.canahotel.com.vn; r 200,000-350,000d) is a small hotel with eight bungalows and a further 12 rooms in the ‘motel’ building. Accommodation here is rarely patronised, though its huge roadside restaurant (meals 50,000d to 120,000d) is always busy.

•  Getting There & Away

Ca Na is 114km north of Phan Thiet and 32km south of Phan Rang. Most long-haul buses cruising Hwy 1 will drop off or pick up people here. Local buses from Phan Rang (18,000d, one hour) head to Ca Na fishing village – ask to be let out on the highway and catch a xe om for the last kilometre.