Northern Central Vietnam Hà Tænh

Despite the fantastic array of beaches and sights nearby, Hà Tænh has not yet caught the attention of the tourist industry. As a result, there are few English-speakers and no English menus in town. Though Hà Tænh is not incredibly tourist-oriented, travelers should not shy away from the challenges of this enjoyable coastal city. Amazing undeveloped beaches, a peaceful mountaintop pagoda, and an enormous lake nestled in the forest are attractions that are by far worth the hassle. More importantly, the amiable and receptive people of the city want nothing more than totake travelers to dinner and karaoke. Hà Tænh is a great town—it won’t be long before tourists realize it.

Transportation. Hà Tænh is only accessible by bus. The bus station is across from the post office on Tr<n Phú. Buses leave irregularly every 15-45 minutes 6am-7pm for: ·ng Hà (4-5hr.; 40,000-60,000); ·ng Høi (3hr.; 20,000-40,000); Hà Nÿi (7hr.; 60,000-80,000); H·ng Lænh (40min.; 10,000-15,000); Hu\ (6hr.; 50,000-70,000); Vƒ Quang (2hr.; 20,000). These buses, as well as those going to smaller provincial cities, can be flagged down anywhere along Hwy. 1. Open-tour buses to Hà Nÿi (40,000-60,000) can be booked at the Hà Tænh tourist office on Tr<n Phú and at many hotels. To get a taxi, call Taxi Hà Tænh (☎896 896).

Orientation And Practical Information. While most of Hà Tænh is centered on Highway 1 (called Tr<n Phú in town), the town also branches east toward the ocean along Phan ình Phùng and a few smaller, parallel roads. The Hà Tænh tourist office, 9 Tr<n Phú, lies to the left of Bình Minh Hotel. The friendly, English-speaking staff provides brochures and information on the various sights of the province, as well as the available modes of transportation. (☎853 610; vkchi2008@yahoo.com. Open M-F 7-11am and 2-5pm.) To change currency and get AmEx/MC/V cash advances, head to Vietcombank, 11 Phan ình Phùng, 50m down the street from Tr<n Phú. (☎821 202 or 857 002. Open daily summer 7-11:30am and 2-5:30pm, winter 7-11:30am and 1:30-5pm.) A 24hr. ATM hides behind the bank. For pharmaceutical needs, you can go to Nhá Thu®c So Lu, 97 Phan ình Phùng, where no one speaks English, but there is a good selection. (☎856 559. Open daily 6am-8pm). Or head to the town market, where vendors are ready to heal your aches and pains. The bus station and the post office, 4 Tr<n Phú (☎855 312; open daily summer 6am-10pm, winter 6:30am-9:30pm), face each other along the highway. Accommodations and foodaf accommodations and food. So far there are only a handful of hotels (all specializing in hosting conventions) in all of Hà Tænh. The helpful, English-speaking owner at Hotel Bình Minh 1, 9 Tr<n Phú, 50m from the post office is the town’s budget steal, providing affordable, comfortable, and fully equipped rooms with air-conditioning, TV, fridge, and private bath. (☎857 890; fax 857 857. Breakfast included. Singles with two twin-beds 80,000; twin-bed doubles 155,000; double-bed doubles 300,000. Reserve well in advance.) Budget travelers can try to negotiate a discount at Tñn Giang 2, 25 Nguy[n C®ng Tr, which has comfortable rooms and a friendly staff. Relatively bare singles, doubles, and triples (140,000-160,000) have air-conditioning and TVs. (☎857 063 or 855 583.) Next door is the Thành Sen 3, 23 Nguy[n C®ng Tr, offering similar lodging at slightly higher prices. The walls are somewhat marked up but the doubles are spacious and the singles comfortable and clean. (☎855 706. Singles and doubles 150,000.)

Though overflowing with refreshment stands and some delicious ph and c£m shops, there isn’t much in the way of culinary choice in Hà Tænh. Decent food can be ordered at the restaurant on the ground floor of Hotel Bình Minh 2. (Entrees 10,000-30,000. Open daily 6am-9pm.) A sweet snack called c™ do, made of peanuts, honey, and rice paper—vaguely reminiscent of Cracker Jacks—is a specialty of Hà Tænh. The tasty snack can be bought all along Hwy. 1 and in the market. Popular shops and refreshment stalls that remain busy into the night line the left stretch of Phan ình Phùng, near its intersection with Tr<n Phú.

Shopping And Entertainment. The Ch Hà Tænh on Nguy[n Chì Thanh is a shabbily erected and sprawling warehouse that sells food, clothing, accessories, and even medicine. (Open daily from dawn until dusk.) You can reach the market by making a right from Phan ình Phùng onto Nguy[n Chì Thanh about 1.5km south of Tr<n Phú. Locals teenagers frequent the karaoke shops along Nguy[n Bi_u from 8-11pm every night. If you meet any young adults, you will likely end up in a karaoke shop, where you pay by the hour. Most karaoke shops offer a small booklet of English songs if you ask the manager, so tune up those vocal chords and get ready to sing like a Vietnamese popstar.

Daytrips From Hà Tænh. If you’re looking to escape into relatively undisturbed natural beauty, you need not travel far from Hà Tænh. Several white-sand beaches, a surreal mountaintop pagoda, and a nature reserve are all within a day’s travel. Though most are best done as daytrips, some offer overnight accommodations for those who wish to lengthen their peaceful retreat.

 Thåch Hâi Beach. Lying 12km east of Hà Tænh, Thåch Hâi is the perfect getaway for a day or just for a quick swim. Though not as popularly acclaimed as Thiˆn C<m beach , Thåch Hâi, with its crystal-clear waters, is certainly just as beautiful. Not (yet) a resort, the white shore stretches along a green forest, with merely a few beach volleyball courts, scattered refreshment stands (coconut milk 6000), and seafood restaurants serving fresh clams (20,000-30,000) and crabs (about 100,000 per kg). These stands and restaurants are concentrated at the mouth of the road leading to the undeveloped beach. Come in the late afternoon to see a spectacular sunset and watch locals (who avoid the sun during the day) enjoy the beach at night. You can rent bathing suits (5000) and lockers (8000) at any of the main restaurants along the beach. The drive there is pretty fantastic; watch as the landscape changes from city to rice fields to forest to lakes to sandy beach. (The beach is 30min. from Hà Tænh and costs 20,000-25,000 each way by motorbike. To reach the beach on your own, turn south down Phan ình Phùng and continue down the road 1.5km until a blue billboard on your right invites you to head right on Nguy[n Chi Thanh for 12km.)

 H™£ng Tích Pagoda. Situated in Thien Loc village, 15km northwest of Hà Tình, H™£ng Tích Pagoda (“Pagoda of Fragrant Traces”) lies atop Ngàn H#ng mountain. Not merely a tourist attraction, the pagoda remains a site of pilgrimage for local Buddhists, whose signs of worship—freshly burned incense and gifts of food—are impossible to miss. The oldest shrine rests at the peak of the mountain trail, where it is carved into the stone itself; a newer pagoda has been erected at the foot of the steps that lead to the original place of worship. This one is more ornate in design, decorated with intricate golden carvings and Chinese letters—an echo of the time when Vietnam lacked its own written language. Though worthwhile in and of itself, the pagoda is only a part of this impressive site. Once you reach the launch point of the visit, the journey begins with a short boat trip on the lake (20,000 per person one-way) that brings you to the base of the mountain path. The owner of the boat may try to overcharge you, but make it clear when bargaining that you can forgo the boat trip by heading to the steps that lie to the right of the launch point, traversing the side of the mountain on foot (1km). However, the boat trip through the placid Ho Nhá ™£ng Lake is a fitting beginning for the journey to the tranquil and remote pagoda. After the boat ride, climb past picturesque rivers and dense forest to a statue of a Buddhist monk atop a Ddragon emerging from a small pool of water. As the climb continues, the steps become progressively steeper, and the views of the lake and surrounding forest become progressively more spectacular. This hike, however, is not for the faint of heart. Just the ascent to the top can take anywhere from 1-3hr., and the final 250m is incredibly steep. Visitors are advised to bring sunscreen, tennis shoes, and water; try to avoid a midday climb, when the blazing sun burns the rocky steps. While the pagoda itself is very beautiful, the hike is the highlight of the daytrip. Those hardy souls undaunted by the trek should continue past the old altar along a slippery dirt path to the peak of the mountain. (Boats run daily 7am-5pm. To reach the launch point of the boat, head north out of Hà Tænh on Hwy. 1 for about 12km until you spot a blue sign on the right urging you to take a right and follow the small, poorly paved road for 5km to H™£ng Tích. Two more turns along the way are both very well marked with blue signs. A motorbike with driver will cost around 30,000 one-way. Arrange pickup in advance.)

Kë G! Lake. Just 13km south of Hà Tænh lies the beautiful and undeveloped natural reserve of Kë G! Lake. Spanning 350m and at points 50m deep, the gorgeous, freshwater lake is surrounded by forest-topped mountains. Developers are planning to make some of the area surrounding the lake into a tourist health resort, but for now, a walk along the perimeter of the lake leads you out of earshot far away from the minimal construction and landscaping that has taken place. Sandy shores and rocky walls provide relaxing and strangely romantic hideaways, and easy hikes through the forest feel peaceful and secluded. Though there are no lifeguards at the abandoned resort, both swimming and water sports are allowed in its clear, sea-green waters. Visitors should make sure to bring an umbrella and sunblock; there is no place, save the forest, where you can escape the punishing sun. If you plan on staying a while, bring plenty of food and water, as there are no vendors and most often no tourists disturbing the solitude of Kë G! Lake. (No public transport goes down the narrow paved path that leads to this lake. To reach Kë G! by motorbike, head south on Hwy. 1 for about 1km until you reach a sign for the reserve. Take a right, and continue on the path for 12km until you come to a small bridge. Just before the bridge, head right and up the very small incline until you see the enormous, breathtaking lake. A motorbike with driver costs about 30,000 one-way. Arrange a pickup in advance.)