Prepare to be hit with the pungent aromas of Phan Thiết's famous fish sauce as soon as you alight in this bustling port city on the edge of the South China Sea. Its marina is a hubbub of bobbing boats that glow in vibrant hues of Neapolitan ice cream - jostling for space along a happening promenade walk where fish sellers and coracles are all crammed between the eateries. In fact, it is the coastal location that keeps Phan Thiết firmly on the tourist radar, especially as the blustery bays and luxurious resort hotels of Mui Ne keep beckoning around the headland. Go there for sunbathing sessions, kitesurfing, and trips to the striking landscapes of the Red Dunes and White Dunes that lurk a little inland. The heart of the city has Phan Thiết tour guides who can show you the enthralling shrine-museum mashup at Van Thuy Tu Temple, where hulking whale skeletons are on display. And it's possible to ride the ferry out to the needle-like Ke Ga lighthouse, which comes ringed with white beaches and boulder-studded coves.