Car/Motorcycle

There is no airport in Phan Thiet, so the only way to get there is by road or rail from Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang. The fastest way to get to Phan Thiet is to hire a private car and driver in Ho Chi Minh City (Figure around US$70). The scenic 200 km drive takes about 3-4 hours, depending on traffic, weather and your driver.

Train

Phan Thiet is served by Muong Man Station, about 12 kilometers outside town. From there you can board a train to Saigon or Hanoi. If you decide to arrive by train, call ahead to your hotel and arrange to have someone pick you up at Muong Man Station. Many readers have complained of arriving at the station expecting a connecting train, or a taxi, or the magic fairy - none of which materialized. Call ahead, or be prepared for a long, uncomfortable wait.

Bus

Remember, friends don't let friends take buses in Vietnam! While useful as mile markers when they're broken down along the highway, buses are not a good form of transportation here. A better alternative is minibus. Numerous companies offer service between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang that will drop you in Phan Thiet. The Sinh Cafe minibus costs US$8 from Saigon or from Nha Trang. Call ahead to your hotel and it will arrange for transportation to meet the bus. (Coco Beach Resort charges US$6 per person from town to the resort. Others are similar.)