Ha Tien

Ha Tien is a seaside town in Kien Giang Province in Southern Vietnam. It is at the west end of the Mekong Delta close to the Cambodian border. Although a tourist spot, it doesn't see many western visitors due to its remoteness. == Get in == === By bus === 1 Ha Tien Bus Station (southeast of the city center, a bit outside, 20,000 dong by motorbike taxi). (updated Dec 2023) There are buses from Ho Chi Minh City's Mien Tay terminal; Futa Buslines and Kumpho Samco Buslines operates modern coaches leaving HCMC regularly 06:30–23:00 (170,000 dong). The journey takes about 8 hours. There are also buses from Can Tho and Chau Doc. The connection from Can Tho often requires a change in Rach Soi or Rach Gia from where it is about 1 hr. ==== From Cambodia ==== From Phnom Penh Champa Mekong Travel serves Ha Tien (US$12). The journey take 4½–6 hr. You will be required to change 3 buses (in Kampot and after the border crossing, the last two buses will be without air conditioning). From Kampot you can take a bus or minibus to Ha Tien. Champa Mekonk runs Buses at 10:30, 13:30 and a later bus (US$8). On the Vietnamese site another minivan will wait for you to bring you to the office of the travel agency in Ha Tien just in the middle of the town center. Whenever travelling the whole way to Ha Tien by bus (as in the latter two cases), the driver or a guy from the company will collect your passport before border crossing and do the process at both borders for you. He will carry it until all procedures end. People that travel on their own may pass the border more quickly. It may make more sense to travel using local transport and tuk-tuks. To get to the border from Cambodia you can also ride a bus or van or hire a motorbike taxi from Kampot (US$8), Kep (US$5), or Kampong Trach (US$5). The road can vary in condition from paved and bumpy to packed dirt and bumpy, be prepared for a slightly white-knuckled ride depending on the daring nature of your driver and the road can also be very dusty in the dry season. Also, be aware that there seem to be Vietnamese drivers now waiting well inside the Cambodian side waiting to pickup (poach) prospective travellers to take them across the border into town. Your driver may stop here to talk with them and seem to suggest you go with them. A ride to town should be US$3-4 or less — it is only 7 km and the road is well paved on the Vietnamese side. If you can't agree on a price there, you can simply have your Cambodian driver take you to the border where you can cross over and have the drivers on the other side fight over you. == Get around == The centre of town is easily walkable with Tran Hau the main commercial street running along the seaside between the big bridge for road traffic (Cau To Chau) and the former pontoon bridge for pedestrians (Cau Phao, removed in early 2007). Moto drivers are found at various strategic points all over town. Any journey in town is no more than 20,000 dong, e.g., to the ferry port, or bus station. To the border, 40–50,000 dong. There are also two main metered taxi companies, the omnipresent Mai Linh, and Ha Tien Development Corp. It is possible to rent motorbikes by the day (approximately US$6) or pedal cycles (approximately US$2) at several locations in town. == See == Get one of the tourist maps where the locations of the cave temples are indicated. Chua Tam Bao is probably the best of the temples Chua Giai Thoat Tinh Xa Ngoc Ho Plenty of small hidden Chinese temples, scattered all over town, often down small back streets. The Mac Cuu Family tombs, set on a sprawling hillside at the end of Mac Cuu Street. At the border with Cambodia (actually in Cambodia) are 6 casinos. Only one sizable one, the others smaller gambling dens featuring mainly Chinese games. === Beaches === Mui Nai is a seaside resort that has a tiny but sandy beach on offer (2,000 dong entrance fee). == Do == A nice and easy bicycle ride can be done by first going to Mui Nai then continuing along the Cambodian border until finally ending up in Ha Tien again. On the way there's a barrel-shaped hill with a temple inside (entrance: 2,000 dong). Ha Tien Vegas, Hà Tiên, Vietnam International Border Prek Chak (across the border from Hà Tiên in Cambodia), ☏ +84 1688 977 977. 24/7. Hop over to the Cambodian side to visit, this casino/hotel. The entertainment resort has more than 100 slots, over 40 table games, Internet gaming and a Sports Book. For non-gamblers, Ha Tien Vegas Hotel provides a luxury hotel complemented by 24/7 room service, Chinese and international dining venues/cafes. Offers 24-hour shuttle service from the hotel and casino to downtown Hà Tiên. == Buy == There are several large markets in Ha Tien on the riverfront. Near the road bridge over the Dong Ho inlet is the fish, meat, and fruit market and also a large new covered market for clothes and household goods. In the evening there is a large night market, which springs up around the old market hall. This is in Tuan Phu Dat, which is opposite the Ha Tien floating restaurant on the Dong Ho inlet. Very cheap good quality clothing, also souvenirs and costume jewellery. Some food stalls in the old market hall also. Kayak Rental. Off the 28 near the coast you can easily rent kayaks for 80,000 dong. It's the best way to gain access to breathtaking views of the area. == Eat == There's a cheap and delicious eatery (around 20,000 dong/dish) on 47 Mach Thien Tich halfway between Chi Lang and Mach Cuu. Look for the two woks on the sidewalk. An English menu is available. Try the stir fried squid with cucumber. Dinner only. Along the waterway on Tran Hau there are numerous open air eateries serving various fresh seafood every night. Squid, snails, and other seafood/shellfish available here. Pho 66 is a recommended pho place on the east side of town on To Chau just south of Chi Lang. Ha Tien Fresh Seafood. Right on the beach is a great local seafood restaurant with a very private upstairs area overlooking the coast. == Drink == Metro 88. Poolside entertainment. Oasis Bar, 42 Tuan Phu Dat Dong Ho, ☏ +84 77-3701553. 09:00-21:00. Expat running the bar serving cold beer in cold glasses for less than 20,000 dong each. Also the only place where you can get cocktails, spirits and gin & tonic. They also serve coffee. 4,000-40,000 dong. == Sleep == There is no shortage of options for accommodation in this town. It seems that every other building is either a Khach San (hotel) or a Phong Tro (a place that has rooms to rent). The epicentre of sleeping options can be considered the area delimited by Tran Hau, Mach Thien Tich, and Chi Lang Streets. Bao Tam near the central market has air-con/hot water rooms/TV for 170,000 dong. Very clean. Hai Yen, 15 To Chau, has probably the best rooms in town for the price. The superior rooms (200,000 dong) are huge, have balcony and a good view onto Dam Dong Ho (the bay). From 150,000 dong. Viet Toan, 74 Chi Lang, is one of the best budget places. The staff is very friendly and one of them even speaks some English. The rooms are decent and come with TV (lucky if you get anything in English though), fridge, private bathroom and fan or air-con. In 2017 the price for a fan room was 150,000 dong. == Go next == === Cambodia === Crossing the border into Cambodia: as of May 2024, online e-Visas is not accepted at Prek Chak International Border Check Point, so you will have to pay US$35, for an on-arrival visa. Visa touts will ask for US$38 to expedite the process but it's no faster as you will still need to x-ray baggage and scan fingerprint at passport stamping booth. The health official next door may ask you for a US$1 fee, but again, just keep saying that you know there is no fee and he will also back down. Travel agencies in Ha Tien including ones right by Ha Tien ferry port, can arrange minibus to Kampot for US$19. Process: Vietnam minivan takes you to Prek Chak border at which point you cross the border on foot, then on Cambodian side you switch to a Cambodian minivan the continue the journey, ending at Champa Mekong Travel and Tours agency on street 724 Kampot. In Cambodia the most accessible places are: Kep, Cambodia is the first town over the border in Cambodia. The quickest and easiest way to get there is by motorbike. It shouldn't cost more than US$6-7 to hire a motorbike that will take you to the border crossing, wait for you to get the paperwork and stamps, and then deliver you to the guesthouse of your choice in Kep; this will take about 1½ hours in total. The motorbike guy may try to take you to certain guesthouses where they get a commission. The other way to get to Kep is via minivan; you can buy the ticket at the Tourist Agency opposite Ha Tiên Mekong Travel (The street opposite the floating restaurant, alongside the Old Market Hall-which is now a mini-supermarket) for US$9 per person (Jan 2020). The minivan departs at 12:00 every day. Kampot: it takes around 2 hours via motorbike. You can take a minivan - you can buy the ticket at the Tourist Agency at "Oasis Bar" for US$12 per person. The minivan departs at 12:00 every day. or Vintrip agency by the port. Phnom Penh: to get here by bus will require one change of vehicle in Cambodia. === Vietnam === Phu Quoc — Ha Tien is one of the two ports that serve this island along with Rach Gia. Two ferry companies serve this route, Superdong and Phu Quoc Express which have about 6 departures daily, trip taking 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min, cost about 230,000 dong, arriving on Bai Vong port on Phu Quoc, at which point there are free electric buses going to the town (Duong Dong or Dương Đông). A large car ferry takes slightly longer than the small fast ferries, and berths in Phu Quoc in the NE corner. Costs 165,000 dong and 100,000 dong for a motorcycle. The boats are reasonably modern fast ferries. Can Tho — The fare to Can Tho is 180,000 dong, distance 210 km. Ho Chi Minh City — Kumpho Samco Buslines has frequent coaches going to Ho Chi Minh City (170,000 dong)