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Phu Yen
Area: 5,060.6 sq. km.
Population: 873.3 thousand habitants (2006)
Capital: Tuy Hoa City.
Districts: Dong Xuan, Song Cau, Tuy An, Son Hoa, Tay Hoa, Dong Hoa, Song Hinh, Phu Hoa.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Cham, Ba Na, E De.
Introduction: Geography, Tourism, Transportation.
Attraction:
- Historical & Cultural Vestiges: Da Trang Pagoda, Nhan Tower.
- Scenic Landscapes: Da Dia Rapids, Ro Bay and Natural Preservation Area.
Geography
 Situated in South-Central Coast, Phu Yen shares border with Binh Dinh Province on the north, Khanh Hoa Province on the south, Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces on the west and East Sea on the east.
The terrain is divided into two main area including mountain, hill, plain and more than 100km seaside.
Phu Yen has a quite diversified resources of land, forest, sea, rivers, lagoons, bays such as Cu Mong, Xuan Dai bays, O Loan, Vung Ro lagoons, Ba, Ky Lo, and Ban Thach rivers. Phu Yen owns Da Rang Bridge, the longest one in Central Vietnam
Climate: Influenced by ocean climate, the weather here is hot with high humid and lots of rain. Annual average temperature is 26.5ºC.
Tourism
Phu Yen has beautiful landscapes following: Nhan Tower on the northern bank of the Da Rang River. This was a place of  worship for the Cham people dated in the late 11th to the early 12th centuries.
On the north, visitors are able to swim in My A Beach (Long Thuy), an incredibly beautiful beach with white sand and clear water under the shadows of coconut trees, or discover O Loan lagoon, Hon Chua, Hon Yen islands, Tien Beach, Da Trang Pagoda, and discover Da Dia Rapids with special 35,000 stone columns. On the south, there are Vung Ro Port, Ro Bay and Bac Deo Ca Natural Preservation that has rich of flora and fauna. The west of Phu Yen is Krong Trai National Preservation and Go Thi Thung Vestige. The most famous seafood dish form in this area is grilled blood clam.
Transportation
Tuy Hoa City is 120km from Nha Trang, and 561km from Ho Chi Minh City and 1,156km from Hanoi. National Highway No.1A and North-South Express Train run throw the province and stop at Tuy Hoa City. There are two flights a week from Ho Chi Minh City to Tuy Hoa Airport .
Attraction
1) Historical & Cultural Vestiges
Location: Tu Quang Pagoda is located on the slopes of Da Trang Mountain in An Dan Commune, Tuy An District, 20km north of Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province.
Characteristic: Tu Quang Pagoda (also Da Trang Pagoda) was built in 1797, under King Quang Toan of the Tay Son Dynasty. It is one of the most well-known pagodas in Phu Yen Province.
Founded by Buddhist monk Huy Phap Chuyen of the Lam Te faction, the pagoda is currently run by the tenth generation of Lam Te Buddhist monks.
Facing the Cai River, it stands on an area approximately 100m high, which was once the capital of Phu Yen Province in the 17th century. There is a treacherous road paved with stepping-stones leading to the gate of the pagoda. The pagoda was honored by the emperor in 1889, and burnt to a cinder in 1929. It was then rebuilt with funds raised by numerous Buddhists from provinces throughout central Vietnam. In 1988, the sanctum of the Da Trang Pagoda was restored.
Behind the sanctum is a tower yard and a worshipping house for ancestors. The towers are carved with ornamental images, including the four sacred animals (dragon, unicorn, turtle, and phoenix). Surrounding the pagoda is an ancient green garden of mango trees. The Da Trang mango is a special product of Phu Yen known for its sweet smell and delicious taste.
Location: Nhan Tower is near to Nhan Mountain, on the northern bank of Da Rang River, close to National Highway 1A in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province.
Characteristic: The tower has quadrilateral shape with four stories; the fourth story is smaller than the first one.
Nhan Tower was worship place of ancient Cham people in dated in the late 11th to the early 12th centuries. The tower is 20m high; each side of the foot tower is 11m long. The middle gate sharp is with monsters on the top. This top is special one because it was harmoniously combined with the pyramidal symbol with linga symbol; one of Cham’s worships. During the French domination, the tower was nearly ruined. At the end of the year 1960, the tower was rebuilt by the administration of Diem’s regime. Nowadays, there is only a flat stone with the high of 1,30m and lotus flower carved at the foot of the stone. At the foot of Nhan Mountain, there is another stone on which were 3 ancient letters (the same Phan letter). The stone has square shape; each side is 5m wide. Nhan Tower is a symbol for the architectural art of Cham in Phu Yen Province.
2) Scenic Landscapes
Location: Da Dia Rapids is located in An Ninh Dong Commune, Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province.
Characteristic: It is strangely structured rocks include large upright stones equally arranged in a star pattern.
Ghenh Da Dia (or the Cliff of Stone Plates) is a baffling and beautiful riddle of Nature, and set in stone for all time. It’s like a giant jigsaw, irritatingly  made of the same shaped pieces, and forming a solidified structure that has proved more than just a curiosity for thousands. Looking down on it, visitors often liken it to a gigantic beehive, others as a pile of stone plates. For despite a lengthy series of historical, archeological and scientific probes of the cliff’s square kilometer, its formation remains a mystery. Even counting the stone columns has failed to yield an exact figure as exhausted researchers usually call a halt at around 35,000.The stones are 60-80cm in visible height and 20-30cm across and cluster round a small fresh water pond that is fed by underground rivers and never dries up. Not surprisingly researchers find intriguing - and perhaps frustrating - comparison between.
The rapids have been listed as a National Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information.
- Ro Bay and Natural Preservation Area
Location: Ro Bay is in the south of Phu Yen Province, 25km from Tuy Hoa City on the National Highway 1A.
Characteristic: Surrounded by the Hon Ba Mountains, Ro Bay is an enclosed bay that is so deep it can receive ships weighing more than 10,000 tons.
It is definitely one of the most beautiful seaside landscapes of Central Vietnam. Along the coast, there are small, beautiful and attractive beaches, such as Hon Mua Beach. Next to Ro Bay is a Natural Preservation Area, north of Ca pass, which is a protected forest stretching across the Vong Phu Mountains. The forest, which covers an area of 8,780ha, has rich flora and fauna, including 191 species of plants, 22 animal species, and 55 species of birds. Some precious and rare animals, such as pheasants, red-faced monkeys, Tibetan bears, Malayan bears, pangolins, and panthers, also live in the forest.
(Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) |
