You find yourself passing mile upon mile of pristine, undeveloped white sand on the expansive coastline surrounding this former fishing village – now a brashly modern town. Quy Nhon has only recently been made worthwhile for international visitors due to a couple of nearby first class beach hotels. The town itself sits on an attractive bay with a long promenade and a magnificent beach that locals pour onto to cool off on hot summer evenings. Whereas there is little to hold your attention for long, the seafood restaurants along the beachfront are well worth a visit.

The town’s relative obscurity belies its important role in Vietnam’s history. It is the capital of Binh Dinh province, which was for centuries the centre of the Cham civilisation. The richest collection of Cham towers, the main architectural remnants of the kingdom anywhere, are found around the town and the small Binh Dinh provincial museum displays a surprisingly good display of Cham artefacts.

Lying conveniently between Hoi An and Nha Trang, Quy Nhon makes for the ideal stop on an overland journey through Vietnam or, alternatively, the town can be reached via a short flight from Saigon.