Michael Batson

Hà Tiên is an old provincial city in southern Vietnam (Việt Nam). It’s been described as a feng shui masterpiece of land, water, and wind tucked away in the most southwestern corner of Vietnam just over the border from Cambodia. It’s a coastal city and a jumping off point for Phú Quốc, Vietnam’s largest island and tourist mecca. Most of the city is on the western bank of the Giang Thanh River, crossed by the bridge which bears the city’s name, a modern structure replacing the old pontoon bridge which had existed for years. There is even talk of a road link to Phú Quốc, which would replace the fleet of ferries moored along the river’s banks. With its laidback charm, shophouses, and cooling sea breeze Hà Tiên has earned the nickname of Pearl of the Mekong Delta.You can get to Hà Tiên from Ho Chi Minh City or elsewhere across the Mekong Delta by bus or bprivate car, by boat from Phú Quốc (90 minutes away), or by land from Cambodia. The city has a lot of hotels, but most tourists don’t stop there and just pass through on their way to the beaches of Phú Quốc. I came from Kampot in Cambodia: a trip of about two hours involving two buses, two drivers, a bunch of mainly French tourists, and across two border crossings you must walk, about 500m apart.Downtown Hà TiênTo get from Kampot to Hà Tiên one route is through seaside Kep or Krong Kaeb (pronounced “Kipe”). Kep is both a town and a province. Kep Province is both the smallest and least populous province in Cambodia and