Ca Na

Introducing Ca Na

During the 16th century, princes of the Cham royal family would fish and hunt tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses here. Today Ca Na (pronounced kah nah – not like the site of the biblical booze-up) is better known for its white-sand beaches which are dotted with huge granite boulders. The best of the beach and accommodation is available right on Hwy 1A, a kilometre north of the fishing village. It’s a beautiful spot, but it’s tough to ignore the constant honking and rumble of trucks. The payoff, however, is an almost complete lack of hassle from the friendly locals.

The terrain is studded with magnificent prickly-pear cacti. Bright yellow Lac Son, a small pagoda on the hillside, makes for an interesting but steep climb. Further afield, Tra Cang Temple is about midway between Ca Na and Phan Rang. Unfortunately, you have to sidetrack over an abysmal dirt road in order to reach it. Many ethnic Chinese from Cholon visit the temple.

If you stay here, be aware that there are no banks or ATMs and absolutely no-one accepts credit cards or travellers’ cheques.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009