Looking at a visitor concentrating on a sculpture, I set aside my intention to make her acquaintance and ask her feelings about the Cham Sculpture Museum, which stands silently facing the Han River in the central coast city of Danang. Like the others, she stopped for a long time at every Cham sculpture to read the historical notes. I understood that was not a time for talk as she was indulged in the world of Cham sculpture.

Central Vietnam is endowed with many stunning attractions, especially the area from Quang Binh Province to Quang Nam Province where UNESCO has recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Hue ancient city, Hue royal music, My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An ancient city as world heritage sites. The region’s beaches, especially in Danang and Quang Nam and on Cham Island, are splendid. Ba Na Mountain and the Truong Son Mountain Range are both magnificent and legendary.

Binh Thuan Province welcomed 2.2 million tourists in 2009, up 10% year-on-year, including 222,000 foreigners, up 13.7% year-on-year, most of them from Russia, China and Sweden. The province gained nearly VND1.9 trillion, up by 32.8% over 2008.