Sơn Tây Citadel, Vietnam

In Son Tay Town, Ha Tay Province, about 40km from Hanoi City. Body of the wall was built of hard sandstone with one gate on each side.

Sơn Tây Citadel was built by King Minh Mạng in 1822 to defend the western gateway to the city of Thăng Long (Hà Nội). Constructed mainly from laterite, the four-sided citadel featured a 1,303 metre perimeter with a 4.4 metre high wall, surrounded by a 20 metre wide moat. The foundations of various buildings may still be seen within the complex. The structure was almost completely destroyed by the French in 1883, leaving only the north and south gates standing. While the north gate has been restored unsympathetically using concrete, the south gate remains almost intact.

Each corner of the citadel was armed with cannon. Furthermore, there is the Kinh Thien Palace - the rest house of the king, residences and offices of provincial leaders, warehouses, and troop camps. Due to time and the effects of war, parts of the ancient wall were destroyed. Measures to prevent and restore this historical relic have recently been implemented.

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Cherating beach in Pahang

The old Cherating Village has a blend of the modern and traditional. A stretch of road about 1km long runs parallel to the beach, dotted with charming and comfortable chalets, many of which face the beach front.

Cherating has the perfect combination of great surf, a wide stretch of white-sandy beach, a wealth of accommodation, dining choices and a classic surfers' nightlife scene. Surfers linger for days and even months in this small enclave to catch the best waves and chill out with fellow surfers, exchanging the day's conquests at one of the chic bistros or bars.

In fact, "Surfers' Haven" has long been the description of old Cherating Village since the 70's. Each year, surfers from around the world return to Cherating to test out the surf and catch up with local acquaintances. Cherating beach is immaculate and breath-taking. So much so that Club Med decided to build its first Asian base right here. And surfers take the opportunity to have local friends take them through some of the most charming rural villages along the coast and soak in the gorgeous scenery along the way.

The best time to wind surf and surf is between November and December.

How to get there

By Road
Cherating is a 3.5-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur via the scenic route to the east coast. There are buses to Kuantan departing daily from Kuala Lumpur. From Kuantan, there are regular bus and taxi services to Cherating. Alternatively, take a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Dungun or Kemaman in Terengganu, which is north of Pahang, and disembark at Cherating.

By Air
Malaysia Airlines operates daily flights to Kuantan. From the airport, Cherating is just 45 minutes away.
Who to contact
For more information, please contact Pahang Tourism Action Council. (Majlis Tindakan Pelancongan Negeri Pahang). Phone : +(609) 517 1111 / 1112. Fax : +(609) 514 6900. Website: www.pahangtourism.com.my

Accommodation Overview
Cherating started off as a backpacker's haven many years ago. These days, however, the range of accommodation has widened considerably to include everything from basic backpacker's hostels to 4-star hotels.

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