Into the heartland

      With a rich history, Cham ruins, stunning beaches and quiet getaway spots, Binh Dinh Province is a magical travel destination. Get there while it's still a secret
Most Vietnamese people consider Binh Dinh Province as the spiritual home of martial arts. If you go there, your friends might warn you to take care. Even the women are said to know martial arts.
If you know something of the province's history, perhaps it comes as no surprise that people there are seemingly born with a fighting spirit.
Nguyen Hue, who later renamed himself Quang Trung when he ruled Vietnam as king, was born and raised in the central province.
His illustrious military career makes for astonishing reading. He defeated a string of local warlords, overthrew the Le Dynasty, drove out a 50,000-strong army invading from Siam as well as a colossal army serving under the Qing Dynasty from China - an achievement that has been described by the historian Spencer C. Tucker as the 'first' Tet offensive and the greatest military achievement in Vietnam's modern history.
About 40km northwest of Quy Nhon City you will find the Tay Son Temple, which was built in honour of Quang Trung and his two brothers, and next to this is the Quang Trung Museum.
Undoubtedly, the Quang Trung brothers were skilled in martial arts. In fact they invented a martial system called Hung Ke Quyen - a technique which uses the movements of a rooster!
Now Binh Dinh is well-known for a type of liquor called Bau Da, which is named after a place in An Nhon District.
Along with Lang Van liquor in the North of Vietnam and Go Den liquor from the South of the country, in the past Vietnamese poets ranked Bau Da as one of the best liquor in the land.
The history of Binh Dinh Province is closely linked to the history of the Champa civilization. Today Cham people form the province's largest minority.
The Champa civilization once occupied most of central Vietnam. In 980 the Cham abandoned their capital of My Son and relocated to the city of 'Vijaya' - known as Do Ban to Vietnamese. Do Ban remained the capital of Champa for the remainder of the civilization's existence.
Remnants of the royal citadel can be found in Nhon Hau Commune of An Nhon District, just 20km north of Quy Nhon City. The citadel was also the headquarters for the Quang Trung brothers' force before the Tay Son uprising. During the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century, the citadel was destroyed again.
Across Binh Dinh, there are numerous Cham ruins scattered around. The most outstanding among them are the Twin Towers in Quy Nhon City, the Silver Tower in Tuy Phuoc in Tuy Phuoc District and the Duong Long Tower (or the Ivory Tower) in Tay Son District.
These Champa temples might have lasted longer, if materials hadn't been removed to construct other projects, such as the Thap Thap Pagoda in Nhon Hau Commune.
Nature has however been kind to the province's coastline, which boasts dozens of tranquil beaches. In the peninsula city of Quy Nhon, the stunning Queen's Beach stretches across a picturesque rocky bay.
Its association with royalty is not just in name. Early last century, the beach was reserved for the exclusive use of Queen Nam Phuong, the wife of the last Vietnamese man to sit on the throne, King Bao Dai.
Northeast of Quy Nhon City is Thi Nai, the biggest lagoon in Binh Dinh Province. It is home to a number of fisheries and small fishing villages, which burst into life when the boats return at the end of the day.
At Ham Ho in Tay Son District, two hours drive from Quy Nhon, a river winds for 3km through the jungle and over wonderful rock formations. It's a wonderful spot and legend has it that this is the place where the King of the Water holds an annual contest to choose the fish that will be transformed into a dragon.
It's no wonder, backpackers and travellers whisper over coffee or beers that Binh Dinh is among the best-kept secrets in Vietnam.