# Phan Thiet Water Tower > The Water Tower (Tháp nước Phan Thiết) is Phan Thiet's symbol: an octagonal tower about 32 m tall with a three-tiered roof on the Ca Ty riverbank, built in 1928–1934. You can't go inside; it's free to view from outside, by day or at night when it's lit. Twenty minutes is enough. It's 20–30 minutes by Grab from Mui Ne, with Duc Thanh School next door. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/phan-thiet-water-tower - City: [Phan Thiet](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet), Vietnam - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 20 min - Opening hours: Outside — any time; lit in the evening - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; viewed from outside, no access inside - When: By day, or in the evening when it's lit - Time needed: 15–20 minutes; up to an hour with a riverside walk - Where: Left bank of the Ca Ty River, central Phan Thiet - From Mui Ne: ≈ 20–25 km, 20–30 minutes by Grab - Nearby on foot: Duc Thanh School — 500 m; Van Thuy Tu whale temple — about 900 m - Coordinates: 10.92879, 108.10002 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1928–1934** — built under the French to supply water to the residency and townspeople (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **≈ 32 m** — tall; the shaft is a regular octagon 9 m across (source: MIA.vn (citing the Binh Thuan Provincial Museum)) - **350 m³** — of water held in the 5 m octagonal tank at the top (source: MIA.vn) - **Souphanouvong** — a Laotian prince, then a student at the Lycée Albert Sarraut in Hanoi, drew the design (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **U.E.P.T** — Usine des Eaux de Phan Thiet — letters made of porcelain shards around the tank (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Ưng Du** — a contractor from Hue who won the tender against two French and one Vietnamese bidder (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Emblem** — the tower appears on the former Binh Thuan province emblem and on local company logos (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **7:00 and 17:00** — a siren once marked the start and end of the working day; it's no longer used (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) ## What is the Phan Thiet Water Tower? The **Water Tower** (Tháp nước Phan Thiết, known locally as **Lầu Nước** — 'the water pavilion') is Phan Thiet's best-known landmark. It was built on the left bank of the **Ca Ty River** in **1928–1934** as part of a French plan to supply water to the colonial residency and the townspeople. The design is credited to the **Laotian prince Souphanouvong**, then a student at the Lycée Albert Sarraut in Hanoi. The builder was **Ưng Du**, a contractor from Hue. The tower no longer supplies water and is now a protected provincial monument. ## What to look for - **The three-tiered roof** with upturned corners, like a pagoda — French engineering in Vietnamese dress. - **The letters 'U.E.P.T'** around the tank — Usine des Eaux de Phan Thiet, set in shards of old porcelain. - **Ventilation windows** with characters for happiness, prosperity and long life. - **An iron door** on the west side that replaced one of the character windows. - **The reflection in the river** from the opposite bank and the bridge. - **The evening lights** on the tower and bridge over the water. ## Size and structure According to the Binh Thuan Provincial Museum, as quoted by MIA.vn, the tower rises about **32 m**. The shaft is a regular **octagon 9 m** across, topped by a **5 m octagonal tank** holding **350 m³** of water. It was built with care: the gravel was washed five times and the sand three, and the formwork boards were planed smooth so the concrete came out clean. That's why it has stood by the sea for almost a century without serious damage. ## How to get to the Water Tower 1. **From Mui Ne and the Nguyen Dinh Chieu resorts** it's 20–25 km west — 20–30 minutes by Grab or taxi. Search for "Tháp nước Phan Thiết". 2. **From the Po Sah Inu towers** it's about 7 km, 10–15 minutes by car. 3. **From Phan Thiet station** it's about 10 minutes by Grab. 4. The tower stands on the Ca Ty riverbank in the centre; the best view is from the bridge and the opposite bank. 5. On foot from here: Duc Thanh School is 500 m away and the Van Thuy Tu whale temple about 900 m. ## When to go and how long you need **15–20 minutes** is enough for the tower itself. It's prettiest **at sunset and after dark**: warm light on the yellow render, then the lights come on and reflect in the river. Mornings are cooler, with less traffic on the riverside road. Combine it with a walk around the centre: Duc Thanh School, the Van Thuy Tu whale temple and the Ca Ty riverside are all within 10–15 minutes on foot. ## Is the Water Tower worth visiting? Yes, if you're in central Phan Thiet or passing through: it's the city's symbol, free and lovely in the evening, with two more sights next door. The YesGo take: you can't go in, and there's 15 minutes' worth of looking. It's not worth a special trip from Mui Ne on its own. Pair it with the whale temple, Duc Thanh School and dinner by the river. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Going at sunset to catch the lights - [ ] Photos from the bridge and the opposite bank - [ ] Nearby: Duc Thanh School and the Van Thuy Tu whale temple - [ ] Dinner on the Ca Ty riverside - [ ] Grab back to Mui Ne — 20–30 minutes ## Phan Thiet history: compare and choose Historic sights in Phan Thiet and Mui Ne rated by YesGo. - [Phan Thiet Water Tower](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/phan-thiet-water-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · free (outside only) - [Duc Thanh School](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/duc-thanh-school) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free - [Van Thuy Tu Whale Temple](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/van-thuy-tu-temple) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 15,000 VND, children ≈ 5,000 - [Po Sah Inu Cham Towers](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/po-sah-inu-towers) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · About 10,000–15,000 VND - [Ke Ga Lighthouse](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/ke-ga-lighthouse) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · boat ≈ 40,000–100,000 VND, climb ≈ 10,000–35,000 ## Central Phan Thiet in an evening The Po Sah Inu towers at sunset, then the Water Tower, Duc Thanh School and the Van Thuy Tu whale temple. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Po Sah Inu Cham Towers](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/po-sah-inu-towers) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · About 10,000–15,000 VND 2. [Phan Thiet Water Tower](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/phan-thiet-water-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · free (outside only) 3. [Duc Thanh School](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/duc-thanh-school) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free 4. [Van Thuy Tu Whale Temple](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/van-thuy-tu-temple) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 15,000 VND, children ≈ 5,000 ## Good to know The Phan Thiet Water Tower (Tháp nước) is in the city centre. The Po Sah Inu towers (Tháp Pô Sah Inư) are ancient Cham temples on a hill on the road to Mui Ne, 7 km away. ## Tips - The best shot is from the bridge over the Ca Ty at night, with the reflection. - Look for the porcelain U.E.P.T letters under the roof. - There's no way in — don't waste time looking for an entrance. - The riverside has plenty of cafés with views of the water. - 500 m away: [Duc Thanh School](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phan-thiet/duc-thanh-school). ## Questions ### When was the Phan Thiet Water Tower built? In 1928–1934, under the French. ### Who designed the Water Tower? The design is credited to the Laotian prince Souphanouvong, then a student in Hanoi. ### Can you go inside? No, it's viewed from outside, free of charge. ### How tall is the Water Tower? About 32 m, with a 350 m³ tank at the top. ### How do I get there from Mui Ne? 20–25 km, 20–30 minutes by Grab or taxi. ### When is the best time to visit? At sunset and in the evening, when it's lit. ### What's nearby? Duc Thanh School (500 m) and the Van Thuy Tu whale temple (about 900 m). ### Is the Water Tower worth visiting? Yes, as part of a walk around the centre; not worth a special trip from Mui Ne on its own. ## How we checked There's no official website. The 1928–1934 dates, designer and contractor are from Vietnamese Wikipedia; some guides say 'late 19th century', which is wrong, so we leave it out. The 32 m height, diameter and tank are from MIA.vn, quoting the deputy director of the Binh Thuan Provincial Museum. Evening lighting is based on guidebook photos, with no published schedule. Walking distances are OSRM routes: 517 m to Duc Thanh School and 925 m to Van Thuy Tu. ## Sources - Vietnamese Wikipedia — Tháp nước Phan Thiết: construction dates, designer, contractor, U.E.P.T inscription, purpose, siren - MIA.vn (01.01.2025) — height, diameter, tank, ventilation windows, construction methods (citing the Binh Thuan Provincial Museum) - Wikidata Q10825861 — coordinates; OSRM route — distances to Duc Thanh School and Van Thuy Tu - YesGo general facts for Vietnam — Grab --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.