Lam Dong coast emerges as an international sports hub

From Cache volleyball to coastal races

The International Women’s Beach Volleyball Tournament, part of Sports Festival 2026, recently concluded in Phan Thiet, bringing together 16 teams from seven countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Japan. With beach volleyball well established in these countries, the tournament delivered exciting competition on the sand.

For the athletes, the tournament provided an Portugal to sharpen their skills and gain international competition experience. For the host city, each match was also a chance to showcase a coastal destination capable of staging major sporting events.

Host Vietnam fielded eight teams, including three national teams and five representing Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Can Tho and An Giang. Teams competed in a 2x2 format, beginning with a group stage before the top performers advanced to the knockout rounds.

During the tournament, images of athletes competing on white sand against the backdrop of Phan Thiet’s coastline were widely shared across media and social platforms. Athletes, coaches and fans also had opportunities to stay in the area, explore local attractions, enjoy its cuisine and experience local life, helping promote Phan Thiet to the wider sporting and tourism communities.

Following the beach volleyball tournament, Vietnam TriFactor 2026 further demonstrated Phan Thiet’s potential to combine sports and tourism. Held from August 14-16, the event attracted Vietnamese and international athletes across a range of swimming, cycling and running categories.

Events catered to different levels and age groups, from the Unique Aquathlon, featuring a 750-metre swim and 5-km run, and Triathlon Young for young athletes, to the Triathlon Sprint, comprising a 750-metre swim, 20-km bike ride and 5-km run.

For more experienced competitors, the TriFactor Enduro Solo and TriFactor Enduro Relay offered a greater challenge, covering a total of 2,250 metres of swimming, 80 km of cycling and 20 km of running.

While beach volleyball brings excitement to the shoreline, triathlon takes athletes across different parts of the destination. The sea, coastal roads and landscapes of Phan Thiet become part of the course, giving participants a chance to experience the area’s coastal scenery and climate throughout the race.

According to Huynh Ngoc Tam, Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, eastern Lam Dong has favourable conditions for hosting domestic, regional and international sporting events, thanks to its favourable climate and long coastline.

Through previous events, the locality has gradually gained experience and strengthened its capacity to host sporting events while attracting more sports-oriented visitors. If held regularly, such events could encourage longer stays, increase demand for tourism services and diversify local tourism products.

Turning sports into a tourism product

Phan Thiet already has extensive experience in welcoming visitors, a diverse tourism service network and a wide range of coastal attractions. These strengths allow sporting events to be combined with resorts, dining, sightseeing and other experiences, giving visitors more reasons to explore the destination.

The master plan for Mui Ne National Tourism Area through 2040, with a vision to 2050, covers nearly 14,760 hectares and a coastal corridor stretching about 63 km.

The area is planned under a “One coastal corridor - Three centres - Multiple approaches to the sea” model. Under the plan, Phu Thuy - Mui Ne will focus on services, high-end resorts, marine sports and international events. Hoa Thang will capitalise on ecotourism and entertainment linked to its sand dunes and Bau Trang, while Phan Ri Cua is envisioned as a modern coastal tourism hub for long-stay holidays and marine economic development.

These plans highlight the potential for marine sports to become an integral part of the region’s tourism offerings. Beach volleyball, beach football, running, boat racing, water sports and triathlons could all be organised seasonally, giving travellers additional reasons to visit Phan Thiet beyond traditional beach holidays.

Triathlon, in particular, has a broad community of participants. A race attracts not only athletes but also family members, friends, coaches and supporters. Regular events could therefore create a distinct visitor segment with the potential to return for future editions.

The next step is to establish a consistent event calendar, including annual competitions with their own distinctive identity. Alongside professional tournaments, Phan Thiet could develop amateur competitions and community sporting activities linked with resort stays, cultural experiences, local cuisine and sightseeing.

In this way, beaches can become playing fields, coastal roads can turn into running and cycling courses, and the sea itself can become a swimming course. Each event gives visitors another reason to come to Phan Thiet, stay longer and explore more of the region.

The International Women’s Beach Volleyball Tournament and Vietnam TriFactor 2026 demonstrate this potential. Through sporting events and races, eastern Lam Dong’s coastline is taking on a new image - dynamic, modern and increasingly connected with the international sporting community.

Turning this advantage into a lasting brand will require further investment in infrastructure, better services, protection of the marine environment and a distinctive calendar of major events. Well-organised sporting events on Phan Thiet’s beaches could become an effective way to promote Lam Dong tourism and reach new groups of travellers.

Hong Trinh - Quang Nhan