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May to September is the beach season at Sầm Sơn, with warm water but also hot and crowded weekends. October to November is mild and drier. Winter from December to February is cold and grey, and the sea is rough. Typhoons can hit between July and October.

• Citadel of the Ho Dynasty is a stone citadel built in 1397, with massive limestone walls and gates. It was listed by UNESCO in 2011.
• Sầm Sơn Beach is the main beach at the resort town, with a long promenade and seafood restaurants.
• Làng nghề đúc đồng Chè Đông is a village known for bronze casting.

Pù Luông Nature Reserve, in the west of the province, has rice terraces and homestays. See Pu Luong.

• Walk the Citadel walls: The south gate is the best preserved.
• Swim at Sầm Sơn: The beach is busy in summer, with lifeguards in marked zones.
• Eat seafood on the promenade: Fresh squid, crab and fish.
• Visit a bronze village: See traditional casting.
• Take a trip to Pù Luông: Terraces and homestays in the hills.

• Pu Luong: Pù Luông is about 3 hours west of the city by road.
• Ninh Binh: Ninh Bình is the next province north, about 1 hour away.
• Hanoi: Hanoi is about 3 hours north.
• Nghe An: Nghệ An lies to the south.

• North: Ninh Binh and Hanoi are the main tourist centres.
• West: Pu Luong has the terraces and forest.
• South: Nghe An is the next province.

• By train: Thanh Hóa station is on the north–south line. Vietnam Railways
• By road: Buses and cars run along Highway 1 and the expressway from Hanoi.
• By air: Thọ Xuân Airport has a few domestic flights.
• To Sầm Sơn: Buses and taxis take about 30 minutes from Thanh Hóa city.

• Taxi and ride-hailing: Available in Thanh Hóa city and Sầm Sơn.
• Motorbike hire: Good for the Citadel and the coast.
• Bicycle: Flat roads suit cycling around Sầm Sơn.

• Is a car worth it? For the Citadel, Sầm Sơn and Pù Luông, a car or motorbike is the easiest.
• Roads: Highway 1 is busy. The expressway from Hanoi is faster.
• Summer weekends: Traffic to Sầm Sơn is heavy.

Thanh Hóa food is hearty. Try nem chua, fermented pork rolls, chả tôm, fried shrimp rolls, and fresh seafood at Sầm Sơn. Local rice cakes and sweet snacks are common gifts.

Thanh Hóa is safe for visitors.

• Swim only in marked zones at Sầm Sơn. Currents can be strong.
• Typhoon season runs from July to October.
• The beach is crowded in summer. Keep valuables close.
• Agree prices for seafood before ordering.
• Use sun protection.

Thanh Hóa has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is the home of the Đông Sơn bronze culture. Several dynasties, including the Later Lê and the Nguyễn lords, came from the province.

In 1397 Hồ Quý Ly built the stone citadel of the Hồ Dynasty as a new capital. The dynasty lasted only seven years, but the citadel survives. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 2011.

Quick practical facts for Vietnam at a glance: