Where does Phan Thiet fish sauce stand now the province is called Lam Dong?

On 1 July 2025, Binh Thuan — the province famous for the seaside city of Phan Thiet — officially became part of the new Lam Dong province. The news surprised many people and raised a question: what becomes of Phan Thiet fish sauce, a century-old name tied to this stretch of coast, now that it has “moved house” to a new address?

Phan Thiet fish sauce – the soul of the sea, beyond any calendar

Administrative boundaries have changed; Phan Thiet fish sauce has not. To the people who buy it, “Phan Thiet” is not a line on a map but an image: fishing villages along the coast, the smell of fresh anchovy, the deep aroma of fermenting sauce.

As local people put it: “Whatever the province is called, to us it is still Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, Binh Thuan fish sauce — nobody is going to call it Lam Dong fish sauce.”

That is plain evidence of the lasting value this name carries.

Two centuries of sun, wind and open sea

Making Phan Thiet fish sauce is a craft more than 200 years old, known for its traditional fermentation, which uses the dry, sunny climate to produce a clear, straw-gold sauce with a sweet finish. In 2007 the product was granted protected geographical indication status, and it has been a source of local pride ever since.

More than 100 producers carry the craft on today, taking Phan Thiet fish sauce to markets far beyond the province.

Hai Quyen – a representative name in traditional Phan Thiet fish sauce

Among the producers keeping the craft alive, Hai Quyen is a name many customers trust. With a fermentation method handed down over generations, fresh anchovy from the waters off Phan Thiet and close attention at every stage, Hai Quyen makes a bottle with a rich flavour that holds on to the character of the sea.

Quality is not the whole of it. Hai Quyen also ties the product to the culture around it: visitors to Phan Thiet can tour the Hai Quyen workshop, follow the process and hear the stories of the fishing village — food and travel meeting in a way that stays with people.

Challenge and opportunity after the change of name

A new provincial name is a challenge for brand recognition. It is also a chance for producers like Hai Quyen to make the point that a brand does not rest on an administrative place name; it rests on quality and on the trust of its customers.

It even gives Phan Thiet fish sauce a fresh story to tell — the story of a name that can move house on paper and keep its flavour exactly where it was.

In closing

The province may have a new name, but Phan Thiet fish sauce lives on for Vietnamese people and for friends abroad. With dedicated producers such as Hai Quyen, every drop will keep travelling further, standing as a culinary and cultural emblem of this central coast — whatever the map says.

Anh Bay Lang Chai.