Adventures In Nha Trang
This past week we decided we needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh and head up north to the beach town of Nha Trang. Nha Trang is a very popular destination for its sandy beaches and water sports.
I was surprised by how many Russian tourists flock to this beautiful coastal town, but after a few days, I could see why. If you are in Vietnam it is a great place to come unwind, bask in the sun, and refresh yourself in the bay’s cool water.
If you are a seafood lover you will need to head on over to “Thap Ba” street, here you will find many local shops that serve up fresh lobster to make both your tummy and wallet happy. Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices. One place initially quoted us 1,000,000 Vietnamese Dong per Kilo for a lobster, so we decided to shop around and we got it down to 500,000 per kilo a few places down the street. It was so tasty and well worth the money.
There is no short supply of hotels, bars, restaurants, and activities to suit various tastes. Although you can find a cheap flight, we decided to try the sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City which took around 10 hours and only $25 per person round trip. We booked our hotel through Agoda, this is my go-to site for decent accommodation in Asia.
Fun In The Sun: Vinpearl Resort
While In Nha Trang we also made our way to the famous resort Vinpearl on Hòn Tre Island. The large resort has a water park, amusement park, and a large 5-star hotel. For me, the best part was that although many of the rides are a little dated in comparison to big modern amusement parks, there was no wait time. If you don’t get a room in Vinpearl, you can still have a full day’s access to all the facilities and pristine beaches for around $25. The $25 includes the 10-minute cable car ride over to the resort, which makes for some great panoramic views.
Water Sports In Nha Trang
If you are a water sports enthusiast you should really consider taking a snorkeling or scuba diving tour. Our tour started at 9 a.m. and went until 3 p.m., it included three different spots for snorkeling and a delicious Vietnamese lunch served on the boat all for $16 per person.
My wife enjoyed herself so much, that she wants us to come back and stay at least a month. I can’t blame her, we might just have to do that, but first, we still have a lot more exploring to do in this amazing country.
Below are some of my favorite shots for the week. I took them with my mirror-less Samsung NX300, hope you enjoy them.
Main Tourist Attractions in Nha Trang:
- Yangbay Waterfall
- Chùa Long Son (Long Son Pagoda- literral: The Dragon Mountain pagoda or White Buddha Pagoda)
- Alexandre Yersin Museum
- Monkey Island
- Nha Trang Booze Cruise (All you can Drink Party Boat)
- Magical Mystery Tour Nha Trang
- Boat tour on Cai River, visiting islands off the coast and Ba Ho Waterfall
- Cai River Minigolf & Restaurant & Marina
- Palace of Emperor Bao Dai
- Thap Ba Hot Spring (Lady Tower Hot Spring)
- Nha Phu Lagoon
- Hoa Lan Stream (Orchid Flower Stream)
- San Beach
- Hòn Tam Island (Silkworm Island)
- Vinpearl Cable Car
- Hòn Mun Island (Ebony Island)
- Hòn Con Se Tre Island (Bamboo Sparrow Island)
- Hòn Ông Island
- Dao Yen Island (Swiftlet Island)
- Hòn Tre Island (Bamboo island)
- Suoi Do Stream
- Suoi Tiên Stream (Fairy stream)
- Hòn Bà Mountain
- Tháp Bà Pô Nagar Nha Trang (a Champa Tower)
- Nha Trang Oceanography Institute
- Chánh Toa Church (or Mountain Church)
- Nha Trang Pasteur Institute
- Trí Nguyên Aquarium (an aquarium where hundreds of rare oceanic species are fed)
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