Thứ Năm, 29 tháng 10, 2015
Nha Trang: Arriving & Departing
By plane: The airport serving Nha Trang is a relatively new international airport in nearby Cam Ranh Bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_Ranh... ) which is approximately thirty minutes drive from Nha Trang. Other major international airports in the area are those in Hanoi and Saigon, but both of these are considerably far enough away from Nha Trang to make direct flight in to them more of a hassle than a convenience despite the fact that flights to these larger locations are often less expensive.
At the moment (April 2009) you have connections from Nha Trang to HCMC (Saigon), Da Nang and Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines. The cheaper "jetstar" might be an alternative, but does not operate on low season.
Upon arrival: Traveler who do opt to head to these bigger airports will likely wish to rent a car to get to Nha Trang. Travelers flying in to Cam Ranh Bay Airport will probably find that it is not necessary to get a car, as taxi to Nha Trang from Cam Ranh Bay fixed price: 380,000VND), depending on your bargaining skills.Outside the airport wait the green "Malinh Group" taxis which are more reliable than others, cos rip-offs onT the way from the airport have increased a lot.
Another alternative is the airport bus that you book at the desk next to baggage claim (inside the small airport arriving hall). It is around 35.000 VND (~2 USD) and brings you to the old airport inside Nha Trang, where you can change to a local taxi. (sounds first more complicated but besides saving some bucks, you avoid unfair rip-offs where tourists are asked to pay >30USD thanks to faked and adjusted taximeters: These stories happen mostly on the longer route from the airport)
By train: Travelers who are making Nha Trang one stop on a Vietnamese trip may find that the train is the most convenient method of getting to the area. Most commonly, these travelers come through Ho Chi Minh, taking an overnight train to Nha Trang. Length of the train journey and bus trip is comparably the same: around 8hours from HCMC (Saigon).
By bus: Travelers like those taking the train may find that the bus is better for them, if only because it is even less expensive than the train. Travelers can get in via Ho Chi Minh (coming from the South) or Hoi An / Da Nang (if coming from the North). The bus from HCMC to Nha Trang either goes via Dalat (mountains) or Mui Ne (beach) and has several small stops. Therefore the shedule of the bus is not always in time compared to the train (for example 10 or 11hours instead of planned 8 hours). Anyhow the bus stops in HCMC, Mui Ne, Nha Trang are always central in town and therefore you might save a bit of time on the way to your hotel compared to train. The bus also picks you up at your hotel in Nha Trang or Mui Ne.
Markets
Get ready to bargain
Bustling, hustling Xom Moi Market (Cho Xom Moi) is the hub of downtown Nha Trang. Here you’ll see locals shopping for fresh fruits, vegetables and daily household items. The experience is very raw and very real and your neck will be sore as you crane it at every interesting sight (and smell). Activity kicks off early so roll out of bed at 06:00 if you want to see it busy. There are also some great local eats in and around Xom Moi — grab a breakfast bowl of pho or try Nha Trang speciality bun ca, a simple noodle soup with rice vermicelli, fish broth and fish filet and/or fish paste meatballs.
Xom Moi market is located at Ngo Gia Tu and Huynh Thuc Khang, west of To Hien Thanh. Open 06:00-18:00. Venture to Xom Moi for a more laidback local experience than Dam Market.
Say “Yes!” to Abibas shoes.
Part local market, part tourist souvenir market, Dam Market (Cho Dam)contains everything you never knew you wanted. The two-storey concrete beast contains just about everything: sunglasses, fake flowers, paintings, cell phone covers, shoes, bags, fabric, wallets, watches, selfie sticks, back scratchers, and if you’ve bought too much, luggage. This is a tourist market so you’ll have to bargain hard to avoid exorbitant prices. The dried seafood section is especially popular with domestic tourists – Nha Trang is famous for its dried squid, shrimp and fish – but unless you want to be haunted by the smell for the rest of the day, avoid getting stuck in that laneway. Like Xom Moi, to catch any local action head there early.
Cho Dam is located in the north end of the downtown core, east of 2 Thang 4. Open 06:00-18:00. If you don’t want to take a taxi, the white and blue city bus #4 (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) gets you within walking distance of the market. Find the bus stops along Nguyen Thien Thuat. Bus runs 05:35 to 19:00, costs 7,000 VND per ride. Write down “Cho Dam,” show the fare collector and they should let you know when to get off the bus.
Get your fruit on.
The night market located smack dab in the tourist centre is a dazzling display of all that is plastic and cheap. It’s worth a look and a wander but don’t expect anything knock-your-socks-off special or handmade. Here you can find branded merchandise of the latest animated film characters, T-shirts, hats, bags, Hello Kitty, souvenirs galore and novelty items. It seems nothing says “I’ve been to Nha Trang” more than a rubber chicken.
Bring your dong.
Blind massage
Get ironed out
Walk through the tourist centre and you’ll come across several places touting blind massage. The Blind People Light Centre at 12 Hong Bang came highly recommended by a local who goes there at least once a week and swears by it. Indeed, most of the patrons are locals who seem comfortable and at home as they get kneaded by a blind masseuse. An hour's body massage costs only 70,000 VND and it feels like a hybrid between Thai-style pressure points and being tenderised like a tough steak, from your scalp all the way to the toe joints. The strokes are vigorous and they use hot stones too.
The facilities are modern but basic and the no-nonsense massage means little regard for exposing your bits and bobs to the person laying next to you – ensure they draw the privacy curtain at the start. If you’re sensitive in certain areas, most of the masseuses understand basic massage-speak in English so let them know if it is too hard, soft or needs to be avoided. There’s a lockable drawer under the bed for your belongings. We noticed our masseuse did not change our sheet after use. Bringing your own sarong would not be a bad idea. Still, for 70,000 VND, you can get rid of the aches from that long sleepless bus ride.
The facilities are modern but basic and the no-nonsense massage means little regard for exposing your bits and bobs to the person laying next to you – ensure they draw the privacy curtain at the start. If you’re sensitive in certain areas, most of the masseuses understand basic massage-speak in English so let them know if it is too hard, soft or needs to be avoided. There’s a lockable drawer under the bed for your belongings. We noticed our masseuse did not change our sheet after use. Bringing your own sarong would not be a bad idea. Still, for 70,000 VND, you can get rid of the aches from that long sleepless bus ride.
More details
Blind People Light Centre, 12 Hong Bang St, Nha Trangmassagenguoimuhoalu@gmail.com
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-22:30
Long Son Pagoda
Big Buddha
Long Son Pagoda (chua Long Son) is a multilevel Buddhist temple gracefully rising along a hill. Stairs first lead to the main temple decorated with mosaics and a separate prayer hall, then up past a bell temple, a reclining Buddha and finally a large, white 14-metre Buddha statue. From here there’s a good view of the city.
We were lucky to hear monks and nuns chanting at 10:00 and it was a pleasure to sit on a bench in the shade and listen to their voices ring through the hall. Unfortunately Long Song Pagoda can be a less than spiritual and peaceful experience with women and girls selling incense and postcards. There have been instances where visitors are approached by a person wanting to guide or give advice for “free” that turns into an aggressive demand for money, and even a wallet or phone snatching. Politely and firmly refuse it at the beginning if you don't want it. Entrance is absolutely free and no donation is required – if you want to donate, privately put money into the donation box and never hand it to someone claiming they are a monk or working for the temple. Watch your belongings carefully, especially while taking photos. Also, signs asking for appropriate dress in the main temple seem largely ignored by tourists -- please don't be one of them. It’s a pity that one of Nha Trang’s touted tourist attractions is not better protected or cared for.
Motorbike parking is 3,000 VND, bicycle 2,000 VND. Take a xe om or taxi. To make it a half-day of sightseeing using the 7,000 VND a ride public bus, from Nguyen Thien Thuat Street in the tourist centre, take the blue and white city bus #4 (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) north and get off at the roundabout at Thai Nguyen Street and Ly Thanh Ton. Stop to see the French Gothic cathedral (Nha tho Chanh toa Kito Vua) on the hill, completed in 1933. After admiring the elegant structure, walk west for one kilometre to reach Long Son Pagoda. Finally, find the bus stop on the same street and catch the #6 city bus (Cho Luong Son – Phia Nam) headed east. It will soon swing north, crossing Bong bridge directly to Po Nagar Cham Towers. Get off at the first stop after the bridge.
We were lucky to hear monks and nuns chanting at 10:00 and it was a pleasure to sit on a bench in the shade and listen to their voices ring through the hall. Unfortunately Long Song Pagoda can be a less than spiritual and peaceful experience with women and girls selling incense and postcards. There have been instances where visitors are approached by a person wanting to guide or give advice for “free” that turns into an aggressive demand for money, and even a wallet or phone snatching. Politely and firmly refuse it at the beginning if you don't want it. Entrance is absolutely free and no donation is required – if you want to donate, privately put money into the donation box and never hand it to someone claiming they are a monk or working for the temple. Watch your belongings carefully, especially while taking photos. Also, signs asking for appropriate dress in the main temple seem largely ignored by tourists -- please don't be one of them. It’s a pity that one of Nha Trang’s touted tourist attractions is not better protected or cared for.
Motorbike parking is 3,000 VND, bicycle 2,000 VND. Take a xe om or taxi. To make it a half-day of sightseeing using the 7,000 VND a ride public bus, from Nguyen Thien Thuat Street in the tourist centre, take the blue and white city bus #4 (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) north and get off at the roundabout at Thai Nguyen Street and Ly Thanh Ton. Stop to see the French Gothic cathedral (Nha tho Chanh toa Kito Vua) on the hill, completed in 1933. After admiring the elegant structure, walk west for one kilometre to reach Long Son Pagoda. Finally, find the bus stop on the same street and catch the #6 city bus (Cho Luong Son – Phia Nam) headed east. It will soon swing north, crossing Bong bridge directly to Po Nagar Cham Towers. Get off at the first stop after the bridge.
More details
23 Thang 10 St, Nha Trang (400m west of Nha Trang train station)Po Nagar Cham Towers
Relic of one of the great empires
Dating back to the 7th and 12th century, the Po Nagar Cham Towers are the best remaining Cham ruins in Vietnam (the other famous ruin is the temple city of My Son near Hoi An). It is believed that the Cham people descended from the Sa Huynh, who inhabited the same area from 1000 BC to the second century AD, when Cham culture began to develop. The empire’s golden age between the 6th and 15th centuries saw the kingdom span Vietnam, eastern Cambodia and Laos, and their highly desired precious metals, gem stones, spices and wood were traded across Asia and as far as India, the Middle East and North Africa. The empire eventually declined and was conquered in the struggle with the Khmer Empire and the Dai Viet kingdom.
The modest remains of an ancient powerful kingdom.
It’s a good idea to read up on the history, how Hindu and Islam became blended in with traditional beliefs and the current Cham ethnic minority population that remains in Vietnam and Cambodia or else you will probably not understand why you are visiting a pile of red bricks. Try Champa Ancient Towers: Reality & Legend by Ngo Van Doanh.
Sacred grounds.
The temple is dedicated to Yan Po Nagar, the goddess of the country. Four east-facing towers remain. The temple is still considered sacred and used for worship by Cham people but their language, practices, handicraft and religion are at risk of dying out due to government suppression.
View from the top.
Po Nagar Cham Towers is located on a hill north of the downtown core, directly across Bong bridge. There’s a great view of the water, decent toilets and of course, cold coconut water and souvenirs for sale. You can get there by bicycle, taxi or take the white and blue city bus #4 (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) headed north, 7,000 VND per ride. Grab the bus from the tourist centre along Nguyen Thien Thuat and let the fare collector know where you are going. You’ll be getting off at the first stop after the bridge, a few 100 metres east along Thap Ba Street.
Cheap and cool ride.
For a good half-day of sight seeing, you can combine Po Nagar Cham Towers with another important tourist site, Long Son Pagoda. From the front gate walk north a few blocks to the bus stop located at 168 Duong 2/4. Take the #6 city bus (Phia Nam – Cho Luong Son) southbound. It will take you back across Bong bridge through the city before heading west along Yersin to Long Son. Both city buses run until 17:00.
More details
Opening Hours: Daily 06:00-18:00Alexandre Yersin Museum
About the physician who discovered the cause of th
The Alexandre Yersin Museumprovides insight into the life and work of an unsung hero. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943) was a Swiss and naturalised French physician, bacteriologist and explorer of both the world we see and the microscopic one. Among his many accomplishments, he discovered the bacillus of the bubonic plague that made it possible to create a serum to fight the disease. Yersin came to call Nha Trang homeand founded the Institut Pasteur in Nha Trang, Hanoi and Da Lat, as well as the Faculty of Medicine in Hanoi.
Simple room of an important man in medical history.
Yersin’s connection to Vietnam and Nha Trang is an interesting one. After studying and making discoveries on tuberculosis and diphtheria in Paris along side Dr Emile Roux and Louis Pasteur, Yersin decided to travel and in 1890 became the ship doctor for a Far East shipping line. He took exploratory trips of the Annamite range (he is credited with “discovering” the Lang Bian plateau and what would later be Da Lat) before joining the medical corps, and was put in charge of a mission to southeast China where a plague epidemic had broken out with a 95% mortality rate. Under difficult circumstances he discovered the culprit bacillus Yersinia pestis, named in his honour. Yersin decided to settle in Nha Trang to make the serum to fight the disease in large quantities and eventually founded the city’s Institut Pasteur in 1895.
Yersin’s French passport — yes, this is what a passport looked like in 1919.
Yersin’s studies shifted to agronomy and he took to successfully solving a serious global shortage of quinine, needed for treating malaria, and introducing rubber trees to Vietnam to fund the Institute.
The air-conditioned museum takes you through his childhood, his research, travels and achievements. The informational signage is primarily in French, with English and Vietnamese translations in smaller text. A central room contains some of his furniture, instruments and library, which gives you a feel for the simple yet elegant home Yersin had in the fishing village of Xom Con. We particularly loved the old travel memorabilia and the evidence of Yersin’s obviously inquisitive scientific mind: He was the first in Southeast Asia to have a transmitting/receiving radio set, refracting telescope and car. He was also a fan of early aviation, using the Far East airlines as soon they became operational in 1932 (his first trip from Saigon to Marseille took a week).
Yersin’s Air France ticket, Paris to Saigon, May 30, 1940. The ticket lists the food and bar service available on the flight.
To this day he is remembered and respected in Vietnam. In 2014 he was recognised posthumously as an honorary citizen for his dedication to the country and there is even a Yersin Fan Club. Travellers who love history will appreciate the museum. To learn more, buy the booklet of his biography at the souvenir stand – it was the source for our description here.
Find the museum at Institut Pasteur de Nha Trang.
More details
8 Tran Phu Blvd, (ocean road) north end of downtown core at Institut Pasteur de Nha Trang, Nha TrangOpening Hours: Tues-Sat 07:30-11:30, 14:00-17:00
Mud baths
Natural therapy
Sitting in a tub of mud feels as odd as it sounds, but it has become a quintessential Nha Trang experience. The mud is purported to have all sorts of healthy, healing properties. There are four places to test out this theory, and the facilities include jacuzzis, mineral water swimming pools and other novelties for a full day hydrotherapy extravaganza. And for a laugh, how about an egg-themed park?
Therapeutic goo at Thap Ba.
If you believe the marketing, the salty mineral water and mud baths will remove dead skin cells, deposit minerals into your body, strengthen bones, increase “dieresis”, reduce stress and fatigue, relieve aches, pains, rheumatism and trauma, make your skin smooth and fine, reduce blood sugar, “help balance reduction in chloride” and aid with urinary tract issues – keep that one in mind as you sit in a tub with strangers.
Thap Ba at the end of a long busy day.
Thap Ba Hot Spring, six kilometres from downtown Nha Trang, is cheap and the most popular, which means it is usually crawling with people. A spot in a “collective” mineral mud bath (in other words, a shared tub of cold mud) is 150,000 VND. The reception will always try to upsell you on a private tub, 400,000 VND for one person, 600,000 VND for two. A private tub is a more civilised experience – though if you are in a communal tub, prepare to make civilised conversation with strangers and awkward polite apologies when you accidentally rub against their hairy legs. Baths are emptied after each round and there’s a big show to spray down the tubs, but if and how they clean the actual mud is a mystery.
Getting fresh and so clean.
Paying for a mud bath gives you access to some crowded swimming pools and artificial waterfalls. Lockers and towels are available for rent, and there are change rooms but when we went, they looked like about a thousand people had used them. It’s a good idea to bring flip-flops. To get to Thap Ba, take a xe om, taxi or if you’re on two-wheels, follow the signs and road leading north from Po Nagar Cham Towers.
Eggs gone wild.
If you want a more memorable experience, head to 100 Egg (Tram Trung), a park devoted to all things egg. The egg garden and egg-shaped pools make for egg-cellent photos. You really have to see this place to believe it. Not only is sitting in an egg-shaped tub of hot mud rather cute, the pools and facilities are cleaner, tidier and better organised than Thap Ba. Our mud was pleasantly warm too, and felt velvety rather than cold and gritty like in Thap Ba. Who knew there were so many subtleties to mud? 100 Egg claims the mud “softens skin to newborn baby softness” and we can testify, it’s strangely true! Group tubs are available, but we recommend splurging for a private egg.
Private huevo.
100 Eggs is six kilometres southwest of the city. There are free lockers, change rooms, showers and towel rental. It also has a restaurant, spa and egg-ccomodation (sorry we couldn’t resist). Paying for the mud bath gives you access to the pools. There’s a shuttle departing from Nha Trang Centre Shopping Mall (20 Tran Phu) at 08:55, 09:55 and 10:55, costs 10,000 VND. Return shuttle is at 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, costs 15,000 VND.
An egg-shaped oasis.
For a more upscale experience, i-resort is an eight kilometre drive from the city, or four-star Galina Hotel and Spa, which is the only one located downtown.
Mud therapy – 7/10
Thap Ba Hot Spring
15 Ng?c Son, Ng?c Hiep
T: (058) 383 5345
sales@thapbahotspring.com.vn
http://thapbahotspring.com.vn/en.php
Open daily 07:00-19:00
Mud baths start at 150,000 VND
15 Ng?c Son, Ng?c Hiep
T: (058) 383 5345
sales@thapbahotspring.com.vn
http://thapbahotspring.com.vn/en.php
Open daily 07:00-19:00
Mud baths start at 150,000 VND
100 Egg Mud Bath (Tram Trung)
Nguyen Tat Thanh Blvd, Phuoc Dong
T: (058) 3711 733
info@tramtrung.vnhttp://www.tramtrung.vn/
Open 08:00-18:00
Mud baths start at 150,000 VND
Nguyen Tat Thanh Blvd, Phuoc Dong
T: (058) 3711 733
info@tramtrung.vnhttp://www.tramtrung.vn/
Open 08:00-18:00
Mud baths start at 150,000 VND
i resort
19 Xuan Ngoc, Vinh Ngoc
T: (058) 3838 838
info@i-resort.vn
http://www.i-resort.vn/
Open daily 07:00-20:00
Mud baths start at 230,000 VND per adult
19 Xuan Ngoc, Vinh Ngoc
T: (058) 3838 838
info@i-resort.vn
http://www.i-resort.vn/
Open daily 07:00-20:00
Mud baths start at 230,000 VND per adult
Galina Hotel and Spa
5 Hung Vuong
T: (058) 383 9999
sales@galinahotel.com.vn
http://galinahotel.com.vn/g/mud-bath/tam-bun-tai-nha-trang
Open daily 08:00-21:00
Mud bath only, starts at 250,000 VND per adult
Last updated: 15th September, 20155 Hung Vuong
T: (058) 383 9999
sales@galinahotel.com.vn
http://galinahotel.com.vn/g/mud-bath/tam-bun-tai-nha-trang
Open daily 08:00-21:00
Mud bath only, starts at 250,000 VND per adult
Boat trips
Nha Trang’s famed (and infamous) activity
Anyone and everyone sells the “four island” boat trip to Mun, Mot, Mieu and Tam islands. A full day trip on a packed boat is as cheap as US$7, including lunch, transport and stops for sunbathing at beaches and an aquarium but no admission fees – expect to shell out dong for every optional stop: Tri Nguyen Aquarium 90,000 VND, Mun Island 22,000 VND, Tranh Mini-Beach 30,000 VND. Though snorkelling is one the touted activities, these cheap boat trips have rundown equipment and don’t go into the Hon Mun Marine Protected Area reef as it incurs park fees. If snorkelling is the main reason for your trip, you’re far better off joining a dedicated snorkelling excursion (see our section on diving and snorkelling).
“Boat trip” in Nha Trang is actually a synonym for “booze cruise” as the trip is more about drinking like a fish (and getting fried) than seeing fish. The Funky Monkey boat tour is extremely popular with backpackers. The trip runs from 8:30-17:00 and it includes stops at the floating bar and very memorable and fun live entertainment from the Funky Monkey Boy Band. It costs 200,000 VND per person; book through your hotel or visit their office at 75A Hung Vuong St (T: (058) 352 2426).
For an upscale, family-friendly experience, Emperor Cruises offers both overnight and day trips on their luxury junk exploring Nha Trang bay. The day trip is from 08:30-16:30 and all-inclusive, with seafood lunch, alcohol and snorkelling equipment, US$127 per person. Slightly more affordable but still a splurge is their sunset cocktail and dinner cruise from 17:00-21:00. We were quoted US$85 person and it includes unlimited cocktails, beer, wine and a five-course seafood dinner. They're at 8/6 Dinh Tien Hoang Street (T: (058) 352 7779).
We aren’t including coverage of boat trips to Orchid Island or Monkey Island (north of Nha Trang in Nha Phu Bay) because animal shows with elephants, monkeys, dogs and dancing bears are used as attractions.
Last updated: 11th September, 2015“Boat trip” in Nha Trang is actually a synonym for “booze cruise” as the trip is more about drinking like a fish (and getting fried) than seeing fish. The Funky Monkey boat tour is extremely popular with backpackers. The trip runs from 8:30-17:00 and it includes stops at the floating bar and very memorable and fun live entertainment from the Funky Monkey Boy Band. It costs 200,000 VND per person; book through your hotel or visit their office at 75A Hung Vuong St (T: (058) 352 2426).
For an upscale, family-friendly experience, Emperor Cruises offers both overnight and day trips on their luxury junk exploring Nha Trang bay. The day trip is from 08:30-16:30 and all-inclusive, with seafood lunch, alcohol and snorkelling equipment, US$127 per person. Slightly more affordable but still a splurge is their sunset cocktail and dinner cruise from 17:00-21:00. We were quoted US$85 person and it includes unlimited cocktails, beer, wine and a five-course seafood dinner. They're at 8/6 Dinh Tien Hoang Street (T: (058) 352 7779).
We aren’t including coverage of boat trips to Orchid Island or Monkey Island (north of Nha Trang in Nha Phu Bay) because animal shows with elephants, monkeys, dogs and dancing bears are used as attractions.
Vinpearl Land Nha Trang
Be amused
Ask any Vietnamese outside of Nha Trang what they know of the city and they will enthusiastically declare “Vinpearl Land!” Located on Hon Tre (Bamboo Island), Vinpearl Land Nha Trang is the Disneyland of Vietnam and to add to the excitement, you get there via the world’s longest oversea cable car (3,320 metres), included in the 600,000 VND general admission.
Similar to Disney, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Located in Nha Trang Bay, this 200,000 square metre amusement park is renowned throughout Vietnam and crowds swell with domestic tourists, especially during the school holiday months of July and August. This is whom the park caters to, so don’t expect a dazzling Disney-calibre experience (though funnily enough, Disney music plays throughout).
Some attractions are better than others — we passed on the trained monkey show and tacky shopping street — but at least there’s something for everyone. Rides are of the up and down or round and round variety and probably won’t blow your mind, yet it’s fun to watch locals be delighted. There’s a 3D cinema, games arcade and performances such as breakdancing troupes. By Vietnam standards, the whole park is quite well run and it’s a rubbish-free place to turn off your mind and stretch your legs without having to worry about being hit by a motorbike.
Weeeee!
It’s not a bad idea to get there early. The sweet, cheap way to get there is by the white and blue #4 bus (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) south bound. It is air-conditioned and costs only 7,000 VND per ride. Catch the bus along Nguyen Thien Thuat in the tourist centre – there’s a stop at 48D Nguyen Thien Thuat, right across from the Vietnam Airlines booking office. Bus runs every 15 minutes from 05:35 to 19:00. Take it to the end of the line.
Cheap and cool ride.
Queue for the cable car — sometimes visitors have to wait as long as an hour — and get whisked 60 metres above the sea, a 12-minute journey (note: if you look to the nine pillars lit up at night, you’ll notice they are mini Eiffel Towers).
Arriving in style.
The aquarium will please those who like interesting underwater creatures and reptiles. There are impressively sized tanks with turtles, colourful tropical fish, moray eels and rays. A moving walkway winds its way through a tunnel so you can watch enormous fish swim overhead.
“How did I get here?”
The highlight for many is the 50,000 square metre waterpark. The slides, a lazy river, wave pool and kids splash pad are a great way to cool down in scorching Nha Trang heat. The waterpark is included in the admission. Lockers and change rooms are available. There’s a small but lovely beach of clean white sand and sparkling waters with a view to the city skyline. Watercraft like jet-skis, parasailing and new-fangled water hoverboards can be rented.
Vinpearl Land’s most natural feature.
Before the park was built, beautiful Bai Tru beach was once open to the public, but it is now behemoth Vinpearl Nha Trang Resort’s private beachfront. Access to non-guests is pricey. It costs 1,100,000 VND per person, including speedboat transfers from/to the mainland, buffet lunch and use of the beach and swimming pool.
Avoid eating a Lotteria burger before going on this ride.
Bringing food into the park is prohibited and they do check your bags. Western food is limited to fast-food type restaurant Lotteria, and Vietnamese food is of the rice plus meat and veg variety. Snack stands sell cold drinks, ice cream, beer and fruit. Prices are reasonable and there’s some great oceanfront dining terraces. Overall, Vinpearl Land Nha Trang won’t knock your socks off but you get what you pay for: a fun day full of amusement.
Unleash your inner child.
Swimming pools
When the beach is too... sandy
If you get bored of salt water and sand, you’re in luck as Nha Trang has gone wild with swimming pools that range from simple plunge pools to full blown water parks. Get your speedos on.
Splish splash at Vinpearl Land.
There are three beachside swimming pools along Nha Trang’s main drag.Louisiane Brewhouse has a modestly sized rectangle pool while a few blocks south is Central Park with a large meandering pool and a swim-up bar. Both are completely free to the public to use. They make their money renting sunbeds, lockers, towels, food and drink. Ana Beach House, the beach club at Evason Ana Mandara, has a gorgeous swimming pool with an equally gorgeous view of the ocean, but the upscale experience will require you to plunge into your wallet. A day pass with use of sunbeds and towels is US$40; US$15 of it can be used towards food or beverage.
Swim-up bar at Central Park. The pool is free, the drinks are not.
Mud baths have become a thing in Nha Trang and the experience isn’t just sitting in a tub of mud supposedly with healthy, healing properties. Three of Nha Trang’s four mud bath parks also have swimming pools, waterfalls and hot tubs for a full-day of hydrotherapy overload. Thap Ba Hot Spring is the cheapest and busiest. We’d recommend spending a little bit more if it’s within budget for 100 Eggs Mud Bath (Tram Trung). Not only will you get a laugh out of the egg-stravagant egg-themed egg-stravaganza, there were several different pools (including a children’s pool), jacuzzi and waterfalls. It’s a more civilised, tranquil experience than Thap Ba. Use of the swimming pool is 120,000 VND for adults, 60,000 VND for children. A mud bath in a private egg-shaped tub is 200,000 VND and it includes use of the pools.
100 Eggs is eight kilometres southwest of the city on Nguyen Tat Thanh Boulevard (T: (058) 3 711 733). A daily shuttle runs from Nha Trang Centre Shopping Mall (on Tran Phu Boulevard) at 08:55, 09:55, 10:55, costing 10,000 VND per person. The return shuttle is at 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, and costs 15,000 VND per person. The baths are open daily 08:00-18:00.
An egg-shaped oasis at 100 Eggs Park.
Another good mud bath/pool option is i-resort, eight kilometres north of the city (19 Xuan Ngoc, Vinh Ngoc; T: (058) 3 838 838). Here you also pay per activity/service. Access to the “mineral springs” is 120,000 VND. Contact them if you need shuttle service, which is priced at 20,000 VND per person, one-way.
A lazy way to spend the day.
Last but not least, Vinpearl Land’s waterpark brings out the kid in all of us. There are slides that zip down, slides that go round and round, a children’s splash pad/playground, along with a lazy river and a wave pool. The waterpark and cable car over to the island is included in the general admission, adults 600,000 VND, children 500,000 VND. To get there take city bus #4 (Hon Xen – Vinpearl) south to the end of the line, for 7,000 VND per ride.
Last updated: 11th September, 2015
Motorbike and bicycles are readily available to rent from hotels and shops in the tourist centre. If you don’t mind the heat, you can cover sights within the city like the markets, Long Son Pagoda and Ponagar Cham Towers by bicycle. For motorbike, day trips to the mud baths, Ba Ho Waterfalls, Bai Dai Beach and Doc Let Beach are all great options.
Driving in Nha Trang is less intense than Hanoi or in Ho Chi Minh City and the pace is relatively slow, however, Nha Trang should not be your first experience on a motorbike. To rent, motorbikes are around 80,000 VND per day, automatic scooters cost 110,000 VND per day. Helmets are required by law in Vietnam. Take care at the roundabouts and watch out for buses – the bigger the vehicle, the less the person driving it gives a damn about human life.
A decent city cruising bicycle costs up to 40,000 VND per day. Vietnam Active rents excellent mountain bikes for 140,000 VND per day. They also do van supported cycling trips to Ba Ho Waterfall and Heaven’s Pass where you can experience one of the longest downhill rides in Vietnam. Participants are shuttled 75 kilometres to the mountainous road towards Da Lat, up to an elevation of 1600 metres, then it is a descent past dramatic mountain scenery. The daytrip includes all equipment, guide, lunch, drinks and depending on water levels, a rafting trip down the Cai River. Costs US$70, price drops with more people. Find them at 115 Hung Vuong Street; T: (058) 3 528 119.
There are numerous motorcycle tour companies and we counted six with “Easy Rider” in their name. They all do similar one-day or multi-day trips and it’s best to visit the office in person to get a sense of what you are paying for and the quality.
A motorcycle trip, either as the driver or as a guide’s pillion passenger, is an awesome way to travel to Da Lat, 140 kilometres away. Rather than being stuck in a bus, you get to drink in this famed mountain drive, stop for photos of the marvellous scenery and visit a few sights along the way. We were quoted US$75 per person for Nha Trang Easy Rider or Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips.
Nha Trang Easy Rider: 23C Biet Thu St; T: (058) 3 523 273;www.nhatrangeasyridertours.com; info@nhatrangeasyridertours.com.
Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips; 7G/4 Hung Vuong; T: (0905) 384 406;easyridertrips.com; easyridertrips@gmail.com
And no, we at Travelfish have not decided to venture into the business of motorcycle tours in Vietnam. We have no association with the Nha Trang company that now uses our good name.
Last updated: 11th September, 2015
Driving in Nha Trang is less intense than Hanoi or in Ho Chi Minh City and the pace is relatively slow, however, Nha Trang should not be your first experience on a motorbike. To rent, motorbikes are around 80,000 VND per day, automatic scooters cost 110,000 VND per day. Helmets are required by law in Vietnam. Take care at the roundabouts and watch out for buses – the bigger the vehicle, the less the person driving it gives a damn about human life.
A decent city cruising bicycle costs up to 40,000 VND per day. Vietnam Active rents excellent mountain bikes for 140,000 VND per day. They also do van supported cycling trips to Ba Ho Waterfall and Heaven’s Pass where you can experience one of the longest downhill rides in Vietnam. Participants are shuttled 75 kilometres to the mountainous road towards Da Lat, up to an elevation of 1600 metres, then it is a descent past dramatic mountain scenery. The daytrip includes all equipment, guide, lunch, drinks and depending on water levels, a rafting trip down the Cai River. Costs US$70, price drops with more people. Find them at 115 Hung Vuong Street; T: (058) 3 528 119.
There are numerous motorcycle tour companies and we counted six with “Easy Rider” in their name. They all do similar one-day or multi-day trips and it’s best to visit the office in person to get a sense of what you are paying for and the quality.
A motorcycle trip, either as the driver or as a guide’s pillion passenger, is an awesome way to travel to Da Lat, 140 kilometres away. Rather than being stuck in a bus, you get to drink in this famed mountain drive, stop for photos of the marvellous scenery and visit a few sights along the way. We were quoted US$75 per person for Nha Trang Easy Rider or Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips.
Nha Trang Easy Rider: 23C Biet Thu St; T: (058) 3 523 273;www.nhatrangeasyridertours.com; info@nhatrangeasyridertours.com.
Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips; 7G/4 Hung Vuong; T: (0905) 384 406;easyridertrips.com; easyridertrips@gmail.com
And no, we at Travelfish have not decided to venture into the business of motorcycle tours in Vietnam. We have no association with the Nha Trang company that now uses our good name.
Motorcycling and cycling
Go two-wheel exploring
Motorbike and bicycles are readily available to rent from hotels and shops in the tourist centre. If you don’t mind the heat, you can cover sights within the city like the markets, Long Son Pagoda and Ponagar Cham Towers by bicycle. For motorbike, day trips to the mud baths, Ba Ho Waterfalls, Bai Dai Beach and Doc Let Beach are all great options.
Driving in Nha Trang is less intense than Hanoi or in Ho Chi Minh City and the pace is relatively slow, however, Nha Trang should not be your first experience on a motorbike. To rent, motorbikes are around 80,000 VND per day, automatic scooters cost 110,000 VND per day. Helmets are required by law in Vietnam. Take care at the roundabouts and watch out for buses – the bigger the vehicle, the less the person driving it gives a damn about human life.
A decent city cruising bicycle costs up to 40,000 VND per day. Vietnam Active rents excellent mountain bikes for 140,000 VND per day. They also do van supported cycling trips to Ba Ho Waterfall and Heaven’s Pass where you can experience one of the longest downhill rides in Vietnam. Participants are shuttled 75 kilometres to the mountainous road towards Da Lat, up to an elevation of 1600 metres, then it is a descent past dramatic mountain scenery. The daytrip includes all equipment, guide, lunch, drinks and depending on water levels, a rafting trip down the Cai River. Costs US$70, price drops with more people. Find them at 115 Hung Vuong Street; T: (058) 3 528 119.
There are numerous motorcycle tour companies and we counted six with “Easy Rider” in their name. They all do similar one-day or multi-day trips and it’s best to visit the office in person to get a sense of what you are paying for and the quality.
A motorcycle trip, either as the driver or as a guide’s pillion passenger, is an awesome way to travel to Da Lat, 140 kilometres away. Rather than being stuck in a bus, you get to drink in this famed mountain drive, stop for photos of the marvellous scenery and visit a few sights along the way. We were quoted US$75 per person for Nha Trang Easy Rider or Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips.
Nha Trang Easy Rider: 23C Biet Thu St; T: (058) 3 523 273;www.nhatrangeasyridertours.com; info@nhatrangeasyridertours.com.
Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips; 7G/4 Hung Vuong; T: (0905) 384 406;easyridertrips.com; easyridertrips@gmail.com
And no, we at Travelfish have not decided to venture into the business of motorcycle tours in Vietnam. We have no association with the Nha Trang company that now uses our good name.
Last updated: 11th September, 2015Driving in Nha Trang is less intense than Hanoi or in Ho Chi Minh City and the pace is relatively slow, however, Nha Trang should not be your first experience on a motorbike. To rent, motorbikes are around 80,000 VND per day, automatic scooters cost 110,000 VND per day. Helmets are required by law in Vietnam. Take care at the roundabouts and watch out for buses – the bigger the vehicle, the less the person driving it gives a damn about human life.
A decent city cruising bicycle costs up to 40,000 VND per day. Vietnam Active rents excellent mountain bikes for 140,000 VND per day. They also do van supported cycling trips to Ba Ho Waterfall and Heaven’s Pass where you can experience one of the longest downhill rides in Vietnam. Participants are shuttled 75 kilometres to the mountainous road towards Da Lat, up to an elevation of 1600 metres, then it is a descent past dramatic mountain scenery. The daytrip includes all equipment, guide, lunch, drinks and depending on water levels, a rafting trip down the Cai River. Costs US$70, price drops with more people. Find them at 115 Hung Vuong Street; T: (058) 3 528 119.
There are numerous motorcycle tour companies and we counted six with “Easy Rider” in their name. They all do similar one-day or multi-day trips and it’s best to visit the office in person to get a sense of what you are paying for and the quality.
A motorcycle trip, either as the driver or as a guide’s pillion passenger, is an awesome way to travel to Da Lat, 140 kilometres away. Rather than being stuck in a bus, you get to drink in this famed mountain drive, stop for photos of the marvellous scenery and visit a few sights along the way. We were quoted US$75 per person for Nha Trang Easy Rider or Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips.
Nha Trang Easy Rider: 23C Biet Thu St; T: (058) 3 523 273;www.nhatrangeasyridertours.com; info@nhatrangeasyridertours.com.
Easy Rider Motorcycle Trips; 7G/4 Hung Vuong; T: (0905) 384 406;easyridertrips.com; easyridertrips@gmail.com
And no, we at Travelfish have not decided to venture into the business of motorcycle tours in Vietnam. We have no association with the Nha Trang company that now uses our good name.
Ba Ho Waterfalls
An adventurous escape to nature
If lying on the beach gets too boring, an intense hike to Ba Ho Waterfallsis a pleasant diversion. To get there, it’s a scenic 27-kilometre drive north along the coast, then a sweaty, challenging 25-minute hike up to the first of three falls that you can swim in (“ba ho” means “three pools”). Unlike Yang Bay Waterfall — actually a tacky tourist park — Ba Ho is refreshingly natural, quiet and a great way to get some exercise.
Oh hi!
The distance to the first falls is 1.4 kilometres. The trail, marked by red blazes, commences as a dirt track before suddenly leading over boulders for a challenging 15-minute hike that will require scrambling and using trees and vines as hand and footholds. There are a couple of particularly tricky sections that will need some strength and agility (or a friend to give you a boost). A reasonable level of fitness and sure footedness is required but of course, you can always take it slow.
Your reward? The first pool of wonderfully cool water. Jump in, chill out and let little fish nip at your toes. You may be the only person here. The second and third falls are even more challenging to reach but duly rewarding. Ensure you have enough water, energy and time before embarking further.
Expect higher water in rainy season.
To get to Ba Ho Waterfalls from Nha Trang we recommend taking the scenic route along the coast. From downtown head north on Tran Phu Boulevard and cross Tran Phu bridge. Follow along the coast on Pham Van Dong all the way up to Amiana Resort where the road veers left and continues with marvellous views of the sea. This road is in great condition, lightly trafficked and you’ll often see pelotons of road cyclists slogging up the hill. Eventually Pham Van Dong joins busy National Route 1. Look for the blue and white sign “Ba Ho Tourist”, turn west and follow the rocky dirt road for a 3.5 kilometres until you reach the parking pad.
Look for this road to Ba Ho off of National Route 1.
Entrance is 15,000 VND, plus 2,000 VND for motorbike parking. A small cafe sells drinks and incredibly you’ll come across some enterprising locals selling cold drinks and barbecue chicken mid trail, just before the boulders begin. A take-away picnic is not a bad idea! You’ll also see locals having their own picnics on the riverbanks.
Follow the red arrows.
Good walking shoes or sandals are a must, as well as lots of water – more than you think you need – snacks, mosquito repellent and sunscreen. Unless you are a confident hiker, we don’t really recommend going alone.
Heed the signs.
Hire your own motorbike, a motorbike taxi or a regular taxi. If a hike is not enough,Vietnam Active offers a van-supported cycling trip there with excellent mountain bikes, helmets and lunch. Cost is US$65 per person, with the price reduced with more participants. Visit their office at 115 Hung Vuong; T: (058) 352 8119.
Warning: We heard of an unfortunate incident just a week prior to our visit where a motorbike taxi driver demanded double the agreed fare once they were at the falls. The passenger refused and the driver abandoned her. Hopefully this is was just one bad apple. (And do be clear of course that the price you negotiate is return.)
For those looking for a cheap way, it would be possible to take the air-conditioned public blue, white, yellow bus that heads north on National Route 1, either bus #3 to Doc Let or #1 to Van Gia, 24,000 VND per ride. Tell the fare collector where you want to go and they’ll drop you off at the closest stop on the highway. There’s only a small village there and it’s another 3.5 kilometres to the falls, so this method is a bit risky as you may or may not be able to find someone to hire to give you a lift the rest of the way. But knowing Vietnam, when it comes to transportation anything seems possible.
Happy hiking!
Last updated: 11th September, 2015Daytrip to Bai Dai Beach
Hang out beach
You’ll either love or hate Bai Dai Beach (pronounced 'bye-yai', but also known as Long Beach). Located 20 kilometres south of Nha Trang, Bai Dai is removed from the city hustle and traffic and has a more low-key, backpackery feel. Like Nha Trang Beach, the water is blue and the sand is white. However, Bai Dai is a popular tourist day trip and rather unattractive seafood shacks now line the beach. It’s a great place to dig your feet into the sand as you feast on barbecued clams or fried crab with cold beers, but the beach itself is no longer unspoilt or quiet. You can hire any sort of motorised watercraft, from jet-ski to speedboats, vendors sell cheap plastic floaty toys and rubbish strewn on the beach is an issue.
Bai Dai (Long Beach) attracts a mixed crowd.
Still, this is the kind of place where you end up hanging out for the whole day, renting beach chairs, reading a book and playing volleyball. Bai Dai attracts a whole mix of people: locals, domestic tourists and foreign travellers. Smack dab in the middle of the action, The Shack and its Bob Marley posters and loud tunes attracts backpackers like flies to honey. It’s the place to be seen, have a burger from the grill and drink fruit shakes or Jager Bombs. On busy days they sometimes have live music. You can also rent boards during the beach’s surf season, from October to April.
The Shack is colourful.
All the other restaurants serve seafood. Look into the buckets to find what sea beast you want, ask what the price is per kilo and get them to weigh your selection in front of you and note the weight. You can have it steamed or fried, or have a coal brazier brought to the table so you can barbecue it yourself. If you order seafood that you don’t see alive in the bucket, it is probably frozen. Restaurants have rudimentary toilets and shower/change huts for patrons.
Feeling crabby? Fresh crab fried in delicious tamarind sauce.
Bai Dai isn’t limited to this hub of shacks. It is possible to continue down along the coast and find completely empty stretches of sand and water all to yourself. This area is slated to be the next big thing and development has begun: You’ll see fenced off sand dunes, construction sites and makeshift worker villages. But all beaches are public access (we had many locals confirm this), so it is just a matter of driving along the coast and venturing down the roads that lead to the water. And if you want a clean section of sand, head to the areas in front of a resort (for example, nearby Cam Ranh Riviera). While you wouldn’t be allowed to access the beach through the resort, you can certainly still hang out on their beachfront.
Grill’s on.
More details
19km south of Nha TrangHow to get there: To get to Bai Dai from Nha Trang, simply follow the scenic coastal road in the direction of Cam Ranh International Airport. It is four kilometres south of Mia Resort. There’s a big sign at the main entrance. There is no entrance fee to the beach; this is a scam. There is however the usual fee to park your motorbike or car.
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