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Nha Trang is Vietnam's beach resort town. A
major face-lift in 1995-96, and the opening of
two upscale hotels later in 1996, vaulted Nha
Trang onto the playing field with places like
Phuket, Thailand, and Cancun, Mexico. Today,
it's a popular destination for both foreign and
domestic tourists.
In addition to sun bathing, popular attractions
include boat trips to the nearby islands and
tours of Nha Trang's historic sites. If you like
typical beach resort towns, then Nha Trang is
for you.
Nha Trang is on the central coast, about 450 km north of
Saigon and 1,200 km south of Hanoi. The main
strip in Nha Trang is Tran Phu Street, which
runs north-south along the sea for about 4
kilometers. It is a wide boulevard, bisected by
a grassy median with street lamps. Numerous
restaurants and bars line the beach side of Tran
Phu, while hotels and more restaurants line the
other. A walking path and wide swath of trees
separate the beach from the road.
Not surprisingly, life in Nha Trang centers on
the beach. In the early mornings and late
afternoons, especially on weekends, you'll find
the beach packed with locals. In addition to
swimming, football (soccer) is a popular
pastime, and you'll find numerous games in
progress. During the heat of the day, the locals
surrender the beach to mostly foreign
sun-worshippers. In the evenings the beach is
all but deserted.
When you tire of the beach, visit the nearby islands. Day
trips are offered by just about every hotel and
cafe. A typical itinerary includes visiting 2 or
3 islands, snorkeling and lunch, all for about
US$8 per person. For serious snorkelers and
divers who want to spend more time in the water,
two local dive operators offer day trips from
January to October
Back on the mainland, there are a few worthwhile
attractions in or near town. The towering white
Buddha that can be seen from many parts of Nha
Trang is part of the Long Son Pagoda and can be
reached by climbing a steep (and long!) set of
stairs. North of town, across the Nha Trang
River, lies the Po Nagar Cham site. The ancient
Cham towers sit high atop a hill; the views
overlooking the river and town are breathtaking.
A little beyond Po Nagar lies Hon Chong, a
scenic beach that is reputed to have the best
seafood in the area. South of town, check out
Emperor Bao Dai's former holiday retreat, now a
hotel
Every road leads to Nha Trang; well, actually
there's only one road, National Highway 1, but
you can also fly or take the train from just
about anywhere in Vietnam. Some promoters boast
that there is only one month of bad weather in
Nha Trang, which is true if you don't mind rain
and wind. Otherwise, plan to visit between
January and August.
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