Posts Tagged ‘Nhatrang Vietnam’
Written on April 13th, 2010 by Oweeno shouts
A statue on the Promanade
A big thank you to other sites that I copied from.
Long Thanh Photo Studio
Long Thanh is a local photographer with a permanent exhibition gallery open to the public. This is a popular visiting spot for people who appreciate life as seen through a lens. To date, Long Thanh has exhibited at more than 57 different photographic exhibitions around the world including Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States. Long Thanh’s photographic repertoire is as wide-ranging as it is unique. His landscapes are often moody, contrasting the natural beauty of Vietnam with the continuing struggle in many people’s daily lives. Well worth checking out. 126 Hoang Van Thu St.
Boat Cruises
Nha Trang is flanked by 71 islands and the sea at most times of year is crystal clear so the plethora of boat trips daily heading out plus the easy availability of booking agents is self-explanatory. Trips are not expensive and are more often than not party cruises but with a fair amount of snorkeling and fishing fitted in between the drinking. Check whether lunch is included or not and compare deals before booking. If you are not an extremely
fisher folk
early riser then charter a boat the day before. Most hotels can handle the booking but the place to book in person is the Cau Da Dock
Mud Baths
The mud baths at Thap Ba natural hot springs are a healthy and fun way to spend a few hours. The best time of day to go is between 12:00 and 15:00 when they are less crowded. You will be offered single or shared mud baths and obviously the single ones are more expensive yet the communal tubs are more fun. Shower off in mineral-rich water afterwards or let the mud dry on you first for additional benefits before showering.
Small bridge
Diving & SnorkelingNha Trang has over 20 dive shops, so this is a buyer’s market and divers looking for certification will find that the value for money here is superb, with PADI open water courses available with full equipment rental for as little as US$200. A two-dive boat trip with equipment rental and modest lunch can be had for as little as US$25.
Vinpearl Water Park and Aquarium
Vinpearl is a resort located on Hon Tre (Bamboo Island) some three kilometres south of the port. It is connected to the mainland by the longest cable car in the world (in itself a pretty impressive experience) that transports visitors some 40 metres above sea level to the resort, its water
Amusement on the beach
park, games park and an aquarium, as well as a spa. Prices are reasonable and the water park closes at 18:00
Yang Bay waterfall, 48 km from Nha Trang, consists of three sets of falls — Yang Bay, Yang Khang, and Ho Cho. It’s a well-developed tourist spot and a regular stop for Vietnamese on group tours, but it’s still worth seeking out on your own. The main falls have been heavily modified, and some swimming areas have been artificially created, but the effect is fairly natural and quite beautiful. It’s a great spot for swimming
Raglai ethnic village
Part of what makes the trip worthwhile is that the last half courses through some really stunning countryside, and the last few kilometres before the falls passes by a Raglai ethnic village.
Finally a mall being built
Dien Khanh Citadel
This site is actually a stop on some tour itineraries. While it doesn’t really merit seeking out for it’s own sake, you’ll pass through it on the way to Yang Bay falls. After you turn off Route 1 on the way to the falls you’ll pass through two gates, about two stories high, which are all that remain of an 18th century citadel. They have guard towers above the archways, and a couple metres of old earthen ramparts — they’re so narrow traffic can only pass through in one direction at a time, controlled by traffic lights.
Bai Dai
(which means ‘long beach’ and is pronounced ‘bye-yai‘). It’s 19 km from the outskirts of Nha Trang, to the south, along the relatively new road that cuts through the coastal mountains to the Cam Ranh Airport. The beach is a long, beautiful stretch of sand that extends for ten kilometres or more along an arc-shaped bay.
a random shot
Other activities include white water rafting, day fishing trips, Bicycle tours, and more that I am sure I am forgetting. Now, lets head over to the sleeper bus and head north.
Written on April 9th, 2010 by Oweeno shouts
The main beach
Yesterday was a new adventure. Drifter and I set out on a impromptu road trip and it was a good one. I will write abut it after the Why visit Vietnam series is done.
We caught the open tour bus in front of the resort area in Mui Ne and now are headed to NhaTrang. We are eager to arrive but at one location, sit for almost 2 ½ hours while the driver and his helper have lunch and a nap. This practice may have changed, but in 2006 it happened a lot. We pass hillsides covered with colorful graves, and monuments to fallen heroes. We continue past beautiful vistas of rice fields, mountains, banana plantations, and Thanh long farms. At last houses start lining the roads. We are 11 km from NhaTrang. We
Buddha
enter from the west and at first glance it looks busy and congested much like Saigon. We pass the bus and train station and encounter a flower filled traffic circle that it the main street that runs from north to south through the length of the city. 2/4 street ( the date the North “liberated” NhaTrang) is where most businesses and commercial shops can be found. The bus travels a few blocks further and stops before its NhaTrang office. Waiting like in so many other places in Vietnam, is a small army of taxi’s ready to be hired. They will try to suggest places to stay and perhaps advise you how bad the place you have booked is to try to gain a commission from the hotel they deliver you to, but we don’t care. And we end up in some mini hotel 2 bocks off the beach and not a bad room for around 15 bucks. We are here……… now what is there to do.
NhaTrang:
Some water fun
NhaTrang is probably the most visited destination for vacationers in Vietnam. During National holidays and summer months, all of the hotels can be full. That is a lot to say for a small city that has over 350 hotels (so I was told). Some of the following was borrowed from another site and I have added my words to it.
The city of Nha Trang is becoming more popular with the tourists in recent years. Yet, with a population of 300,000, Nha Trang still retains its small town atmosphere. This resort town is well known for its miles of beach and the friendliness of its people. The city is flanked by nearly ten kilometers of prime beach where the water is warm year round. The average temperature in Nha Trang is 26 C. Nha Trang also has the lowest level of humidity in all of Vietnam. Today, Nha Trang ranks among the top of all beaches in Vietnam.
A shot of Tran Phu
Nha Trang is 1,287 km south of Hanoi, 624 km south of Hue and 442 km from Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon). Nha Trang has several famous islands. Most notable are Hon Tre, Hon Yen, Hon Rua and the Spratly islands. Upon arriving to Nha Trang, most tourists will pass through downtown. Beyond the rows of businesses and homes will be Nha Trang beach. Tran Phu Boulevard is Nha Trang most famous thoroughfare. It runs the length of the beach with several major hotels located within a few steps from the beach. The road continues over a large bridge crossing the Cai river. Tran Phu becomes Pham Van Dong street and curves around Hong Chon rock to another smaller beach with warmer and quieter waters. On any given day, between 5:00 am to 8:00 am Nha Trang beach is filled with local people taking in the fresh sea
Nhr Trang Cathedral
breeze, socializing, playing soccer, badminton or practicing Tai chi. Most people in Nha Trang fear being darken by the sun. For this reason, the window between 5-8 am (where sunlight is less intense) is peaked with activities. Another reason is that many go to the ocean for a morning swim, and to exercise. In Nha Trang, going to the beach can be a family affair. One often see generations of families going to the beach together, and romance is everywhere. Young couples gaze out to see holding hands and giving each other doey eyed looks.
There is so much to see and to do that it could take weeks to get it all in. In my nest blog, I will write and borrow some more hard work by others and give a brief overview of what is available here.
Another sot of Tran Phu
Written on February 11th, 2010 by Oweeno shouts
Kimmy and Kenny
Ah…. Where to begin. I could probably start by saying I have had the honor of meeting some very nice people. Ken has many friends here and I had the extreme pleasure of meeting a few so far. Kimmy invited us to lunch and took us to a very nice buffet place in downtown Saigon. She has a magical personality and I hope very much she will look me up when visiting NhaTrang.
My pal Hau
Yesterdays blog was a short one. Hau came banging on the door and we were set to hit the road for a trip into the Mekong. Here we were waiting for Ken to join us when sadly he announced that he is suffering some heave diarrhea. Which leads me into today’s sub topic:
A foreigner here must pay very close attention they what they eat. The food is wonderful and most things can be consumed safely, however, anything that is washed with local water must be treated as suspect. More importantly is the ice in your drink. There are two kinds of ice here. There are ice factories now that make ice from purified water. These can be recognized
Orange Dragons
because of a rounded shape and a small hole in the middle. They can be large or small in size. If you are drinking an iced beverage, check to make sure there is some evidence of this round ice. If you cannot see, or if it is crushed ask to make sure it is ice made by machine and not cut from a block. Also,
Mekong river
most restaurants that are set up western style, are washing with purified water so vegetables can be consumed safely, however, in local spots, unless it is boiled or peeled do not eat it. I have as of yet not had a problem by following these two basic rules. Now on with the story:
Ken retired to his room and Hau and I were off by our selves to try a new
The drive on new highway
highway that had just opened the day before. It reduced the time it takes to travel to the Mekong by three hours. The drive was beautiful. There are police at both ends of the new freeway to stop any motorcycles and trucks from entering and cars only are allowed. This may change but it made the ride pleasant. Since ken was not able to attend, it allowed me more time
On the Mekong
to get to know Hau. Our driver was surprised that this was the first time he had seen Hau travelling in his shorts and a tee shirt rather than formal attire. Hau explained to him that this was a trip with a friend and not a tourist. I was honored. I now consider him a very good friend, and I hope to spend time with him whenever he is here in NhaTrang, or I in
at the docks
Saigon. For any of my readers, if you plan to come here and need somebody to organize your trecks…. Hau is your man. Check out this website www.visitindochina.net Anyway…… back to Mekong. The drive took us only
Restaurant on water
1hr 10min to a town named My Tho. My Tho was founded by the Chinese back in the 13th century. At that time a group of Chinese approached the King (or Emperor) of Vietnam and asked for land to live. The King not wanting much do do with then gave them a piece of land far away, empty, and useless at the
Hau and our boat driver
time. The Chinese thrived and eventually flowed to the north where they established a very large Chinatown in Saigon. If you go to do business there, you will probably end up in Cho Lon eventually. We arrived at a newly build boat dock to have a private boat waiting for us. We were way ahead of any
Looking back on our boat
tourists so we were alone (just the way I like it). Our small boat was chugging away across a wide section of the Mekong river when oh…oh…… A gentle wind started blowing, and the tide started to move in. The waves in the river grew to ocean size. The boat driver commented on the size informing us they were the largest he had ever experienced. Maybe it was that we were going earlier than normal, or perhaps somebody up there wanted me to have exciting things to write about.
On the Mekong river
Well……. After the waves started getting really big, I saw a bit of congers come over the drivers face and he started to concentrate on his driving. I also was becoming a bit concerned, I saw the same thing in Hau. Were we going to make it to the other side? Would the little boat be worthy of the task? Where is Batman?? Or Superman for that matter?? Do not change the channel. Stay tuned.
I have returned to see that NhaTrang is starting to fill up. Many hotels are totally booked and I am sure that our place will be also. I have discovered a disturbing thin upon my return.
Bridge over the Mekong
The lady that operated this place before me has been hiding and witholdong taxes fron the government for years. They are rightly angry and will be keeping an eye on us as new owners….. Great!!! So much for charging the big bucks for a quick slingshot into profitability. While most hotels will triple in price the next two weeks, we will have to rent out rooms at a regular rate, or perhaps a little bit higher, but not as we intended. Maybe I can get a crowd that will drink coffee and beer in the lobby to help. Oh well……..This place is too much fun to worry about it now.
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