Spotlight on Nha Trang, Vietnam
Life is very sweet indeed in that little corner of Vietnam which is called Nha Trang, though of course I keep arguing that life is sweet in all the places I’ve been to in this amazing country. In the Southern part of Vietnam, Nha Trang can be easily accessed via cheap local flights (Jetstar or Vietnam Airways) or by bus or train. I decided to fly from Danang as I wasn’t very keen on spending 12 hours on an overnight train or bus, and I had found a cheap flight which allowed me to do this.
And then, I was suddenly catapulted from the lantern-filled city of Hoi An and its quiet river to this…
Nha Trang’s beaches may not be exactly Maldive-like with white sands and crystal blue water, but when the sun shines they are beautiful beaches anyway, and I really enjoyed the fact that they were by no means crowded. You can also take day trips out into the islands which lie just beyond the coast of Vietnam, but unfortunately I was not able to do this as on around day 3 of being there Boyfriend became sick.
Luckily, before this happened and I became on obsessive nurse fussing all over him, we did manage to take a tour of mainland Nha Trang and discover what it had to offer.
Nha Trang’s sites are spread over a large area and they are not really walking-distance. As I have a fear of motorbikes and didn’t picture myself cruising along the streets of Nha Trang on a rented one, I could only see the sites by either paying for taxis or a tour. In the end, it was quite obvious that a tour would work out cheaper, and in the strong heat, it was great to be able to hope into an air-conditioned vehicle in between seeing sights!
However you decide to see Nha Trang, here are some images of interesting spots to visit:
Ponagar Cham Towers
Long Son Pagoda
Chong Rocks
And even if it sounds weird as Nha Trang is tropical, one of my favourite thing to do there was definitely going to the mud baths and hot springs. For a small admission fee, you first get to soak in mineral-rich mud, then you clean yourself off and head to the hot pools. It was strange doing this in Vietnam of all places, but it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Have you been to Nha Trang? What was your favourite bit of travelling there?
-Text and Photography by Denise Pulis @www.theartofslowtravel.com
8 Comments → “Spotlight on Nha Trang, Vietnam”
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Beautiful photos Denise. I have to get to Vietnam!
Thanks Lilian! I spent 2 months in Vietnam and would still go back as I haven’t seen everything. Definitely worth going.
Beautiful photos, Denise. The mud bath and hot springs sounds fantastic!!
Hi Sarah,
Yes they are, but they would have been sooooo much nicer in a cold country for obvious reasons!
Lovely photos as usual Denise! I’m so desperate to get out to Vietnam this year. Which were you favourite places there?
Hi Natalie,
I loved Halong Bay, Hoi An (with a trip to the Danang beach area which is close) and Nha Trang.
I also spent a couple of day in Can Tho down in the Mekong delta and really liked that area. But to be honest, I enjoyed all the places just because there is so much to see as you travel down (or up) the country!
I went to Nha Trang and absolutely hated it. I left as soon as possible. Maybe because I just came from Hoi An and absolutely fell in love with that tiwn or because everything was in Russian, or maybe because I got attacked by a rat.
Seeing your photos makes me wonder if I should have given Nha Trang some more time.
I find it interesting that there are mud baths there as well but I have since learned after reading this article that there are mud baths and hot springs all over the world in places where you would never expect. I also like many of the pictures with the article and wonder how many archeological sites are still there after so many years of war.