Table of Contents

YOUR INSIDER'S TRAVEL GUIDE BLOG TO NHA TRANG

IN VIETNAM 🇻🇳 SINCE 2008

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALEXANDRE YERSIN

THE MOTTO OF NHA TRANG IS MORE SPACE, MORE PROJECTS

BEST PLACES TO SEE IN CAM RANH

TOP 5 DISHES TO TRY IN NHA TRANG

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG NHA TRANG FAMILY HOLIDAY

By Barbara

Nha Trang caters to each family member’s desires

Nha Trang city and nearby areas have plenty of fun things to do with kids including its beautiful beaches, mountains, islands, resorts, and a great theme park. Although it’s an easy overnight train trip from Ho Chi Minh City, be aware that not much is open at 5 a.m. at the time of arrival. A quicker option is to fly, just note Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh Airport is about 40 minutes by taxi from the town.

The accommodation options range from swanky five-star resorts to budget options. Some of the best high-end choices for families include the beachfront Evason Ana Mandara Resort, the brand new high-rise Intercontinental Nha Trang, Novotel Nha Trang, and the nearby Sheraton Nha Trang Resort and Spa, all of which feature excellent facilities for kids, including pools and kids clubs.

A great budget option for families is the family-run La Paloma Hotel about 10 minutes from the main tourist strip. With its lovely lush grounds, small pool, and sweet little breakfast area, La Paloma is an ideal alternative. Once the accommodation is sorted it’s time to plan the activities and Nha Trang has a lot to keep all members of the family happily occupied.

How to Keep The Family Entertained: The Best Things to Do with Kids in Nha Trang

VinPearl Land on Hon Tre Island is a must-visit no matter what ages your kids are. There’s everything from a toddler play area to rollercoaster rides, as well as a great water park area, oceanarium, and live dolphin shows. Plan to spend an entire day here and make sure you find restaurants near the water park area (ignore the fast food places near the cable car arrival port, they are of poor quality).

Vinpearl Golf Club Nha Trang

Speaking of cable cars, access to VinPearl Land is available through a cable car ride, which gives great views of Nha Trang’s beautiful crescent beach and warms clear waters. The cable car ride is included in the ticket price. The VinPearl conglomerate also houses an 18-hole championship golf course on Hon Tre Island, which will keep golfers happy for several hours or possibly even days.

For some fun family pampering and laughable photos, head over to I-Resort for a mud bath experience. This is another activity that can take up to half a day, especially for those who choose to dine at the resort. Nha Trang also is home to some interesting cultural attractions, including the Po Nagar Towers, remnants of the mysterious Hindu Kingdom of Champa that ruled Central and Southern Vietnam from the 4th to the 12th centuries. There’s also the Long Son Pagoda with a giant Buddha statue and dragon-themed mosaics.

What to Do for Water Sports Fans?

Water babies and divers should check out the snorkeling and diving trips available in Nha Trang. Be selective in choosing a reputable dive center, such as Rainbow Divers or Sailing Club Divers. Get out on the water with an island tour, such as those offered by the party-centric Funky Monkey Tours.

Scuba Diving in Nha Trang

For a less structured day, make your way to Bai Dai Beach, about 20 km south of Nha Trang. Pull up a pew or a deckchair at The Shack and indulge in some great Mexican dishes or freshly caught seafood while deciding whether or not to rent a surfboard for a few hours. Bai Dai Beach is a great place to watch the sunset, with or without a few cold beers.

Another great sunset location is Nha Trang’s famous Sailing Club, right on the beach, with food and entertainment options to satisfy one from night to day. The Sailing Club’s various eating areas serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and one can choose to eat at a table, on a four-poster lounge, or on a deckchair right on the beach. At night there’s usually live music and more of a party scene, which often includes a bonfire on the beach.

Food, Food & More Food in Nha Trang

On the dining front, Nha Trang has a wide selection to suit every palate and budget. Join the locals at Lac Canh, a popular barbecue and hot pot joint or try local food in a more upscale market setting at Galangal or the long-time tourist favorite, Lanterns. For a pizza and pasta fix, head to Good Morning Vietnam (yes, an odd name for an Italian restaurant), for French home cooking, try the small and intimate Refuge, and for Indian, go to Ganesh.

Nha Trang Xua restaurant

Slightly out of town is the hard-to-find rustic Nha Trang Xua, a thatched open-sided restaurant with a handwritten menu, set between a lotus pond and a rice paddy. Not much English is spoken here at all, so you’ll need to use your best point-and-order technique. Basil rice and fish cooked in bamboo are highly recommended. So if you find yourself yearning for an easy and convenient weekend getaway with the family, Nha Trang is the ultimate family hideaway.

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG DISCOVER NHA TRANG, VIETNAM

Nha Trang Vietnam is known for its beaches, Vin Pearl Land, and scuba diving sites.

It is a popular destination for both local and international tourists looking for a spot of relaxation or a splash of adventure. The city was known as Kauthara under the Champa and visitors can still see the famous Po Nagar Tower perched on a hilltop at the mouth of the river. The ancient Champa temple was restored by a local king in 784 AD after being ransacked by invaders who made off with its treasure.

While Nha Trang is a center for marine science based at the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute, it is now better known for its fun-in-the-sun lifestyle. If you prefer your crustaceans cooked and plated, Nha Trang is the best place in Vietnam to have lobster. Tran Phu Street, one of Vietnam’s most scenic drives, runs along the ocean and is known as the Pacific Coast Highway of Vietnam. If you don’t have time for driving, fear not: your taxi will follow this road to the airport.

Nha Trang has perhaps the most beautiful but dangerous beach in Vietnam. The continental shelf in Nha Trang, unlike in Phan Thiet or Vung Tau, doesn’t fall gently but rather, drops suddenly. You can find yourself in two-meter deep water only three metres from the shore. Add strong underwater riptides near the shoreline, and it’s clear you must stay cautious. Heed the Danger Zone signs placed along the beach, and you’ll be fine.

From the beach, you can see Hon Tre Island (Bamboo Island), a tropical paradise complete with a five-star resort and theme park. The world’s longest motorized cable car system links the resort to the theme park. The myriad of other islands in the bay, from Hon Tam, the setting of an extensive eco-resort, to Hon Lao, the home to troops of wild monkeys, will ensure that your stay is extraordinary.

If you’re looking for a quieter beach with less powerful waves and wind, try Cam Ranh, 45 km south of Nha Trang. The beaches there are not overburdened with tourists, so while the service can be lacking, the wilderness is well worth discovering.

Via bus, it will take 8 hours to reach Nha Trang from Mui Ne. The Vietnamese government is currently reviewing plans for upgrading the country’s rail system, including the construction of a high-speed route from HCMC to Nha Trang. This track would make the travel time equivalent to the current travel time from Saigon to Vung Tau (3 hours). Until then, your only alternative via rail will take 7 to 8 hours.

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALEXANDRE YERSIN

By Fabrice Turri

Who was Alexandre Yersin?

On June 20, 1894, in a modest cottage set in the backdrop of Hong Kong’s hospital, Alexandre Yersin, 31, looks at his microscope. What he sees frightens him: thousands of small spots swarming. What he observed was the biggest serial killer of the era. He will later demonstrate the link between human disease and the rat, a vector of the epidemic. The bacterium was named Yersinia pestis in his honor. It’s also known as the bubonic plague.

Born in Switzerland, the physician-bacteriologist-explorer-ethnologist is one of the few French personalities whose name is continually celebrated in Indochina. The others were Pasteur and Calmette, two men he admired throughout his life, and Alexandre de Rhodes, a Jesuit known for developing the first version of the Romanized Vietnamese language.

In 1891, while working as a doctor on “Maritime Courier” vessels, a company transporting passengers and delivering mail, he began his explorations of Indochina. Three expeditions were launched through the previously uncharted jungles of Indochina. It was during his first expedition he discovered what was still a quiet fishing village, Nha Trang, and a unique site in the Highlands, where the future city of Dalat would be.

Alexandre Yersin was a prolific explorer who supplied many anthropological observations of the indigenous population along with producing highly accurate maps of the region. In 1894, after his return from Hong Kong, Yersin received a new mission in Nha Trang, where he set up a small laboratory (which became Nha Trang Pasteur Institute in 1905) to study the plague in of Indochinese livestock. It was during this time that he began the cultivation of rubber in the region and in 1905, began sending latex to Michelin Company in France, which allowed him to fund his medical research.

From 1902 to 1904, at the request of Paul Doumer, General Governor of Indochina, Yersin created and directed the Hanoi School of Medicine where he became dean but soon resigned to defend Annamite people who were greatly despised at the school. In 1904, he was appointed Pasteur Institute’s Indochina representative in Paris and Pasteur Institute’s director in Saigon and Nha Trang.

In 1915, he opened an agricultural station in the town of Hon Ba, anticipating a shortage of drugs in the country during First World War. While initial attempts failed, he was able to acclimatize the Cinchona ledgeriana trees which were necessary to produce quinine. The original cottage can be visited by tourists and is located twenty kilometers from Nha Trang and sits at 1500 meters above sea level.

A compassionate man, Yersin treated hundreds of Annamese people for free. “I do not ask these people to pay. Medicine is my mission. Ask for money to treat one of these patients is like telling them to choose between money or life”, he wrote once to his mother. Officially, he had neither wife nor children but considered his family the fishermen and village children he lived with.

To them, he often showed stars in the sky through his telescope and even played Chaplin films. Passionate about meteorology, he warned fishermen in Nha Trang when storms were about to arrive. In Vietnam, Yersin’s nickname is Mr. Ong Nam or Nam. In fact, Ong Nam means “Mr. Five” in connection with his five stripes as a Doctor Colonel in the French Colonial Health Service. Yersin died on February 28, 1943, at his home in Nha Trang, during the Japanese occupation. He was buried in Suoi Dau which is located twenty miles away from Nha Trang.

In Nha Trang, it is possible to visit the former Pasteur Institute, which became a Museum dedicated to Yersin.

8-10 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Open from 7:30 am to 10:30 am & 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG NHA TRANG: THE NEXT HONOLULU ?

By Mark Gwyther

What does the future hold for Nha Trang?

Recently, the Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Province was unfairly maligned in the press after he compared Nha Trang to Hawaii. If he meant Honolulu, it is a justifiable comparison and a perfect model for Nha Trang to follow. Hawaii, like Khanh Hoa, has a variety of places that tourists can enjoy. An urban environment next to the ocean is one of them. But recent fights over Nha Trang’s beaches clearly demonstrate the country’s lack of awareness about what it takes to draw the next generation of tourists, and another declining month of tourism numbers has caused considerable consternation among experts and the press.

Within a two-week period, the press ran several articles about why Vietnam cannot compete for tourists, ran features on Phan Thiet’s garbage problem, and then decried how Ana Mandara “ shoo(d) people away” from their beach. The vice-chairman of Nha Trang told the press: “No one has the right to ban people from walking on a public beach.” Well, tourists who can afford a room at a 5-star resort have the right to choose another destination; and they are.

Here’s the problem. Like any business transaction, when a tourist spends money they expect something back in return. If a community does not provide anything for tourists, why would they come? Additionally, if the bare minimum is provided, travelers spending the bare minimum will come. You don’t need a degree in Quantitative Economics and Decision Science to understand this relationship.

Several different development models can be followed. For instance, the beaches of Southern California and Honolulu are public. The local government collects taxes from the residents to provide life-guards, beach-cleaning, garbage collection, toilets, and the enforcement of basic rules which allow users to have a good experience. Those tourists spend money in the community, more than paying for the cost of these services.

A more common model in less developed countries is to give – or sell at a reduced price – the community’s assets to qualified private businesses and allow those businesses to provide the services for a profit. In exchange, the community collects taxes, gets higher employment and the travelers spend money in the surrounding area.

Of course, a combination of these approaches also works. Some provinces in Vietnam do neither. From reading the news, it is obvious that many people in the industry, the press, the government, and the local population believe better marketing and reduced visa fees will solve the problem. It will help draw people for the first time, but as soon as a person pays the money for a 5-star resort and spends the afternoon on the beach next to a loud bunch of locals getting drunk, leaving garbage, and urinating a few meters away (I’ve seen all of this), that will be the last trip they take to Vietnam.

Bad online reviews will warn others away. Chastising a resort for trying to prevent this from happening is ridiculous. It also takes the incentive away for private businesses to provide the missing services that most tourists expect.

What is The Solution to Save Nha Trang

So what should be happening? First of all, communities need a strategic plan and communicate that plan to the locals. Decide on which model will be followed. The biggest issue with Nha Trang right now is that they keep going back and forth. Over a decade ago, they allowed Ana Mandara to manage the beach in front of the resort.

About five years ago Nha Trang decided to choose the urban public-use model of high-rise hotels across the street and make the beach accessible to everyone. At the time Ana Mandara should probably have been moved to Cam Ranh where resorts have beach rights. But even now, once a new huge controversial project claims beach rights, as soon as a few people complain, the rights are withdrawn. Potential investors should not believe anything they are told by the Khanh Hoa Provincial Government or Nha Trang City. Obviously either the plan changes constantly or no plan exists.

After having a plan, communities must make the hard choices and follow through. Some people will be left behind, but understand that the increased tourism spending will benefit many more. Whoever is in charge of Phan Thiet is doing a terrible job of this. The province makes a lot of money from kite surfers staying six months a year, yet they must share the entire bay with fishermen who keep nets and other dangerous objects in the water. The social cost of moving the fisherman would be more than made up by the increase in the number and quality of kite surfers spending money in Phan Thiet.

It is no coincidence that tourism in the central part of Vietnam is fine. The local governments understand this idea of giving up something to receive more. Danang has given large tracks of land to developers for golf courses and large sections of the beach for 5-star resorts. Hundreds of thousands of relatively wealthy South Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese spend money in Danang and as a result, many residents now have stable, middle-income salaries.

Hoi An has kept its charm by not allowing some locals to profit from selling land to developers who want to tear down the old buildings and create modern hotels. Many residents are also inconvenienced by walking streets which appeal to tourists. But these decisions have made Hoi An the most alluring destination in Vietnam.

Conclusion

Nha Trang needs to stick with a plan and better communicate it to the locals, the press and investors. More importantly, the government must start spending some of the money they receive from tourism to provide safety, cleanliness, and management of the beaches if they expect tourists to visit; and that means more than loudspeakers blaring warnings.

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG THE MOTTO OF NHA TRANG IS MORE SPACE, MORE PROJECTS

By Mervin Lee

Things are looking sunny and possibly scorching, literally and figuratively, for the beach resort city of Nha Trang, Vietnam.

In January 2018 international tourist arrivals rose 144% compared to January 2017. In a rather fated fashion, Khanh Hoa Province is scheduled to host the National Tourism Year event in 2019. Foreign and local investment is also growing alarmingly, properties surrounding Ma Thanh Stadium in the Phuoc Hoa district have seen the growth almost double between the beginning of 2017 and the start of 2018, rising from an average of 35 million VND per m² to approximately 70 million VND per m².

Condotels and Chinese Tourism Continue to Rise

Condotels have become a formidable market in a crossover between real estate and tourism. Nha Trang, a beautiful beach city with sprawling sand, has not been spared. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction, approximately 28,000 apartments planned for 2017-2019 fall into the condotel category, with most of the growth taking place in Da Nang and Nha Trang.

The noticeable presence of mainland Chinese tourists has become crucial for local resorts, hotels and businesses, with arrivals in 2017 from China increasing a stunning 400% over 2016. Nha Trang has become a bookmarked budget beach heaven for many Chinese travellers hailing from landlocked provinces where sea and sand are a treasured sight. Reports of inaccuracies in historical introductions given to Chinese tourists by unlicensed translators have spurred local authorities to conduct enhanced retrainings for interpreters at important sites such as the famous Po Nagar Cham Towers.

According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, numerous shops that are specifically geared towards Chinese and Russian tour groups were disobeying local laws where it is decreed that foreign languages displayed on business signages should not form a majority of the complete text and where it should preferably be in small print alongside Vietnamese text.

We asked Mr Remi Faubel, General Manager of Novotel Nha Trang, about these developments. “The authorities are doing a good job and taking action to change them. They removed those signs! You have to propose your own ads first [and let] the authorities check them and before you can produce them.”

I asked whether developments in beautiful, neighboring Cam Ranh Bay would affect Nha Trang’s popularity. In May 2018 Cam Ranh Bay was named by popular travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler (cntraveler.com) as one of the best seven places to visit, alongside goliaths including Paris, Sicily, and San Francisco. Mr. Faubel was optimistic that both locations were complementary and co-existed synergistically in the local tourism context.

“Things are bigger in Nha Trang for sure! More space and more projects.” “Cam Ranh and Nha Trang are different. People visit for different reasons, they are not competitors. Nha Trang is good for entertainment and shopping. Cam Ranh is far away from the buzz… people visit to relax, especially Westerners.” Mr. Faubel explained. At the same time, numerous smaller islets and atolls are being rediscovered by tourists while the main stretch of beach along the main road of Tran Phu is becoming increasingly over-saturated by beachgoers.

“Hotels on the main street Tran Phu are doing very well… mostly international brands, we have the awareness and that attracts a good mix of guest. It’s becoming quite hard to cross Tran Phu street these days!” he explained. “Because of all those coaches and large tour buses.” The new international terminal at Cam Ranh Airport is now open and local authorities are being motivated to enhance key infrastructural needs to handle the increasing tourist arrivals. Cam Ranh Airport is close to both Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang and serves both destinations.

Mr. Faubel also hopes to see a more balanced mix of nationalities. “Most hotel owners don’t really care about the nationality of their guests. Some don’t mind lowering the rates to attract large tour groups. To be honest, we welcome them from a business point of view. However, local Vietnamese are being discouraged to come as they are starting to view us as a ‘Chinese city’. But with the new airport, we can mix the market a little. Europeans, Koreans, Japanese.”

New routes that have been scheduled alongside the opening of the new terminal will connect Cam Ranh Airport directly to Singapore, Thailand, and Japan via regular flights. Perhaps for Nha Trang, the skies are literally the limit.

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG BEST PLACES TO SEE IN CAM RANH

By Lien Nguyen

The crystal-blue beaches, mountains, and pagodas do draw tourists to Cam Ran.

Located 45km south of Nha Trang, Cam Ranh has been spared from the scourge of accelerated development that has hit some Vietnamese coastal cities in recent years. The city is also full of interesting places to see, such as Bình Lập Island, Vĩnh Hy Bay, Hang Rái, Bãi Dài beach, and Ốc Từ Vân Pagoda. The weather in Cam Ranh is seasonally temperate. For anyone who would like to spend their holiday outside enjoying the beaches and nature, the best months to visit are December through February. The rainy season lasts from September to December.

How to Get to Cam Ranh

The fastest way to get to Cam Ranh is by plane. A flight to the city’s international airport will take you an hour and a half from Ho Chi Minh City, followed by a 30-minute taxi trip that will cost you around US$10.

If you are on a budget, you can check out private bus lines, such as Futa or Liên Hưng. Many of these operators have offices in Pham Ngu Lao. If you want to save time, travel by night in a sleeping bus. Another great way to discover Vietnam is by train. Even though the travel is slow, you can experience first-hand the beautiful Vietnamese coastlines on your way to Cam Ranh. For information about how to get a train ticket, click here.

The best way to get around and explore the city once you’re there is to rent a motorbike for around US$7 a day.

What shall you See in Cam Ranh

1. Bình Lập island – The Vietnamese Maldives

If you want to escape the busy city and elevated air pollution, Bình Lập island is the place to go. Although it is called Bình Lập island it is technically a peninsula. But don’t worry, it has everything that an island should have: long coastlines, white sandy beaches, pristine water, and delicious seafood. Bình Lập is sometimes called the “Vietnamese Maldives”.

If you’re looking for an amazing sea-based resort in the style of the Maldives, you can stay at Ngọc Sương (Yến Hideway Resort), for less than VND2 million a night.

2. Vĩnh Hy Bay – One of Vietnam’s most beautiful bays

Vĩnh Hy Bay is home to a fishing village in a small valley surrounded by the Núi Chúa mountains. The best way to make the most of the landscape is to drive to Vĩnh Hy Bay by motorbike from Cam Ranh on Vĩnh Hy – Bình Tiên Pass. It will take you around an hour and a half (50km).

You’ll know the long ride is worth it as soon as you see the ocean on your left side and the mountains on your right. The area is still mostly undiscovered by tourists, giving the beach an untouched, wild beauty. If you’re an early riser you might meet the fishermen sorting through their catches, as they come back from their night of work. You can also hire a boat (four to six people per boat, around US$10 per person) to visit other islands or dive to see the coral reef.

If you want to spend the night, there are two places you can stay: Vĩnh Hy resort, or if you would like to sleep in a bungalow on the mountain, you can choose Amanoi resort.

3. Hang Rái – Being One With Nature

If you go to Cam Ranh, you CAN’T miss this place. Hang Rai beach is a part of Nui Chua National Park, in Ninh Thuan. It features the fossilized remains of an ancient coral reef, and beaches untouched by development. A fee of VND15,000/person will be collected at the entrance to the national park for preservation purposes. You can drive to Hang Rái along Vĩnh Hy – Bình Tiên Pass on the way from southern Vĩnh Hy Bay. Hang Rái is about 7km from Vĩnh Hy Bay.

The name “Hang Rái” comes from the words for otter (rái cá) and cave (hang). Thus, Hang Rái literally means otter cave. Sometimes, you can still witness groups of otters chilling on the stones. The natural beauty, unusual rock formations and coral reefs in Hang Rái make it a must-do for tourists, as well as the perfect location for couples shooting their wedding photography.

For a different view, visit the grape arbor in Hang Rái. The entrance is free for everyone. Here you can pick grapes or try some homemade red or white. It is around 1km from Hang Rái cave if you go straight in the direction of Phan Rang. You can check one of two gardens: Vườn nho Sang Tín (Sang Tín grape farm) Or Vườn nho Sang Anh (Sang Anh grape farm)

4. Bãi Dài Beach – The Ten-Kilometer-Beach

This beach has plenty of white sand and sea life, along with many activities, such as paragliding, and surfing. Bãi Dài Beach is one of the key locations for tourist development in Cam Ranh and Nha Trang. Numerous resorts have popped up along the beach, and there are many local restaurants nearby. You can easily find somewhere to stay and enjoy the local foods.

Bãi Dài beach is about 20km from the center of Cam Ranh, and 12km from the airport. From Nha Trang, follow Nguyễn Tất Thành Street, then head over Cù Hin Pass. Turn left, and you will see a sign directing you to Bãi Dài. From Cam Ranh, drive 20km from QL 1A to the airport, then you will see the beach in front of you.

5. Ốc Từ Vân Pagoda – Seashell Pagoda

This pagoda, built in 1968, is located in the center of Cam Ranh. Ốc Từ Vân Pagoda literally means Seashell Pagoda. It got its name because the monks who live there collected seashells and bits of coral on the beach, then decorated every free space on the walls and ceilings with them. The impressive mosaic can be viewed by the public, as well as the Bảo Tích tower, which is behind the pagoda. The tower is 39 metres high and was built by the monks over the course of five years. It was completed in 1995.

What shall you Eat in Cam Ranh?

1. Lobster

Cam Ranh is well-known for being the homeland of lobsters. The islands are the best places to enjoy the freshest catches, so head up to Vĩnh Hy Bay or Bình Lập island (on Bãi Ngang beach). You can buy some from the locals and ask them to grill them for you on the beach.

2. Fresh and cheap seafood

Cam Ranh is heaven for those looking for fresh and cheap seafood. You can order seafood from any restaurant in Cam Ranh, or for a more DIY experience, you can buy it directly from the fishermen. Thủy Triều Cam Ranh – Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Thôn Thủy Triều, Cam Lâm, Khánh Hoà.

3. Nem Nướng (Vietnamese grilled sausage)

Nem Nướng is grilled pork sausage, which can be rolled with vegetables and wrapped in rice paper, then dipped in a savory sauce. Quán nem Hùng Sương – 2125 Đại Lộ Hùng Vương, Cam Thuận, Cam Ranh.

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG TOP 5 DISHES TO TRY IN NHA TRANG

Known for its clean beaches and islands, Nha Trang is also famous for its cheap and delicious cuisine.

While the city has amazing 5-star hotels with luxurious restaurants to boot, you can experience authentic Nha Trang food in more local and inevitably delicious places in town. Check out our 5 top dishes to try while in Nha Trang.

Hải sản (seafood)

Translated as “seafood”, this really isn’t a dish, this means a medley of different seafood. Not surprisingly in this beach town, the selection and quality are top-notch. Any number of dishes will have the option of “hai san” which will include fresh fish, crab, shrimp, and/or squid. There are abundant seafood restaurants, street stalls, and beach resorts offering the best hai san the city has to offer.

Local insight: Most places have seafood on display so you can pick which items you want to have for dinner.

Bò né

A breakfast favorite of locals, Bò Né is a beefsteak served with pate, eggs, bread, and chili sauce on a blisteringly hot plate. It is accompanied by a mix of salad, tomato, cucumber, onion, and vinegar. One notable item is the bread which is always served warm and crusty.

Local insight: Check out the Bo Ne at 41 A Le Dai Hanh. It’s tasty, filling, and at VND35,000 a plate, a steal.

Nem nướng Ninh Hoà

The sauce is the key to this dish and simply put, is amazingly delicious. Minced pork is mixed in a sauce that is equal parts peanutty, salty, and sweet. The dish is served with grilled pork, a deep-fried spring roll wrapper, and salad wrapped in rice paper. Prices ranged from VND40.000 to VND60.000/set.

Local insight: The area of Dang Van Quyen street, near Dam market, is the traditional center of “Nem Ninh Hoà”.

Bánh cuốn thịt nướng

Different from its cousin to the south, this spring roll is usually served with minced pork meat, called “chả lụa”. It still comes with the prerequisite greens, pickled daikon, and carrots along with the smattering of herbs inside a rice wrapper.

Local insight: You can get the best banh cuon at the restaurant located at the corner of Ngo Gia Tu and Bach Dang Streets.

Bún cá sứa

Your trip to Nha Trang wouldn’t be complete if you don’t have this kind of noodle soup. Not many people are fans of jellyfish but this is one of the specialties in Nha Trang and fresh tuna or marin is also served with the jellyfish. Dip the fish or jellyfish into a special fish dipping sauce to create a taste sensation not usually found in the country.

Local insight: Bà Năm restaurant, Dam market or the corner of Bach Dang and Nguyen Thien Thuat streets are reliable stops for the best bun ca – bun sua in town. And if it’s too much for you, the jellyfish is optional.

Hope you enjoyed reading out the top 5 dishes to try in Nha Trang and feel free to let us know what you think of them!

HCMC INSPIRATION TRAVEL NHA TRANG GOLF IN NHA TRANG, VIETNAM

By Simon Tinkler

An expert says “Nha Trang is Golf in Paradise”

Diamond Bay Golf and Villas Nha Trang

Some 20 minutes from the airport and a similar distance from the town center is the 18-hole Diamond Bay Golf and Villas, an Andy Dye signature design that is already gaining rave reviews about the condition, the breathtaking landscape, and a thoroughly good test of golf for all handicap ranges. Play is possible all year round as the course dries out very quickly, even after the hardest of downpours.

The staff ate friendly and nearly all the caddies can speak English, which makes for a more enjoyable round. All the staff is local, so they can provide more information on where to go. There is a world-class driving range where golf balls are actually hit to sea, the only one of its kind in Vietnam. The recently completed clubhouse offers five-star service, with a restaurant offering high-class international cuisine, an upper deck with an unbelievable vista over the golf course, and a spa and gym.

Vin Pearl Golf Club Nha Trang

The other golf course, Vinpearl is an 18-hole IMG design, par 71. It is located on the Vinpearl tourism complex and located on an island and is accessible by speed boat or cable car. IMG Worldwide, a global leader in golf course design, has made great use of the natural beauty mapping an impressive layout along the 800-meter beach and throughout the valley.

Each hole is a unique challenge creating unmatched satisfaction and a memorable experience for the golfer. Each hole also has a view of the sea. Both golf courses have their own individuality. Diamond Bay is surrounded by mountains and Vinpearl is overlooking the sea. They represent a different but most enjoyable challenge and experience and that is the reason why many golfers return many times to play the golf courses again and again.

KN Cam Ranh Golf Links

This is a Greg Norman-designed signature course. It’s one of only a handful of links courses in Asia and is part of an 800-hectare mega-project including eight kilometers of prime oceanfront land along the East Sea which is dominated by spectacular white sand dunes and long gently curving coastline. The course is 5-minutes from the Cam Ranh International Airport and 20 minutes from the resort city of Nha Trang.

The Links Course at Cam Ranh golf course was created on top of rolling dunes with some 50 meters of elevation change from highest to lowest. The existing coastal dunes, features, hazards, and ocean views form an integral part of the hole routing. The property’s natural topography lends itself beautifully to a great variety of golf holes, and there are sensational views from tee boxes of most holes.

The layout is devoid of trees and resembles a links course in Scotland rather than Asia. There are some natural shrubbery and native grass, and that’s all! Meticulously manicured Zoysia turf on the fairways provides a beautiful contrast with the white sandy beach and blue waters of the South China Sea. Greens are grassed with Tiff-Eagle Bermuda turf.

Playability was another factor that went into the design because the links course represents the original golf style. Cam Ranh plays links because there’s a lot of up and down and natural contouring. Run-off areas feature on most holes which adds to the strategy. Also, being near the sea, wind speed, and direction provides constant challenges, with the more elevated holes affected the most when the wind’s up.

Two of the best holes are the 10th and 15th, a pair of par-4s that play downhill towards the ocean and three small islands about 10 kilometers offshore.

Video and content source: https://www.golfasian.com/

Staying in Nha Trang

Good, affordable accommodation is easy to find in Nha Trang. Many international hotel chains such as Sheraton, Novotel, InterContinental, and Best Western are all represented along the seafront and there are many high-class resorts as well. The Ana Mandara near the town center is the only resort located on the beach with others such as Mia and Amiana located further away from the center.

The two golf courses also offer excellent accommodation and other facilities. Diamond Bay Resort and Spa has 164 rooms and 160 bungalows and boasts one of the largest swimming pools in Asia. International chefs prepare foods from Vietnam, Asia, and western styles, to cater to all tastes. Vinpearl Resort is a five-star hotel offering a range of attractions and Vinpearl Luxury offer 84 beautiful coastal villas, all styled in a Vietnamese way and creating luxury with privacy.

Nha Trang City Overview

Nha Trang is a seaside resort town, on the east coast of Vietnam. The region is easily accessible by air, road, and rail. Cam Ranh Airport is an international airport and more direct flights from neighboring countries are planned for 2014. There are regular flights to Saigon and Hanoi. The region has a tropical savannah climate with a lengthy dry season from January to October and a wet season in the following months. Typical downpours last for less than an hour, followed by bright sunshine.

It is easy to see why we call this “Golf in Paradise”. Nha Trang is a beautiful area to relax and unwind and that is one of the reasons the area is so popular. Coupled with excellent service, a sound infrastructure, Nha Trang is an ideal and enjoyable area to visit, especially for golf.