The seasonal rains have started in the North and the South of Vietnam bringing heat and humidity with them. For a cool break take a tour to Nha Trang City in the central region to laze on its stunning beaches, tour the islands and play water sports.
About 450 kilometers north of HCMC, on National Highway 1A, Nha Trang City is known for its eucalyptus trees, white sand dunes, lagoons, beaches and Islets. It’s the home of aloe wood trees and yen sao (bird’s nest).
Tourists to Nha Trang should not miss a cruise around Nha Trang Bay to explore the four islets: Mun Island, Mot Island, San Island and Mieu Island.
The Mun Island is popular for scuba diving. Formed by piles of giant black rocks, the islet looks amazing surrounded by pure blue water, white sand and millions of pebbles.
Tourists can dive to eight to ten meters to admire colorful corals and fish. Scuba diving, along with diving instructions and equipment, costs about VND500,000 per person.
A motor boat trip or a parachute trip costs VND300,000. For those unafraid of heights who have a bigger budget a balloon will take you up to see an amazing birds-eye view of the Bay.
The next stop is Mot Island where boats anchor together like a large floating raft. Tourists can enjoy some local specialties and attend a wine party. A wine party is a drinking game where you throw a buoy into the sea and put some bottles of wine on it. The aim is to get the bottles of wine out of the buoy. The game is usually played with loud music playing and is lots of fun.
After Mot island the cruise goes to Soi Island for a lazy break on the beach’s deck chairs. Wooden boats are available to rent to drift along the beach and collect colorful pebbles.
The cruise ends with a visit to Tri Nguyen Aquarium. For ticket cost of VND25,000, follow the tour around the mountain to a gate in the shape of a giant fish’s mouth. Designed as an eighteenth-century battle ship, the aquarium has a wide array of fish, corals and other marine species. The souvenir shop offers handicrafts such as mother-of-pearl encrusted paintings, pearl-made jewelry, brocade cloths and scarves.
