Nha Trang is THE place to dive in Vietnam. There are lots of dive shops around this seaside town and diving there is very popular among the Japanese, Central Europeans and Russians. With a long stretch of unspoilt beachfront, many tourists go there to worship the sun. Unlike Bali, you are way less likely to be bothered by people asking you to buy things. It is not unusual to see foreigners walking around town in beachwear.

WEATHER : Fine.

GETTING THERE : From Dalat’s Trung Cang Hotel, the journey to Nha Trang passes some very scenic mountain passes,  wide stretches of saltpans and offers very panoramic views of the beaches.  Sinh Café’s office at Nha Trang is just a stone's throw from the beach.

ACCOMMODATION : There are lots of accommodation to choose from. It ranges from 4 star hotels to simple guesthouses.  My stay at a guesthouse there was fairly unremarkable.

BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS : For such a fine seaside resort, Nha Trang is unfortunately fairly uninteresting for the birder. Like most towns in Vietnam, it is almost devoid of birds. Two places that might have potential (though I did not manage to bird watch there) are:

1. the saltpans several kilometres beyond Nha Trang towards Dalat.
2. the island resort of Hon Tam. During a short stopover on a boat cruise to the offshore islands,  I heard many birds at that resort island. They were very active at the entrance to a nature trail that cuts into the heart of the island from the beach.

LEECHES : None

MAP/SKETCH : Nil

SCOPE: NA

LESSONS LEARNT : If you are running a tight schedule,  Nha Trang is probably just a necessary stopover. In that case, you’ll have to spend the night there before heading to Hoi An. 

If time permits, I do strongly recommend you to try out the packaged boat rides to the offshore islands. It's rollicking good fun! Enjoy sightseeing, dancing, food and drinks. Try having alcoholic drinks at the “water-bars” while floating out at sea. It is quite an unforgettable experience!