BEST OF ASIA PACIFIC
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Nha Trang, Vietnam by Lawrence Alex Wu
Dive into the South China Sea’s own Riviera for a mélange of east meets west in Vietnam’s premier resort town. Built by the French, Nha Trang is quaint with its own flair, flavour and plenty of food, fun and frolic for everyone. This dreamy seaside town has been quietly catering to both Vietnamese and foreign visitors for many years. Nestled in a small range of mountains and picturesque islands, Nha Trang’s attraction has long been its kilometres of pearly sandy beaches, oceanfront activities or “non-activities” – for those seeking relaxation under the sun. A charming Western-style promenade, complete with garden walks, side walk cafes, restaurants and hotels, runs along much of the smooth-sand beach. A quick tour between meals on rented bicycles or mopeds (US$3.50 per day) is the perfect way to explore the mix of Vietnamese culture, Chinese influences and Nha Trang’s own laidback atmosphere. Just don’t forget to save some time for the diving here too...
Diving Nha Trang There are two reasons why you should pack your bags and make tracks for Nha Trang: there’s a huge variety of animal-life here. You’ll find large animals like stingrays, frogfish, paperfish, dragonettes, cowfish and always reef-health indicators, like sharks and turtles. And much of the muck, macro, coral and deep wall diving are all within an hour by boat, with reefs home to a prolific 400+ species of hard corals. The other draw is the huge variety and abundance of tiny animals, and especially nudibranchs. Speak to your divemasters about the special species found only along steep pinnacles jutting out from the depths, which offer some colourful wall diving too. Water temperatures here range from 22-30°C and visibility is often in the range of 10 metres, and sometimes even up to 25 metres.
Bang for the Buck No stranger to travellers, Nha Trang’s services, facilities and activities are well honed for holidaymaking. The town has developed into a reputable international seaside getaway with accommodation gravitating towards the promenade and starting from US$10-15 per night to 5-star resorts and services. A two-dive trip costs about US$60 and if you’re really keen, you can even get technical with rebreather and nitrox certifications. A nitrox course is a great deal at US$175; a rebreather course is US$325; and both together cost just US$400. There are plenty of rickshaw drivers around but renting a motorbike (from US$3.50/day) will get you around to the quaint Chinese and Buddhist temples. There is also lots of choice when mealtime comes around. Foreign fare averages US$4-5 per main course and traditional Vietnamese noodle dishes like “pho” can be found everywhere and cost less than US$1 per serving.
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NHA TRANG Navigator Pack your bags: Low cost carriers like Air Asia, Tiger Airways, Cebu Pacific and Viva Macau fly to Saigon, the closest International airport to Nha Trang. An overnight sleeper train (20$US) will take you to Nha Trang (about 450kms). Alternatively, buses (US$10) take about 9 hours and leave several times a day but even flying is a very reasonable US$40 one-way. VISA/ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Most nationalities need a visa to enter Vietnam (except most Asean countries). Best time to dive: The dry season is from March to October, but diving is year-round. Nudibranchs are more common in the rainy season! DIVE WITH: Rainbow Divers (divevietnam.com) offer courses up to IDC level, including rebreather and nitrox.