Nha Trang City

Nha Trang (/ˌnɑːˈtʃæŋ/, Vietnamese pronunciation: [ɲaː˧ ʈʂaːŋ˧] is a coastal city and capital of Khánh Hòa Province, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam.

It is bounded on the north by Ninh Hoà district, on the south by Cam Ranh town and on the west by Diên Khánh District.

The city has about 392,000 inhabitants, a number that is projected to increase to 560,000 by 2015 and 630,000 inhabitants by 2025. 

With an area of 12.87 square kilometres (4.97 sq mi) of the western communes of Diên An and Diên Toàn is planned to be merged into Nha Trang which will make its new area 265.47 square kilometres (102.50 sq mi) based on the approval of the Prime Minister of Vietnam in September 2012.

Marine Science 

Being a coastal city, Nha Trang is a centre for marine science based at the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute. The Hon Mun marine protected area is one of four first marine protected areas in the world admitted by the IUCN.

Geography

Nha Trang city has a metropolitan area of 251 km² and population of about 500,000. It borders Ninh Hòa town in the north, Cam Ranh city in the south, Diên Khánh town in the west and the East Sea to the east. The city is on the beautiful Nha Trang Bay, which was chosen by Travel + Leisure in two succeeding years as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world. Nha Trang is surrounded on all three sides by mountains and a large island and four smaller ones on the fourth side (in the ocean directly in front of the city's main area), blocking major storms from potentially damaging the city.

Climate

Nha Trang has a tropical savanna climate with a lengthy dry season from January to August and a shorter wet season from September to December. When 1,029 mm (41 in) of the city's total annual rainfall of 1,361 mm (54 in) is received from the north-east monsoon. During the wet season extremely heavy rainfall from typhoons is not uncommon, though the city is shielded from the worst winds.

History

Historically, the city was known as Kauthara under the Champa. The city is still home to the famous Po Nagar Tower built by the Champa.

From 1653 to the 19th century, Nha Trang was a deserted area rich in wildlife (animals like tigers) and was a part of Hà Bạc, Vĩnh Xương County, Diên Khánh Province.

After just two decades in the early 20th century, Nha Trang underwent a rapid change. On August 30, 1924, the Governor-General of French Indochina decreed Nha Trang as a townlet (center urban). Nha Trang Townlet was established from the ancient villages of Xương Huân, Phương Câu, Vạn Thạnh, Phương Sài, and Phước Hải.

During French Indochina, Nha Trang was seen as de facto capital of Khánh Hòa Province. The colonial administration offices (like Envoy Office, Commanding Office, Trade Office and Post Office) were situated in Nha Trang.

Local royal offices like Province Chief, Provincial Judge, Military Commander are in Diên Khánh city (a walled military city 10 km south-west of Nha Trang).

On 7 May 1937, the Governor-General of French Indochina by another decree upgraded Nha Trang Townlet to town. 

On 2 April 1975, communist (Viet Cong/PRG/VPA) forces captured the city. On 4 April 1975, Khánh Hòa Military Commission (Ủy ban Quân quản Khánh Hòa) divided Nha Trang into three administrative districts: District 1, District 2 and Vĩnh Xương District. In September 1975, the districts were merged to become one entity, the town of Nha Trang.

On 30 March 1977, the Council of the Government (now the cabinet) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by Decision 391-CP/QĐ upgraded Nha Trang to city status, a county-level city under the administration of Phú Khánh Province (a province created by merger of now Phú Yên Province and Khánh Hòa Province). Seven communes of former Vĩnh Xương County, namely; Vĩnh Thái, Vĩnh Ngọc, Vĩnh Hiệp, Vĩnh Lương, Vĩnh Trung and Vĩnh Thạnh, Vĩnh Phương was split from Khánh Xương County to become Nha Trang City territory.

On 1 July 1989, Khanh Hoa was split from Phu Khanh Province to become Khánh Hòa Province as it was before; Nha Trang was made the capital of Khánh Hòa Province.

On April 22, 1999, the prime minister by Decision 106/1999 recognized Nha Trang City the second class municipal city.

On April 22, 2009, the prime minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng recognized Nha Trang City at the first class municipal city.

Administrative divisions

Nha Trang is subdivided into 27 wards and communes, of which 20 are urban wards: Vĩnh Hải, Vĩnh Phước, Vĩnh Thọ, Xương Huân, Vạn Thắng, Vạn Thạnh, Phương Sài, Phương Sơn, Ngọc Hiệp, Phước Hòa, Phước Tân, Phước Tiến, Phước Hải, Lộc Thọ, Tân Lập, Vĩnh Nguyên, Vĩnh Trường, Phước Long (founded in November 1998), Vĩnh Hòa (founded in April 2002); and 8 suburban communes: Vĩnh Phương, Vĩnh Trung, Vĩnh Thạnh, Vĩnh Thái, Vĩnh Hiệp, Vĩnh Ngọc, Vĩnh Lương and Phước Đồng. Since 1998, due to the high pace of urbanization, many urban planned zones have been built: Hòn Rớ, Bắc Việt, Thánh Gia, Đường Đệ, Nam Hòn Khô.

Etymology

According to some researchers, the name Nha Trang derives from a false Vietnamese spelling of a geographical name in the Cham language of the site Ya Trang (literally Reed River), the name of the Cai River as referred to by the Cham people. From the name of this river. Nha Trang was officially made Vietnam's territory in 1698.

As far as the recorded naming of Nha Trang is concerned, in Toàn tập Thiên Nam Tứ Chí Lộ Đồ Thư, a geographical book written by a Vietnamese scholar with the family of Đỗ Bá in the second half of the 18th century, the name Nha Trang Môn ("Nha Trang gate") was mentioned. In another map dating to the 17th century, known as Giáp Ngọ Niên Bình Nam Đồ by a noble called Đoan Quận công Bùi Thế Đạt, the name Nha Trang Hải môn (Nha Trang Sea Gate) was also cited. In Vietnamese recorded historic bibliographies, these books are perhaps the earliest ones that mentioned this place name.

In a work by Lê Quý Đôn called Phủ biên tạp lục (1776), many Nha Trang-related names were mentioned, such as đầm Nha Trang, dinh Nha Trang, nguồn Nha Trang, and đèo Nha Trang. Some would say that the Nha Trang is actually a part of the Dead Sea in the early 1700s but the idea was then removed in 1738.

Education

Nha Trang is home to a multidisciplinary university, Nha Trang University (formerly Nha Trang Fishery University); Naval Academy; Air Force Academy; Normal (Teacher's) College; Kindergarten Teacher's Training College; and Arts and Tourism College. The city is home to many institutions. Nha Trang Oceanography Institute, the unique institute of oceanography in Vietnam, Nha Trang Pasteur Institute one of the famous Pasteur Institutes in Vietnam.

Nha Trang Pasteur Institute

The French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin (who discovered the Yersinia pestis bacterium) identified himself with Nha Trang's life for 50 years (affectionately known as Ông Năm). He established the Indochina Pasteur Institute (now known as the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute) devoted to research on the bubonic plague. Yersin died in Nha Trang on 1 March 1943. A street in the city is named after him, there is a shrine located next to his tomb, and his house has been converted into the Yersin Museum.

Transport

By Air

When Cam Ranh Bay used to be an important naval base, Nha Trang Airport was the main airport of the city. This airport was used by the United States Air Force and South Vietnam Air Force during the Vietnam War. When part of Cam Ranh Bay was made an economic development zone by the Vietnamese government, Cam Ranh International Airport (also a military airport built by the United States during Vietnam War) was made the new civilian airport of the city.

This airport is located by Cam Ranh Bay, 28 km (17 mi) south of the city and was (as of 2007) the fourth busiest airport in passenger traffic in Vietnam serving more than 683.000 passengers in 2008. As of 2016, the airport has domestic connections to Hanoi, Hồ Chí Minh City, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng and Vinh.

Cam Ranh International Airport is located in Cam Ranh Town, Khanh Hoa province. It serves for Nhatrang city. The distance from Cam Ranh International Airport to Nhatrang is about 30km. You can choice many ways to transfer such as: by airport bus, by taxi or by private car. Nhatrang Private Car is the good choice if you want to make sure your trip is on time, in the correct place, and comfortable. They're an expert team and available in many cities.

By Road

The city is next to the National Route 1A, the backbone north-south road of the country.

By Bus

Most open tour buses arrive from Ho Chi Minh City in the south (10-12 hours) and Hoi An to the north (16 hours). They drop their passengers in the main tourist area around Biet Thu, while the public bus station is at 58, 23 Thang 10, about a 10 minute walk west of the center. North to Qui Nhon 6 hours on Mai Linh Express departures at 7.30,8.30,13.00 and 15.30 or 28 hours by TM Brothers bus (400,000 dong). Phuong Trang has several buses per day to Da Lat (hourly between 7am and 3pm, 3 to 4 hours, 120,000 dong as of July 2012).

By Train

The Reunification Railway crosses the city and stops at Nha Trang Railway Station. Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon). The railway station is close to the cathedral in the northern part of town. If you want a soft-sleeper (the highest class available on Vietnamese trains), book your train ticket directly at the train station as far in advance as you are able. Having a private travel agent book this ticket will quite often result in you paying the agent for a soft-sleeper — the agent will book a hard-sleeper and you will not know until you board the train and it is too late to make changes. This is one of the most common scams in Vietnam! Soft sleeper rooms are 4 berth, hard sleepers are 6 berth. The journey to Nha Trang from Ho Chi Minh City takes between 6-8 hours on the SE trains

Cargo Ships

The construction work of Van Phong Port, north of the city, a deep-water project capable of handling ships up to 100,000 tonnes, and with a capacity of 100 million tonnes of cargo per annum, is under progress by a consortium of Japanese corporations. The estimated investment capital for this port-city complex project is expected to reach US$15 billion.

Economy

Nha Trang's economy relies largely on tourism. In the suburban areas around the city, the shipbuilding industry has developed and contributed significantly to the local economy. Fishery and services are also important to the city. Khánh Hòa Province in general and Nha Trang is particular are among the largest contributors to Vietnam's annual budget revenues. Lobster farming in the sea is an important industry for the people living in suburb areas.

To the south of the city, by Cam Ranh Bay, several industrial parks are under construction and have been partly available for investors. Once the construction of the deep-water port on Van Phong Bay has been completed, this area will become the third important economic zone in the province (besides Nha Trang and Cam Ranh).

Tourism

Nha Trang is well known for its beaches and scuba diving and has developed into a popular destination for international tourists, attracting large numbers of backpackers, as well as more affluent travelers on the south-east Asia circuit; it is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists, with Nha Trang Bay widely considered as among the world's most beautiful bays. Tourists are welcome to participate in the Sea Festival, held biennially. Nha Trang was the site of the Miss Universe 2008 Pageant on July 14, 2008 and Miss Earth 2010 was held on December 4, 2010. It was also the site for the April 14, 2015 season 8 finale of Face Off. Nha Trang has been approved to host the 2016 Asian Beach Games.

Nha Trang is one of the most important tourist hubs of Vietnam, thanks to its beautiful beaches with fine and clean sand and the clear ocean water with mild temperatures all year round. There are several resorts — such as Vinpearl, Diamond Bay and Ana Mandara — and amusement and water parks, in the city and on islands off the coast. The possibly most beautiful street of Nha Trang is Tran Phu Street along the seaside, sometimes referred to as the Pacific Coast Highway of Vietnam.

The monsoon season is from October to mid December. Sea winds can be heavy, and sometimes the weather can get pretty chilly. Summer, naturally, brings many vacation goers into town and hotel rooms get somewhat more difficult to find. Nha Trang, like Mui Ne farther south, is very popular with Russian tourists. Consequently, most of the tourist infrastructure is reared towards those and you might find yourself not able to read the menu of a restaurant or check into a hotel, because the staff only speaks Russian/Vietnamese.

Lying off Nha Trang is the Hon Tre Island (Bamboo Island), with a major resort operated by the Vinpearl Group. The Vinpearl Cable Car, a gondola lift system, links the mainland to the five-star resort and theme park on Hon Tre Island.

Nha Trang is a stopover for annual yacht races starting in Hong Kong. In recent years, the city has welcomed many five-star sea cruises. In addition to sailboat racing, Nha Trang provides a rich variety of tourist activities for visitors. Island hopping, scuba diving, water sports and other sporting activities can be enjoyed. The Nha Trang Tourist Information Center (a non-governmental organisation); located near the Cho Dam Market has been set up to provide information for visitors.

Recreation and nightlife

Scuba diving, kite boarding are available, as are catamaran sailboats. Winds are steady in the summer season.

The nightlife is limited, but near the Biet Thu tourist district, it can go beyond midnight. The nightlife is therefore known as superior to other coastal towns such as Mui Ne, Da Nang and Vũng Tàu. It is usually busiest around the Vietnamese New Year period and can be worth visiting most of the year, with the possible exception of the rainy season (especially November). Many tourists enjoy the Nha Trang River Cai boat ride (locally known as Song Cai, as "song" means "river" in the Vietnamese language).

Tourist attractions

The beach is the main draw here. The sand is quite littered and the water can also be polluted, so if you are going to Nha Trang specifically for the beach, and have been to other Asian destinations such as Thailand and the Philippines you are likely to be very disappointed. You will see many women vendors walking along the beach selling fruit and hot, steamed seafood.

Make sure that you visit in the right season, though. The beach can be disappointing when the weather is grey and the waves choppy. The experience is then one of murky sandy waters, a strip of standard brown sand with a multitude of empty beach chairs and no one to be seen.

• National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam, 01 Cau Da (on the left of the commercial port entrance), 058-590-037. Admission VND 15,000. Open 7am-4pm. This is like an aquarium with popular and rare species of the sea. A perfect place to bring kids as they will get to see sharks, turtles, coral reefs, lionfish, sea horses, and many other creatures. It is home to the largest oceanic library in Vietnam.

• NhaTrang live, Thong Nhat Street & 2 thang 4 Street. (near Cho Dam Market), 090-714-3404,. Free maps of city, drinks and tour travel guide book. Free use of wireless and computers. Largest collection of local painting by artists that live in the area.

• Alexandre Yersin Museum, 10 Tran Phu St., 058-822-355. Admission US $2. M-Sa 8-11am and 2-4:30pm. This is a scientific museum of a Swiss-born, Dr. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), who arrived in Vietnam in 1891 to study infected animals. He then later on produced a serum from horses and buffaloes. In this museum, you will be able to view all of his work as well as his equipment. Yersin never went back to Switzerland as he spent the rest of his life in Nha Trang. Don’t try to take pictures. Do respect the rules since they're quite serious here.

• Long Son Pagoda, Chùa Long Sơn (literally 'The Dragon Mountain Pagoda — or White Buddha Pagoda) Thai Nguyen St. Free admission. Open 8am-5pm. At this pagoda, you will see a 79 ft. tall white Buddha. The pagoda was established in 1963 to honour the monks and nuns who died demonstrating against the Diem government. Beware of cheaters claiming they are students studying in the temple demanding that you offer a donation to the school before going up the pagoda. These "students" have no affiliation to the school and entry to the pagoda absolutely is free. Also beware that parking for motorbikes and bicycles are absolutely free (signs posted in Vietnamese indicates free parking.) Do not pay the 5,000 dong parking fee to the scammers near the gate. Instead, drive directly in, past the vegetarian restaurant, and park where the security guards are. Be aware of scammers holding incense sticks, they will hand you three incense sticks as you approach the Buddha and will trail behind you slowly before telling you what to do with them and then charging you as you walk out for using the sticks.
• Po Nagar Cham Towers, Tháp Bà Pô Nagar (a Champa Tower) 2 Thang 4 St. Admission 22,000 VND + parking (2000 VND for bicycles, 5000 VND for motorbikes). Open daily 7:30am-5pm. These four brick towers were built by the Cham civilization between the 7th and 12th century to honor Yang Ino Po Ngar, mother of the kingdom, and the incense aroma emanating from within makes it clear that this remains a religious site for the local Buddhists of Nha Trang today. The longevity of these last vestiges of a once-dominant South East Asian civilisation should impress temple enthusiasts even if the insensitive restoration and surrounding mass of tourists don't. The small complex sits on a hill which enjoys views across Nha Trang's fishing village. It is a 20-25 minute walk (or short motorbike ride) from the main beach strip, however be prepared to wander through the 'real' Nha Trang, quite a shocking change from the showy built up beach side resort.

• Fishing village, (Between the old and the new bridge.). The fishing village is located between the old and the new bridge. When the fishing boats are coming in or going out it is a beautiful sight.  
• Bao Dai Villa, (Near the oceanographic institute). The Bao Dai Villas are located on top of a small hill. You have a beautiful view of the Nha Trang bay from there. The wind is cool and it is a nice place to relax at when it is too hot in the city.  
• Vinpearl, (cable car...), from the harbour you can take the cable car over to the island where Vinpearl resort and Vinpearl land is located. They have a small tivoli and some restaurants, attractions here include Underwater World (aquarium), Water Park complete with many exciting water slides and wave pool, Amusement Park with roller coaster, pirate ship, bumper cars, 4D cinema and many modern arcade machines and musical fountain and laser show at night time, usually 7pm. All included in the one price. 500,000 dong.

• Nha Trang Cathedral. Located a few minutes away from the train station, the cathedral shows the influence of French Catholicism. It's a Quaint, free and quick sight to see. The Nha Trang area still has a strong Catholic population. There are Catholic Shops located around the Cathedral.
• Thanh Dien Khanh Fortress. The Dien Khanh Citadel is situated on Dien Khanh Townlet, Dien Khanh District, Khanh Hoa Province. The Citadel was built by the French officer Olivier de Puymanel for Nguyễn Ánh in 1793 with an area of 36,000 square meters according to the Vauban military architecture which was popular in Western Europe in 17th - 18th centuries. The citadel's wall was in an in-equilateral hexagon of 3.5m height. The outer face was vertically constructed while the inner was a little bit sloping by two terraces forming a favorable pavement. Inside the corners, there were large fields which were convenient for military resident. On the top of corners there stood fortresses of 2m high with canons above. On the roof of the citadel, they planted closet bamboo and other barricade trees. Surrounding the citadel were moats of 4 to 5 meters deep, 10 meters wide, flooded by water. At first the citadel had 6 gates but nowadays only 4 remain, which are East Gate, West Gate, Front Gate (to the South), Back Gate (to the North). There once was a royal palace, private residents of feudal mandarins, warehouses and jails... Dien Khanh is one of the oldest citadels in the south of Vietnam and it is one of the precious vestiges for studying ancient citadels.

More things to see & do  

• Boat tour on Cai River, visiting islands off the coast and Ba Ho Waterfall
• Palace of Emperor Bảo Đại
• Thap Ba natural hotsprings: a must-have experience at an amazingly cheap price, (4$) for the mineral pool and from 12.5 for the mud bath (incl.the mineral pool). More of you there are, the less it costs. Located on the outskirt of the city.
• Nha Phu Lagoon
• Hoa Lan Stream (Orchid Flower stream)
• Nha Trang Booze Cruise (all-you-can-drink party boat)
• Suối Tiên Stream (Fairy stream)
• Hòn Bà Mountain
• Cai River Minigolf & Restaurant & Marina
• Suối Đổ Stream
• Yangbay Waterfall: (40 km west of Nha Trang). At the [Yang Bay waterfalls] the Vietnamese have built up a concrete beach. It used to be a lot nicer before they built it but it is still a very nice place to visit. You can swim there, and walk around in the area. Bringing your own food and drink is recommended.
• Chánh Tọa Church (or Mountain Church)
• Nha Trang Pasteur Institute
• Trí Nguyên Aquarium (an aquarium where hundreds of rare oceanic species are fed)
• Chong rock.
• Biking and Rafting Tour, 1/12 Tran Quang Khai St, ☎ 058,3521541. Combination fast 30km downhill biking passing through minority village and meeting Raglai people. Then a 12km rafting trip down the Cai River. from US$45
• Live music at the cafes. Many cafes in Nha Trang have live music at night time. They vary in type and quality, so ask around. One favourite is Fuji cafe on Yersin Street. They have live music Th-Sa from 8.30pm to 10pm. A small entrance fee is added to the bill (around 30.000 VND) or checkout foreign performers at Red Apple Club, Guava Bar and Louisiane Bar.
• Cooking Classes - Lanterns Vietnamese Restaurant, 34/6 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, ☎ 058 2471 674. Half day cooking classes for visitors to Nha Trang at a cost of US$24 per person. It is a great experience and a must do for someone looking for variety to their trip to Nha Trang and something a little different. It involves travelling to the local market in a cyclo, a guided tour of the marketplace, where you get involved in learning about local produce and buying the food you will cook. You then return to the restaurant where you prepare 3 dishes as chosen by the guests. It is a real fun day for all involved and an introduction to Vietnamese cooking and real value for money.
• Swimming Pools. Obviously people come here to swim in the sea but there are also a number of swimming pools around. Louisiane Brewhouse has a good one and free to use but costs 25,000 dong to hire a soft sun-lounger. The Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang hotel coffee shop in Yersin Street has a small, shady pool for free use. A number of mid-range hotels also have pools some of which can be used by non-guests. Sea and Sun Hotel has a nice rooftop pool and costs 70,000 dong for non-guests. There is also an Olympic size outdoor swimming pool in Nha Trang that is hardly used but is used by many of the scuba diving companies for training purposes. It costs only 15,000 dong. It’s a fair distance away from the main tourist area on the south side of the city, ask someone who works in a scuba diving shop for direction
• 10 pin bowling. On the 3rd floor of the new Nha Trang Center shopping and entertainment complex. Half price games after 10PM on Friday and Saturday nights only (happy hour).
• Cinema. On the 3rd floor of the Nha Trang Center shopping and entertainment complex. Search for a movie poster (besides the slot machine area) and go around the corner. The cinema has three movie theaters with estimated 120 seats each. US-Movies are in English with local subtitle. 70000 VND
• Waterland Thach Lam Stream, Suối Cát - Cam Lâm - Khánh Hòa (near Alexandre Yersin temple (about 22 km south of Nha Trang), ☎ +84 58 387-3878. It is the first eco - sport amusement park in the province. You can swim, play rafting and paint ball shooting, slide on grass(in a small car). Food and beverages are available.
• 3D cafe - cinema, 97 Nguyen Thien Thuat,. Mini cinema in main tourist area showing movies every 2 hours starting from 5pm. Choose your own film! Most films are in 3D. Maximum 20 people but often you and your friends will have the cinema for yourselves! Price includes free bottle of water. 50,000 dong

Beaches

Further afield from Nha Trang's expansive sandy bay are some excellent beaches without the backdrop of hotel towers.

• Doc Let beach, (around 50 km north of Nha Trang). Doc Let beach is more tranquil, cleaner and more beautiful than the beach in Nha Trang. It is well worth taking a tour there. Local fishermen families sell and prepare seafood which they will cook for you on the beach for a very reasonable price.  
• Bai Dai beach, (On the road from Nha Trang to Cam Ranh airport). The road to the Cam Ranh airport is a very scenic road and worth going just to enjoy the scenery. As you have passed over the mountains there is a very long and nice beach named Bai Dai (around 30 km from Nha Trang city center and pronounced Bai Yai) which is clean and beautiful. You can buy food from small restaurants at the beach.  
• Bai Duong Beach, (1.5 km north on Tran Phu Street over the main bridge). Bai Duong beach is smaller than in the main tourist area. The beach has a gentler grade, and warmer waters, and is also calmer, cleaner, and ideal for swimming.
• Sạn Beach

Islands

• Hòn Tằm Island (Silkworm island)
• Hòn Mun Island (Ebony island)
• Hòn Con Sẻ Tre Island (Bamboo Sparrow island)
• Hòn Ông Island
• Đảo Yến Island (Swiftlet island)
• Hòn Tre Island (Bamboo island)
• Monkey Island, (20km north of Nha Trang). Catch a ferry to Monkey Island, which is full of monkeys, has a 10am circus and simple go-cart track. Two way ferry ticket is 120, 000 dong as of January 2014. The place closes down at around 5 pm. It can be reached on local buses №1 and 2.

Diving & snorkeling

Close off-shore from Nha Trang sit a series of islands that offer decent diving and snorkeling, easily accessible by day trip. The city has about two dozen dive shops, making for fierce competition and great value. For certification training, Nha Trang offers perhaps the best value in the world, with PADI open water courses available with full equipment rental for as little as US$250. A two-dive boat trip with equipment rental and modest lunch can be had for as little as US$45, also a phenomenal value.

Coastal and undersea construction has stirred up a lot of sediment in the area, so under-water visibility is sometimes not great. The area is heavily fished, so fish life is also limited. You wouldn't cross the world just to dive at Nha Trang. But if you always dreamed of getting a scuba certification, Nha Trang is a great place to do it, and any diver passing through would enjoy a couple of dips. The shops generally offer good-quality equipment and experienced, certified dive-masters. Diving goes on year-around, but in the October-December windy season, the boat ride can be a bit rough and diving is limited to a few sites in the lee of the islands.

Cuisine

As expected from a large resort town, Nha Trang has no shortage of eating options to suit all budgets, from Vietnamese-style informal pavement cafes on plastic chairs to high end restaurants. Nha Trang is famous throughout Vietnam for its seafood but also offers a broad range of Western cuisine.

There is no shortage of pavement cafes for a cheap, satisfying and authentically Vietnamese experience. Offerings range from simple baguettes to banquets, with most of them seeming to have a seafood theme.

The local cuisine is most famous for fresh seafood and barbecued pork rolled in rice paper. The area's bird's nest soup is deemed one of the best in Vietnam. Bird's nests are collected in the wild, on bird farms on the islands off the coast and even in some houses in the inner city. The farmed bird in question belongs to the swiftlet group, popularly referred to as yến hàng (Aerodramus fuciphagus germani).

Two local culinary specialties that attract people are bánh canh chả cá (bánh canh; with fish paddies) and bún cá sứa (rice vermicelli with jelly fish).

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nha_Trang