As far as memorable holidays in Vietnam are concerned, experiences don't come more diverse than visiting the seashore around Nha Trang.
One of the country's best-known diving destinations, Nha Trang is a coastal province roughly right in the middle of Vietnam's eastern coastline. Although this area has been popular with more affluent tourists for some time, increasing numbers of visitors from a diverse range of backgrounds are touching down here. Nha Trang Bay, considered one of the world's most beautiful, has definitely become one of the key stopping-off spots on the South East Asia circuit, attracting considerable numbers of backpackers, too.
The region popular with scuba divers is protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The beaches are renowned for their fine, white sand, while the clear seas benefit from all-year round mild temperatures. Bamboo Island (Hon Tre) lies off the shore of Nha Trang. Thia island is an important five-star resort, currently operated by the Vinpearl Group. A cable car system, comprising a gondola lift system, shuttles tourists between the mainland and Bamboo Island.
Annual yachting races start in Hong Kong, stopping over at Nha Trang. In addition, the city also plays host to five-star sea cruises. Amongst the many activities that are open to visitors are island hopping, watersports, various boating activities, and scuba-diving.
One pastime that is a particular hit amongst visitors is sampling the local cuisine. Cooking in this region is famous for its fresh seafood, and mouthwatering barbecued pork, rolled in rice paper. The bird's nest soup on offer in Nha Trang is widely considered to be amongst the best you'll be served anywhere in the country. A longstanding Far Eastern delicacy, these soups have been a staple of oriental cooking for some four centuries. The actual nests themselves are gathered in the wild, as well as being produced in bird farms in the various islands off the coast of Nha Trang.
Kite boarding and scuba diving are amongst the recreational mainstays of the region. If you are looking for adventures to fill your leisure time long after the sun has set over the mainland, there is limited nightlife. However, because Nha Trang has been developed as a tourist hub for a while, the local facilities are amongst the best in this particular stretch of the Vietnamese coast. Towns such as Da Nang, Vung Tau and Mui Ne are all vibrant centres, which are usually busy around the time of the Vietnamese New Year.
The attractions are split between natural draws, such as Monkey Island or Hon Ba Mountain, and interesting organized activities, such as the magical Mystery Tour, or the Palace of Emperor Bao Dai (the final emperor of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty, who passed away in 1997). If you would rather keep up to date during your leisure time, then look no further than the renowned Nha Trang Booze Cruise – subtitled the ‘all you can drink party boar'. If you do find yourself overindulging on the fantastic array of tasty cocktails, you can rest assured that the following day it will be easy enough to find somewhere to chill out. There are plenty stretches of golden sand, with seating conveniently arranged by parasols.