Nha Trang 26 - 28 April 2009

Trip Start Feb 13, 2009
1
23
39
Trip End Jun 22, 2009


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Where I stayed
Blue Star Hotel
(Nha Trang hotels)

Flag of Vietnam  ,
Sunday, April 26, 2009

Its been quite hectic on our travels recently - so we thought we deserved a few days by the sea! Nha Trang is a resort town up the coast. We took the overnight train (soft sleeper = civilised and comfortable) and headed for a hotel recommended by a couple of Americans we had sat next to in a bar in HCMC. We even got the same room as one of them had recommended - large room on 4th floor with two large beds, air con, TV, balcony, great view of seafront, free internet, breakfast included for just US $20 !

Nha Trang is a pleasant resort with a nice beach but could be anywhere - we can see the multi storey Novotel from our room but, on the day we arrived, it was great just to wander the short way down to the beach, and laze under a thatched parasol.

One thing to do here is to head out to the islands on a boat trip for the day. We ended up on a boat full of Vietnamese (and Koreans apparently, we did not notice the difference) and an Australian couple. The places visited were certainly not anything special, but it was good fun as we got nicely fed, listened to the boat crew turn band (with drums, electric guitar and our host as a singer + karioke ...), and then endulged in a "floating bar"!!! The convivial host swam out beside the boat with a large piece of polystirene with a bouquet of plastic flowers on, several bottles of local Dalat red wine and plastic cups for those who wished to partake! The revellers then just had to jump in the sea, wait for a tube to be thrown for them, swim out to the floating bar and join in the fun. Probably would not make a special effort to drink the local wine otherwise ... but this was quite memorable!

Incidentally, the photos of the floating bar just show our convivial host and myself because we had to wait until Lindsey was back on the boat before we could get a photo! Quite a few of the locals joined in.
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Comments

jbilocca
jbilocca on Apr 28, 2009 at 04:15AM

I'm in Blue star hotel!!
Hi,

my wife and i are in the same hotel and are thinking to go to the island tour. do u think it is worth it? R u still here or u've left from Nha Trang?

enjoy
jesmar

aandl
aandl on Apr 29, 2009 at 12:15AM

Re: I'm in Blue star hotel!!
Hi Jesmar,

We just got your message when we opened our emails at the hotel last night. Amazing to get a contact from someone at the same hotel!

Unfortunately, it was just ten minutes before we were leaving the hotel in a taxi for the railway station. We mentioned your name at reception to try and find you but they were a bit blank.

We have now arrived in a very rainy Hoi An!

As for the boat trip ... well its cheap, you get a decent lunch and its quite fun if you have a particular sense of humour! Don't expect particularly picturesque/interesting stops though. We did not bother going around the aquarium at the first stop nor getting off the boat at the last stop (where you had to pay 20000 dong to visit the 'village'/included deckchair). You could join in the kareoke session (mainly Vietnamese) if you like!! - or otherwise escape on to the top of the boat roof (shaded).

We chatted to a couple of Australians on the boat and we enjoyed the day ... and the floating bar was definitely memorable!

Cheers,

Alan

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