Barbara the Shining Light of Quy Nhon

  Quy Nhon, Vietnam
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Rows of coracle boats drying in the sun.

Our second stop on the journey to Nha Trang was at a small coastal town called Quy Nhon (pronounced Wee Non). We had read in the Lonely Planet that a small backpacker haven could be found in the shape of a cafe run by a Kiwi woman called Barbara. All of the Western delicacies we have craved in the last 5 weeks could be realised under one roof. Our excitement levels were soaring as soon as we managed to secure a taxi at the train station and set off. Barbara we're coming!

As first impressions go, we were pleasantly surprised. Tourism is relatively low in Quy Nhon and that showed by the lack of hassle and pressure from hawkers and cyclo drivers. Peace and tranquility at last. Perfect.

Once checked in to the Lan Anh hotel, the first day was spent finding a CO-OP Mart and stocking up on all the supplies we have run out of. It has been getting so desperate that during our time in Hoi An I had to start using Emma's deodorant! 500,000 VND well spent. We had shampoo, deodorant and lotions coming out of our ears. Hopefully it will fit in our rucksacks.

The second of the two Thap Doi towers.

The rest of our first day was spent relaxing at Barbara's Kiwi Cafe. Sipping Local Beer and indulging on delights such as Cat Fish and Chips, BLT's, Muesli, Hot Chocolate Banana's and big mugs of English Breakfast Tea.... just writing this down is making me relive it again :)

Day 2. It was time to hire some bicycles and explore this town. We noticed on the taxi journey yesterday that there were a couple of Cham towers on the outskirts, probably about 5 kilometres away. A little visit to expand our Cham insight was in order. On route a Cham museum would let us look at some more preserved artifacts and oddly enough a US tank excavated from the shoreline (rumour has it another two can be seen).

The heat of the day was truly in full swing now (35°c). Every time we stopped at one of the sites, it looked as if we had cycled under a permanent raincloud. No wonder the locals hide away in any shaded areas throughout most of the day, but as a nice suprise it seemed no one was working and all of our entrance fees were waived as a result.

A nice big mug of English Breakfast tea.

On the way back we stopped at Long Khanh Pagoda, which somehow manages to hide a 17 metre tall Buddha within its confides. Plastered on its chest was a massive swastika; even though we have seen so many now, it still makes me think of the nazi contonation, which is a shame. The pagoda was originally constructed in 1715 and is decorated with flamboyant dragons, made from glass, which flank the staircase up to the first floor balcony. Housed at opposite ends are a giant drum and bell. Very iconic symbols in all pagoda's.

Day 3. As it was malaria tablet day (such a joyous day it is), we thought a little R&R was in order. Quy Nhon is blessed with a couple of great beaches; some of the best we have seen in Vietnam so far, so a road trip was in order. Barbara told us of a new toll road that has been constructed, allowing access along the shore line. We had spotted a nice stretch of sand from the hotel balcony on the first day and it was now time to investigate.

We hired the same two bikes and set off. The toll fee would be 16,000 VND, a bargain. Passing through the gate we were immediately faced with a steep hill, and we knew that we were going to have to work hard for this beach. Pushing our bikes up the many hills in the searing heat was definitely starting to take its toll. Occasionally we would catch glimpses of that pristine beach we eyed from the hotel, and it spurred us on. Finally after a good 40 minutes we came to a very steep downhill circuit which took us to the entrance of a secluded compound; a leprosy hospital. 10,000 VND was required to get in and with that all the privacy we could want and hope for.

Quy Hoa beach, a nice view.

The beach was called Quy Hoa Beach, and it was as beautiful as we had imagined. Golden sand, lots of pine trees offering shade and water that was suprisingly hot. It felt like we were literally stepping into a bath. A good five hours had passed before we decided to move on. Dusk brings in cooler temperatures, which draws the Vietnamese to the beach, and drives out any privacy we may have had. It was a good innings though :)

Cycling back to the hotel was so easy, as a good 80% of the route was now downhill. As travelled back along the coast, the sun slowly setting in the distance, we realised how special this place was. The beautiful scenery and the great hospitality of Barabara's Kiwi Cafe made Quy Nhon such an idillic location and one of our favourite places in Vietnam.