Our guidebook said Nha Trang was over-developed so I was worried we were walking into Patong Part 2. Fortunately, my assumptions were wrong once again. As a whole, the city was very clean and friendly. It's a great stop for some sun and relaxation when working your way between the north and south of Vietnam.
Quick Highlights:
- Morning Exercise - When we arrived in Nha Trang at 6:00 am on a Sunday, the beach was crowded with people young and old getting their morning exercise. There were women doing aerobics, young boys playing soccer, badminton, and lots of people swimming. If I had slept more than 3 hours on the bus I would have loved to join in the fun.
- Diving - Nha Trang is one of the best dive sites in Vietnam. There aren't many big fish, but plenty of colorful corals. We signed up for 3 adventure dives which allowed us to complete our Advanced Adventure Diver Certification (SSI). The first dive focused on buoyancy techniques. Imagine using the air in your lungs to make slights adjustments to your depth. It was pretty tough, but very rewarding. The second dive was navigation and the third underwater photography. My first attempt at using an underwater camera wasn't exactly stellar. Those cute fish just don't like to sit still.
- Massage Parlor Fiasco - After a hard day of diving, we decided to treat ourselves to a massage. Unfortunately, we somehow managed to pick the sketchiest place in town. After two minutes on the massage bed, Sebastian and I were running for the door. We should have know better with the cheap price and the girl's acrylic nails.
- Bugerama - Guava restaurant had by far the best burger of the trip. We were supposed to hold off on western food during our last two weeks, but we felt some comfort food was in order after our traumatizing incident at the massage parlor.
- I-pod Fun - 100 albums of new music for dirt cheap. Best of all, I didn't have to spend hours picking each album. I gave them specific genres and asked for all new releases. We've seen shops like this all over SE Asia, but this one was the most organized and up-to-date. Maybe it was the spreadsheets that won me over.
