Nha Trang
- April 19th, 2017
Had heard a lot about these train journeys which people undertake right from the Southern tip of Vietnam and all the way to Hanoi and decided to go to Nha Trang by the Reunification Express (SE8).
While you have almost 4 trains plying between these cities, chose the first of the day trains starting at 6 A.M so that I would have some time to spend in Nha Trang besides also getting good views of the countryside and the long coastline alongside which the train runs.
A distance of around 410 kms, the entire journey gets covered in around 8 hours.
The tickets are priced at around $28 for a soft berth while a hard berth would save you only around $3.This city boasts of a 6 km coastline with white sandy beaches, clear waters and abundant marine life.
Its main beach is a long, curving stretch along Tran Phu Street backed by a promenade, hotels and seafood restaurants.
It was around 2.30 in the afternoon by the time I checked into a nice boutique hotel called Azura and finished the check-in formalities. Spoke to the locals on availability of Indian restaurants and was pleasantly surprised to know that there were 2 operational ones – Ganesh and Yashodha. Thankfully both were in close vicinity of each other.
Walked across to Ganesh for some lunch and caught up with some sleep post that.
The beach was just a few metres away from my hotel and spent some time towards the later part of the evening walking down the road adjoining the beach and soaking in the sights. Being a weekday, it was not very crowded, save for a few tourists here and here.
Headed to Yashoda for a lovely dinner before retiring for the night. Woke up early the next morning and went in for a run around the beach area. Had the entire road almost to myself and though it was humid, enjoyed doing a few loops of the area and stopping every now and then if something fanciful caught my eye for a photo grab. Post that, kept myself confined to the room as it was pretty hot outside before taking the night train back to Ho Chi Minh.
The months of April and May as I was given to understand become unbearably hot and with the high levels of humidity chipping in, not many venture out unless interested in getting tanned out there in the beach.
Went across to Yashodha for some lunch and waited for it to become a bit cooler before venturing out to the beach. Got to see some nice photographs stilt mounted on large wooden frames and displayed around the beach area. With the sea breeze setting in, it was a lot more comfortable walking around the beach and towards sunset, the crowds had built up.
As darkness set in, the musical fountain located very close to the beach started playing to the accompaniment of some local music and was spewing up some lovely bright colors.
Had an early dinner at Ganesh and left for the station at around 9 PM from the Hotel. The night train known by the name of SE1 started at around 10.30 in the night and I had booked a ticket for a soft berth in an AC coach which costed me $ 38 wile the hard berth was available at $ 36. The train chugged into HCMC around 5 in the morning and got back to the same backpackers hostel.
Post breakfast, headed for a bit of shopping to the Saigon Square Market and spent a couple of hours there.
The local markets here are where one would have to exercise one’s bargaining skills to the hilt. Lots and lots of items to chose from, ranging from Handicrafts, Western and local dresses, Silk purses, Artifacts, Runner’s tees and shorts, Watches etc.
Traffic remains pretty unorganized and undisciplined and it is estimated that over ten million motor bikes travel on the roads of Vietnam every day. One just has to step onto the zebra crossings and you would find vehicles weaving their way across you. Scary indeed!
The Vietnamese language itself has six different tones and while the people are pretty friendly, knowledge of English remains a big impediment. A change in tone changes the meaning of the word. This makes their language somewhat difficult to learn and most times sign language works.
The city of Ho Chi Minh has a fair share of Indian restaurants and food never remains a challenge as long as you remain confined to the city limits.
Returned back to the hostel at around 11 AM and after a quick bite at Ganesh, an Indian restaurant close by, finished off my packing for the journey back to Phnom Penh. Had booked my return also by bus and with the same travels Giant Ibis. It was scheduled to start at 2 PM from a point close to the hostel where I was put up.
An uneventful bus journey, with a short break at the immigration counter for the Visa stamping, finally ended at around 8.30 in the night and it was time for rest after some hectic travel.
Forty years after the carnage and destruction of an epoch-defining conflict against the USA, Vietnam has resolutely emerged as a nation in the eyes of the world. Missed visiting the Northern part of Vietnam where you have the conservative but nice city of Hanoi and the world heritage Halong Bay. Keenly look forward to Vietnam – Part II sometime in the distant future.
That was nice compiling Mohan. Great. Will read it, one by one. And will let you know my impressions, insha Allah! I too had done similar thing but never collated it, all is ‘idhar udhar’ ’ now.