Nha Trang - Surfers paradise...much?

A tacky tourist trap at first site but after further exploration it offered more than enough for a good time. We hired sun beds under the comforting shade of grass roofed umbrellas, the water was clear and aqua and actually refreshing with a slight chill before the warm. A shore break ensured the water was deep and there was plenty of waves for Dave to dodge. After 4 chapters of my book we decided to hit it and check out the local cuisine, which Nha Trang offered up in plentiful tasty morsels. First stop was Pho Carli, fresh rice paper rolls and delicious soups with fresh chili, herbs and bean shoots that we know Vietnamese food is famous for at home. After a suitable stuffing we were happy to return home, once again trying to be a pleasant as possible when deciding not the buy books, sunglasses, cigarettes, tissues, and more sunglasses from the local mobile street vendors.

Our spot on the beach

The 'Beaconsfield Pde' of Nha Trang

Dave negotiating the shore break

The night after we went to Truc Luang for dinner where Dave was able to select his own fresh fish and a squid from the ice baskets out the front, which they then BBQ’d  and delivered to the table, seafood in Nha Trang was plentiful and tasty from all of Dave’s accounts (including his King prawn curry that resembled a never ending supply if crustaceans)

Apart from sunglasses, Nha Trang also offered diving companies in their hundreds and after careful consideration we booked with Coco Dive centre, because they have the biggest boat. Next morning at 7.30am we headed out to the harbour with 9 other divers, boarded the lovely boat (indeed quite large), to then watch all the dive boats unsuccessfully leave at once, there were at least 3 collisions!

The harbour of many collisions

The view on our way out to the reef (cable car to VinPerl resort)

Once we were free we headed out to the first reef, suited up and the people who actually knew how to dive jumped in. I on the other hand slowly suited up and sat nervously on the edge while some guys attached some sort of inflatable vest, an air tank and fins. To do a ‘try dive’ you don’t need to do or know anything, they hold your hand, control your flotation and anything else you might need to know if you wanted to dive. So a nice French dive master answered my nervous questions and then held my hand for the next 35 minutes and 7 meters in depth (a total of hand holding never accrued through repeated attempts with Dave). Overall the diving was amazing with 20 meters visibility, colourful fish and coral. Dave saw a scorpion fish, a lion fish, octopus and a trumpet fish amongst many others….diving a further 10 meters past me.

Dave emerging from his second dive

The view from our boat once we reached the reef

A nice man encouraging me to jump in..

Mr puffer fish...or some sort of fish that looks like one

Giant star fish!

All done, squashed face and all

That night we caught a sleeper bus to Hoi An, which is an experience - there are 3 rows of bunk beds and which are sort of like a sun beds, the back half angled slightly so you can’t sleep flat. Overall it was pretty comfy and for an 11 bus trip it felt really quick..