It was hot. We were tired. Once we found the Backpacker's House we were excited to rest for a bit. But this wasn't the case. One thing was missing. The room key! Whoever was there before us forgot to give it back. So we sat around in the lounge for a little while... waiting. We were eventually let into the room, but without a key. They told us to go ahead and put our bags in the room and by the time we come back there would, fingers crossed, be a key for us. What else could we do at this point? So we locked up our passports in my bag and strolled around the town. It was much different than Da Lat. I had heard both good and bad things about this place. Good: the beach. Bad: everyone seemed to have been robbed there that I spoke with. I found this out soon enough.
The first thing we decided to do at our final destination was find a place to scuba dive. There were an overwhelming amount of places to choose from. After a while they all started to seem like the same packages. We decided to go with a place called Angel Dive. They seemed like a fun group and were close to where we were staying. The rest of the day was mostly relaxing and we spent some time in the sand. I did however realize that on the way I was given Cambodian money. I though, ok this is easy. I went to the nearest bank and handed them a pretty large amount of bills only to find out they couldn't exchange it. Just my luck. Moving on, After some hot showers and clean clothes we went downstairs to the hostel's sister bar, the Red Apple. It was a fun dive bar. It was packed every night with tourists staying in the area, most from the Backpacker's House. We called it an early night and wanted to rest up for scuba.
We got started early the next morning and walked down to Angel Dive and hopped into the van and went to the dock. We were lucky enough to be in a small group. There was a couple snorkeling and an open water diver. We were the only 2 doing the SSI program so it was just us. The water was warm and so clear. It was a perfect day to be out. The first part of the diving was going over the signals and practice the basics needed for an emergency and what to do. Afterwards, we went back to the boat to take a short break before really diving. This time was much more fun and more freedom. We swam around and saw some beautiful fish that I'd never expect to see just hanging out at the beach. It was tiring, but worth it. I think everyone should give diving a try! (It even made me go get my open water certification.) It was a crowded area of divers, but we couldn't of asked for more. Perfect weather, warm water, and friendly instructors. On the ride back we picked up a local that lived in a floating village and gave him a lift, or rather a pull in his makeshift boat. It was a fun experience that I'd recommend to everyone. They provided lunch at a local restaurant near our place before ending the tour. We got back later in the day and again decided to relax. So like the night before, we cleaned up and headed to the Red Apple. We sat outside mingling for a while before heading down the street to watch some Euro Cup games. Lucky for us they aired around 3 a.m. so why not? It was a little more fun being surrounded by so many Europeans that were obsessed with it.
The next morning we headed to Vinpearl Land we some of the people we met the previous night that were also going. We were told about this place by some people in Da Lat. They were right about it too. We had a blast. We took the cable car over. (Fun fact, it's the longest cable car over water.) First we went to the water park side of the resort and I think we rode every ride, sometimes twice. They were a blast, minus one that was a little slower and I got stuck in it. But it was only a minor hiccup. We bounced from slide to slide like we were kids again. Once it got a little later we ventured to the other side that filled with amusement park rides. They had all the basics like swings, a carousel, and a pirate ship. They also had a kind of roller coaster similar to the one in Da Lat. This one was undoubtably better. From the top you could see the ocean for miles and going down was full of twists and turn that can go as fast or slow as you want. Then when night fall hit we went to the indoor games. We played every game possible. They're all free there so you have free range at everything. We rode the bumper cars and even rode the mechanical bull. We left laughing none stop and probably could've spent a second day there if we had the time. At night we socialized in the streets and walked around. We looked from some sites that we'd seen online but ended up lost and never found it. So it turned into our own personal tour of the local parts of town. Truth be told, they were a little scary to be out late and wandering. When we finally made it back a few hours later, we joined the local group of tourists and headed to a bar on the beach, The Sailing Club. The Sailing Club was one of my favorite bars in the area. It had a great atmosphere with everyone having a good time. Then again, who wouldn't want to kick back with a cocktail and dip your feet in the water after walking around all day. We ended up here again the next night too. Although after the first night, I did experience my first pick-pocketing. I was chatting with others staying down the hall from us when 2 older women were sneaky enough to get some cash from me. I made sure my bag was behind me and against the wall secured, but they were pros. On the plus side, they were very friendly women. Once I realized they only got some money and nothing else, I dropped it. That seemed like an appropriate time to call it a night.
The last full day in Nha Trang we rented motor bikes and drove around with friends from the night before. This was the best day by far. We drove along the coast. We did the tourist thing first. We drove through the city looking for gas to fill up first. Unfortunately for one bike, it didn't make it. It stopped just short of the gas station and had to pushed the rest of the way. The first stop of the day was the the Long Son Pagoda. It was at the top of a hill. My exercise for the day. I saw an old woman ringing a bell and she motioned for me to come over. When I got there, she signaled for me to go in the bell. Confused, I did it. She rung the bell so many times and helped me out. I guess some sort of blessing? It was neat. Many people have left wished and notes inside in many different languages. We continued our sweaty trip towards the top to the Buddha. We slowly made it and stopped for drinks to cool off from the heat. Yes. After that short walk, we needed a break. The Buddha was beautiful. It was different from the others I've seen in other countries. From there we drove not far down the way to Po Ngar Towers. It was like a mini Angkor Wat. It was small and had traditional dancing that was entertaining. You could also see the Buddha from the cliffside. By the time we finished here we were ready to get out of the tourist areas for a while and see the natural sights of the country. We stopped at a restaurant in the middle of no where along the beach and had some of the best seafood I've ever had. It looked like an upscale restaurant that was misplaced. The highlight was when we hit a dead end and had to turn around. The only thing in sight was an unfinished hotel/resort that was now abandoned and a small hut on the opposite side of the road. Two small toddlers ran out in front of us. Naturally, we didn't want to hit them so we stopped. They were trying to find anything that they could take. One stood against the headlight of my bike and refused to move. I wish I had something to give them, but my things were in someone else's bike. The other confiscated a water bottle from our friends and ran off with joy back to the hut. It was actually cute and saddening at the same time. We also did get lost for a little while and ended up on a road that I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be on that wasn't finished. It was a long detour but it worked. It was our last night in Nha Trang and we took it easy with the same people we had been the nights before.
It was a perfect ending to a great vacation. We stayed up all night and hung out on the beach and watched the sunrise. What more could you ask for. To find out what happened on my next trip to Boryeong, stay tuned...
The first thing we decided to do at our final destination was find a place to scuba dive. There were an overwhelming amount of places to choose from. After a while they all started to seem like the same packages. We decided to go with a place called Angel Dive. They seemed like a fun group and were close to where we were staying. The rest of the day was mostly relaxing and we spent some time in the sand. I did however realize that on the way I was given Cambodian money. I though, ok this is easy. I went to the nearest bank and handed them a pretty large amount of bills only to find out they couldn't exchange it. Just my luck. Moving on, After some hot showers and clean clothes we went downstairs to the hostel's sister bar, the Red Apple. It was a fun dive bar. It was packed every night with tourists staying in the area, most from the Backpacker's House. We called it an early night and wanted to rest up for scuba.
We got started early the next morning and walked down to Angel Dive and hopped into the van and went to the dock. We were lucky enough to be in a small group. There was a couple snorkeling and an open water diver. We were the only 2 doing the SSI program so it was just us. The water was warm and so clear. It was a perfect day to be out. The first part of the diving was going over the signals and practice the basics needed for an emergency and what to do. Afterwards, we went back to the boat to take a short break before really diving. This time was much more fun and more freedom. We swam around and saw some beautiful fish that I'd never expect to see just hanging out at the beach. It was tiring, but worth it. I think everyone should give diving a try! (It even made me go get my open water certification.) It was a crowded area of divers, but we couldn't of asked for more. Perfect weather, warm water, and friendly instructors. On the ride back we picked up a local that lived in a floating village and gave him a lift, or rather a pull in his makeshift boat. It was a fun experience that I'd recommend to everyone. They provided lunch at a local restaurant near our place before ending the tour. We got back later in the day and again decided to relax. So like the night before, we cleaned up and headed to the Red Apple. We sat outside mingling for a while before heading down the street to watch some Euro Cup games. Lucky for us they aired around 3 a.m. so why not? It was a little more fun being surrounded by so many Europeans that were obsessed with it.
The next morning we headed to Vinpearl Land we some of the people we met the previous night that were also going. We were told about this place by some people in Da Lat. They were right about it too. We had a blast. We took the cable car over. (Fun fact, it's the longest cable car over water.) First we went to the water park side of the resort and I think we rode every ride, sometimes twice. They were a blast, minus one that was a little slower and I got stuck in it. But it was only a minor hiccup. We bounced from slide to slide like we were kids again. Once it got a little later we ventured to the other side that filled with amusement park rides. They had all the basics like swings, a carousel, and a pirate ship. They also had a kind of roller coaster similar to the one in Da Lat. This one was undoubtably better. From the top you could see the ocean for miles and going down was full of twists and turn that can go as fast or slow as you want. Then when night fall hit we went to the indoor games. We played every game possible. They're all free there so you have free range at everything. We rode the bumper cars and even rode the mechanical bull. We left laughing none stop and probably could've spent a second day there if we had the time. At night we socialized in the streets and walked around. We looked from some sites that we'd seen online but ended up lost and never found it. So it turned into our own personal tour of the local parts of town. Truth be told, they were a little scary to be out late and wandering. When we finally made it back a few hours later, we joined the local group of tourists and headed to a bar on the beach, The Sailing Club. The Sailing Club was one of my favorite bars in the area. It had a great atmosphere with everyone having a good time. Then again, who wouldn't want to kick back with a cocktail and dip your feet in the water after walking around all day. We ended up here again the next night too. Although after the first night, I did experience my first pick-pocketing. I was chatting with others staying down the hall from us when 2 older women were sneaky enough to get some cash from me. I made sure my bag was behind me and against the wall secured, but they were pros. On the plus side, they were very friendly women. Once I realized they only got some money and nothing else, I dropped it. That seemed like an appropriate time to call it a night.
The last full day in Nha Trang we rented motor bikes and drove around with friends from the night before. This was the best day by far. We drove along the coast. We did the tourist thing first. We drove through the city looking for gas to fill up first. Unfortunately for one bike, it didn't make it. It stopped just short of the gas station and had to pushed the rest of the way. The first stop of the day was the the Long Son Pagoda. It was at the top of a hill. My exercise for the day. I saw an old woman ringing a bell and she motioned for me to come over. When I got there, she signaled for me to go in the bell. Confused, I did it. She rung the bell so many times and helped me out. I guess some sort of blessing? It was neat. Many people have left wished and notes inside in many different languages. We continued our sweaty trip towards the top to the Buddha. We slowly made it and stopped for drinks to cool off from the heat. Yes. After that short walk, we needed a break. The Buddha was beautiful. It was different from the others I've seen in other countries. From there we drove not far down the way to Po Ngar Towers. It was like a mini Angkor Wat. It was small and had traditional dancing that was entertaining. You could also see the Buddha from the cliffside. By the time we finished here we were ready to get out of the tourist areas for a while and see the natural sights of the country. We stopped at a restaurant in the middle of no where along the beach and had some of the best seafood I've ever had. It looked like an upscale restaurant that was misplaced. The highlight was when we hit a dead end and had to turn around. The only thing in sight was an unfinished hotel/resort that was now abandoned and a small hut on the opposite side of the road. Two small toddlers ran out in front of us. Naturally, we didn't want to hit them so we stopped. They were trying to find anything that they could take. One stood against the headlight of my bike and refused to move. I wish I had something to give them, but my things were in someone else's bike. The other confiscated a water bottle from our friends and ran off with joy back to the hut. It was actually cute and saddening at the same time. We also did get lost for a little while and ended up on a road that I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be on that wasn't finished. It was a long detour but it worked. It was our last night in Nha Trang and we took it easy with the same people we had been the nights before.
It was a perfect ending to a great vacation. We stayed up all night and hung out on the beach and watched the sunrise. What more could you ask for. To find out what happened on my next trip to Boryeong, stay tuned...
Peace & Love,
Elissa Rae
Elissa Rae
