I’m in Nha Trang now, and I think it’s Vietnam’s answer to Miami. It certainly looks like Miami, from the beach at least, with nothing but high rises and white concrete stretching along the oceanfront road. The beach is why people come to Nha Trang – well, that and the snorkeling, the islands just offshore, and the amusement park on one of them. People come here to have a good time.
Here’s the view from the top of our hotel, which is up an alley by the main road and costs $9 a night for the room, because we have to share a bathroom and climb the last flight of steps to the top floor. The elevator doesn’t go that high, and I can hear it whirring down the hall whenever someone takes a ride.
In the picture you can see the big white sign for Vinpearl Land, the amusement park. The guidebook said Vinpearl is Nha Trang’s answer to Disneyland (and Hollywood, judging by the sign). That makes this place Miami, Hollywood and the Happiest Place on Earth, all rolled into one. Maybe the guidebook and I ascribe too much to this crowded beach town, but it’s nice enough and the motorcycle drivers are far less persistent than they were in Hue. And that’s good enough for me.
Tomorrow we go snorkeling, and I’m excited about what I’ll get to see. There probably won’t be any photos of the fish, unless I drop my camera overboard. It’s not waterproof! So I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Enjoy the snorkeling!