Mud, slides and Nha Trang

---

So we awoke to a morning of glorious sunshine and heat. Opening the curtains and the balcony door revealed the South China Sea in all its glory! After organising ourselves we decided to venture into town to see what the fuss was about this place. After all we have heard many different stories about Nha Trang, from Owen last night, other travellers and guidebooks. All give a slightly different story and one that we thought we had best discover for ourselves.

We were going to head for breakfast at the little food stall that had been recommended to us but as we walked out the door we were told by Mai that the bus was likely to be here any minute so decided we could wait until we got into town. After waiting long enough for the bus that we could have not only ordered breakfast but eaten it also we got onto the aforementioned public transport and headed for town, along with a large crowd of local teens/twenty somethings (its so hard to tell ages over here, but they were from a learning institution of some sort but university or secondary school I couldn’t tell you)
We paid our 6000VND for the pair of us and sat to watch the sights on our journey. The sights included the now to be expected array of Bia Hoi bars, street food stalls, bar/restaurants, and all manner of shops. We also crossed over two bridges and a small island between the two. We got off the bus in the “tourist area” at the other end of town, and after a brief wander both agreed that our suspicions were correct and we weren’t missing anything. Admittedly it was mid morning and this area is more famous for its restaurants and bars/nightclubs but it didn’t have much going on and we aren’t exactly clubbers anyway.

After a brunch stop which also involved a few hands of cards (something we rarely leave the hostel without now) and an ice cold drink, we thought we’d stroll back towards home in the direction of the town’s only mall. On arrival we discovered it isn’t really a mall as such but more a department store with a load of concessions which has a variety of eateries on the top floor and a supermarket on the ground floor. It was far from special but it did have air con and as such despite the walk being both flat and relatively short we still decided to stop for an ice cream. After this and a cursory glance over the items on display we headed into the supermarket to pick up a couple of essentials. The only reason of note for telling you this is because the security in this supermarket was a bit OTT. Lou having to check her little day rucksack into a locker before we were allowed to enter!

We were formulating a plan to return home to the hotel and go for a swim before relaxing for a bit and then going to one of the attractions on offer here (more about that later) and so we ventured back into the heat for the short distance to the bus stop and got back onto the number 4 which dropped us back off practically outside our hotel just as it had picked us up. (A big bonus to having an owner fluent in English but knowing what goes on being public transport, which we would not have know about becomes accessible)

We dropped off the bags and into the sea we went. What temperature it was I can’t tell you but it was closer to bath water than anything else, and whilst refreshing to a degree doesn’t have the shock factor that our cooler seas, or even Greek islands have.

We returned to the hotel feeling pretty relaxed but decided to go for it today and visit the Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre. This place is a spa where you can relax in a hot mineral mud bath, and/or hot mineral water. We decided to go for a late afternoon session and watch the sun go down whilst in the spa. However after getting ready to leave Lou walked downstairs leaving Gregg to lock up. 20 minutes later Gregg was still looking for the room key having turned the room upside down. Lou came back to find out where he was and then we both struggled to find the key.

In all we wasted about 45min to an hour looking for a key which had somehow found its way into a wash bag. This put paid to seeing sundown but it didn’t matter as the spa is open until 8pm. We started walking expecting to catch one of the many frequent taxis that you see in the town, and of course this was the only road/time of day when you couldn’t find one or they were all full. We walked for about half an hour before finally hailing a cab to take us the further 2.5km up the winding road to the spa. We got there to be told that the mineral water swimming pool and waterfall which you can use fro free after a treatment closes after sundown. Another case of not knowing stuff that could be easily published but isn’t. Anyway we opted for the 2 person mud bath, followed by the mineral bath. In the dark with hardly anybody else around,and not knowing where you are going this was a bizarre experience. Out of the gloom a member of staff would arrive point us in a direction and then say a few words and then leave again. We finally figured out where to go and after showering we got into our bath of hot runny mud. Very weird. You sit in the tub but your legs keep on wanting to float making you very unbalanced. Also in the dark we couldn’t really see the muddiness of it, so were unsure of what we looked like. Had it not been for the waterproof camera we would never have known.

We got out after much giggling and hilarity over the oddness of the experience, and showered again to go and find out next treatment the mineral baths. Again we stumbled our way with the help of the staff and got into our large pool which was filling up for us.

We were then slightly hassled out again after a while as they were closing. When we changed and dressed we were outside again about 7pm and the 8pm closing time seems also to be untrue. It is low season here but we would have happily stayed on a bit. Anyway we enjoyed it nonetheless, and we sat and waited for our taxi back.

Home and out for a dinner, we headed for a place we had seen on the return in the taxi but it turned out to be a nightclub not a restaurant so we ended up going for more of the shrimps that we had had the night before, as they were so good and once you know something it is easy to do it again. The only difference being we opted for them to be steamed in beer instead of BBQ’d. Home and an early beer free night for us both.

Once again we awoke to beautiful clear skies and heat, and were immediately gald that we had planned a day out at Vinpearl Land - Nha Trang’s answer to Disneyland. We breakfasted successfully before getting the bus to the end of the line by the port and the entrance to our destination. We paid our money entered the lobby area and got onto the world’s longest over sea cable car to take us to the island where the resort is. I have to point out that the cars are not big and they are suspended over water quite a long way up, which for Lou, being both claustrophobic and scared of heights is not a good combination, however she dealt with it very well and the 10ish minute trip was soon over.

We wandered through the amusement area towards the water park and the beach. On arrival at the beach, a strip of clean white sand with clear blue water lapping at it’s edge Lou declared that despite having paid for the privilege of visiting this place with its various attractions she could sit here all day.

As such after a brief swim together Lou reclined on the sun bed in the shade with her book whilst Gregg went in search of some waterslide action. The results of this are not recorded in photograph as one person on their own cannot take pics and go on the slides even with a waterproof camera but they were indeed fun. With names such as kamikaze and tsunami I think you can get the jist of it.

After a short excursion he returned and persuaded a slightly reticent Lou to come along for a bit, and after checking the bags into the supervised lockers we were off. Some of these rides are designed to be ridden on a blow up ring of a ring for two people in a figure of eight, and with Lou being a bit scared this was the option we went for.

Despite her fear of heights nearly making us turn back before we reached the top of the tower for the first slide, she soldiered on and soon was whizzing down the rides with a mix of fear adrenaline and excitement. What the percentages of the various were I’m not sure but after the events she did agree that it had been fun.

A quick lunch stop later and the beach was once again calling. We both returned for another dip in the briny before reverting to type with Lou on the beds and Gregg looking for excitement. A few theme park rides later and an explore of the “indoor amusements” which is a big hall of arcade games which are all free to play, Gregg started his return only to realise that 2 hours had passed and on his return was greated by a worried Lou thinking that some misdemeanour may have happen whilst on a ride.

We wound up our beach experience for the day at this point and after one last water park ride decided to go to the aquarium. We arrived at about 5pm just as the Little Mermaid Show was starting. Neither of us could get worked up about seeing a woman with a mask on and a mermaid tail covering her legs and flippers dive in front of the main tank window, but the locals loved it going mad for glimpses of her.

We viewed the specimens in the main tank with slightly more dignity before moving back to the indoor amusements to experience the 4D films.

Whilst queuing we had some fantastic tasting popcorn (what film is complete without it?) The film was a very strange experience I have to say but fun nonetheless. We sat in a small 20 person cinema watching a 3D film whilst on a set of seats that moved and had blasts of air and sprays of water shot at us.

We played some more games, including dancing (we were awful) horse riding on plastic horses (again awful) and bashing things with plastics mallets (not too shabby) and by the time we were only half way through we were sweating like nobody’s business!

We called it a day at about 7pm returning to the mainland via the cable car in the dark and got a taxi home. All in all a very good day out for about a tenner!

We then went out for some food, and were offered a place on a snorkelling tour for tomorrow which we accepted. Tired we went to bed feeling like we have had a good day.

---

Photos

Toad
Spotted whilst waiting for a taxi

Vinpearl Statue
On arrival on mainland

View from Cable Car
Back towards the mainland station

Comedy Sign
Juvenile I know but you have to take the pic!