Fishy business in Nha Trang

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Words to live by: “In Nha Trang there are many ways for you and your money to part company.” Dangers and Annoyances from the Lonely Planet Vietnam.

Although we managed to stay away from places warned about or not recommended by our trusty guidebook, we still managed to get ripped off several times during our four-day stay in Nha Trang, a coastal city whose beauty was disguised by poor weather conditions, in addition to the constant hassle - or maybe hustle is the better word - that the locals subject you to at every turn.

The most significant screw-job was losing $25 at an exchange place that claimed false rates (“American dollar very low today”) after we had signed the cheques. The most laughable, but still annoying, experience was a one-day boat tour of some islands surrounding Nha Trang. Our island hopping involved the boat pulling up close to a rocky shore and giving us an hour to swim around if we want. Three people were so disappointed with the tour they actually paid to have a boat come and pick them up and take them back to shore more than halfway through the tour.


By far the best mistake that happened in Nha Trang was the so-called barber who cut Marc’s hair in such a ridiculous manner that a complete head-shaving was required. I’m sure you’ll all agree it really suits him.

The friendly Vietnamese charm we have experienced in our travels so far was certainly lost on this beach town, though we can see how it would make a decent vacation spot for the wealthier traveler who can afford to rent beach chairs and sip cocktails at seaside resorts and hotels all day long.

We quickly decided to high-tail it out of Nha Trang on the overnight bus - but not a lot of sleeping took place on the 12-hr trip to Hoi An. We arrived at 7 a.m. and slept until about 4 p.m. before Marc realized he had left his new glasses on the bus. The stars aligned for us that day: when we returned to the bus station, our same bus from the night before happened to be there, and the bus driver had Marc’s glasses hanging from his rearview mirror. We were SHOCKED, and we knew our luck was going to change in Hoi An.

Enjoy the photos.

Miss you,
The Smiths

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Photos

Fishy business
Our last stop on the boat tour was a lame aquarium. As you can see, I am not impressed.

The new Marc
My handsome husband.

Dig in
I stuck to the bread, rice and bananas, considering that we got on the kitchen-less boat at 8:30, but sat down to eat this meal around noon. Afterward, they threw all the leftovers away, but scooped the remaining rice back into a container.

No thanks
I could hardly look at this dish, which ruined most of my appetite for the rest of the meal. Marc didn't eat at all.

Shakin' it
The highlight of our boat tour was musical entertainment provided by the staff. Not only did this crazy Korean woman shake it on the dance floor, she also took the microphone and sang us a song. The crowd loved it.

Monkey on the loose
This monkey stuck around long enough to watch and listen to the entertainment. Notice the broken leash around his neck.

Volleyball court
Further disappointment ensued when we arrived at the second last stop on the boat tour where were told we could play beach volleyball. Really? Really.

Grouper fish
He's a little shy.

Cigarette alter
In the top viewing deck of the aquarium

Cloudy skies
Behind the aquarium was this fishing village. As you can see by the skies, it was not a good day for a boat tour.

Cathedral
After visiting a photo gallery of a prominent Vietnamese photographer who captures remarkable images of everyday Vietnamese life in black and white, we decided to try out some black and white shots that afternoon.

Reclining Buddha
Before boarding our overnight bus, we decided to visit the Long Son Pagoda. It was striking. Behind the pagoda was this reclining Buddha.

Ring Marc's bell
Both Marc and I sat inside the bell behind the pagoda while this woman rang it three times and prayed to us. It was pretty cool.

Another Buddha
Further up the hill behind the pagoda (152 stairs to be exact) was this Buddha, who is 24 meters high from the base of the lotus he is sitting on to the top of his head.

Mausoleum
In the area surrounding the 24 meter high Buddha was a mausoleum.

Friendly football match
Before boarding our bus, we watched some locals play football for a while on the beach.

Comments

[chelsea]

i enjoy reading about your travels, and LOVE the pictures. mark, your hair! thanks for posting photos of the new do'.

[Eli Farrell]

In Hanoi?
Hey guys, hope Hoi An treats you better than the previous spot. Hanoi is nice, getting warmer now. Mark, I see you've decided to copy Austins hairstyle, I think you have to pay royalties on that. Anyway, let me know when you are up North, we'll catch up Eli