Nha Trang is Vietnam’s favourite party town, but has many hidden charms for those who delve deeper and explore its museums, aquariums and rich ethnic culture. Within striking distance in the hinterland are several important sites where the ancient Cham culture has left its mark. What is more, Nha Trang is serviced by daily flights from Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, making a relaxing beach holiday within easy reach when the big cities start to grate on your nerves. Dalat & Nha Trang Relaxation 6 days
Places to visit in Nha Trang and around
Po Nagar
On a hill above the Cai River, at the city’s northern entrance, stands the majestic temple of the famous Cham sanctuary, Po Nagar. The 25m (82ft) main tower is dedicated to the Cham goddess Po Yan Inu Nagar, the ‘Holy Mother’ of the Champa kingdom, and considered to be Shiva’s female form. Her statue resides in the main temple, but it was decapitated during French rule; the original head now resides in the Guimet Museum in Paris. Only four of the sanctuary’s original eight temples, all of which face east (symbolising life, renewal and purification with the sunrise), remain standing.
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Dam Market
Some of Nha Trang’s most interesting French-colonial architecture and crumbling 19th-century Chinese houses can be seen around Dam Market (Cho Dam), near the Cai River. This former Chinese quarter is truly the most underrated part of town. The busy market sees surprisingly few foreign tourists, and is a welcome contrast to the rest of the modernised city – and a great place to snack on local food. Mango 2 days Ben Tre – Cai Be – Sa Dec
Alexandre Yersin Museum
The Pasteur Institute, on the seafront at 10D Tran Phu Street, was founded in 1895 by Dr Alexandre Yersin (1863–1943), a French microbiologist, military doctor, explorer and overall Renaissance man. Having discovered the link between rats, fleas and eventually the bacteria that cause bubonic plague (later renamed Yersinia pestis in his honour), Yersin built a laboratory to manufacture the serum for the disease, and the lab later became an official branch of the Pasteur Institute. The small Alexandre Yersin Museum attached to the institute displays many of his personal effects, furniture, documents and antique laboratory equipment (including an enormous telescope).
Khanh Hoa Museum
A few doors down from the Pasteur Institute is the small Khanh Hoa Museum (Bao Tang Khanh Hoa) at 16D Tran Phu Street. The museum’s left wing contains relics from the Xom Con (about 3,000 years old), the Dong Son (c.2,000 BC–AD 200) and Cham cultures. The most unusual item is the ancient musical instrument similar to a marimba which is estimated to be 3,000 years old.
Oceanographic Institute
Beside Cau Da Port, to the south of the city, is the Oceanographic Institute (Vien Hai Duong Hoc), founded in 1923 and housed in a large French-colonial complex. The institute has a dozen large, open tanks – most notable are the prowling sharks, inquisitive rays and the seemingly oblivious sea turtles.
Hon Tre
From Nha Trang Beach, the outline of large Hon Tre (Bamboo Island) in the distance is clearly visible. The island is dominated by the Vinpearl Land Amusement Park and Vinpearl Resort. A cable car departs from Phu Quy Port and delivers visitors 3,320m (10,892ft) across the bay to the centre of the amusement park. If you find the idea of a 10-minute cable-car ride daunting, take the ferry instead (20 minutes) from Phu Quy Port. The park contains a number of rides and a rollercoaster, games area, water park, shopping centre and restaurants. The crowning feature of the park is the modern Underwater World, with more than 20 tanks of varying sizes, including an impressive walk-through wraparound tank featuring sharks, rays and moray eels.
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