sanctuary is a hall adorned with modern in- 249So u th e as t C oas t NS ihgahTtsrang
terpretations of traditional motifs. 8-11am Sat) Highly popular in Vietnam, Dr
Alexandre Yersin (1863–1943) founded Nha
Behind the pagoda, a huge white Buddha Trang’s Pasteur Institute in 1895. He learned
(Map p248; Kim Than Phat To) is seated on a lo- to speak Vietnamese fluently, introduced
tus blossom. Around the statue’s base are rubber- and quinine-producing trees to Viet-
fire-ringed relief busts of Thich Quang Duc nam, and discovered the rat-borne microbe
and six other Buddhist monks who died in that causes bubonic plague.
self-immolations in 1963.
You can see Yersin’s library and office at
The platform around the 14m-high Bud- this small, interesting museum; displays in-
dha has great views of Nha Trang and near- clude laboratory equipment (such as astro-
by rural areas. As you approach the pagoda nomical instruments) and a fascinating 3-D
from the street, the 152 stone steps up the photo viewer.
hill to the Buddha begin to the right of the
structure. Take some time to explore off to Tours are conducted in French, English
the left, where there’s an entrance to anoth- and Vietnamese, and a short film on Yersin’s
er hall of the pagoda. life is shown.
Beggars congregate within the complex, Yersin travelled throughout the central
as do a number of scam artists. There’s a highlands and recorded his observations.
persistent scam here, where visitors are During this period he came upon the site of
approached by children (and adults) with what is now Dalat and recommended that a
pre-printed name badges claiming to work hill station be established there.
for the monks. After showing you around
the pagoda, whether invited to or not, they Today, the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang
will then demand money ‘for the monks’ or coordinates vaccination and hygiene pro-
‘for a prayer’. If that fails, they insist that you grams for the country’s southern coastal
buy postcards for 200,000d. The best course region. The institute produces vaccines and
of action is to ignore them when they first carries out medical research and testing to
appear; if they persist, tell them you’re not European standards. Physicians at the clinic
going to give them any money. If you do here offer medical advice to around 70 pa-
want to make a contribution towards the tients a day.
upkeep of the complex, leave it in the dona-
tion boxes as you would in any other pagoda. Hon Chong Promontory LANDMARK
The pagoda is located about 400m west (Map p248; admission 21,000d) The narrow
of the train station, just off Ð 23 Thang 10. granite promontory of Hon Chong offers
fine views of the mountainous coastline
north of Nha Trang and the nearby islands.
The beach here has a more local flavour
than Nha Trang Beach (but the accompa-
Nha Trang Cathedral CHURCH
(Map p250; cnr Ð Nguyen Trai & Ð Thai Nguyen) nying refuse is unpleasant). Still, it’s fun to
F Built between 1928 and 1933 in French
Gothic style, complete with stained-glass
windows, Nha Trang Cathedral stands on a VINPEARL LAND
small hill overlooking the train station. It’s
a surprisingly elegant building given that it Nha Trang’s answer to Disneyland
was constructed of simple cement blocks. (well, sort of), the island resort of
Some particularly colourful Vietnamese Vinpearl Land (%359 0111; www.
touches include the red neon outlining the vinpearlland.com; Hon Tre Island; adult/
crucifix, the pink back-lighting on the tab- child 600,000/400,000d; h8am-9pm)
ernacle and the blue neon arch and white has fun-fair rides, an impressive water
neon halo over the statue of St Mary. park, arcade games and plenty of other
In 1988, a Catholic cemetery not far from attractions to keep the kiddies amused.
the church was disinterred to make room You approach the amusement park via a
for a new railway building. The remains 3km cable-car ride over the ocean. Note
were brought to the cathedral and reburied that the Underwater World aquarium
in the cavities behind the wall of plaques costs an extra 60,000/45,000d per
that line the ramp up the hill. adult/child. Note that there are also
dolphin shows here, which may not sit
Alexandre Yersin Museum MUSEUM well with some visitors – animal welfare
groups argue against keeping dolphins
(Map p250; %058-382 2355; 10 Ð Tran Phu; ad- in captivity.
mission 26,000d; h7.30-11am & 2-4.30pm Mon-Fri,
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watch local kids do Acapulco-style swan- About 300m south of Hon Chong (to-
dives into the ocean. wards Nha Trang) and a few dozen metres
from the beach is tiny Hon Do (Red Island),
There is also a reconstructed traditional which has a Buddhist temple on top. To
Ruong residence and a great cafe (p260). the northeast is Hon Rua (Tortoise Island),
A taxi here from the city centre is around which really does resemble a tortoise. The
30,000d.
251
Central Nha Trang 32 Summer Hotel ........................................C5 So u th e as t C oas t NS ihgahTtsrang
33 Sunny Sea...............................................B5
æ Top Sights ú Eating
1 Nha Trang Beach ................................... D3 34 15 Le Loi .................................................. C1
35 79 Dung Lin............................................. C1
æ Sights
2 Alexandre Yersin Museum.....................D1 Au Lac ............................................(see 16)
3 Do Dien Khanh Gallery .......................... C4 36 Kiwami.....................................................C4
4 Long Thanh Gallery ................................ A1 37 Lanterns..................................................C5
5 Mai Loc Gallery ...................................... A5 38 Le Petit Bistro.........................................A6
6 Nha Trang Cathedral............................. B2 39 Mix ...........................................................B5
40 Nha Hang Yen's ......................................C6
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours
7 Angel Dive .............................................. B6 Omar's Indian Restaurant ............(see 51)
Brewery Tour ................................(see 46) 41 Refuge .....................................................B5
8 Funky Monkey........................................ B6 42 Sailing Club ............................................ D6
9 Khanh Hoa Tourist Information............ D4 43 Tasty .......................................................C5
Lanterns Tours ............................. (see 37) û Drinking & Nightlife
10 Nha Trang Tours.................................... C5 Altitude...........................................(see 31)
11 Oceans 5 ................................................ C6 44 Crazy Kim Bar ........................................A5
12 Rainbow Divers ...................................... A4 45 ifruit .........................................................C4
46 Louisiane Brewhouse............................ D6
Sailing Club Divers........................(see 42)
Shamrock Adventures ................... (see 7) Nghia Bia Hoi ................................ (see 25)
13 Su Spa .................................................... A5 Sailing Club ................................... (see 42)
Vietnam Active .............................(see 28) 47 Skylight Bar ............................................D3
14 Vietnam Bike Tours ............................... C3 þ Shopping
15 Vy Spa .................................................... D6 48 Bambou ..................................................A5
49 Cu Meo ....................................................C5
ÿ Sleeping 50 Lemongrass House ................................C4
16 Binh An Hotel ......................................... C3 51 Peekaboo ................................................A5
17 Carpe DM Hotel ..................................... C6 52 Saga du Mekong.....................................B6
18 Galliot Hotel ........................................... A5 53 Saga Etnik ...............................................A5
19 Golden Rain Hotel.................................. B6 54 XQ............................................................B5
20 Golden Summer Hotel .......................... B6 ï Information
21 Ha Tram Hotel........................................ B5 Khanh Hoa Tourist
22 Hotel An Hoa .......................................... B5
23 King Town Hotel .................................... B5 Information .................................. (see 9)
24 Le Duong ................................................ B6 Pasteur Institute............................. (see 2)
25 Mai Huy Hotel ........................................ B6 55 Sinh Tourist ............................................A4
26 Michelia Hotel .........................................C1 ï Transport
27 Mojzo Inn ................................................ C6 Vietnam Airlines ............................(see 13)
28 Ngoc Thach ............................................ B6
29 Nhi Phi Hotel .......................................... A5
30 Novotel Nha Trang ................................ D5
31 Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa......... D3
two islands of Hon Yen (Bird’s-Nest Island) Long Thanh Gallery GALLERY
are off in the distance to the east.
National Oceanographic Museum MUSEUM (Map p250; %058-382 4875; www.longthanhart.
(Map p248; %058-359 0037; 1 Cau Da; adult/ com; 126 Ð Hoang Van Thu; h8am-5.30pm Mon-
child 30,000/12,000d; h6am-6pm) Housed in Sat) F Paradise for monochrome aficio-
a grand French-colonial building in the port nados, this gallery showcases the work of
district of Cau Da at the far south end of Vietnam’s most prominent photographer.
Nha Trang, this poorly maintained muse- Long Thanh developed his first photo in
um has 60,000 or so jars of pickled marine 1964 and continues to shoot extraordinary
specimens, stuffed birds and sea mammals, black-and-white images of everyday Viet-
and displays of local boats and fishing ar- namese moments and compelling portraits.
tefacts. There are tanks with reef fish (and The powerful images capture the heart and
sharks) but also live seals kept here in piti- soul of Vietnam.
ful enclosures.
Mai Loc Gallery GALLERY
(Map p250; www.mailocphotos.com; 99 Ð Nguyen
Thien Thuat; h8-11am & 2.30-10.30pm) F
252 Hon Mot SNORKELLING
Showcases the powerful, highly accom-
plished monochrome photography of Mai Sandwiched neatly between Hon Mun and
Loc, a native of Nha Trang. Ask him about Hon Tam, or Silkworm Island, is tiny Hon
his life story (he’s an ex-gold miner, cyclo Mot, a popular place for snorkelling.
driver and tour guide).
Diving
Do Dien Khanh Gallery GALLERY Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most popular scuba-
diving centre, although not necessarily its
(Map p250; %058-351 2202; www.ddk-gallery. best. Visibility averages 15m but can be as
com; 126B Ð Hong Bat; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri) much as 30m, depending on the season. Feb-
F Do Dien Khanh is a welcoming host ruary to September is considered the best
and very talented photographer of Viet- time to dive, while October to December is
namese landscapes and life – his portraits of the worst time of year.
surrounding Cham communities are haunt-
ingly beautiful. There are around 25 dive sites in the area.
There are no wrecks to visit, but some sites
2 Activities have good drop-offs and there are a few
small underwater caves to explore. Frankly,
The Nha Trang area is a key diving, surfing, it’s not world-class diving, but the waters
wake-boarding, parasailing, white-water support a good variety of soft and hard cor-
rafting and mountain-biking centre. Boat als, and a reasonable number of small reef
trips around the bay and up the Cai River fish. You can expect to see reef fish includ-
are also a great day out. ing clownfish, pufferfish and trumpetfish, as
well as cuttlefish and octopus.
So u th e as t C oas t ANchtaivTirtainesg Islands
Island tours are a big part of the Nha Trang A full-day outing including boat trans-
experience. port, two dives and lunch typically costs
between US$65 and US$85 with a profes-
Hon Yen BOAT TOUR sional dive school. Snorkellers can usually
tag along for US$15 to US$20.
(Bird’s-Nest Island) Also known as Salangane
Island, this is the lump-shaped land mass Most dive operators also offer a range of
visible from Nha Trang Beach. This and oth- dive courses, including a ‘discover diving’
er islands off Khanh Hoa province are the program for uncertified first-time divers to
source of Vietnam’s finest salangane (swift- experience the underwater world with the
let) nests; locals climb up tottering bamboo supervision of a qualified dive master. PADI
ladders to fetch them. There is a small, se- courses start at US$350, SSI cost a little less.
cluded beach here. The 17km trip out to the
islands takes three hours or so by small boat There are a dozen or so dive operators in
from Nha Trang. Nha Trang. We’ve heard reports about the odd
dodgy set-up not following responsible diving
Hon Mieu BOAT TOUR practices and even using fake PADI/SSI ac-
creditation. These tend to charge ridiculously
This is billed as an outdoor aquarium (Ho Ca cheap prices (as low as US$35 for two dives).
Tri Nguyen; admission 90,000d) but it’s actually
more of a fish-breeding farm, where over 40 Stick to reputable outfits such as Vietnam
species of fish, crustacean and other marine Active and recommended schools.
creatures are raised. Surrounding the tanks Oceans 5 DIVING
is an incredibly kitsch concrete collection
of giant shrimps, fang-bearing sharks and (Map p250; %058-381 1969, 058-352 2012; www.
oceans5.co; 78 Tue Tinh) SSI school run by two
so on. Australian instructors, providing profession-
Hon Mieu is included in most island boat
tours. DIY travellers can catch one of the ally run training courses and well-organised
fun dives. Gear is in good condition, and the
regular ferries (5000d) that travel here from company also does dive training inside the
Cau Da dock.
protected marine area. Two dives are US$75.
Hon Mun SNORKELLING Sailing Club Divers DIVING
(Ebony Island) Pretty Hon Mun island is Nha (Map p250; %058-352 2788; www.sailingclubdiv-
Trang’s most famous snorkelling and dive
site. The coral is in fair condition and visibil- ers.com; 72-74 Ð Tran Phu) A PADI five-star cen-
tre offering professional instruction, mod-
ity usually good, but it can get very crowded ern equipment and multilingual instructors.
as it’s on the main day-tripping agenda.
The dive boat is superb. A Discover Scuba
dive is 1,250,000d.
253
NHA TRANG’S BEST DIVE SITES
Most of the best dive action is around Hon Mun island, which is an officially designated
marine park.
Moray Beach On the south side of Hon Mun, with healthy hard and soft corals, including
a giant table coral formation. Two species of moray eel, lionfish, leaf fish and scorpionfish
can be spotted. Maximum depth is 18m.
Coral Garden An array of impressive hard corals including gorgonians. Expect to see
Moorish Idols, nudibranchs and pufferfish. It’s on the east side of Hon Mun.
Madonna Rock Off tiny Hon Rom, this site has a resident 1.5m grouper, and barracudas
and unicorn fish are encountered. There are great swim-throughs. Also known as Octo-
pus Rock.
Light House A deep dive at the tip of Hon Tre island where barracuda, stingrays, trigger-
fish and snapper are seen. For experienced divers.
Green Canyon Off the northeast coast of Hon Mun with a steep drop-off suitable for
deep diving. It’s a good spot to see lionfish, nudibranches and passing snapper.
Angel Dive DIVING Shamrock Adventures RAFTING
(Map p250; %058-352 2461; www.angeldiveviet- (Map p250; %058-352 7548; www.shamrock
nam.info; 1/27 Ð Tran Quang Khai) Reliable, ex- adventures.vn; Ð Tran Quang Khai; trips per per-
perienced SSI operator with English, French son incl lunch from US$40) This outfit runs So u th e as t C oas t ANchtaivTirtainesg
and German instruction, with good courses white-water rafting excursions (which can
for kids. Snorkelling trips cost US$20 per be combined with some mountain biking).
person. Kayaking, snorkelling and fishing trips are
also on offer.
Rainbow Divers DIVING
(Map p250; %058-352 4351; www.divevietnam. River Trips
com; 90AÐHungVuong) Large, well-established A impressive broad estuary, the Cai River
PADI dive school, part of a nationwide just north of central Nha Trang is best ex-
chain. Here at HQ, there is also a popular plored as a day trip by boat.
restaurant and bar. A boat trip with three
dives is 2,050,000d. Nha Trang River Tour BOAT TOUR
(%0914 047 406; www.nhatrangrivertour.com;
120/1/6 Hung Vuong; per person from US$40)
Adventure Sports Pham is a well-organised, interesting guide
From mountain biking to white-water raft- and his river tours are worthwhile. Tours
ing, Nha Trang offers lots of activities to get concentrate on cultural sights and cottage
the pulse racing. industries (rice-paper making, mat weavers,
oVietnam Active ADVENTURE SPORTS embroidery) along the Cai River and include
(Map p250; %058-351 5821; www.vietnamactive. a hot spring and mud bath session.
com; 115 Ð Hung Vuong) Offers a diverse range
of excellent activities including rafting, kay- Spas & Thermal Baths
aking, mountain-biking trips and scuba div- Locals swear that the only way to get real-
ing (SSI and PADI accredited). Exact prices ly clean is to get deep down and dirty in a
depend upon numbers. Stretch those aching natural mud bath, and there are now sever-
limbs afterwards at one of the hatha or ash- al places around Nha Trang where you can
tanga yoga classes. It also rents quality bikes get stuck in (the mud). Try to avoid week-
(from US$5 per day). ends, when Vietnamese families descend en
masse.
Vietnam Bike Tours BICYCLE TOUR
If you’d prefer a more conventional spa
(Map p250; %0905 779 311; www.vietnambike there are plenty that fit the bill nicely.
urs.com; 17/14 Ð Hoang Hoa Tham) Organises
excellent local tours of the countryside and oI Resort
THERMAL BATHS
coastline, taking in mud baths and fishing (%058-383 8838; 19 Xuan Ngoc, Vinh Ngoc; pack-
villages with patient, experienced guides. All ages from 250,000d; h7am-8pm) Just the place
levels are catered for. to really indulge, this upmarket thermal spa
254 which also has a restaurant and (man-made)
is the most attractive of the three mudfests waterfall. Full packages that include all fa-
around Nha Trang, with hot mineral mud cilities cost 500,000d. It’s 6km southwest of
baths, lovely bathing pools and even wa- Nha Trang.
terfalls. The rural setting is gorgeous, with
distant mountain views, and there’s a decent From the Cau Binh Tan bridge on the
restaurant and spa/massage centre. Budget southwest side of town, head along Ð
spending at least half a day here, it’s well Nguyen Tat Thanh until you reach the high-
worth it. All kinds of mud/spa packages are way at Phuoc Trung; it’s just over the road
available. Call for a shuttle (20,000d one from here and clearly signposted.
way) from your hotel.
It’s 7km northwest of the centre. oXanh Spa SPA
(%058-398 9666; www.mianhatrang.com/relax;
Mia Resort Nha Trang; massages from US$42)
Thap Ba Hot Spring Center THERMAL BATHS With Zen-like treatment rooms high above
(Mapp248; %058-3835345; www.thapbahotspring. the ocean, this high-end hotel’s spa enjoys a
com.vn; 15 Ngoc Son; h7am-7.30pm) Gooey dramatic setting. Staff are superbly trained,
mud heaven, this (the original hot thermal and responsive to client requests. Body
mud centre) remains decent value. A com- wraps and scrubs, massages, pedicures and
munal mud bath is 150,000d (20 minutes manicures are all superb.
maximum time), while private bathtubs are
more costly. There are also mineral water Vy Spa SPA
swimming pools and lots of packages. Locat-
ed 7km northwest of Nha Trang (130,000d (Map p250; %012 8275 8662; 78B Ð Tue Tinh;
in a taxi). h8am-9pm) Run by a friendly couple, this
So u th e as t C oas t TNohuarTsrang simple place offers fine-value massages and
To get here by yourself, follow the sign- treatments. Chose from Vietnamese, Thai
post on the second road to the left past the or Swedish massages (from 200,000d per
Po Nagar Cham Towers and continue along hour), or try a facial or scrub.
the winding road for 2.5km.
100 Egg Mud Bath THERMAL BATHS Su Spa SPA
(Tam Bun Tram Trung; %058-371 1733; www.tam- (Map p250; %058-352 3242; www.suspa.com.vn;
93 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; h8am-9.30pm) The
buntramtrung.vn; Nguyen Tat Thanh, Phuoc Trung; pretty little brick gateway and greenery set
h8am-7pm) This place gets its name from
the egg-shaped private pods where couples a welcoming tone at Su Spa, and the relaxed
ambience will ease the travel-weary. This
or kids can indulge in a little mud play. All stylishly designed place offers good scrubs,
kinds of mud plastering, wraps and scrubs
are offered. You’ll also find pools and tubs rubs, tubs and body massages (from US$25).
(which can be filled with herbs and essential T Tours
oils) scattered around this huge complex,
oLanterns Tours
CULTURAL TOUR
HON LAO’S ANIMAL CIRCUS (Map p250; %058-247 1674; www.lanternsvietnam.
com; 34/6 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; tour US$25)
The island of Hon Lao is home to 1000 This non-profit restaurant offers an inter-
or so monkeys that are accustomed esting tour (US$25) of the non-touristy town
to receiving food handouts from the of Ninh Hoa, taking in a local market and
hordes of tourists who descend here. lunch with a local family. Its walking street-
These are wild animals and monkey food tours (200,000d) of Nha Trang are also
bites do occur (and are a possible highly recommended, featuring seven dish-
source of rabies). Hon Lao’s monkeys es including banh tai vac (shrimp dump-
are also materialistic and will grab the lings) and che chuoi nuong (banana and
sunglasses off your face or snatch a pen sticky rice).
from your shirt pocket. There are also
several circus-style animal acts here, Brewery Tour TOUR
including shows with performing bears,
monkeys and dogs. Hon Lao is very (Map p250; %352 1948; www.louisianebrewhouse
popular with locals, though note that .com.vn; Louisiane Brewhouse, 29 Ð Tran Phu; tour
travellers have reported seeing animals 200,000d) A highly informative tour, here
being abused. you can find out how malt and hops become
ale and lager, and of course sample the gold-
en nectar.
255
TRIPPING THE BAY BY BOAT So u th e as t C oas t SNlheaeTpirnagng
The 71 offshore islands around Nha Trang are renowned for the remarkably clear water
surrounding them. Trips to these islands have been a huge draw for years now, and virtu-
ally every hotel and travel company in town books island-hopping boat tours.
Back in the day (well, the 1990s), party boat tours involved a bumpy ride out to sea
on a leaky fishing boat, copious joints and rice wine shots in a ‘floating bar’ (a tube in the
ocean). Unsurprisingly local party officials deemed the ganja and drinking games a bit
too counter-revolutionary for their tastes.
Today there’s more of a choice – with everything from backpacker booze cruises to
family-geared outings.
Frankly, most of these trips are extremely touristy, involving whistle-stop visits to the
Tri Nguyen Aquarium (admission 90,000d), some snorkelling on a degraded reef, and
a bit of beach time (beach admissions 30,000d). The booze cruises feature (very) or-
ganised entertainment with a DJ on the deck (or a cheesy boy band) and lots of drinking
games. Expect 20 or 30 people packed on a small boat. If this sounds like your idea of
hell, well, you’ve been warned.
In recent years upmarket options have increased, with everything from private char-
ters to cruises on traditional junks now available.
Keep the following tips in mind:
¨¨Choose the right tour. Some are geared towards Asian families, others are booze
cruises aimed solely at the backpacker market.
¨¨Remember sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
¨¨Entrance charges to the aquarium and beach are not usually included.
¨¨If you’re more interested in snorkelling than drinking, the dive schools’ trips will be
more appropriate.
There are a few decent boat-trip operators.
Funky Monkey (Map p250; %091 3458 950, 058-352 2426; http://funkymonkeytour.com;
75A Ð Hung Vuong; cruise incl pick-up 200,000d) A party-hard, backpacker-geared trip that
kicks off at 8.30am. Features live ‘entertainment’ from the Funky Monkey boy band, as
well as the usual stops.
Sailing Center Vietnam (Map p248; %058-387 8714; www.sailing.vn; 7 Hien Luong; half-
day trips from US$275) These professionals organise bespoke trimaran and catamaran
charters to the islands off Nha Trang. Trips include snorkelling, lunch and refreshments.
Nha Trang Tours (Map p250; %058-352 4471; www.nhatrangtour.com.vn; 29 Ð Biet Thu)
Budget party-themed booze cruises for 200,000d or snorkelling trips for 320,000d.
Emperor Cruises (%0123 666 8879; http://emperorcruises.com; dinner/day cruise US$79/147)
The classiest way to cruise the bay, Emperor offers memorable trips on traditional wooden
junks. The cuisine, drinks and service are tip-top, but then so are the rates charged.
Khanh Hoa Tourist Information (Map p250; %058-352 8000; [email protected]; Ð
Tran Phu; cruise incl lunch 380,000d) For something a little different, consider a boat trip to
beautiful Van Phong Bay. The two-hour trip there puts many off, but the remote, secluded
bays certainly help compensate. Contact the tourist office for details and bookings.
4 Sleeping rooms for around US$10 or so, even less if
you go with the flow of a fan. Most budget
Nha Trang has hundreds of hotels, from places don’t include breakfast.
dives to the divine, and most places are with-
in a block or two of the beach. Discounts of Luxury hotels line Ð Tran Phu, the water-
20% to 30% are common in midrange and front boulevard. The area’s most exclusive
top-end places when business is slow. resort hotels are out of town, in Ninh Van
Bay to the north and there’s also a number
There is a cluster of cheapies on an al- of new places being constructed on Bai Dai
leyway at 64 Ð Tran Phu, very close to the beach, along the airport road.
beach. All offer similar air-conditioned
256
oSunny Sea HOTEL $ very cheapest don’t have windows, posher
(Map p250; %058-352 2286; sunnyseahotel@ options have a balcony.
gmail.com; 64B/9 Ð Tran Phu; r US$10-15; aiW) Mai Huy Hotel HOTEL $
A class above the others on ‘budget alley’
just off the beach, this exceptional place is (Map p250; %058-352 7553; maihuyhotel.com;
7H Quan Tran, Ð Hung Vuong; r with fan/air-con
owned by a welcoming local couple (a doc- from US$8/14; aiW) For a really cheap
tor and nurse) and their super-helpful staff. base, this long-standing backpacking place
The rooms are kept very clean and are in is certainly worth considering. The rooms
fine shape, with good-quality mattresses, (there are five price categories) vary quite a
minibar and modern bathrooms; some have
a balcony. bit, from cramped but doable to fresh and
modernised.
Mojzo Inn HOSTEL $ Ngoc Thach HOTEL $
(Map p250; %0988 879 069; www.facebook.
com/MojzoInn; 120/36 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; dm (Map p250; %058-352 5988; ngocthachhotel@
gmail.com; 6I Quan Tran, Ð Hung Vuong; r US$15-20;
US$8, r US$16-20; aiW) OK, the name is aW) A pleasant mini-hotel in the thick of
more cocktail list than hotel bed, but this
funky hostel gets most things right, with things with spacious, modern rooms (some
with balcony) that represent decent value.
well-designed dorms and a lovely cushion- There’s a lift.
scattered lounge area. Staff really go the ex-
tra mile to help here.
Michelia Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p250; %058-382 0820; www.michelia.vn; 4 Ɖ
Carpe DM Hotel HOTEL $ Pasteur; r/ste incl breakfast from 1,150,000/
(Map p250; %058-352 7868; www.carpedmhotel.
So u th e as t C oas t SNlheaeTpirnagng com; 120/62 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; r US$16-22; 2,550,000d; aiWs) One block from the
beach towards the north end of the centre,
aW) This likeable, well-managed place the Michelia has sleek, modern accommo-
has excellent, well-scrubbed, bright rooms
with a contemporary touch, all very well dation and helpful staff, and the breakfast
buffet is excellent. The pool is big enough
equipped and attractively furnished with for laps.
large flat-screen TV. The more expensive op-
tions have a balcony. It’s a no-smoking hotel.
Golden Summer Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p250; %058-352 6662; www.golden
Binh An Hotel GUESTHOUSE $ summerhotel.com.vn; 22-23 Ɖ Tran Quang Khai;
(Map p250; www.binhanhotel.com; %0128 705
0399; 28H Ð Hoang Hoa Tham; r 350,000- r US$27-50; aiW) Modish hotel, with a
super-stylish lobby and inviting, modern
380,000d; aiW) A welcoming place run rooms all with nice artistic touches such as
by an accommodating couple who look after
guests with pride. Rooms are spotless, spa- statement photography on the walls. The lo-
cation is excellent with myriad restaurants
cious and boast good air-con and fast wi- and the beach a short stroll away.
fi. Say hi to Zon, the chihuahua dog, while
you’re here.
Galliot Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p250; %058-352 8555; http://galliothotel.
Hotel An Hoa HOTEL $ com; 61A Ɖ Nguyen Thien Thuat; r 1,300,000-
(Map p250; %058-352 4029; www.anhoahotel.
com.vn; 64B/6 Ð Tran Phu; r with fan/air-con 1,800,000d; aiWs) This new hotel boasts
a convenient location in the heart of the
US$10/14; aiW) Getting top marks for city with a bevy of bars and restaurants just
friendliness, this is a well-run budget hotel.
Cleanliness standards are high; its rooms steps away. There’s a wide choice of well-
presented rooms, avoid the very cheapest,
vary from small, fan-cooled and window- which don’t have a window. The rooftop
less, to bigger and better options with larger
bathrooms and a smarter trim. pool is perfect for cooling off.
Ha Tram Hotel HOTEL $ Summer Hotel HOTEL $$
(Map p250; %058-352 2186; www.thesummerho-
(Map p250; %058-352 1819; hatramhotel.wee- tel.com.vn; 34C Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; r US$30-117;
bly.com; 64B/5 Ð Tran Phu; r US$10-14; aiW)
The newest hotel on this strip, this smart aiWs) Smart three-star hotel with af-
fordable prices, and rooms with high com-
mini-hotel has light, bright, well-equipped fort levels and comfortable trim. The pool
rooms and smart en-suite bathrooms. The
zone on the rooftop clinches the deal. Book-
257
ing sites often offer rates well below those This fine hotel consists of a charming clus-
on the hotel’s website. ter of spacious oceanside villas that have a
colonial feel thanks to the classic furnishings
Nhi Phi Hotel HOTEL $$ and four-poster beds. It’s the only city hotel
(Map p250; %058-352 4585; www.nhiphihotel. on the shoreside of the beach, so there’s no
vn; 10A Ð Biet Thu; r US$45-75; aiWs) Im- traffic between you and the delightful sandy
posing colossus with an amazing lobby atri- shore. Facilities include two swimming
um, small rooftop pool and well-furnished pools (one 30m), Western and Vietnamese
rooms (those above the 7th floor have fine restaurants and a Six Senses spa.
city views). During quiet times, promotional
rates represent a real bargain.
Novotel Nha Trang HOTEL $$$
(Map p250; %058-625 6900; www.novotel.com/
Le Duong HOTEL $$ 6033; 50 Ð Tran Phu; r/ste from US$130/262;
(Map p250; nhatrangleduonghotel.com; 5 & 6 Quan
Tran, Ð Hung Vuong; r 460,000-750,000d; aW) aiWs) Stylish and very contemporary,
this oceanfront hotel features split-level
Close to restaurants and nightlife, this mod- rooms with sunken bathtubs – invest in a
ern hotel has 50 light, spacious rooms with
pale furniture and white linen, cable TV and sea view on the upper floor to see Nha Trang
in all its glory. Staff are very well trained
fridges. Prices are flexible to a degree, de- and helpful. The gym is well equipped for
pending on demand.
a workout, though the pool is on the small
side. Book via the group’s own website for
Golden Rain Hotel HOTEL $$ the best rate.
(Map p250; %058-352 7799; www.goldenrainhotel.
com; 142 Ð Hung Vuong; r US$29-58; aiWs)
Conveniently located; rooms are spacious Fusion Resort Nha Trang RESORT $$$ So u th e as t C oas t NE ahtainTgrang
(%058-398 9777; http://fusionresortnhatrang.
if a little dated and some include large com; Nguyen Tat Thanh; s/d incl breakfast from
windows. The rooftop pool and gym round
things off nicely. US$259/518; aiWs) For sybaritic living
look no further. New in 2015, this new re-
sort’s unique selling point is its complimen-
King Town Hotel HOTEL $$ tary spa treatments (two daily per guest are
(Map p250; %352 5818; www.kingtownhotel.com.
vn; 92 Ð Hung Vuong; r US$22-45; aiWs) guaranteed). It’s a huge complex where the
suites and villas all have sea views, and many
This place discounts heavily during slow have private plunge pools. It’s located on the
periods when it’s fine value, considering the
spacious rooms and rooftop swimming pool ocean road 30km south of Nha Trang, there’s
a free shuttle bus service from the airport.
with city views. At other times of year it’s
still worth considering.
Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa HOTEL $$$
oMia Resort Nha Trang HOTEL $$$ (Map p250; %058-388 0000; www.sheraton.com/
(%058-398 9666; www.mianhatrang.com; Bai nhatrang; 26-28 Ð Tran Phu; r/ste from US$155/275;
Dong, Cam Hai Dong; villa from US$230; naiW aiWs) The Sheraton dominates the
s) This exceptional hotel enjoys a priv- oceanfront boulevard, and the views from its
ileged position, occupying a private cove cocktail lounge are simply staggering. Rooms
beach and the hillside behind. are spacious and modern with open-plan
Accommodation units are modern, spa- bathrooms; book a suite for real luxury (and
cious and commodious – freshen up in a access to the impressive Club Lounge).
vast bathtub or take an al fresco shower.
Ocean Villas have private pools, Garden Vil- 5 Eating
las are closer to the shore. Great service, a
top spa and a stunning waveside restaurant As a resort town, Nha Trang caters to a de-
complete the Mia experience. cidedly international clientele and there’s an
First impressions are electric: the array of cosmopolitan flavours to savour –
open-sided reception is high above the from Cretan to Indian. Ð Tran Quang Khai
ocean, overlooking a horizon-filling expanse and Ð Biet Thu are popular hunting grounds,
of big blue. but more authentic Vietnamese grub is
found further afield. Seafood-lovers are in for
Evason Ana Mandara a treat with fresh fish, crab, shrimp and an
assortment of exotic shellfish on offer.
Resort & Spa RESORT HOTEL $$$
(Map p248; %058-352 2522; www.evasonresorts. For a traditional local experience, try
com; Ð Tran Phu; villa US$240-545; aiWs) Dam Market (Map p248; Ð Trang Nu Vuong;
258
NHA TRANG STREET FOOD
Rents and real-estate prices are high in central Nha Trang, which is not a great place for
cheap local grub. All these street-food experiences are north of the centre.
Banh Xeo stand Almost opposite the Cham towers, this stand (Map p248; Ɖ 2 Thang 4)
is worked by a feisty old lady who cooks up great banh xeo (savoury riceflour pancakes
with shrimp/pork and bean sprouts) on a smoking griddle.
Seafood Street Famous for its evening only seafood places, Thap Ba (Map p248; Thap
Ba; h5.30-10pm) produces fine steamed or barbecued clams, crab and prawns.
Barbecued Duck Popular 79 Dung Lin (Map p250; 29 Phan Chu Trinh; h6-9.30pm), just
west of the stadium, is famous for its wonderfully flavoursome duck (half a duck with
salad, dips and rice is 100,000d).
Pork Meatballs Head to 15 Le Loi (Map p250; 15 Le Loi; h10.30am-8pm) for superb nem
nuong (grilled minced pork marinated with shallots and spices) served with dipping
sauce, herbs and salad. There are two places here.
So u th e as t C oas t NE ahtainTgrang h6am-4pm), which has a colourful collection of Ð Nguyen Chanh. A mixed plate (15,000d)
of stalls, including com chay (vegetarian) is just about the best-value meal you can
options, in the ‘food court’. find in Nha Trang.
Tasty CAFE $ oLac Canh Restaurant VIETNAMESE $$
(Map p250; 30 Ɖ Nguyen Thien Thuat; snacks/
meals from 22,000/40,000d; h6.30am-10.30pm; (Map p248; 44 Ð Nguyen Binh Khiem; dishes
30,000-150,000d; h11am-8.45pm) This bus-
aWc) A hip, bustling cafe with real appeal tling, smoky, scruffy and highly enjoyable
thanks to the bold retro murals (camper
vans and vespas), kitsch touches and mis- place is crammed most nights with groups
firing up the table-top barbecues (beef, rich-
matched seating. You’ll find plenty of inter- ly marinated with spices, is the speciality,
est on the menu too, including good banh
mi, Vietnamese salads, cheap breakfasts, but there are other meats and seafood, too).
Closes quite early.
juices and coffee. There’s an open kitchen.
oMix GREEK $$
Nha Hang Yen’s VIETNAMESE $ (Map p250; 77 Ð Hung Vuong; meals 80,000-
(Map p250; %093 3766 205; http://yensrestau-
rantnhatrang.com; 3/2A Ð Tran Quang Khai; dishes 150,000d; h11am-10pm) Somehow Christos,
the affable, kind-hearted Greek owner,
55,000-120,000d; h7am-9.30pm; W) Stylish manages to keep the quality high and pric-
restaurant with a hospitable atmosphere
and a winning line-up of flavoursome clay- es moderate at his ever-busy restaurant, a
Herculean effort. Everything is freshly pre-
pot, curry, noodle, rice and stir-fry dishes. pared and beautifully presented; highlights
Lilting traditional music and waitresses in
ao dai (national dress) add to the vibe. include the seafood and meat platters, sal-
ads and souvlaki.
Omar’s Indian Restaurant INDIAN $ Nha Trang Xua VIETNAMESE $$
(Map p250; www.omarsindianrestaurant.com; 89B
Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; mains 55,000-136,000d, (Thai Thong, Vinh Thai; dishes 40,000-210,000d;
h8am-9pm; Wc) A classic Vietnamese
set meal 150,000d; h7am-11pm; W) Authentic restaurant set in a beautiful old house in
Indian cuisine – you can’t go wrong with a
set meal (150,000d) which includes a bhaji, the countryside surrounded by rice pad-
dies and a lotus pond, around 7km west of
popodums, a veggie or chicken curry, rice town (100,000d in a taxi). Think: a refined
and a beer.
(hand-written) menu, chunky wooden tables
and a rustic ambience. Highlights include
Au Lac VEGETARIAN $ the hotpots, Vietnamese salads, five-spice
(Map p250; 28C Ð Hoang Hoa Tham; meals 15,000-
30,000d; h10am-7pm; v) This long-running, beef and fish (try the snakehead fish grilled
in banana leaf).
no-frills vegan/vegetarian is near the corner
259
Lanterns VIETNAMESE $$ oSailing Club INTERNATIONAL $$$
(Map p250; www.lanternsvietnam.com; 34/6 Ð
Nguyen Thien Thuat; dishes 48,000-117,000d; (Map p250; %058-352 4628; www.sailingclub
nhatrang.com; 72-74 Ð Tran Phu; mains 130,000-
h7.30am-9.30pm; Wvc) S This restau- 400,000d; h7.30am-11pm; W) A beachfront in-
rant supports local orphanages and pro-
vides scholarships programs. Flavours are stitution. People-watch from elegant seating
by day, sip on a cocktail at sundown, dine on
predominantly Vietnamese, with specials gourmet food under the stars and then burn
including curries, claypots and steaming
hot pots (210,000d for two). The ‘street it all off on the dance floor. There are three
separate menus – Vietnamese, international
food’ items are not bad and international and Indian. Standouts include oven-roasted
offerings include pasta. Cooking classes and
tours get good feedback. Eat between 2pm sea bass and beef carpaccio.
and 4pm and 20% is knocked off your bill. 6 Drinking
Lang Nuong Phu Dong Hai San SEAFOOD $$ Nha Trang has historically been renowned
(Map p248; Ð Tran Phu; dishes 45,000-180,000d; for its backpacker party scene, but these
h2pm-3am) The decor is basic (think plas- days there’s a wide choice of places, from sky
tic chairs and strip lights) but the seafood bars to beachside lounges.
is fresh and delicious. Choose from scal-
lops, crab, prawns and lobster, all at mar- Pay serious attention to your drink and
ket prices. possessions (p260) if you’re in the party bars
of Nha Trang.
Refuge INTERNATIONAL $$ Sailing Club BAR, CLUB
(Map p250; 1L Ð Hung Vuong; hmains 60,000- (Map p250; www.sailingclubnhatrang.com; 72-74 So u th e as t C oas t DN rhianTkrinagng
Ð Tran Phu; h7am-2am; W) This Nha Trang
175,000d; 7.30am-10pm; aW) A Swiss-owned beach club is a city institution with DJs
log-cabin-style restaurant with great crêpes,
salads (try the goat’s cheese), cheeses, and and bands, and draws a beautiful, up-for-it
crowd. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
grilled beef and lamb steaks (you choose a bonfire is lit and the action moves to the
your own sauce). Wine is available by
the glass and reasonably priced. Unusu- sand (weather permitting!). It draws a good
mix of locals and foreigners.
ally around here, the premises are air-
conditioned.
Skylight Bar BAR
Le Petit Bistro FRENCH $$ (Map p250; http://skylightnhatrang.com; Best
Western Premier Havana Nha Trang, 38 Ð Tran Phu;
(Map p250; %058-352 7201; http://bistronhatrang. admission incl drink 100,000d; h4.30-11pm; W)
com; 34 Ð Tran Quang Khai; mains 90,000-
250,000d; h7am-10.30pm; aW) This well- Soaring above the city on the 43rd floor,
this bombastic new place set up by a team
established French restaurant is highly from LA boasts mile-high vistas from its
regarded by the Gallic crowd, and is the
place for a steak tartare, a brochette or some rooftop perch, a killer cocktail list (120,000d
to 150,000d), shishas, cigars, DJs and pool
serious fromage (cheese). There’s a daily parties. The only question: is it too ahead of
specials board, and, for those who like to
quaff, the wine list is the city’s best. the curve? Is Nha Trang ready for it?
oKiwami JAPANESE $$$ DRINK SPIKING
(Map p250; %095 6130 933,058-351 6613; www.ki-
wamirestaurantsushi.info.vn; 136 Bach Dang; meals There has been a number of reports of
250,000-500,000d; hnoon-10pm Thu-Tue; a) laced cocktail buckets doing the rounds
An intimate, highly authentic neighbour- in popular nightspots. This might mean
hood Japanese place that gets everything staff using homemade moonshine in-
right. There’s a specialist sushi chef – perch stead of legal spirits or could mean the
on a bar stool and watch him at work or addition of drugs of some sort by other
sit in one of the side alcoves. All of your punters. While buckets are fun and
favourite dishes are present and correct, communal, take care in Nha Trang and
from sashimi to teriyaki. Visit at lunchtime try to keep an eye on what goes into the
and there are special sushi sets and bentos bucket. You don’t want your night to end
available. in paranoia or robbery.
260
Louisiane Brewhouse BREWERY Fashion boutiques selling everything
from slingbacks to sunglasses are concen-
(Map p250; %058-352 1948; 29 Ð Tran Phu; per trated along Ð Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.
glass 40,000d; h7am-midnight; W) Microbrew-
eries don’t get much more sophisticated
than this. Louisiane’s copper vats sure have oLemongrass House BEAUTY
a helluva view, gazing over an inviting swim- (Map p250; https://instagram.com/lemongrass
house.vn; 38 Ð Nguyen Thi Minh Khai; h10am-
ming pool down to a private strip of sand. 10pm) S A terrific little store selling won-
There are six brews to try, including a red
ale and superb witbier (a dark lager brewed derful face creams (270,000d), masks, hair
products, essential oils and some teas. The
Belgian-style). products are sourced from natural ingredi-
Hon Chong Cafe CAFE ents and made in small batches in Thailand.
(Map p248; Hon Chong; drinks 18,000-30,000d; Peekaboo CLOTHING
h7am-7pm) With panoramic views of Nha
Trang, this lovely shady cafe in Hon Chong is (Map p250; 97 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; h10am-
10pm) This quirky little place has a well-
the perfect spot to enjoy a coffee or beer (or curated selection of bags, summer dresses,
even a margarita) and catch the sea breeze.
No food is served (other than ice cream). swimming costumes, sunglasses and acces-
sories. It’s up a steep flight of stairs.
Crazy Kim Bar BAR
(Map p250; http://crazykimvietnam.wordpress.com; Saga Etnik CLOTHING
19 Ð Biet Thu; h9am-late; W) This place is home (Map p250; 48 Ð Nguyen Thien Thuat; h9am-10pm)
Tropical heat getting you down? Come here
to the commendable ‘Hands off the Kids!’ for blouses, dresses and hats; some items are
campaign, working to prevent paedophil-
So u th e as t C oas t SNhhao pTprianngg ia – part of the profits go towards the cause. based on traditional Vietnamese designs and
are in lightweight natural fabrics.
Crazy Kim’s has regular themed party nights,
devilish cocktail buckets (60,000d), shooters,
cheap beer and tasty grub. La Rue beer is 2-4-1 Saga du Mekong CLOTHING
during happy hour (noon to 8.30pm). (Map p250; www.sagadumekong.com; 1/21 Ð
Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h9am-9pm) This stylish
fashion boutique specialises in linen, silk,
Altitude BAR bamboo and fine cotton clothing. Stocks
(Map p250; 26-28 Ð Tran Phu; hnoon-midnight; Western sizes and has its own factory for
W) Located on the 28th floor of the Sheraton
Nha Trang, this bar has simply out-of-this- quality control.
world views of the coast – you can pick out XQ HANDICRAFTS
every footprint in the sand below (if your eyes
are up to it!). The interior is non-smoking. (Map p250; www.xqvietnam.com; 64 Ð Tran Phu;
h8am-8pm) At this place, designed to look
Prices are five-star too, so consider dropping like a traditional rural village, you can watch
by during happy hour (4pm to 6pm).
the artisans at work in the embroidery
workshop and gallery.
Nghia Bia Hoi BIA HOI
(Map p250; 7G/3 Ð Hung Vuong; h11am-10pm) A Cu Meo CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES
popular bia hoi (draught beer) joint which
pulls in a loyal local (and backpacker) (Map p250; 37 Ð Nguyen Thi Minh Khai; h8am-
7pm) A hip boutique renowned for its mod-
crowd. It serves a light lager and a darker ish ladies’ shoe designs; also stocks lingerie,
brown beer, as well as snacks.
swimwear and dresses.
ifruit JUICE BAR Bambou CLOTHING
(Map p250; 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai; h7am-11pm) (Map p250; www.bamboucompany.com; 15 Ð Biet
On a busy corner plot; head here for a hit-
and-run juice or smoothie, as there are 20 Thu; h8am-9pm) Specialises in casual cloth-
ing for men, women and kids, with Viet-
different flavours to choose from. It’s run by namese motifs. Natural materials including
a friendly young team.
tencel and bamboo are used.
7 Shopping
88 Information
Nha Trang has some good arts and crafts
shops in the blocks around the corner of Ð DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Tran Quang Khai and Ð Hung Vuong. The vast vast majority of visitors experience
no troubles at all in Nha Trang. While there’s
261
no need to be paranoid, you should take a little Vietcombank (Map p250; 17 Ð Quang Trung; So u th e as t C oas t GN ehtatTirnganTghere & Away
extra care here as the town certainly has its h7.30am-4pm Mon-Fri) Has an ATM.
share of thieves. POST
Main Post Office (Map p250; 4 Ð Le Loi;
There are many ways for you and your valua- h 6.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 6.30am-1pm Sat)
bles to part company. Young travellers are most TOURIST INFORMATION
frequently targeted. We hear many stories about Khanh Hoa Tourist Information (Map p250;
people getting pickpocketed in bars and clubs: % 058-352 8000; [email protected];
packed dance floors are particularly popular Ð Tran Phu) Government-run tourism office
hunting ground for thieves. Do you really need on the seafront with various tour programs,
to carry a smartphone and credit card on your including boat trips. Staff speak reasonable
night out? It’s safest to just to carry the cash English.
you’ll need for a good time. TRAVEL AGENCY
Sinh Tourist (Map p250; % 058-352 2982;
We’ve also heard reports of thefts on the www.thesinhtourist.vn; 90C Ð Hung Vuong;
beach (bags are taken when you’ve dozed off). h 6am-10pm) A reliable, professional com-
pany for inexpensive local trips, including a
Drive-by bag-snatching is an issue, which can city tour for 259,000d (excluding entrance
be highly dangerous if you fall victim while on the fees) and island boat cruises, as well as open-
back of a xe om. It’s safer to wear bags close to tour buses.
your chest rather than as a backpack.
88 Getting There & Away
Keep phones and tablets out of sight, not on
restaurant tables. If you’re using a map app to AIR
find your way around, hold the phone or tablet Vietnam Airlines (Map p250; % 058-352 6768;
with two hands. www.vietnamairlines.com; 91 Ð Nguyen Thien
Thuat) connects Nha Trang with Hanoi (three
Some female tourists have reported being daily), HCMC (four daily) and Danang daily.
photographed by young Vietnamese males when VietJet Air (www.vietjetir.com) usually has the
emerging from the water or just lying on the cheapest fares if you book well ahead, flying
beach. These guys are quite blatant about it and to both Hanoi and HCMC daily. Jetstar (www.
are rather persistent. jetstar.com) offers good connections with both
Hanoi and HCMC.
At popular tourist sites, and on public boats, BUS
unobservant foreigners may be overcharged – Phia Nam Nha Trang bus station (Ð 23 Thang
check the price on pre-printed tickets, and check 10) is Nha Trang’s main intercity bus terminal,
your change. 500m west of the train station. Very regular
daily buses head north to Danang. Heading
INTERNET ACCESS south, there are very frequent connections to
Virtually all hotels and most restaurants and cafes Phan Rang (46,000d, two hours) and HCMC,
have wi-fi. Many places also have a PC or two. including sleeper buses from 7pm. Buses also
head west into the central highlands, to Dalat
MEDICAL SERVICES
Pasteur Institute (Map p250; % 058-382
2355; pasteur-nhatrang.org.vn; 8-10 Ð Tran
Phu; h7-11am & 1-4.30pm) Offers medical
consultations and vaccinations. Located inside
the Alexandre Yersin Museum.
MONEY
There are ATMs all over Nha Trang.
TRANSPORT FROM NHA TRANG
DESTINATION AIR BUS CAR/MOTORBIKE TRAIN
Dalat - 4hr
Danang from US$31, 1hr, US$7, 5hr, 15 daily 11hr -
HCMC 1 daily
Mui Ne from US$21, 1hr, US$11-15, 12hr, 10hr US$15-21, 9-11hr,
8 daily 13-15 daily 6 daily
Quy Nhon - 5hr
US$10-15, 11hr, US$11-16, 7-9hr,
- 13 daily 7 daily
US$7, 5½hr, -
open-tour buses
only 6hr US$5.50-8, 4hr,
6 daily
US$6.50, 6hr,
every 2hr
So u th e as t C oas t GN ehtatTirnganAgr o u nd262 88 Getting Around
and Buon Ma Thuot (110,000d to 130,000d,
five hours, seven daily). TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Nha Trang is a major stopping point on all of Cam Ranh international airport is 35km south
the open-tour buses. These are the best option of the city via a beautiful coastal road. A shuttle
for accessing Mui Ne, which is not served by bus runs the route (65,000d), leaving from
standard buses; Sinh Tourist (p261) has two the site of the old airport (near 86 Ð Tran Phu)
daily buses on this route. There are also regular two hours and 10 minutes before scheduled
open-tour buses to Dalat (five hours) and Hoi An departure times (for all airlines), taking about
(11 hours). 40 minutes. Returning to Nha Trang, there’s an
official desk at the airport to buy your bus ticket;
CAR & MOTORBIKE buses leave 30 minutes after all flight arrivals.
One of the best trips to experience is the moun-
tain pass from Nha Trang to Dalat, as seen on the Departing town, taxis are a convenient option.
BBC Top Gear special. It’s a stunning journey by Nha Trang Taxi (% 058-382 6000), the official
car or motorbike. Throw the mountain road back maroon-coloured cabs, cost 380,000d from the
down from Dalat to Mui Ne into the mix and you airport to downtown. It’s cheaper in the other
have a great loop. direction, around 300,000d, if you fix a price
ahead rather than use taxi meters, which work
There are quite a number of Easy Riders out to be more expensive.
based in Nha Trang. Easy Rider Trips (% 090
5384 406; http://easyridertrips.com; 7G/4 BICYCLE
Hung Vuong) gets good feedback and charges Most of Nha Trang is pretty flat, so it’s easy to
from US$65 per day for the Nha Trang–Dalat get around all the sights, including Thap Ba, by
journey, which can be covered in one to three bicycle. Hotels have bikes to rent from 30,000d
days depending on where you want to stop on per day, or for a quality mountain bike head to
the way. Vietnam Bike Tours (p253). Watch out for the
one-way system around the train station, and
TRAIN the chaotic roundabouts.
The Nha Trang train station (% 058-382
2113; Ð Thai Nguyen; h ticket office 7-11.30am, TAXI & XE OM
1.30-6pm & 7-9pm) is west of the cathedral It’s safer to take a metered taxi with a reputable
in the centre of town. It’s on the main north– company, such as Mai Linh (% 058-382 2266).
south line with good connections to destina-
tions including Dieu Tri (for Quy Nhon), Danang Nha Trang has an excessive number of xe
and HCMC. om drivers. A motorcycle ride anywhere in the
centre shouldn’t cost more than 25,000d. Be
BAI DAI BEACH
South of Nha Trang, a spectacular coastal road leads to Cam Ranh Bay, a gorgeous nat-
ural harbour and the airport. Virtually the entire shoreline south of Mia Resort forms Bai
Dai (Long Beach), a breathtaking sandy coast.
Until very recently, the Vietnamese military controlled the entire area, restricting ac-
cess to the odd fishing boat. However times are a-changing and now the entire strip has
been earmarked for development. Dozens of giant resort hotels are planned and giant
advertising billboards now line the coastal road.
As of late 2015, only a few hotels had been completed, including Fusion Resort Nha
Trang (p257), so it should still be possible to find a virgin stretch of sand. Some of the
best surf breaks in Vietnam are found along here.
At the northern tip of Bai Dai, Shack Vietnam (www.shackvietnam.com) offers
one-hour board rental and surf instruction in English for 600,000d (board rental only is
180,000d per hour). It also offers kayak hire. Ice-cold beer, fish tacos (40,000d each),
burgers, burritos and fish and chips are are on the menu. Service can be pretty slow,
however. The Shack sits in the middle of a strip of 20 or so locally owned seafood restau-
rants, all with near-identical menus.
A one-way journey in a taxi to the north end of Bai Dai costs around 260,000d, reckon
on 300,000d to hit the central stretch. There’s no public transport along Bai Dai road. As
traffic is very light, this is a region that’s ideal to explore on a motorbike.
263
careful at night, when some less reputable driv- CHAM NEW YEAR
ers moonlight as pimps and drug dealers.
The Cham New Year (kate) is celebrated
Around Nha Trang at Po Klong Garai in the seventh month
of the Cham calendar (around October).
Thanh Citadel HISTORIC SITE The festival commemorates ancestors,
Cham national heroes and deities such
This citadel dates from the 17th-century Trinh as the farmers’ goddess Po Ino Nagar.
dynasty. It was rebuilt by Prince Nguyen Anh
(later Emperor Gia Long) in 1793 during his On the eve of the festival, a proces-
successful offensive against the Tay Son Re- sion guarded by the mountain people of
bels. Only a few sections of the walls and Tay Nguyen carries King Po Klong Ga-
gates remain. Thanh Citadel is 11km west of rai’s clothing to the accompaniment of
Nha Trang, near Dien Khanh town. traditional music. The procession lasts
until midnight. The following morning
Ba Ho Falls WATERFALL the garments are carried to the tower,
once again accompanied by music,
(Suoi Ba Ho; admission 15,000d, bike parking along with banners, flags, singing and
2000d; h7am-5.30pm) The three waterfalls dancing. Notables, dignitaries and vil-
and refreshing pools at Ba Ho Falls are in lage elders follow behind. This colourful
a forested area about 20km north of Nha ceremony continues into the afternoon.
Trang and about 2km west of Phu Huu vil-
lage. Turn off Hwy 1 just north of Quyen Res- The celebrations then carry on for
taurant, and you’ll find them a 20-minute the rest of the month, as the Cham
walk from the parking area. It’s fun clam- attend parties and visit friends and
bering upstream through the pools, though relatives. They also use this time to pray So u th e as t C oas t AS irgohutnsd N ha T rang
they are slippery; good footwear is recom- for good fortune.
mended.
Phan Rang & Thap Cham sands of Cham people. There are also sev-
eral thousand Chinese in the area, many of
% 068 / POP 185,000 whom come to worship at the 135-year-old
Quang Cong Pagoda (Ð Thong Nhat), a col-
This really is a tale of two cities: Phan Rang ourful Chinese temple in the town centre.
hugging the shoulders of Hwy 1, and Thap Po Klong Garai Cham Towers HINDU TEMPLE
Cham straddling Hwy 20 as it starts its (Thap Cham; admission 15,000d; h7am-5pm)
long climb to Dalat. Anyone travelling Vi- These four brick towers date from the end
etnam from north to south will notice a big of the 13th century. Built as Hindu temples,
change in the vegetation when approaching they stand on a brick platform at the top of
the joint capitals of Ninh Thuan province. Cho’k Hala, an exposed granite hill covered
The familiar lush green rice paddies are with cacti. It can be furnace-hot here.
replaced with sandy soil supporting only
scrubby plants. Local flora includes poinci- Over the entrance to the largest tow-
ana trees and prickly-pear cacti with vicious er (the kalan, or sanctuary) is a beautiful
thorns. carving of a dancing Shiva with six arms.
Note the inscriptions in the ancient Cham
With two major highways (1A and 20) language on the doorposts. These tell of past
intersecting in the town, this area makes a restoration efforts and offerings of sacrifices
good pit stop on the coastal run. As the twin and slaves.
towns of Phan Rang and Thap Cham are
both industrial and not particularly attrac- Inside the kalan’s vestibule is a statue of
tive, consider basing yourself at nearby Ninh the bull Nandin, vehicle of the Hindu god
Chu Beach, 6km to the east. Shiva. Nandin is also a symbol of the agri-
cultural productivity of the countryside. To
1 Sights ensure a good crop, farmers would place
an offering of fresh greens, herbs and areca
The area’s best-known sight is the group nuts in front of Nandin’s muzzle. Under the
of Cham towers known as Po Klong Garai, main tower is a mukha-linga (carved phal-
from which Thap Cham (Cham Tower) de- lus with a human face painted on it) sitting
rives its name. There are many more towers
dotted about the countryside in this area
and the province is home to tens of thou-
264 Cham Cultural Centre MUSEUM
under a wooden pyramid. Liquor is offered
and incense burned here. (Thap Cham; h7am-5pm) F At the base of
Inside the smaller tower opposite the en- the Po Klong Garai towers, this large mod-
trance to the sanctuary, you can get a good ern structure (built in attractive, vaguely
look at some of the Cham’s sophisticated Cham style) is dedicated to Cham culture.
building technology; the wooden columns There’s some superb photography of Cham
that support the lightweight roof are visible. people, village life and customs exhibited
The structure attached to it was originally here, as well as paintings, pottery, tradition-
the main entrance to the complex. al dress and agricultural tools.
Po Klong Garai is just north of Hwy 20, It’s a good reminder that while the Cham
at a point 6km west of Phan Rang towards kingdom is long gone, the Cham people are
Dalat. The towers are on the opposite side of an important minority in this region.
the tracks to Thap Cham train station. Some There are also numerous souvenir stalls.
of the open-tour buses running the coastal
route make a requisite pit stop here. Bau Truc Village NEIGHBOURHOOD
This Cham village is known for its pottery
and you’ll see several family shops in front
Po Ro Me Cham Tower HINDU TEMPLE of the mud and bamboo houses. On the way
(admission free, donations welcome) Po Ro Me is to Po Ro Me turn right off Hwy 1 near the
one of the most atmospheric of Vietnam’s
Cham towers, thanks in part to its isolated war memorial, into the commune with the
setting on top of a craggy hill with sweep- banner ‘Lang Nghe Gom Bau Truc’. Inside
ing views over the cactus-strewn land- the village take the first left for some of the
scape. The temple honours the last ruler of better pottery stores.
So u th e as t C oas t SP lheaenpiRnagng& &E aTthianpg C ham an independent Champa, King Po Ro Me
(r 1629–51); his image and those of his fami- 4 Sleeping & Eating
ly are found on the external decorations.
The temple is still in active use, with cere- The twin towns are not relaxing places to
monies taking place twice a year. The rest of stay due to traffic congestion and industry.
the time it’s locked up, but the caretakers at Nearby Ninh Chu Beach, 6km east of Phan
the foot of the hill will open the sanctuary for Rang, is far more inviting.
you. Consider leaving a small donation with
them, and don’t forget to remove your shoes. Com ga (chicken with rice) is a local spe-
The occupants of the temple aren’t used ciality, try it at Phuoc Thanh (3 Ð Tran Quang
to having their rest disturbed, and it can be Dieu; mains 30,000-55,000d), located just north
a little creepy when the bats start chattering of Ð 16 Thang 4, the road to Ninh Chu Beach.
and swooping overhead in the confined dark
space. Through the gloom you’ll be able to Another local delicacy is roasted or baked
make out a blood-red and black centrepiece – ky nhong (gecko), served with fresh green
a bas-relief representing the deified king in mango. If you prefer self-catering and have
the form of Shiva. Behind the main deity and quick reflexes, most hotel rooms in Vietnam
to the left is one of his queens, Thanh Chanh. have a ready supply.
Look out for the inscriptions on the door-
posts and a stone statue of the bull Nandin. Phan Rang is the grape capital of Viet-
nam. Stalls in the market sell fresh grapes,
grape juice and dried grapes (too juicy to be
called raisins).
Note the flame motif repeated around the Ho Phong Hotel HOTEL $
(%068-392 0333; 363 Ð Ngo Gia Tu; r 295,000-
arches, a symbol of purity, cleansing visitors 575,000d; aiW) This hotel is highly visible
of any residual bad karma.
The best way to reach the site is with your by night when it’s lit up like a Christmas
tree. Inside, things are more subdued, with
own motorbike or a xe om. The route is tricky. attractive, well-furnished rooms with pow-
Take Hwy 1 south from Phan Rang for 9km.
Turn right at the turn-off to Ho Tan Giang, a er showers. Staff rent out motorbikes for
70,000d per day.
narrow sealed road just after the petrol sta-
tion, and continue for a further 6km. Turn
left in the middle of a dusty village at a pad- 88 Getting There & Away
dock that doubles as a football field and fol-
low the road as it meanders to the right until BUS
the tower comes into sight. A sign points the Phan Rang bus station (opposite 64 Ð Thong
way cross-country for the last 500m. Nhat) is on the northern outskirts of town. Reg-
ular buses head north to Nha Trang (50,000d,
2½ hours, every 45 minutes), northwest to
265
Dalat (77,000d, four hours, hourly), and south Amanoi RESORT $$$
to Ca Na (20,000d, one hour, every 45 minutes) (%068-377 0777; www.aman.com; Vinh Hy village;
and beyond. r US$757-1136; aiWs) This monument to
luxe living boasts attention to detail that
CAR & MOTORBIKE makes it rank alongside Vietnam’s best ho-
Phan Rang is 344km from HCMC, 147km from tels. Amanoi enjoys a truly spectacular loca-
Phan Thiet, 104km from Nha Trang and 108km tion on a private cove north of Ninh Chu, its
from Dalat. pavilions with ocean or national park views.
The trad-hip design echoes Buddhist temple
TRAIN architecture, while the yoga and meditation
The Thap Cham train station (% 068-388 classes help evoke a Zen spirit.
8029; 7 Ð Phan Dinh Phung) is about 6km west
of Hwy 1, within sight of Po Klong Garai Cham 88 Getting There & Away
Towers, but only slower trains stop here. Des-
tinations include Nha Trang (around 2½ hours) Ninh Chu is 7km east of Phan Rang, local buses
and HCMC (around eight hours). are infrequent. Xe om charge around 30,000d or
a metered taxi is 70,000d.
Ninh Chu Beach Ca Na So u th e as t C oas t NS lienehpCihngu &B eEaacthing
% 068 % 068
Southeast of Phan Rang, the giant bite- During the 16th century, princes of the Cham
shaped bay of Ninh Chu is popular with royal family would fish and hunt tigers, el-
Vietnamese tourists on weekends and hol- ephants and rhinoceros here. Today Ca Na
idays, but relatively tranquil the rest of the is better known for its white-sand beaches,
time. Some litter blights the scene, but the which are dotted with huge granite boul-
10km-long beach is attractive and makes a ders. The best of the beach is just off Hwy 1,
quieter alternative to Phan Rang as a base a kilometre north of the fishing village. It’s
for visiting the Cham ruins. New resort ho- a beautiful spot, but it’s tough to ignore the
tels are springing up around the bay. constant honking and rumble of trucks.
4 Sleeping & Eating The terrain is studded with magnificent
prickly-pear cacti. Bright yellow Lac Son, a
Hotel are scattered along the shoreline. small pagoda on the hillside, makes for an
Budget accommodation is concentrated at interesting but steep climb.
the north end of the bay, where there’s a fish-
ing village and a row of beachfront seafood There are a few hotels and guesthouses,
restaurants. but if you do stay here, be aware that there
are no ATMs.
Nha Nghi Dieu Hien GUESTHOUSE $
(%068-387 3399; s/d 170,000/220,000d; a) A Ca Na is 32km south of Phan Rang. Most
stone’s throw from the north end of the beach, long-haul buses cruising Hwy 1 will drop off
this guesthouse is run by a friendly (but or pick up people here. Local buses from Phan
non-English-speaking) couple. Rooms are Rang (20,000d, one hour) head to Ca Na fish-
clean, all with TV, fan and air-conditioning. ing village – ask to be let out on the highway
and catch a xe om for the last kilometre.
Anh Duong Hotel HOTEL $
(%068-389 0009; hotellananh.com.vn; 66 Yen
Ninh; r 255,000-500,000d; aW) Away from the
shore, this roadside place offers inexpensive, Mui Ne
good-value rooms with smart trim and cable
TV. It’s a short walk to the beach. % 062 / POP 17,000
Con Ga Vang Resort RESORT $$ Once upon a time, Mui Ne was an isolated
(%068-387 4899; www.congavangresort.com; r stretch of beach where pioneering travellers
US$42-75, ste from US$110; aiWs) A dat- camped on the sand. Times have changed
ed but decent Vietnamese resort hotel, the and it’s now a string of beach resorts, which
Con Ga enjoys a beachfront location and have fused into one long coastal strip. These
has some tempting room rates given the resorts are, for the most part, mercifully
coconut-palm-fringed swimming pool and low-rise and set amid pretty gardens by
tennis courts. the sea. The original fishing village is still
here, but tourists outnumber locals these
days. Mui Ne is definitely moving upmarket,
as more exclusive places open their doors,
266 e# 0 2 km
0 1 mile
Mui Ne Beach B D LaCke (20km) D
A
Hoi Tinh
Pagoda
Phuoc #Ú27 Tien 1
252ú#6 #úú#Mÿ#ark1e6t#
1 Đ Nguyen 706 #Ø4PTaÿ#hgioe2dn3#Ú0a#ÿ2#ÿ#18ÿ#1ÿ1# 707 û# #ú22ÿ#9 23 Suoi
Dinh Chieu 14 29 ú#
·/ ·/Po Shanu Cham
#ú 24 13 12 Đ Huynh ›# #æ1ÿ#71ÿ#ÿ#175
Towers (4km); ÿ# ÿ# 30
4444Hwy 1 (8km);
DPhan Thiet
(9km) Ø# 2
18 ÿ# Thuc Khang
#û28 ÿ#ÿ# 6
Sealinks Golf& 10 Manta Sail Training
D ÿ# 5 SOUTH CHINA SEA Centre (550m);
4444Country ›# (2km);
19 ÿ# Club Fishing Village (4km);
4244444 (EAST SEA) Red Sand Dunes (9km) 2
ABCD
So u th e as t C oas t GMeuti tNieng T here & Away Mui Ne Beach 17 Sun & Sands Beach Hotel ..................... D1
18 Sunsea Resort ........................................ B1
æ Sights 19 Takalau Residence & Resort .................A2
1 Fairy Spring.............................................D1 20 Villa Aria Mui Ne ..................................... B1
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours Windflower Beach Boutique
Forester Beach Spa........................ (see 8) Hotel ............................................ (see 17)
Jibes................................................. (see 8)
Sankara Kitesurfing Academy....... (see 3) 21 Xin Chao.................................................. B1
ú Eating
2 Sealinks Golf & Country Club ............... A2
Song Huong Spa ........................... (see 16) 22 Bo Ke ....................................................... C1
Surfpoint Kiteboarding 23 Com Chay Vi Dieu .................................. D1
School......................................... (see 18) 24 Ganesh .................................................... A1
3 Taste of Vietnam ....................................B1 Lam Tong Quan .............................. (see 8)
4 Tropical Minigolf Mui Ne ........................ B1 25 Nhu Bao .................................................. C1
26 Phat Hamburgers................................... C1
Xanh Spa ....................................... (see 10)
Sandals ..........................................(see 10)
ÿ Sleeping 27 Sindbad ................................................... C1
5 Allez Boo Resort .................................... A2
6 Cham Villas ............................................ B2 Villa Aria Mui Ne ........................... (see 20)
Coco Sand Hotel............................. (see 8) û Drinking & Nightlife
7 Duy An Guesthouse................................D1
8 Full Moon Beach Hotel ........................... B1 28 Deja Vu ....................................................A2
9 Hai Yen Resort ........................................C1 Dragon Beach............................... (see 29)
10 Mia Resort .............................................. B2 29 Fun Key ................................................... C1
11 Mui Ne Backpacker Village .................... B1 Joe's Café ....................................... (see 8)
PoGo.............................................. (see 25)
Mui Ne Backpackers ...................... (see 8)
12 Mui Ne Hills Budget Hotel ...................... B1 ï Information
13 Mui Ne Hills Villa Hotel ........................... B1 Sinh Tourist .................................. (see 25)
Rang Garden Bungalow ................. (see 9) ï Transport
14 Sea Winds Resort ...................................B1 30 Phuong Trang ......................................... D1
15 Seaflower Guesthouse ...........................D1
16 Song Huong Hotel ..................................C1
complemented by swish restaurants and waves. Surf’s up from August to December.
swanky shops, but there is still a (kite) surfer For windsurfers, the gales blow as well, es-
vibe to the town. pecially from late October to late April, when
swells can stir things up big time. Kitesurfing
Mui Ne is the adrenaline capital of south- has really taken off and the infinite horizon
ern Vietnam. There’s no scuba diving or is often obscured by dozens of kites flapping
snorkelling to speak of, but when Nha Trang in the wind. If this all sounds too much like
and Hoi An get the rains, Mui Ne gets the
267
hard work, you can simply lounge around on Po Shanu Cham Towers HINDU TEMPLE
the beach, watching others take the strain.
(Km 5; admission 5000d; h7.30-11.30am &
Mui Ne sees only about half the rainfall 1-4.30pm) West of Mui Ne, the Po Shanu
of nearby Phan Thiet. The sand dunes help Cham Towers occupy a hill near Phan Thiet,
protect its unique microclimate, and even with sweeping views of the town and a ceme-
during the wet season (from June to Sep- tery filled with candylike tombstones. Dating
tember) rains tend to be fairly light and from the 9th century, this complex consists
sporadic. of the ruins of three towers, none of which
are in very good shape. There’s a small pago-
One major problem the area faces is the da on the site, as well as a gallery and shop.
steady creep of coastal erosion. Many resorts
east of Km 12 have almost completely lost 2 Activities
their beaches and rely on sandbagging to
keep the little they have left. Golf
Road safety is another serious issue. Tropical Minigolf Mui Ne MINIGOLF
There are no traffic-calming measures along
the main coastal road, and speeding cars (97 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; one round 100,000-
and trucks have little regard for pedestrians. 120,000d; h10am-10.30pm) This attractive
palm-shaded minigolf course is dotted with
It’s almost impossible to get lost in Mui craggy rock formations to challenge your
Ne, as everything is spread out along a 10km putting skills. Rates include a cold drink.
stretch of highway. Most accommodation
lines the beach side, while restaurants and Sealinks Golf & Country Club GOLF
shops flank the other.
(%062-374 1777; www.sealinksvietnam.com; Km 8,
Mui Ne; 18 holes 1,350,000d) Fine 7671yd course
1 Sights with ocean views and a challenging layout So u th e as t C oas t SMiugihNtes
that includes water hazards. Play a discount-
Sand Dunes SAND DUNES ed twilight round from 2.30pm. The com-
Mui Ne is famous for its enormous red and plex has a resort hotel and driving range.
white sand dunes. The white dunes are the
more impressive, the near-constant oceanic
winds sculpting the sands into wonderful Spas
Saharaesque formations. But as this is Viet- There’s an excess of spa/massage places, at
nam (not deepest Mali) there’s little chance least 25 or so, along the Mui Ne strip, most
of experiencing the silence of the desert.
Prepare yourself for the hard sell as chil-
dren press you to hire a plastic sledge to ride
the dunes. Unless you’re supermodel-light, it LIZARD FISHING
can be tricky to travel for more than a few
metres this way. When most people think of fishing in
Quad bikes and dune buggies also destroy the mountains they conjure up images
the peace. Bizarrely, ostrich riding (from of hooking river trout or lake bass. But
100,000d) is offered as an activity, but we in the arid foothills of the south-central
don’t recommend it due to animal cruelty coast (notably around places such as
concerns. Expect some litter too; periodical- Ca Na, Phan Rang, Phan Thiet and Mui
ly there’s a clean-up, but the tide of plastic Ne) there is a whole other kind of ang
keeps returning. ling, and a walk in these hills can yield
You’ll need a 4WD to explore the dunes one of the strangest sights in Vietnam:
properly, but be careful to agree on an itiner- lizard fishing.
ary for the tour, preferably in writing. We hear
complaints, particularly about ‘sunset tours’ These lizards, called than lan nui, are
that cut short with the sun high in the sky. members of the gecko family and good
for eating. The traditional way of catch-
Fairy Spring RIVER ing the lizards is by setting a hook on a
long bamboo fishing pole and dangling
(Suoi Tien) This stream flows through a patch bait from the top of a boulder until the
of dunes with interesting sand and rock for- spunky little reptiles strike.
mations. It’s a beautiful walk wading up the
stream from the sea to its source, a spring. Lizards are served grilled, roasted
You can do the trek barefoot, but if you’re or fried, and are often made into a pâté
heading out into the big sand dunes after, (complete with finely chopped bones)
you’ll need proper footwear. and eaten as a dip with rice-paper
crackers.
268
THE MUI NE STRIP
Heading east from Phan Thiet, development is sporadic until the Km 8 mark and the rather
splendid-looking University of Phan Thiet. After this, there are several resorts, restaurants
and a golf course, as the main strip takes shape. From Km 10 to Km 12, Mui Ne has quite a
Russian feel, with souvenir shops and spas galore emblazoned with Cyrillic script. Km 12
to Km 14 is where many of the popular midrange resorts and restaurants are found. From
here there is a break in the resorts, with a strip of seafood stalls and some late-night beach
clubs before another cluster of backpacker accommodation and restaurant-bars around
the Km 16 strip. This is where the village of Ham Tien (the original settlement) starts before
giving way to more backpacker accommodation around Km 18. Look out for superb views
over the Mui Ne fishing fleet around Km 20 and you’ve arrived at the end of the strip.
of a low quality offering body massages from Water Sports
as little as US$7 per hour. Consider investing in a short kitesurfing les-
son before opting for a multiday course, as
oForester Beach Spa SPA it’s a tricky skill to master. Bear in mind it
is an extreme sport and most places will not
(%062-374 1899; 82 Nguyen Dinh Chieu; 1hr offer a refund on an immersion course for
massage 320,000d) A class above the cheapo anyone who drops out.
joints, this well-designed spa has lovely little
bamboo massage cabins right by the shore,
So u th e as t C oas t AMcutiiNvieties so you can tune into rolling waves while
Manta Sail Training Centre SAILING
you’re being pampered. Staff are very well (%0908 400 108; http://mantasailing.org; 108
Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; sailing instruction per hour
trained and discounts are often available. US$60) Excellent new sailing school offering
Xanh Spa SPA International Sailing Federation training
(%062-384 7440; www.miamuine.com; 24 Ð (from beginner to advanced racing), wake-
Nguyen Dinh Chieu; 1hr massage from 710,000d)
Located in the Mia Resort, this gorgeous up- boarding (US$100 per hour including boat)
and stand-up paddle board (SUP) rentals.
market spa offers the full gamut of massag- Staff are very professional and there are also
es, facials, body treatments, steam sessions
and wraps. Essential oils and natural prod- budget rooms available.
ucts are used. Foot massages (45 minutes, Surfpoint Kiteboarding
420,000d) are good value here.
School KITESURFING, SURFING
Song Huong Spa SPA (%0167 3422 136; www.surfpoint-vietnam.com;
52A Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; 3hr course incl all gear
(241 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; 1hr massage from US$150 ; h7am-6pm) With well-trained in-
US$10; h8am-9pm) Budget spa offering an
extensive range of massages, beauty treat- structors and a friendly vibe, it’s no surprise
Surfpoint is one of the best-regarded kite
ments, steam bath and Jacuzzi in clean, schools in town. A five-hour course costs
orderly surroundings. Staff are professional
and welcoming. Located in the grounds of US$250. Surfing lessons on softboards are
also offered (from US$50) when waves per-
the Son Huong Hotel. mit and there are short boards for rent.
Swimming Jibes KITESURFING
Bun Khoang Mui Ne SWIMMING (%062-384 7405; www.windsurf-vietnam.com;
(www.bunkhoangmuine.com; 133 Ð Nguyen Dinh 84-90 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h7.30am-6pm)
Chieu; admission 80,000d; h7.30am-6.30pm)
When the winds are too strong to make Mui Ne’s original kitesurfing school, Jibes
sea swimming pleasant, this hilltop leisure provides safety-conscious and patient in-
complex comes into its own. The main struction (US$60 per hour) and rents gear
pool is around 30m, and there’s a smaller including windsurfs (US$35 per half-day),
kids’ pool and sunloungers (and pounding SUPs, surfboards, kitesurfs and kayaks.
music...). There are also hot mineral baths
and mud pools here, though the concrete Sankara Kitesurfing Academy KITESURFING
tubs (570,000d for two people) aren’t that (%0914 910 607; www.facebook.com/sankarakite
tempting. surfingacademy; 78 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h9am-
5pm) This school is run by experienced IKO-
trained kitesurfers and offers instruction 269
and equipment rentals. Lessons start at with several air-con dorms that have en-
US$99 for two hours. suites while the rooms have quality furnish-
ings and contemporary design touches. It’s
C Courses around 300m north of the main strip, via an
incredibly steep access road.
Taste of Vietnam COOKING Song Huong Hotel HOTEL $
(%0916 655 241; www.muinecookingschool.com; (%062-384 7450; www.songhuonghotel.com; 241
Sunshine Beach Resort, 82 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu;
2½-hr class US$30; hclasses 8.45am-12.30pm) Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$12-20; aW) Run by
welcoming family owners, this hotel is set
Well-regarded Vietnamese cooking classes well back from the road and boasts spacious,
by the beach. Pay US$35 and a market visit
is included (3½ hours total). Make sure you light, airy rooms in a modern house. Break-
fast is included.
have a light breakfast first as there’s lots of
grub to try!
Duy An Guesthouse GUESTHOUSE $
(%062-384 7799; 87A Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; s/d
4 Sleeping US$10/12; aiW) This traditional guest-
Most accommodation is either right on house is run by a friendly soul who looks
the coastal road or just off it, with a few after guests well (try his wild honey wine).
good-value places in the hills behind town. It’s located close to the eastern end of the
Wherever you are, you won’t be far from the strip in a shady compound, and has a good
beach. restaurant.
Rates have become more flexible in re- Sea Winds Resort GUESTHOUSE $ So u th e as t C oas t CMouui rNsees
cent years as Russian tour operators have (%062-384 7018; [email protected];
pulled out, so it’s always worth requesting 139 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$10-21; aiW) Set
a discount. back off the road, all the simple, fine-value
oMui Ne Backpacker Village HOSTEL $ rooms here have TV, plus aspects over a love-
ly little garden. Fan rooms are very spacious
(%062-374 1047; www.muinebackpackervillage. for this sort of money.
com; 137 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; dm/r from US$7/25;
naWs) Cornering the backpacker mar-
ket, this ambitious, well-designed new con- Hai Yen Resort HOTEL $
(%384 7243; http://haiyenresort.com; 132 Ð
struction is proving wildly popular thanks Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$16-30; aiWs)
to its inviting pool, bar-restaurant and social
vibe. All dorms have air-con, individual beds Boasts a good selection of rooms, including
some with three beds, set behind the sea-
(no bunks!) and lockers while the 18 private front swimming pool. Spend a little more to
rooms all have a balcony or patio.
enjoy sea views.
Coco Sand Hotel GUESTHOUSE $ Mui Ne Hills Villa Hotel BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$
(%0127 364 3446; http://cocosandhotel.com; (%062-374 1707; www.muinehills.com; 69 Ð
119 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$13-18; aW) Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$35-55; aiWs) For-
Excellent-value rooms are grouped around merly Mui Ne Hills 1, this fine villa-style
a shady courtyard garden (with hammocks) hotel has wonderful vistas from its pool.
at this very hospitable place. It’s just off the Rooms are superb value, all with contem-
main drag, down a little lane so it’s quiet. porary design touches and full facilities, but
The owners rent out motorbikes at fair rates. it’s the personal touch from staff and owners
that makes a real difference. It’s located up a
Seaflower Guesthouse GUESTHOUSE $ dusty, very steep lane (but is close to the best
(Hoa Bien; 86 Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; r 250,000- section of beach).
350,000d; aW) At the eastern end of the
Mui Ne bay, this two-storey place is run by
a friendly Vietnamese couple. Rooms are at Xin Chao BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$
(%062-374 3086; www.xinchaohotel.com; 129
the rear of a compound that stretches down Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$25-50; aiWs)
to the shore.
Impressive new hotel (owned by kitesurfers)
set well back from the busy coastal road. A
Mui Ne Hills Budget Hotel HOTEL $ lot of thought has gone into the design, with
(%062-374 1707; www.muinehills.com; 69 Ð
Nguyen Dinh Chieu; dm/r from US$5/15; aWs) rooms grouped around a pool at the rear.
A small lounge area (with pool table) and
This place offers a good bed for your buck, roadside bar-restaurant add to its appeal.
270
Full Moon Beach Hotel HOTEL $$ Cham Villas BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
(%062-384 7008; www.fullmoonbeach.com.vn; 84 (%062-374 1234; www.chamvillas.com; 32 Ð
Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r incl breakfast from US$52; Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r incl breakfast US$149-229;
aiWs) An artistically designed place aiWs) You can really unwind in this
where the committed owners have consist- fine luxury hotel, where the lovely villas are
ently upgraded the facilities to keep up with spaced well apart around a stunning gar-
the competition. Features a bamboo-shaded den. The secuded, partly shaded pool area
pool, rooms with four-poster beds and terra- is particuarly beautiful in the morning, with
cotta tiling, and an oceanfront bar. birdsong in the air and dappled light on the
water. Book early during peak periods.
Sun & Sands Beach Hotel HOTEL $$
(%062-384 7979; sunnsandsmuine.com; 62 Ð
Huynh Thuc Khang; r/f incl breakfast US$35/70; Allez Boo Resort RESORT $$$
(%062-374 3777; www.allezbooresort.com; 8 Ð
aWs) There’s a choice of accommodation Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$85-190; aiWs) Al-
at this beachside place, from sleek, contem- lez Boo has a very classy ambience thanks
porary rooms in a three-storey block to old- to the French Colonial–style building and
er thatched cottages; the hotel’s restaurant delightful grounds which spill down to the
is between the two. Staff are eager to please. shore, where you’ll find a pool and huge
(shaded) Jacuzzi. The beach just beyond the
Mui Ne Backpackers GUESTHOUSE $$ hotel is particularly broad and attractive.
(%062-384 7047; www.muinebackpackers.com;
88 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$25-55; aiWs)
Dorms are no more at this beachfront Sunsea Resort BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
(%062-384 7700; www.sunsearesort-muine.com;
place, which moved upmarket and now has 50 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r incl breakfast US$78-150;
So u th e as t C oas t EMautiiNneg a choice of plain, whitewashed rooms and aiWs) Offering good value, this is one of
bungalows, all with air-con, cable TV, mini- the most attractive hotels in Mui Ne, the el-
bar and hot-water bathrooms. egant accommodation blending natural ma-
terials (thatch, lacquerware and rosewood)
Windflower Beach Boutique Hotel HOTEL $$ with modern design. There’s an infinity pool
(%062-3743 969; http://windflowermuine.com; and a second (partly shaded) pool fronted by
76 Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; r 800,000d; aiWs) the garden-view rooms.
For clean lines and a contemporary look,
the (smallish) rooms, some with sea views, Takalau Residence & Resort RESORT $$$
at this hotel are certainly worth considering. (%062-3847778; http://takalauresort.com; Nguyen
There’s a lovely rear garden that stretches Dinh Chieu, Phuong 5; r/villa from US$135/180; a
down to the beach, with pool and bar. Free iWs) West of the centre, this new place
bikes for guests. feels more like a regent’s ocean estate than a
resort hotel with its wood panelling, antiques
Rang Garden Bungalow HOTEL $$ and art. Staff are charming and the grounds
(%062-374 3638; 233A Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r are magnificent; you’ll find the Sealinks golf
US$22-42; aiWs) Rooms are set in attrac- course just over the road.
tive villas around the generously propor-
tioned swimming pool. The higher-standard
rooms enjoy great spec and more space, and Villa Aria Mui Ne BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
(%062-374 1660; www.villaariamuine.com; 60A Ð
there’s a small restaurant out front. Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$110-170; aWs) This
modish hotel only occupies a slim strip of
oMia Resort BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ land but its hip rooms, gorgeous garden
(%062-384 7440; www.miamuine.com; 24 Ð
Nguyen Dinh Chieu; r US$120, bungalows US$145- and beachside pool all add up to an inviting
package. The restaurant is a wonderful place
200, all incl breakfast; aiWs) With recent- for breakfast and Villa Aria’s location, close
ly upgraded accommodation, this seriously
stylish beachfront hotel remains top dog in to the centre of the action, is very handy.
Mui Ne. A calm ambience pervades and the 5 Eating
friendly, efficient staff really give the hotel a
little extra polish; it’s wonderfully relaxing Mui Ne is one of the most expensive places
here. The pool is small but it’s a great place to dine out in Vietnam. There’s an incredi-
to chill, facing the ocean. You’ll love Sandals, ble selection of restaurants, most geared to
the in-house restaurant, where a magnifi- the cosmopolitan tastes of its visitors, with
cent breakfast spread is served. Russian, Italian, Thai and Indian cuisine all
271
present. Indeed, at times it seems the only Vietnamese claypots executed and presented
thing tricky to find is authentic local food. beautifully. Consider visiting for the break-
fast buffet, which is also wonderful.
Periodically, the famous but illegally-built
seafront shacks – collectively known as the Ganesh INDIAN $$
Bo Ke (Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; mains 40,000- (www.ganesh.vn; 57 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; mains
120,000d; h5-10pm) restaurants – are closed 60,000-160,000d; h11am-10pm; Wv) Excel-
down by police. There was a big clear-out in lent, authentic Indian restaurant with a
2013, but the owners returned soon after. wide selection of dishes from the subconti-
The nearby town of Phan Thiet has lots of nent, including plenty of choice for vegetar-
great seafood places. ians (including a generous thali). The garlic
naan really is to savour.
Try the goat restaurants in Ham Tien
around the Km 18 mark for a local experi- Villa Aria Mui Ne INTERNATIONAL $$
ence. Choose from barbecued goat or goat (mains 95,000-200,000d; h7am-9.30pm; W)
hotpot, herbs and all.
Com Chay Vi Dieu VEGETARIAN $ The beautiful beachside location, with ta-
bles set on a shoreside deck, is the main at-
(15B Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; meals 25,000-40,000d; traction at this classy hotel restaurant. The
h7am-9pm; v) This simple roadside place
scores strongly for inexpensive Vietnam- menu takes in salads (from 75,000d), soups
and pasta, and you’ll find staff are attentive
ese vegetarian dishes, and serves up great and eager to please.
smoothies (20,000d). It’s right opposite the
Eiffel Tower of the Little Paris resort.
Phat Hamburgers INTERNATIONAL $$
(253 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; burgers 80,000-
Sindbad MIDDLE EASTERN $ 110,000d; h11am-10pm; W) Roadside burger So u th e as t C oas t MD ruii nNkeing
(www.sindbad.vn; 233 Ɖ Nguyen Dinh Chieu; mains
50,000-85,000d; h11am-1am; W) A kind of kebab joint with 15 or so options, from gourmet to
classic, plus hot dogs and great fries. Sip on
shack par excellence. Come here for shawar- a shake while you feast on meat.
ma and shish kebabs and other Med favourites
like Greek salads. Very inexpensive, and por- 6 Drinking
tions are generous; opens late.
It wouldn’t be a surf centre without a legion
Nhu Bao SEAFOOD $ of beachside bars, and Mui Ne delivers.
( 146 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; mains 50,000-180,000d;
h9am-9.30pm) A classic, no-nonsense Viet- oPoGo
BAR
namese seafood place: step past the bubbling (www.thepogobar.com; 138 Ɖ Nguyen Dinh Chieu;
h8.30am-2am, closed Wed) A mighty fine bar
tanks and there’s a huge covered terrace with a prime beach location, daybeds for
which stretches down to the ocean. It’s re-
nowned for its crab. lounging, DJs on weekends and regular
movie nights. Staff are very friendly and
Lam Tong Quan VIETNAMESE, SEAFOOD $ there’s a full menu too.
(92 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; dishes 30,000-115,000d;
h7.30am-10pm) For seafood on a budget, this
Joe’s Café BAR
no-frills seafront place is worth considering. (www.joescafegardenresort.com; 86 Ð Nguyen Dinh
Chieu; h7am-1am; W) If bangin’ techno is not
There are tables by the shore, or if it’s rain- your bag, Joe’s is worth a try with live music
ing you’re eating under a corrugated roof.
Staff can be brusque verging on rude but (every night at 7.30pm) and a pub-like vibe.
the crab, grilled and steamed fish, and squid During the day it’s a good place to hang too,
dishes are all good.
oSandals INTERNATIONAL $$ DRUNK AND DISORDERLY
(www.miamuine.com/dine; 24 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu,
Mia Resort; meals 120,000-370,000d; h7am-10pm; Perhaps due in some part to the insane
W) This outstanding hotel restaurant is the drinks promotions on offer in Mui Ne
most atmospheric place in town. It’s par- nightspots, the odd fight breaks out
ticularly romantic at night, with tables set each month. Keep your distance from
around the shoreside pool or in the elegant trouble, especially if it involves local Vi-
dining rooms. Wait staff are knowledgeable, etnamese, as you don’t know who they
attentive and welcoming. The menu is su- are, how many friends they have or what
perb, with everything from pasta dishes to they might be carrying in their pockets.
272
with a sociable bar area, lots of drinks spe- the corner of Ð Nguyen Tat Thanh and Ð Tran
cials and an extensive food menu. Hung Dao.
Fun Key BAR CAR
It costs around US$100/125 to rent a car/mini-
(124 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h10am-1am; W) With van for the run to HCMC (five to six hours). Sai-
a faintly boho ambience, this bar is popular gon 2 Mui Ne (% 012 6552 0065; www.saigon
with the backpacker crowd and has drink 2muine.com) gets good reports for reliability.
promotions to rev things up. Fun Key serves
food (try the crepes) and overlooks the If you’ve a little more time, consider hiring a
ocean. car to take you along the scenic coastal road to
Vung Tau, perhaps stopping at the Ke Ga light-
Dragon Beach BAR, CLUB house en route. A one-way trip (five to six hours
for a leisurely drive) costs US$100. Very regular
(120-121 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h4pm-2am) West- buses connect Vung Tau with HCMC. This is a far
ern and local DJs play electronic dance music, more relaxing way to travel to central HCMC as it
house and techno at this shoreside bar-club. avoids the chaos of Hwy 1.
There’s a chill-out deck with cushions to one
side and shishas for puffing. Happy hour is MOTORBIKE
8pm to 10pm. Easy Riders operate from Mui Ne, although there
are not as many riders as in Dalat or Nha Trang.
Deja Vu BAR One of the best trips to experience by motorbike
is actually the triangle between these three
(21 Ð Nguyen Dinh Chieu; hnoon-1am; W) A hip- destinations, as the mountain roads from Mui
ish bar-restaurant at the Phan Thiet end of Ne to Dalat and on to Nha Trang are some of the
the strip, offering shishas, cocktails and an most dramatic in the south.
international menu – there’s a set lunch for
So u th e as t C oas t PI nhfaonrmTahtiieto n 80,000d. A xe om ride from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne will
cost around 75,000d.
88 Information
88 Getting Around
Internet and wi-fi is available at pretty much all
hotels and resorts, as well as at many restau- CAR & MOTORBIKE
rants and bars. There are many ATMs along the Periodically, the local police clamp down on
main Mui Ne strip. tourists riding motorbikes in Mui Ne without the
Main Post Office (348 Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; correct documentation, and issue fines. Howev-
h7am-5pm) In Mui Ne village. er, dozens of visitors still rent scooters, which
Sinh Tourist (www.thesinhtourist.vn; 144 Ð cost from 120,000d per day.
Nguyen Dinh Chieu; h7am-10pm) Ever-reliable
and trustworthy agency for open-tour buses, trips The area isn’t highly populated and it’s not on
around Mui Ne and credit-card cash advances. the main highway, but traffic still moves very fast
along the main strip. Take care.
88 Getting There & Away
TAXI
Mui Ne offers both north and south links to Hwy Mui Ne is so spread out that it’s difficult to wan-
1. The northern link is a wonderfully scenic der about on foot if it is very hot. There are plen-
stretch, passing giant dunes, deserted beaches ty of xe om drivers to take you up and down the
and a beautiful lake ringed with water lilies. strip; short trips should cost 20,000d or so.
BUS Mai Linh (% 062-389 8989) operates metered
Open-tour buses are the most convenient option taxis. Call ahead to book later in the evening, or
for Mui Ne, as most public buses only serve Phan ask the restaurant or bar to assist.
Thiet. Several companies have daily services to/
from HCMC (99,000d to 150,000d, six hours), Phan Thiet
Nha Trang (from 122,000d, 5½ hours) and Dalat
(100,000d, four hours). Sleeper open-tour night % 062 / POP 186,000
buses usually cost more – Sinh Tourist’s price to
HCMC is 169,000d. The bustling port city of Phan Thiet is tra-
ditionally known for its nuoc mam (fish
Phuong Trang (http://futabus.vn; 97 Ð sauce), producing millions of litres of the
Nguyen Dinh Chieu) has four comfortable buses stinky stuff per annum. There’s not so much
a day running between Mui Ne and HCMC to see in town, but the riverside fishing har-
(135,000d). bour is always chock-a-block with brightly
painted boats and is worth a look.
Local buses (9000d, 45 minutes, every 15 min-
utes) make trips between Phan Thiet bus station Phan Thiet has some excellent seafood
and Mui Ne, departing from the Coopmart, on restaurants off its seafront promenade,
273
including Song Bien (%062-382 9868; 162 Le very low, but most visitors hire a boatman So u th e as t C oas t TGaetCtuinMgoAurnotauinnd
Loi; meals 70,000-200,000d; h11am-9pm; W). (250,000d return) to get across.
Phan Thiet bus station (Ð Tu Van Tu) is on A staircase winds up to the top, from
the northern outskirts of town. The nearest where there are magnificent vistas over the
train station to Phan Thiet is 12km west of ocean and inland hills.
town in dusty little Muong Man.
Ke Ga to Ho Coc
Ta Cu Mountain
South of Ke Ga, the coastal road pushes
The highlight here is the white reclining southwest, passing fields bursting with
Buddha (Tuong Phat Nam). At 49m long, dragon fruit (the main crop), reaching La Gi,
it’s the largest in Vietnam. The pagoda was 22km down the road. There’s no reason to
constructed in 1861, but the Buddha was hang around La Gi, an isolated market town,
only added in 1972. It has become an im- but it does have hourly bus connections
portant pilgrimage centre for Buddhists, (35,000d, two hours) to Long Hai.
who stay overnight in the pagoda’s dormi-
tory; foreigners can’t do this without police Continuing southwest of La Gi, the coastal
permission. road just keeps on snaking its way along the
shoreline, with towering sand dunes on the
The mountain is just off Hwy 1, 28km inland side. Chunks of the near-virgin coast-
south from Phan Thiet. From the highway line have been parceled off here and there,
it’s a beautiful two-hour trek, or a 10-minute awaiting future hotel resorts and mass tour-
cable-car ride (160,000d return) and a short, ism, but it’s not hard to park up and find a
but steep, hike. bit of beach for a revitalising dip. The section
around 7km north of Ho Coc is particularly
Phan Thiet to Long Hai scenic and worth investigating, the lonely (for
now) road hugging an undeveloped shore.
% 064
Ho Coc Beach
A beautiful road parallels the coast between
Phan Thiet and Long Hai, passing some With golden sands, rolling inland dunes and
memorable scenery; traffic is light. There are clear waters, this beach makes a tempting
pockets of tourism development, but for now place to stop. There’s one big hotel resort
most of the coastline is a beguiling mix of gi- here, very much geared at the local market,
ant sand dunes, fishing villages, wide ocean but on weekdays it’s still peaceful and you
views and some near-deserted beaches. should have the beach largely to yourself.
This region makes a great day trip from
Vung Tau or Long Hai, or a rewarding scenic About 300m inland from the beach, Ho-
road to enjoy. The most impressive sight is tel Ven Ven (%064-379 1121; http://venvenhotel.
the majestic Ke Ga lighthouse. com; r 700,000-1,000,000d; aiW) is tasteful,
with classy, well-appointed rooms in lush
There’s very limited public transport so gardens. The restaurant here is good, if
a motorbike or car is the way to go. Savvy quite pricey, and strong on seafood (meals
travellers are now using this road to avoid 60,000d upwards).
tackling the nightmarish Hwy 1.
Ho Tram Beach
Immediately south of Phan Thiet, the
first section of the road is beautiful, with a South of Ho Coc, the coastal road soon un-
casuarina-lined shoreline and the ocean to expectedly becomes a four-lane highway,
the east, while the inland scenery is domi- the construction of which is designed to fa-
nated by rust-red sand dunes. cilitate access to the gargantuan Grand Ho
Tram Strip, a casino resort complex, plus
Ke Ga Lighthouse restaurants and shops. A concrete blot on
the landscape, this isolated Vegas-style de-
Around 30km south of Phan Thiet, the spec- velopment was originally constructed by the
tacular Ke Ga lighthouse (admission 20,000d; MGM group, but after an on-off saga lasting
h7am-4.30pm) dates from the French era. years, they finally abandoned the project
Constructed in 1899, it sits on a rocky islet and a local business took over and opened
some 300m from the shore, towering al- the resort in July 2013. As Vietnamese are
most 40m above the ocean. It’s just possible
to swim (or even wade) across if the tide is
274 beaches and the area benefits from a micro-
not permitted to gamble, the hotel and casi- climate that brings less rain than other parts
no are full of Chinese tourists. of the south. This is why Bao Dai, the last em-
Casino aside, Ho Tram consists of noth- peror of Vietnam, built a private residence
ing more than a tiny fishing village, scruffy here (now the Alma Oasis Long Hai Resort).
open-air market and a fine beach (though
the central section is strewn with rubbish). The town can be a peaceful place to visit
There are a handful of places to stay. during the week, but it loses its local charac-
ter on the weekends when Vietnamese tour-
4 Sleeping & Eating ists pack the sands. Most of the resort hotels
are on the northeast of town, on the road
Local villagers steam, fry and grill tasty fresh that heads to Ho Tram.
seafood right on the beach in Ho Tram. Make
sure you try the delicious steamed clams or 1 Sights & Activities
mussels served with a topping of peanuts,
spring onion, lime and chilli; a portion of six The western end of Long Hai’s beach is
costs around 30,000d. where fishing boats moor and is not so
clean. However, the eastern end is pretty,
Hoa Bien Motel HOTEL $ with white sand and swaying palms. For an
(%064-378 2279; http://nhanghihoabien.com; even prettier beach, keep heading east.
r 300,000-550,000d; aW) A simple place
where the rooms have modern facilities and After the Tet holiday, Long Hai hosts an
bathrooms are well presented; the cheapest annual major fishermen’s pilgrimage festi-
options are small, though. It’s 100m from val, where hundreds of boats come from afar
the beach in the fishing village. The helpful to worship at Mo Co Temple.
So u th e as t C oas t SL olenegpiHnagi & E ating owners speak some English and there’s a 4 Sleeping
restaurant for breakfast and seafood.
Thuy Lan Guesthouse GUESTHOUSE $
(%064-366 3567; Rte 19; r 250,000-450,000d;
Ho Tram Beach aiW) This small, white-and-pink guest-
Resort & Spa BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ house has light, airy rooms with firm beds;
(%064-378 1525; www.hotramresort.com; r/
bungalow from US$110/150; aiWs) The some rooms with balconies. It’s about 150m
landscaped grounds here are dotted with from the beach; some English is spoken.
bungalows that have a Hoi An–meets-Bali
style, each with high ceilings and outdoor Alma Oasis Long Hai RESORT $$$
(%064-366 2222; http://almaoasislonghai.com;
bathrooms. There’s also a spa, infinity 44 Tinh Lo; r from US$160; aiWs) This large
pool and an open-plan restaurant (open to
nonguests for a memorable lunch stop). It’s resort’s arresting white-and-turquoise col-
our scheme and classical-inspired architec-
a great place for kids with a playground and ture evokes images of the Greek islands. The
children’s pools.
in-house spa and restaurant are excellent,
and the staff attentive. It’s the perfect spot
Sanctuary BOUTIQUE RESORT $$$ for a romantic stay by the coast.
(%064-378 1631; www.sanctuary.com.vn; villas
from US$581; aiWs) Now managed by the
Mia Resort group, which owns some of Viet- 5 Eating
nam’s best beach hotels, this stunning com- There’s a cluster of beachside restaurants
plex is home to state-of-the-art contempo- called Can Tin 1, 2, 3 and 4 (An Dieu Duong;
rary villas, each with private pool, open-plan mains 30,000-100,000d; h7am-9pm). All with
kitchens and contemporary furnishings. It’s the same opening hours and prices, these
just off a stunning, broad sandy beach and restaurants serve reliable Vietnamese cui-
the resort’s cafe-restaurant is great for a sine, including fresh seafood dishes.
healthy Western or local meal.
88 Getting There & Away
Long Hai
Thanks to improved road connections from
% 064 HCMC, journey times to Long Hai have dropped.
Very regular public buses connect HCMC’s Mien
If Vung Tau is all a bit bling for you, then con- Dong terminal (85,000d, 2½ hours, every 30
sider Long Hai, a more local seaside retreat minutes) with Long Hai.
and fishing port within a few hours’ drive
of HCMC. Long Hai has pretty white-sand From Mui Ne, follow the road less travelled
along coastal Rte 55. It is very scenic, passing a
275
series of stunning beaches and the Ke Ga light- Lighthouse LIGHTHOUSE
house, and traffic is mercifully light for Vietnam.
(parking 2000d; h7am-5pm) F Built by the
French, this 1910 lighthouse boasts a spec-
tacular 360-degree view of Vung Tau. From
Vung Tau Cau Da Pier on Ð Ha Long, take a sharp
right on the alley north of the Hai Au Ho-
% 064 / POP 212,000 tel, then roll on up the hill. Although Jesus
and the lighthouse look temptingly close, it
A popular weekend escape from HCMC, is not possible to walk or drive directly be-
Vung Tau rocks at weekends when beach- tween them, as there is a military base in the
starved locals and expats descend in num- hills here.
bers, but it is relatively quiet during the
week. The city enjoys a spectacular location White Villa MUSEUM
on a peninsula, with ocean on three sides;
the light and the sea air make it a refreshing (Bach Dinh, Villa Blanche; Ð Tran Phu; admission
break from sultry Saigon. 15,000d; h7am-4pm) The weekend retreat of
French governor Paul Doumer (later French
Oil is big business here, so the horizon is president), this gorgeous, grand colonial-era
regularly dotted with oil tankers, and pet- residence has extensive gardens and an odd-
ro dollars dominate the economy, inflating ly empty interior (besides the odd piece of
prices considerably. furniture and some Ming pottery retrieved
from shipwrecks off the coast). It sits about
Vung Tau is a remarkably civilised- 30m above the road, up a winding lane.
looking city of broad boulevards and im-
posing colonial-era buildings, but a slightly French Field Guns LANDMARK So u th e as t C oas t VS iugnhgtsTa u
seedy bar scene also flourishes here, accom-
modating the tastes (and wallets) of retired F Further along Tran Phu beyond Mul-
Anzac servicemen, Russian expats and oil berry Beach, a pretty but rough road winds
workers. up the hillside to some old French field guns.
There are six of these massive cannons, all
Historically few travellers ever bothered with support trenches, demonstrating how
to visit the city, but it makes a good place to strategically important Cap St Jacques was
start (or end) an intriguing coastal road trip to the colonial authorities as it guarded the
to Mui Ne, and beyond. waterways to Saigon. Look out for Hem 444
in the fishing village, about 8km from Vung
1 Sights Tau, and turn right on a small track.
Welcome to Rio di Vietnam, where soaring 2 Activities
forested peaks rise over a turquoise bay.
There’s even a giant Jesus, though few would Vung Tau is not a major water sports centre,
compare Vung Tau’s beaches to Copacabana. but if the weather gods are smiling, some
residents surf and kitesurf.
Two museums should open in the next
year or two. A new city museum was near- Vung Tau Paradise Golf Course GOLF
ing completion on the seafront boulevard
Ð Tran Phu when we passed by; a new (%064-385 9697; www.golfparadise.com.vn) On
home is being sought for the collection the eastern side of the Vung Tau peninsula,
of the privately owned Worldwide Arms this 27-hole course is quite a challenge, with
Museum.
Giant Jesus MONUMENT mature trees lining the fairways and some
(Tuong Dai Chua Kito Vua; parking 2000d; h7.30- water hazards.
11.30am & 1.30-5pm) F Atop Small Moun-
tain with his arms outstretched to embrace Surf Station SURFING, WINDSURFING
the South China Sea, this 32m Giant Jesus is (%0163 2900 040, 064-526 101; www.vungtausurf.
com; 8 Ð Thuy Van; h8am-5.30pm) Based at the
one of the biggest in the world – taller than Vung Tau Beach Club, Surf Station offers
his illustrious Brazilian cousin. It is possible
to ascend to the arms for a panoramic view board rental, and kitesurfing and surfing
classes. The equipment is good and instruc-
of Vung Tau. Note you cannot enter the actu- tors professional.
al statue in vest-tops or shorts.
Some 800-odd stairs lead up the moun-
tain, but it is possible to take a short cut by Seagull & Dolphin Pools SWIMMING
motorbike up a bumpy mountain road if you (Ð Thuy Ban, Back Beach) These pools are al-
most opposite the Imperial Plaza. Both
can find a local who knows the way. It starts charge 60,000d for the day.
from Hem 220, off Ð Phan Chu Trinh.
276
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Vung Tau ú Eating
10 Bistrot 9 .................................................. A1
æ Sights 11 David Italian Restaurant ........................A3
1 Giant Jesus............................................. C4 12 Ferry Cafe ...............................................A3
2 Lighthouse ............................................. B3 13 Tommy's 3 .............................................. A1
3 White Villa ............................................... A1
û Drinking & Nightlife
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours Lucy's Sports Bar........................... (see 8)
4 Seagull & Dolphin Pools ........................ D2
5 Surf Station ............................................ D2 14 Red Parrot............................................... B1
ï Information
ÿ Sleeping
6 Jolie Mod Hotel ...................................... A3 15 International SOS................................... A1
7 Lan Rung Resort & Spa ......................... B4 16 OSC Vietnam Travel ..............................B2
8 Lucy's Hotel ........................................... A2
9 Son Ha Hotel ........................................... A1
4 Sleeping On weekends and holidays Vung Tau
heaves with local tourists, so book ahead.
Most foreigners prefer to stay on Front
Beach where the restaurants and bars are Son Ha Hotel HOTEL $
found, while the majority of Vietnamese vis- (%064-385 2356; 17A Ð Thu Khoa Huan; r US$20;
itors head for Back Beach. aiW) One of the few budget options near
Front Beach, this family-run hotel offers
277
a homely welcome. Rooms are in good Bistrot 9 FRENCH, INTERNATIONAL $$
shape, including satellite TV and a fridge. (9 Ð Truong Vinh Ky; snacks/meals from
49,000/100,000d; h6am-10pm; aW) Excel-
Jolie Mod Hotel BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ lent bistro, perfect for an (all-day) break-
(%064-362 6666; [email protected]; 150
Ð Ha Long; weekdays/weekends from 1,000,000/ fast, crêpe, panini or a full-on splurge (don’t
neglect the desserts, including great pro-
1,400,000d; aW) Jutting into the bay, this fiteroles). It also sells homemade gourmet
white-and-purple art deco structure is
something of a local landmark, and has chocolates and has the best wine selection
in town. Eat on the pavement terrace.
only recently been converted into a hotel.
Rooms are very well presented, all with
Thanh Phat 2 SEAFOOD $$
(121 Ð Tranh Phu; meals 70,000-400,000d;
windows directly overlooking the sea (and h10.30am-9.30pm) A large, local seafood
some with Jacuzzi). Rates are good val-
ue and there’s a popular cafe-restaurant place with strip lights and blue plastic
downstairs. chairs on a covered terrace right by the
sea. Seafood is expertly prepared, with lob-
Lucy’s Hotel HOTEL $$ ster at 1,250,000 per kilo and sea bass for
(%064-385 8896; www.lucyssportsbar.com; 138 Ð
Ha Long; r 700,000d; aW) Just across the road a quarter of that. It’s 4km north of central
Vung Tau.
from the ferry terminal, these comfortable
rooms are above a popular bar. All have a
Cay Bang SEAFOOD $$
(%064-383 8522; 69 Ð Tran Phu; mains 60,000-
balcony overlooking the bay, and modern 280,000d; h11am-10pm) A seafood institution
bathrooms. Staff are friendly.
with a great location on the water, Cay Bang
Lan Rung Resort & Spa HOTEL $$$ is set under the shadow of the Virgin Mary So u th e as t C oas t VE autnigngTa u
(%064-352 6010; www.lanrungresort.com; 3-6 Ð
Ha Long; r from US$80; aiWs) One of the and Baby Jesus. At weekends it draws a huge
crowd of Vung Tau faithful for the shellfish,
few hotels in town with a beachside set- hotpots and grilled fish.
ting, albeit a rocky one. The rooms are a tad
chintzy and include heavy wooden furniture
Tommy’s 3 INTERNATIONAL $$
(www.tommysvietnam.com; 3 Ð Ba Cu; mains
but do have all the facilities you’d expect. 60,000-280,000d; h7am-11pm; W) The food
There are seafood and Italian restaurants.
Service is willing, but expect a few commu- is mainly Western and familiar, with big
nication issues. portions of steaks and burgers, plus local
food including tasty noodle dishes. There’s
5 Eating a prime front terrace that draws a mixed
crowd of locals, expats and tourists.
There’s great seafood, and lots of interna-
tional flavours available in Vung Tau. David Italian Restaurant ITALIAN $$
Ferry Cafe VIETNAMESE $ (92 Ð Ha Long; mains 60,000-200,000d; h11am-
10pm; W) This is an authentic Italian-run
(Ferry Terminal, Ð Ha Long; mains 38,000-90,000d; restaurant with freshly prepared pasta, and
h7am-9pm) Inside the ferry terminal build-
ing, this large, open-sided place catches the the pizzas are the best in town. Quite expen-
sive but has a nice sea-facing terrace.
sea breeze and serves up noodles and meat
dishes – try steak cooked in a skillet.
6 Drinking
oGanh Hao
SEAFOOD $$ Vung Tau nightlife is raucous by Vietnamese
(%064-355 0909; www.ganhhao.com; 3 Ð Tran standards, with lots of hostess bars. Howev-
Phu; mains 55,000-210,000d; h11.30am-9pm; er if you want a quiet beer there are some
W) Highly impressive seafood restaurant, good options.
with tables on terraces by the ocean. It’s al-
ways packed with locals, so try to get here Haven BAR
early. The menu is extensive, with delicious (www.havenbarvungtau.com; 166 Ɖ Tran Phu;
h11am-late; W) This lounge-ish bar enjoys
fish, lobster, crab (great with pepper sauce), a great ocean-facing terrace, has reasonably
squid, prawn and mussels (called ‘oysters’
on the menu try some backed with cheese – priced drinks and is a top spot for sunset.
Located 2km north of the centre on the
it works). It’s huge, but somehow everything coast road.
ticks over efficiently.
278
Lucy’s Sports Bar SPORTS BAR 88 Getting There & Away
(www.lucyssportsbar.com; 138 Ð Ha Long; h7am- BUS
midnight; W) Almost opposite the ferry ter- Orange air-con Futa Phuong Trang buses
minal, this non-sleazy bar has a busy pool (115,000d) leave hourly between 4am and 6pm
table, a great sea-facing terrace and a so- from Pham Nga Lao in the heart of HCMC’s back-
ciable vibe. As the name indicates, there’s packer district to Vung Tau’s bus station (192A
a viewing diet of sports events – from Test Ð Nam Ky Khoi Nghia); your ticket includes a
cricket to Aussie Rules football. Also serves drop-off in Vung Tau, saving you a taxi.
pub grub.
There are also minibuses from Mien Dong bus
Red Parrot PUB station in HCMC (85,000d, frequent) between
5am and 7pm to Vung Tau.
(6 Ð Le Quy Don; hnoon-midnight; W) One
of the better expat joints in town with a The journey time is around 90 minutes.
heavy-duty clientele of war veterans, oil
workers and working girls. Check out the BOAT
vintage Vespas. It’s more enjoyable to catch a hydrofoil to/
from HCMC, though with the opening of a new
So u th e as t C oas t IVnufnogrmTaatui o n 88 Information expressway, services have been reduced.
Boat operators to HCMC (weekday/weekend
Consult www.vungtau-city.com for relatively up- 200,000/250,000d, 90 minutes) use the same
to-date information on the city of Vung Tau. terminals. The best boats are run by Vina Ex-
press (% HCMC 08-3825 3333, Vung Tau 064-
International SOS (% 064-385 8776; www. 385 6530) and Petro Express (% HCMC 08-
internationalsos.com; 1 Ð Le Ngoc Han; h24hr) 3821 0650, Vung Tau 064-351 5151). Services
A well-respected clinic with international stand- leave roughly every 90 minutes until 4.45pm and
ards and international prices. there are additional boats at weekends, when it’s
Main Post Office (8 Ð Hoang Dieu; h7am- important to book ahead. In Vung Tau, the boat
5.30pm Mon-Sat) Located at the ground level leaves from Cau Da Pier.
of the Petrovietnam Towers building.
Two ferries connect Con Son Island with Vung
OSC Vietnam Travel (% 064-385 2008; www. Tau, with sailings every second day. Boats do
oscvietnamtravel.com.vn; 2 Ð Le Loi; h7am- not leave when seas are rough (and conditions
4.30pm) Offers transport booking and a host aboard the boats are pretty rough too). Tickets
of local trips. can be purchased from the office at 1007/36 Ð
Vietcombank (27-29 Ð Tran Hung Dao; 30/4 which reads BQL Cang Ben Dam Huyen
h7.30am-3.30pm) Exchanges cash and offers Con Dao (bunk bed 270,000d; h7.30-11.30am &
credit-card advances. 1.30-4.30pm Mon-Fri). The ferry departs at 5pm
ANZAC SITES AROUND VUNG TAU
Nearly 60,000 Australian soldiers were involved in the American War throughout the
1960s and 1970s. The Long Tan Memorial Cross commemorates a particularly fierce
battle that took place on 18 August 1966 between Australian troops and Viet Cong fighters.
Originally erected by Australian survivors of the battle, the current cross is a replica in-
stalled by the Vietnamese in 2002. It’s located about 18km from Ba Ria town or 55km from
Vung Tau, near the town of Nui Dat. Permits to visit the Long Tan memorial are no longer
necessary, and can be combined with the seldom-visited Lon Phuoc tunnels, an under-
ground network that is a much smaller version of the more famous tunnels at Cu Chi.
At Minh Dam, 5km from Long Hai, there are caves with historical connections to the
Franco–Viet Minh and American Wars. Although the caves are little more than spaces
between the boulders covering the cliff face, VC soldiers bunked here off and on between
1948 and 1975; you can still see bullet holes in the rocks from the skirmishes that took
place. Steps hewn into the rock face lead up to the caves, with spectacular views over
the coastal plains from the top. Nearby there is a mountain-top temple with more
great panoramic views of the coastline.
Tommy’s (%064-351 5181; www.tommysvietnam.com; 3 Ð Ba Cu, Vung Tau) operate tours
for returning vets that include Long Tan, Long Phuoc and Minh Dam. The cost, including
transport and guide, is around US$125 per day for up to three people.
Otherwise hook up with a xe om driver and expect to pay US$25 or so for a tour
around these sights.
279
Around Vung Tau 0 30 km
0 15 miles
Thu Bien Hoa Xuan Phan Thiet
Dau Loc (28km);
Mot 1
Mui Ne Beach
Buu Long (50km)
Cu Chi So u th e as t C oas t GC oetntDinago AI srloaunndds Rung
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One Pillar Hang Gon Da Mai 1A
Pagoda Tomb
Tan Son
Nhat Airport HO CHI
MINH CITY 56 La Gi Ke Ga
51 Ngai Giao Lighthouse
1 Binh Chau
Ben Luc Binh Khanh BA RIA- Hot Springs 55
Ferry VUNG TAU
Crossing
Can Gio Ba Long Phuoc Ho Coc
Monkey Mangrove Ria Dat Hai Beach
50 Island Eco Forest Ho Tram SOUTH
Beach CHINA SEA
Forest Park Long Hai Hong Phuc (EAST SEA)
Beach
Go Cong Vam Duyen 51 Loc An
Dong Sat Hai Vung Tau Beach
Con Dao Islands (160km)
from Vung Tau port, which lies about 15km west prisoned on the island. The Vietnamese gov-
of the city; the journey takes 12 hours. ernment subsidises these jaunts as a show of
gratitude for their sacrifice.
88 Getting Around
Roughly 80% of the land area in the is-
Vung Tau is easily traversed on two wheels or four. land chain is part of Con Dao National Park,
Guesthouses and restaurants can arrange bicycle which protects Vietnam’s most important
hire (per day US$2) and motorbike hire (from sea-turtle nesting grounds; the main nesting
US$6 per day). Metered taxis (which are every- season is June to September. Sadly mon-
where) will likely work out cheaper than trying to itoring operations by park rangers have
negotiate with ruthless cyclo or xe om drivers. Mai been scaled right back in recent years and
Linh (% 064-356 5656) is a reliable operator and turtle-egg poaching has consequently mush-
has plenty of taxis cruising the streets. roomed. Other interesting sea life around
Con Dao includes the dugong, a rare marine
Con Dao Islands mammal in the same family as the manatee.
%064 / POP 6300 The driest time to visit Con Dao is from
November to February, although the seas are
Isolated from the mainland, the Con Dao calmest from March to July. The rainy sea-
Islands are one of the star attractions in Vi- son lasts from June to September, but there
etnam. Long the Devil’s Island of Indochina, are also northeast and southwest monsoons
the preserve of political prisoners and un- from September to November that can bring
desirables, this place is now turning heads heavy winds. September and October are
thanks to its striking natural beauty. Con the hottest months, though even then the
Son, the largest of this chain of 15 islands cool island breezes make Con Dao relatively
and islets, is ringed with lovely beaches, cor- comfortable when compared with HCMC or
al reefs and scenic bays, and remains par- Vung Tau.
tially covered in thick forests. In addition to
hiking, diving and exploring empty coastal Change has been almost glacial, but with
roads and deserted beaches, there are some the arrival of the uber-luxurious Six Senses
excellent wildlife-watching opportunities Con Dao, the islands are now on the radar
such as the black giant squirrel and the en- of the international jet set. Backpackers are
demic bow-fingered gecko. also discovering the islands as transport
connections have improved. But with flights
Although it seems an island paradise, Con still quite expensive (and the islands’ cost
Son was once hell on earth for the thousands of living approximately double the main-
of prisoners who languished in confinement land’s), numbers are still small.
here in a dozen jails during French rule and
the American-backed regime. History
Many visitors to Con Son are package-tour Occupied at various times by the Khmer,
groups of former VC soldiers who were im- Malays and Vietnamese, Con Son Island
280 e# 0 4 km
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æ Sights experiment that ended when the English on
1 Bai An Hai .............................................B4 the island were massacred in a revolt by the
2 Bai Dat Doc ..........................................C3 Makassar soldiers they had recruited on the
3 Hang Duong Cemetery .......................B3 Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
4 Phu Binh Camp ....................................B2
Con Son Island has a strong political and
cultural history, and an all-star line-up of Viet-
namese revolutionary heroes were incarcerat-
ed here. (Many streets are named after them.)
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours
5 Ma Thien Lanh Bridge .........................B2 Under the French, Con Son was used as a ma-
jor prison for opponents of colonialism, earn-
ÿ Sleeping ing a reputation for the routine mistreatment
6 Six Senses Con Dao ............................C2 and torture of prisoners. National heroine Vo
ú Eating Thi Sau was executed here in 1952.
7 Quan Thanh Huyen..............................B3 In 1954, the island was taken over by
the South Vietnamese government, which
continued to utilise its remoteness to hold
also served as an early base for European opponents of the government (including
commercial ventures in the region. The students) in horrendous conditions.
first recorded European arrival was a ship During the American War, the South Viet-
of Portuguese mariners in 1560. The British namese were joined here by US forces. The
East India Company maintained a fortified US built prisons here and maintained the
trading post here from 1702 to 1705 – an notorious ‘tiger cages’ as late as 1970, when
281
news of their existence was broken by a Life lie down. The prison church dates from the
magazine report. US era, but it was never used.
1 Sights Tiger Cages HISTORIC BUILDING
(h7-11.30am & 1-5pm) The notorious cells
dubbed ‘tiger cages’ were built in 1940 by
1 Con Son Town the French to incarcerate nearly 2000 polit-
ical prisoners. There are 120 chambers with
There’s nowhere quite like it in all Vietnam. ceiling bars, where guards could poke at pris-
This pocket-sized island capital – with its oners like tigers in a Victorian zoo. Prison-
litter-free streets, well-kept municipal build- ers were beaten with sticks from above, and
ings and air of calm and prosperity – would sprinkled with quicklime and water (which
make a perfect location for a period film. burnt their skin, and caused blindness).
The tiger cages were deliberately con-
The main seafront promenade of Ð Ton structed away from the main prison, out
Duc Thanh is a delight to stroll, lined with of sight, and only accessed by an alleyway.
French-era villas, some crumbling, others They were unknown to the outside world
renovated into hotels. Nearby is the local until 1970, when a US congressional aide,
market, busiest between 7am and 9am. Tom Harkin, visited Con Son and saw evi-
dence of brutal torture of the prisoners he
Of course, the town’s genteel appearance met there. Harkin had been tipped off about
and character is tempered by the presence the cages’ existence by a former inmate and
of several prisons, cemeteries and reminders managed to break off the pre-arranged tour.
of the islands’ historic role as a penal colony. Using a map given to him, he discovered the So u th e as t C oas t CS iognhtDsa o I slands
There are ghosts everywhere in Con Son. tiger cages behind a vegetable garden, and
photographed the cells and prisoners inside.
All the following sights are in Con Son The images were published by Life magazine
town, share roughly the same hours and are in July 1970.
covered by a single ticket costing 20,000d.
You can purchase this ticket in the museum, Hang Duong Cemetery CEMETERY
which is the logical place to get some his-
torical context before you start a tour of the
prisons.
Bao Tang Con Dao Museum MUSEUM Some 20,000 Vietnamese prisoners died
on Con Son and 1994 of their graves can be
(h7-11am & 1.30-5pm) This impressive new seen at the peaceful Hang Duong Cemetery,
museum has more than 2000 exhibits, in-
cluding many rare documents, dioramas located at the eastern edge of town. Sadly,
only 700 of these graves bear the name of
and excellent photographs, which compre- the victims.
hensively record the islands’ history, includ-
ing the French colonial era and of course the Vietnam’s most famous heroine, Vo Thi
Sau (1933–52) is buried here. She was the
‘prison period’. Modern displays including first woman executed by a firing squad on
audiovisuals are used.
Con Son, on 23 January 1952. Today’s pil-
grims come to burn incense and leave of-
Phu Hai Prison HISTORIC BUILDING
(h7-11.30am & 1-5pm) The largest of the 11 ferings at her tomb, mirrors, combs and lip-
jails on the island, this prison dates from stick (symbolic because she died so young).
1862. Thousands of prisoners were held You may even encounter fruit, and meals of
here, with up to 200 prisoners crammed sticky rice and pork.
into each detention building. During the In the distance behind the cemetery you’ll
French era, all prisoners were kept naked, see a huge monument symbolising three
chained together in rows, with one small giant sticks of incense.
box serving as a toilet for hundreds. One can
only imagine the squalor and stench. Today, Phu Binh Camp HISTORIC BUILDING
emaciated mannequins that are all too life- (h7-11.30am & 1-5pm) On the edge of town,
this prison was built in 1971 by the Ameri-
like recreate the era. cans, and had 384 chambers. The cells had
It’s a huge complex, where political and
criminal classes were mixed together. ‘Soli- corrugated-iron roofs, and were infernally
hot. The original structures remain in situ,
tary’ rooms (where prisoners considered to but there’s not that much left to see today.
be particularly dangerous were held) con-
tained as many as 63 inmates, herded to- It was known as Camp 7 until 1973, when it
closed following evidence of torture.
gether so tightly that there was no room to
282
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11
Con Son
æ Top Sights 13 Red Hotel ................................................ C1
1 Bao Tang Con Dao Museum ..................D1 14 Saigon Con Dao Resort .........................C2
æ Sights Thien Tan Hotel ............................. (see 15)
2 Bai Loi Voi................................................D1 15 Thien Tan Star Hotel ..............................A3
3 Night Market ...........................................C1 ú Eating
4 Phu Hai Prison ....................................... C2 16 Bar200 Con Dao .................................... B1
5 Revolutionary Museum ......................... B2 17 Con Son Market...................................... B1
6 Tiger Cages .............................................D1 18 Infinity Cafe & Lounge ........................... C1
19 Thu Ba ..................................................... B1
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours 20 Tri Ky .......................................................A2
Con Dao Dive Center .................... (see 16) û Drinking & Nightlife
21 Con Son Cafe..........................................B2
7 Dive! Dive! Dive!..................................... B2
8 Rainbow Divers ...................................... B2
ÿ Sleeping ï Information
9 ATC Con Dao Resort & Spa ...................C1 22 Vung Tau Ferry Ticket Office ................ C1
10 Con Dao Camping ................................. B3
11 Con Dao Resort...................................... A3 ï Transport
12 Hai Nga Mini Hotel ................................. B2 23 Vasco.......................................................B2
After the Paris Agreements in 1973, the ment of political prisoners. You’ll also find
name was changed to Phu Binh Camp. a painting of Vo Thi Sau (facing death with
her head held high) and some stuffed wild-
Revolutionary Museum MUSEUM life: boas, lizards and monkeys.
(h7-11am & 1.30-5pm) Located in the former 1 Con Dao Beaches
French commandant’s residence, this muse-
um has exhibits on Vietnamese resistance Con Dao has some excellent beaches. En-
against the French, communist opposition quire in hotels about snorkelling gear rental
to the Republic of Vietnam, and the treat-
for about 100,000d per day or rent new gear 283
through the dive schools. Sandflies can be a sonal). There is a fantastic two-hour walk
big problem on Con Dao beaches, so make to a functioning French-era lighthouse on
sure you bring insect repellent. Bay Canh’s eastern tip, although it involves
a steep climb of 325m. Once at the summit,
Bai Dat Doc BEACH the panoramic views are breathtaking.
The best beach on Con Son Island, Bai Tre Lon ISLAND
Dat Doc is a beautiful cove, consisting of a Some of the more pristine beaches are on
kilometre-long crescent of sand, backed by the smaller islands, such as the beautiful
green hills. It has a gently shelving profile white-sand beach on Tre Lon, to the west of
and no pollution, so it’s ideal for swimming. Con Son Island.
Though it’s backed by the luxury bungalows
of the Six Senses hotel, it’s not a private beach 2 Activities
and there are access points close to the road.
Very rarely dugongs have been seen frol- For more information on treks and boat
icking in the water off the nearby cape. trips around the Con Dao Islands, visit www.
condaopark.com.vn, the official website for
Bai Dram Trau BEACH Con Dao National Park. It costs 20,000d to
enter the park by day or 40,000d by night.
Reached via a dirt track 1km before the
airport on Con Son Island, Bai Dram Trau Note that two of the dive schools in Con
is a sublime but remote 700m half-moon Dao were recommending travellers not
crescent of soft sand, fringed by casuarina to join turtle tours in protest at what they
trees and bookended by forest-topped rocky see as the inaction of national park staff in
promontories. It’s best visited at low tide. protecting nesting turtles, and their eggs,
There’s some snorkelling on reefs offshore from poachers. If you do decide to go over- So u th e as t C oas t ACcotnivDiatoieIsslands
and three very simple seafood shacks (all night, turtle-watching tours cost around
open noon till dusk only). 1,500,000d per person if booked via the na-
tional park office. Note that nesting turtles
Bai Loi Voi BEACH are very rarely seen outside the main season
(late June to early September).
On the north side of Con Son town, Bai Loi
Voi is a broad beach with lots of seashells
and casuarinas for shade. There’s a good Diving & Snorkelling
stretch of sandy beach right in the centre of Experienced divers who know the waters
Con Son town, around the Con Dao Resort. of Vietnam have long talked up Con Dao as
the most pristine marine environment in
Bai An Hai BEACH the country. The waters around the islands
are officially protected, and there’s abundant
Bai An Hai on the south side of Con Son healthy coral (table, staghorn and brain are all
town is appealing, but there are a good num- in evidence). Marine life includes green and
ber of fishing boats moored nearby. hawksbill turtles, rays, triggerfish and parrot-
fish, groupers, cuttlefish and the odd shark.
Bay Canh ISLAND
That said, things could be even better, as
Perhaps the best all-round island to visit official protection is weak. Some boatmen
is Bay Canh, to the east of Con Son Island, still anchor on the reef, and illegal fishing
which has lovely beaches, old-growth forest,
mangroves, coral reefs and sea turtles (sea-
THE TEENAGE MARTYR
If breeze is blowing from the north, you can probably smell the incense from a specific
grave in Con Son’s cemetery: the tomb of Vo Thi Sau, a national icon.
Vo Thi Sau, a teenage resistance fighter executed in Con Dao during the French oc-
cupation, was politically active from a very early age. She killed a French captain in a
grenade attack at the age of 14, and was only captured years later following a second
assassination attempt. Vo Thi Sau was taken to Con Dao and executed here, aged 19.
Visit the cemetery at midnight and you’ll find crowds of people packed around her
grave, saying prayers and making offerings. The Vietnamese believe that this is the most
auspicious time to pay respects and venerate the spirit of this national heroine, who was
killed in the early hours of 23 January 1952.
284 other Con Dao Islands beyond. The return
affects fish numbers. Every day dive schools hike takes about 90 minutes.
clear discarded nets and garbage from reefs.
Diving is possible year-round, but for ideal Bamboo Lagoon HIKING
conditions and good visibility, January to
June is considered the best time, while No- (Dam Tre) One of the more beautiful walks
vember and December can see big storms. leads through thick forest and mangroves,
Prices are more expensive than at mainland past a hilltop stream to Bamboo Lagoon.
destinations, but also more rewarding. There’s good snorkelling in the bay here.
Wrecks, including a 65m freighter resting This leisurely two-hour trek starts from near
in 30m to 40m with abundant sea life, offer the airport runway, but you’ll definitely need
huge potential for more experienced divers. a local guide to do this.
Cheapo snorkelling trips are offered by
some hotels, but we’ve heard reports of boat- Ong Dung Bay HIKING
men spearfishing illegally on some of these
trips. Dive schools’ excursions do cost more, A hike that you can do yourself is a 1km walk
but are environmentally sound. (about 30 minutes each way) through rain-
forest to Ong Dung Bay. The trail begins a
few kilometres north of Con Son town. The
bay has only a rocky beach, although there is
oDive! Dive! Dive! DIVING a good coral reef about 300m offshore.
(%064-383 0701; www.dive-condao.com; Ð Nguyen
Hue; h8am-9pm) S Instructor Larry has been
in Con Dao since 2011 and has vast experience Ma Thien Lanh Bridge HIKING
diving the island reefs. This is a conservation- Near the trailhead for Ong Dung Bay, you’ll
find the ruins of the Ma Thien Lanh Bridge,
minded operation, offering RAID courses, which was built by prisoners under the
So u th e as t C oas t CS loenepDianogI slands and the dive shop is a great source of general
information on Con Dao. The company con- French occupation.
stantly monitors reefs to remove fishing nets 4 Sleeping
and trash from corals.
Accommodation options have greatly im-
Con Dao Dive Center DIVING proved in Con Dao over the last few years
and there are now about 20 guesthouses
(%0903 700 8483; http://divecondao.com; and mini-hotels in Con Son town. However
Bar200, Pham Van Dong; h7.30am-10pm) A very expect to pay about double the rate for the
friendly and professional PADI dive resort, equivalent place on the mainland.
offering fine instruction and courses (Open
Water is US$550), fun dives (two-dive trips
US$160), snorkelling and freediving trips. Thien Tan Hotel HOTEL $
(%0946 782 468; 4 Ð Nguyen Duc Thuan; r US$16-
Owner Rhys is happy to chat about diving 30; aW) The beachfront location is the
options and things to do in Con Dao. It’s
based at Bar200. main draw at this place, which is located un-
der a patch of pine trees. Rooms are decent
value for Con Son, though wi-fi is spotty and
Rainbow Divers DIVING near-zero English is spoken.
(%0905 577 671; www.divevietnam.com; 40 Ð Ton
Duc Thang; h8am-8pm) Established outfit of-
fering dive lessons and recreational dives. Red Hotel HOTEL $
(%064-3630079; 17BÐNguyenAnNinh; r350,000-
650,000d; aW) A good budget option, this
Trekking new mini-hotel has spotless, spacious rooms
There are lots of treks around Con Son Is- and is in the thick of things, close to the
land, as much of the interior remains heavi- night market and plenty of eating options.
ly forested. It is necessary to take a national It’s run by a helpful team.
park guide when venturing into the forest.
Rates range from 180,000d to 300,000d de- Hai Nga Mini Hotel HOTEL $
pending on the duration of the trek. (%064-363 0308; 7 Ð Tran Phu; r 400,000-
600,000d; aiW) A tempting option for
It’s a steep uphill climb to the old fruit sharers, some rooms here sleep up to five
plantations of So Ray, following a slippery people, and all have air-con. Run by a family
but well-marked trail (lined with informa- who can speak some English and German.
tion panels about trees and wildlife) through
dense rainforest. The plantation is home to a Con Dao Camping HOTEL $$
sociable troop of long-tailed macaques, with (%064-383 1555; Ð Nguyen Duc Thuan; r
sweeping views over the main town to the 700,000-850,000d; aiW) These two rows
285
of cute A-frame bungalows enjoy a nice po- Saigon Con Dao Resort HOTEL $$$
sition right by a stretch of beach and are (%064-383 0155; www.saigoncondao.com; 18
cleaned daily. Frills (if not thrills) include Ð Ton Duc Thang; r US$75-135, ste from US$186;
satellite TV, two beds, a porch, minibar aiWs) Originally set in a cluster of old
and showers with a view of the night sky. French buildings on the waterfront, this
They’re located very close to the town’s new place has an impressive new wing with a
dock. swimming pool which is where most foreign
visitors are hosted. The old wing is mostly
Thien Tan Star Hotel HOTEL $$ reserved for visiting veterans. Service is a bit
(%064-363 0123; http://thientanstarhotel.com; 4
Ð Nguyen Duc Thuan; r 750,000-1,500,000d; aW) spotty for the rates charged.
This new hotel occupies a beachfront plot 5 Eating & Drinking
close to everything in Con Son. Rooms are
simply presented with whitewashed walls, The dining scene has changed recently in
minibar, flat-screen TV and good bed linen; Con Son and there are now several Western-
you can save some dong if you forgo a geared places to eat, but this is still little
sea view. more than a village so don’t expect too wide
a selection. Restaurants are scattered around
Con Dao Resort HOTEL $$ town. Six Senses Con Dao is the destination
(%064-383 0939; www.condaoresort.com.vn; 8 for a sumptuous treat with a virtuoso menu.
Ð Nguyen Duc Thuan; r US$62-98; aiWs)
Facing an inviting sandy beach, this dated If you’re on a tight budget, check out the
resort hotel, complete with extensive man- small night market around the intersection
icured gardens and a large swimming pool, of Ð Tran Huy Lieu and Ð Nguyen An Ninh
certainly enjoys a great location. Rooms for cheap eats. So u th e as t C oas t ECaotninDga o& IDsrliannkdisng
are spacious and comfortable enough, but Bar200 Con Dao CAFE $
(Ð Pham Van Dong; meals from 35,000d; h8am-
showing their age. 10.30pm; W) Popular place to hang for trav-
ATC Con Dao Resort & Spa HOTEL $$ ellers in town, with a relaxed, sociable vibe;
(%064-383 0111; www.atcvietnam.com; 8 Ð the owners are clued-up when it comes to
Ton Duc Thang; r US$45-90, ste from US$120; island info. There’s great coffee (including
aiWs) This is a tale of two cities. ATC’s espresso and cappuccino) and Western
renovated accommodation is some of the comfort grub including burgers, pizza, sand-
most attractive in town, offering smart, in- wiches and breakfast cereals. After dark the
viting and comfortable rooms with terracot- beers and cocktails start flowing.
ta tiling and great ocean-facing balconies.
There are also older rooms and bungalows Con Son Market VIETNAMESE $
(Ð Vo Thi Sau; meals 15,000-25,000d; h6am-
which should be avoided. 5pm) A good spot for breakfast, with ladies
oSix Senses Con Dao BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ churning out delicious noodle dishes and
pancakes (for peanuts). You can stock up on
(%064-383 1222; www.sixsenses.com; Dat Doc fruit and snacks here too.
Beach; villas from US$612; aiWs) In a class
of its own, the astonishing Six Senses is lo- oInfinity Cafe & Lounge CAFE $$
cated on the island’s best beach, 4km north- (Ð Pham Van Dong; meals 70,000-150,000d; W) A
east of Con Son town. One of Vietnam’s lot of effort has gone into this hip cafe-bar
most exclusive resorts, here are 50 or so with its artistic, reclaimed furnishings and
ocean-facing timber-clad beach units that lovely pavement terrace with bench seating.
fuse contemporary style with rustic chic, Cocktails are chalked up on a board and
each with its own pool, giant bathtub and you’ll find plenty of interest on the menu,
a couple of bikes. Staff are very well trained including great pizza and pasta.
indeed.
Thu Ba VIETNAMESE, SEAFOOD $$
Eating options include a casual cafe (%064-3830 255; Ɖ Vo Thi Sau; meals 75,000-
where you can grab a panini, and the mag- 200,000d) Creatively prepared, beautifully
nificent restaurant by the shore. Diving, sail- presented Vietnamese cuisine – Thu Ba is
ing trips and trekking can all be arranged strong on seafood, hotpots and curries. The
and the spa has indoor and outdoor rooms gregarious owner speaks great English and
for Ayurvedic treatments.
is happy to make suggestions based upon
what’s seasonal and fresh.
286
Quan Thanh Huyen VIETNAMESE $$ airlines.com). Tickets cost US$60 to US$80 one
(Khu 3, Hoang Phi Yen; meals 70,000-160,000d; way. Con Son is also connected to Can Tho in
hnoon-9pm) South of town by a lake, this the Mekong Delta via Vasco/Vietnam Airlines;
lovely little restaurant enjoys a great setting, there are four weekly flights, and if you book well
with little gazebos next to the water and an ahead tickets can be as low as US$28 one way.
orchestra of croaking frogs. Offers authentic
Vietnamese cuisine including hotpots and The tiny airport is about 15km from the town
snakehead fish straight from the lake. centre. All of the big hotels on the island provide
free transport both to and from the airport. It’s
Tri Ky VIETNAMESE $$ nearly always possible to show up and grab a seat
(7 Ð Nguyen Duc Thuan; mains 45,000-200,000d; on one of the hotel shuttle vans that meet the
h10.30am-9pm) Popular for its fresh seafood, planes; drivers charge 50,000d and will usually
particularly grilled squid, grouper and crab. drop you off at your hotel or in the town centre.
The premises (a huge covered terrace with
plastic chairs and strip lights) are very sim- BOAT
ple but the owners are welcoming. There are two ferries connecting Con Son Island
with Vung Tau, with sailings three to four times
Con Son Cafe BAR a week, though they don’t sail during stormy
weather or heavy seas. Facilities are basic and
(Ð Ton Duc Thanh; h7am-9.30pm) Formerly the crossing can be very rough. Ferries depart
the customs house, this elegant French co- from Ben Dam port at 5pm, taking around 12
lonial structure has a lovely breezy, shady hours. Seats cost 160,000d but it is better to
terrace from where you can gaze out over invest in a sleeper berth for 275,000d, with six
the bay’s fishing boats. Serves tea, coffee, bunks to a room.
shakes, beers and cocktails. French compos-
So u th e as t C oas t CI nofno rDmaaotiI solnands er Camille Saint-Saens lived in this building, Tickets can be purchased from a small office
writing his opera Brunhilda in 1895. near the market in town. Look out for the sign
at the kiosk on Ð Vo Thi Sau that reads BQL
88 Information Cang Ben Dam Huyen Con Dao (h 8-11.30am
& 1-5pm). A xe om to Ben Dam will cost about
Both Larry of Dive! Dive! Dive! (p284) and the 110,000d, a taxi about 300,000d.
team at Con Dao Dive Center (p284) are great
contacts, and very knowledgeable about the 88 Getting Around
islands.
BOAT
There are several ATMs in Con Dao. Exploring the islands by boat can be arranged
Internet access is available at most hotels in via hotels and the national park office. A
town, including free wi-fi for guests. Many cafes 12-person boat costs around 2,000,000d to
and restaurants also have wi-fi. 5,000,000d per day depending on the destina-
National Park Headquarters (% 064-383 tions. Local fishermen also offer excursions, but
0669; www.condaopark.com.vn; 29 Ð Vo Thi be sure to bargain hard.
Sau; h7-11.30am & 1.30-5pm) A good place
to get information. Since the military controls MOTORBIKE & BICYCLE
access to parts of the national park, stop This is one of the best places in Vietnam to ride
here first to learn more about possible island a bike, with little traffic, no pollution and good
excursions and hikes, plus pick up a useful free surfaced roads. There’s only one main road,
handout on walks around the island. Some connecting the airport in the north to Ben Dam
hiking trails have interpretive signage in English in the south via Con Son town.
and Vietnamese. The headquarters also has an
exhibition hall with displays on the diversity of Most hotels rent motorbikes for about US$6
local forest and marine life, threats to the local to US$10 per day. Bicycles cost around US$2
environment, and local conservation activities. per day. There are good coastal cycling routes,
Vietin Bank (Ð Le Duan; h 8am-2pm Mon-Fri, such as from Con Son town to Bai Nhat and on
8am-noon Sat) With ATM, does not change to the tiny settlement of Ben Dam. The ups and
foreign currency. downs are pretty gentle and, thankfully, there is
little motorised traffic. If motorbiking or cycling
88 Getting There & Away to Ben Dam, be very careful of the high winds
around Mui Ca Map Point. Locals have been
AIR blown off their bikes during gales.
There are three to five daily flights between Con
Son Island and HCMC jointly operated by Vasco TAXI
(% 064-383 1831; www.vasco.com.vn; 44 Ð Con Son Island has many taxis (% 064-361 6161).
Nguyen Hue) and Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnam However, as metered rates are very high (around
20,000d per km!) negotiate hard for a fixed-price
rate to destinations outside Con Son town.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Southwest Highlands
Includes Why Go?
Dalat & Around. . . . . . 289 Few parts of Vietnam stir the imagination with the lure of
Ngoan Muc Pass. . . . . 298 adventure quite like the highlands. The ribbon that is the Ho
Cat Tien Chi Minh Hwy winds its scenic way past coffee plantations,
National Park . . . . . . . 298 pine-studded mountains, rice paddies with their wallowing
Lak Lake. . . . . . . . . . . . 300 buffalo, enormous reed-covered lakes and peaceful hill-tribe
Buon Ma Thuot. . . . . . 301 villages, laying down the challenge of a two-wheeled journey.
Around
Buon Ma Thuot. . . . . . 303 Protected jungle hosts singing gibbons, pygmy loris, wild
Pleiku. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 elephants and incredible numbers of birds. Active travellers
Kon Tum. . . . . . . . . . . . 307 take to the mountains, forests, waterfalls and rivers in bik-
ing, hiking, rafting and abseiling adventures, and the former
Best Places to Eat French hill station of Dalat beguiles with its cool climate, the
palaces of the last emperor of Vietnam and bars for after-
¨¨Le Rabelais (p296) dark thrills.
¨¨Thanh Tram (p302)
¨¨Restaurant Ichi (p295) As varied as the land, the people of the highlands are
¨¨Ming Dynasty (p296) a great mix of cultures. If you’re lucky, you may sleep in a
¨¨Dakbla’s Restaurant Bahnar rong or watch the Jarai ‘feed’ the graves of their
(p310) dead.
When to Go Rainfall inches/mm
32/800
Dalat
°C/°F Temp
40/104
30/86 24/600
Best Places to Stay 20/68 16/400
¨¨Villa Vista (p294) 10/50 8/200
¨¨Ana Mandara Villas Dalat 0/32 0
(p294)
JF MAM J J A S OND
¨¨Forest Floor Lodge (p300)
Mar Great for the Oct Autumn in Dec Trek or cycle
¨¨Coffee Tour Resort (p301) annual Coffee Dalat, the perfect through Cat Tien
Festival in Buon time for exploring National Park
¨¨Konklor Hotel (p309) Ma Thuot or or adrenaline- in cooler times,
elephant races in pumping activities. visiting the wild
nearby Don. gibbons.
288 Phuoc Son Tra My Binh Son
00 50 km
Southwest LAOS 30 miles Tra Xuan My Khe
Highlands Dak Glei My Lai Beach
Highlights QUANG NAM Son My
14 massacre site
1 Cranking up the
adrenaline rate with iSnosn Quang Ngai
a hike, biking trip,
white-water rafting, g Son Ha QUANG Mo Duc
or canyoning or ta NGAI
climbing adventure in
the hills around Dalat n
(p289). n
2 Firing up a
motorbike and o
exploring the twists u
and turns of the Ho
Chi Minh Highway u Duc Pho
(p304). o Sa
3 Discovering the Huynh
hill-tribe customs Tr KON TUM
and culture in Bahnar, M
Sedang and Jarai
villages around Kon Bo-Y Plei Ba To
Tum (p307). Kan Kon An Lao
4 Tracking down Dak To Plong
wild gibbons in
the early morning, Ho Chi Minh BINH 1
then seeking out Highway DINH Hoai
crocodiles by Nhon
torchlight in Cat Sa Thay 14 Hoai An
Tien National Park Kon Tum
(p298).
5 Viewing the Yaly Sea Phu My
watery majesty of Falls Lake
Dambri Falls (p298). Ngo May
6 Hiking and Chu Pah Pleiku Mang 19 Binh
boating to the Yang Dinh
minority villages of
Lak Lake (p300), the Le 19 GIA LAI Phu
biggest lake in the Thanh Chu Se Ham Phuong
highlands. Duc Co Ho Quy Nhon
7 Going birding,
hiking and elephant CAMBODIA Van
washing at Yok Canh
Don National Park
(p303). So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds GH i ghland s H i ghl i ght s 7
14
A Yun Pa
Ea H'Leo
DAK LAK 7
Son Hoa
Ya Liao Ban
Srepok Don National Krong Buk Song Hinh PHU
Park YEN
Entrance
Yok Don
National Ako 26
Park River Dhong
Buon Ma Krong Van Ninh
Thuot Pach
Ana Krong
Dray Sap & Bong
Dray Nur Falls
Gia Long Falls Krong Lak Lake Ninh Hoa
Dak Mil
Lak Lien Ba Ho
Son Falls
Khanh
27 Vinh
Lang Bian
Mountain Linh Phuoc
14 Bidoup Nui Ba Tiger Pagoda Nha Trang
National Park Lat Falls
Ankroët KHANH
Falls Dalat HOA
Gia Nghia
Tuyen Lam Dan Khanh
Elephant Falls Lake Trai Nhim Son
Mat Lake
Lang Dinh An
Ngoan Cam
Lien Khuong Muc Pass Ranh
Cat Tien LAM DONG Airport Ninh Son
1
Dambri Falls Pongour Gougah 20
Di Linh Falls Falls NINH Phan Rang
Cat Tien Bao Loc THUAN & Thap
National Bo Bla Waterfall Cham
Park 20
88 Getting There & Around 289
AIR History
Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot and Pleiku have daily
flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Danang and Hanoi. Home to hill tribes for centuries, ‘Da Lat’
There are also new twice-weekly flights from means ‘river of the Lat tribe’ in their language.
Dalat to Can Tho. The city was established in 1912 and quick-
ly became fashionable with Europeans –
BUS at one point during the French colonial pe-
Comfortable sleeper buses serve the coastal riod, some 20% of Dalat’s population was
cities, HCMC and destinations further afield foreign, and grand villas remain scattered
from Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot and Pleiku, while around the city.
the towns along Hwy 14 are connected to each
other by frequent but less comfortable smaller During the American War, Dalat was
bus services. From Pleiku and Kon Tum there are spared by the tacit agreement of all parties
direct buses to Laos and Cambodia. concerned. Indeed, it seems that while South
Vietnamese soldiers were being trained at
CAR & MOTORCYCLE the city’s military academy and affluent of-
Exploring the highlands by motorcycle is a pop- ficials of the Saigon regime were relaxing in
ular way to go. There are plenty of scenic stops their villas, VC cadres were doing the same
en route, the traffic isn’t heavy even on the main thing not far away (also in villas). On 3 April
Hwy 14 and you can explore the picturesque 1975 Dalat fell to the North without a fight.
back roads. Paved, scenic routes connect the
highland towns to the coast. 1 Sights
TOUR 1 Dalat
Plenty of motorcycle tours depart Dalat for Buon
Ma Thuot, Lak Lake and Kon Tum, for Nha Trang oHang Nga Crazy House ARCHITECTURE
and to Danang and Hoi An, further up the coast.
Cycling tours from Dalat head for Mui Ne and (%063-382 2070; 3 Ð Huynh Thuc Khang; ad-
Nha Trang. mission 40,000d; h8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri) A
free-wheeling architectural exploration of
Dalat & Around surrealism, Hang Nga Crazy House is a joy-
ously designed, outrageously artistic private So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds GD aeltatti n&g ATrhoeurned& A r o u nd
% 063 / POP 184,755 / ELEV 1475M home. Imagine sculptured rooms connected
by super-slim bridges rising out of a tangle
Dalat is Vietnam’s alter ego: the weather is of greenery, an excess of cascading lava-
spring-like cool instead of tropical hot, the flow-like shapes, wild colours, spiderweb
town is dotted with elegant French-colonial windows and an almost organic quality to it
villas rather than stark socialist architec- all, with the swooping hand rails resembling
ture, and the farms around are thick with jungle vines. Think Gaudí meeting Tolkien
strawberries and flowers, not rice. and dropping acid together.
The brainchild of owner Mrs Dang Viet
The French came first, fleeing the heat of Nga, the Crazy House has been an imagina-
Saigon. They left behind not only their hol- tive work in progress since 1990. Hang Nga,
iday homes but also the vibe of a European as she’s known locally, has a PhD in architec-
town. The Vietnamese couldn’t resist adding ture from Moscow and has designed a num-
little touches to, shall we say, enhance Da- ber of other buildings around Dalat. One of
lat’s natural beauty. Whether it’s the Eiffel her earlier masterpieces, the ‘House with
Tower–shaped radio tower, the horse-drawn 100 Roofs’, was torn down as a fire hazard
carriages or the zealously colourful heart- because the People’s Committee thought it
shaped cut-outs at the Valley of Love, this looked antisocialist.
is a town that takes romance very seriously, Hang Nga started the Crazy House pro-
although it teeters on the brink of kitsch. ject to entice people back to nature, and
though it’s becoming more outlandish every
Dalat is a big draw for domestic tourists. year, she’s not likely to have any more trou-
It’s Le Petit Paris, the honeymoon capital ble with the authorities. Her father, Truong
and the City of Eternal Spring (daily tem- Chinh, was Ho Chi Minh’s successor, serving
peratures hover between 15°C and 24°C) all as Vietnam’s second president from 1981 un-
rolled into one. For travellers, the moderate til his death in 1988. There’s a shrine to him
climate makes it a superb place for all kinds in the ground-floor lounge.
of adrenaline-fuelled activities.
290
Central Dalat e# 0 400 m
Elephant 0 0.2 miles
Falls A Linh QuangB C D
Ð 3 Thang 2 D Trung D Pagoda (600m); Thien An Hotel (550m) Ð Le Dai H anh Bidoup Nui Ba
66(30km) Lat Village (5km); Ð Le Thi Hon National Park
K'Ho Coffee (5km) (32km)
D Ð #ú 21 Van Ð Tran DTroi
D #3 1
1 Phan Dinh Phung Ð Ngu yen
Trung
66 a 12 Ð Bui Thi Xua
Ð Hai B
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2 13 General 669 2
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27 ü# Ð Phan Boi Chau 22#ú
25 ##ý 26
666AnaMandara #úÐ Tan #û 4
Ð Hai Thuon g 19 Da 2# #û 24 Ð Truong Ð Bui Thi Xuan
Cong Dinh
3 16 #ú#ú15 Ð NMgiunyheKnhTahi i 3
3hTahnaDinh Ph ung Hoa BinhÐ Le Dai Hanh 28 #ý
Square #ú 14 g Gam
Ð Hai Ba 6 17 #ú #ú
ÿ# 23
5 2
20 ÿ# ng
666D(800m) #ú
Villas Dalat ì# Quoc Toan
Dalat Flower
ÐP Ð
D Ð Tran Phu Ð Nguyen Van Cu Gardens (1.7km)
4
So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds SDiaglhatts& A r o u nd
Xuan
Huong
Lake
Ð Tran Quoc Toan
66664 h anh
Ð Nam Ky Khoi N ghia 11 ÿ#
Ð Nguyen Chi T
Ken's House (200m); Thi Diem Ð Ho D
Villa Vista (1km) Tung Mau
an
Ð Do Ð Ba Trieu Ð Pham Ngu Lao Ming Dynasty (250m);
Ð Pham Ngu La o Ngoc Phat Hotel/
Airport Bus (200m) 5
66666665
ÿ# 8
Ð Tran Phu Dò# ÿ#7 Ð Tran Phu
66Long-Distance›# (1km); Cable-Car Station (1.7km);
6666 Zen Cafe & Villa (1.7km); Crémaillère £# (2.2km);
Ð Dao Duy Tu Dalat Train Villa (2.2km); Dalat Train Cafe(2.2km);
Ð Le Hong Phong Lam Dong Museum (2.3km); King Palace (3km);
Hang Nga Datanla Falls (7km); Ngoan Muc Pass (55km);
Crazy Dambri Falls (130km) 6
House
1 æ#
ABCD
A note of caution for those people who King Palace PALACE
have young kids: the Crazy House’s maze of
precarious tunnels, high walkways with low (Dinh 1; www.dinh1dalat.com; Hung Vuong; adult/
guard rails and steep ladders are certainly child 20,000/10,000d; h7.30am-5pm) Tastefully
not child safe. revamped, the main palace of Bao Dai, Viet-
nam’s last emperor, beckons visitors with its
beautiful tree-lined avenue and a surprisingly
291
Central Dalat 16 Goc Ha Thanh .........................................B3
Le Rabelais...................................... (see 8)
æ Top Sights
1 Hang Nga Crazy House ......................... A6 17 Long Hoa.................................................B3
18 Nhat Ly....................................................B2
Ø Activities, Courses & Tours 19 One More Cafe........................................B3
2 Groovy Gecko Adventure Tours ........... B3 20 Restaurant Ichi .......................................A4
3 Phat Tire Ventures .................................C1 21 Trong Dong ............................................. C1
4 Pine Track Adventures.......................... B3 22 V Cafe......................................................D3
23 Windmills ................................................C3
ÿ Sleeping û Drinking & Nightlife
5 Dalat Central Hostel .............................. B3 24 13 Cafe-Bar .............................................B3
6 Dalat Cozy Nook Hostel ........................ B3 25 Hangout ..................................................B3
7 Dalat Hotel du Parc ............................... D5 26 La Viet .....................................................B3
8 Dalat Palace ........................................... D5 ý Entertainment
9 Dreams 3 ................................................ B2 27 Beepub....................................................B3
28 Escape Bar..............................................D3
10 Dreams Hotel ......................................... C2
11 Ngoc Lan Hotel ...................................... C4
12 Sleep In Dalat Hostel ..............................C1
13 Villa Pink House ..................................... A2
ú Eating ï Information
14 Central Market ....................................... C3 29 Sinh Tourist ............................................D2
15 Da Quy .................................................... B3
modest royal residence. Its peach-coloured markable stone xylophones dating back over
rooms were once home to him, his wife and 3000 years. Propaganda about the govern-
their five children before being taken over ment support for local indigenous groups is
by Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem once Bao hard to swallow, though.
Dai went into exile in France in 1954.
Linh Quang Pagoda BUDDHIST SHRINE So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds DS iaglhatts& A r o u nd
Highlights are undoubtedly the family
photos: Bao Dai playing with a dog, riding a (Chua Linh Quang; 133 Ɖ Hai Ba Trung; hdawn-
horse, and well-scrubbed royal children with dusk) Flanked by enormous dragons and
serious faces. with an outdoor tableau featuring the young
Buddha atop a lotus flower, this is Dalat’s
oldest and most colourful pagoda. Founded
Crémaillère Railway Station HISTORIC BUILDING in 1931, it had to be extensively restored
(Ga Da Lat; 1 Ð Quang Trung; h6.30am-5pm) after the American War.
F From Dalat’s wonderful art-deco train
station you can ride one of the five scheduled Xuan Huong Lake LAKE
trains that run to Trai Mat (return 124,000d,
30 minutes) daily between 7.45am and 4pm; Created by a dam in 1919, this banana-shaped
a minimum of 20 passengers required. lake was named after an anti-authoritarian
17th-century Vietnamese poet. The lake
A crémaillère (cog railway) linking Da- can be circumnavigated along a scenic 7km
lat and Thap Cham from 1928 to 1964 was sealed path that passes the flower gardens,
closed due to VC attacks. A Japanese steam the golf club and the Dalat Palace hotel.
train is on display, and the classy waiting
room retains a colonial feel. 1 Around Dalat
Lam Dong Museum MUSEUM Truc Lam Pagoda &
(%063-382 0387; 4 Ð Hung Vuong; admission Cable Car BUDDHIST TEMPLE
10,000d; h7.30-11.30am & 1.30-4.30pm Mon-
Sat) This hillside museum is a stampede (Ho Tuyen Lam; cable car one way/return adult
50,000/70,000d, child 30,000/40,000d; hcable
through Dalat’s history, with a side trip car 7.30-11.30am & 1.30-5pm) The Truc Lam
into the natural history section, complete
with outrageously bad taxidermy (look out Pagoda enjoys a hilltop setting and has
splendid gardens. It’s an active monastery,
for the angry wildcats!). Highlights include though the grounds frequently teem with
the wonderfully evocative photos of the Ma,
K’Ho and Churu people and displays of their tour groups. Be sure to arrive by cable car
(the terminus is 3km south of the centre),
traditional dress, musical instruments and which soars over majestic pine forests.
ceremonial altars. Also, check out the re-
292 guide you along trails, and there’s an impres-
The pagoda can be reached by road via sive visitor centre, 32km north of Dalat, with
interactive displays about the flora and fauna
turn-offs from Hwy 20. and K’Ho hill-tribe crafts and culture.
K’Ho Coffee COFFEE PLANTATION Bidoup Nui Ba has 96 endemic plants, in-
cluding the Dalat pine, and nearly 300 spe-
(%0989 722 184; www.khocoffee.com; Lat Village; cies of orchids. Yellow-cheeked gibbons can
hby appointment) S This coffee farm has been be heard in the early morning if you’re for-
in the family of Rolan since the 1860s. It’s part tunate, while the national park is also home
of a K’Ho coffee-growing cooperative that en- to black bears and the vampire flying frog.
sures that profits are directly supporting the
K’Ho minority farmers. The beans are arabi- The pleasant 3.5km trail from the visitor
ca, including varieties grown in Africa, which centre to a waterfall only fringes the national
are rarely found in Vietnam even though it’s park; to penetrate deep inside Bidoup Nui Ba
the world’s second-biggest coffee producer. If consider one of three other options, which
you call Josh and Rolan in advance, you can include ascents of Lang Biang and Bidoup
stop by to see the plantation and pick up some mountains. The longer trails do not start
Fairtrade, locally roasted beans. from the visitor centre itself, but staff there
They also stock beautiful traditional can organise guides and help with logistics.
weavings done by the K’Ho women in the
community. Predominantly blue and in-
tricately embroidered, each takes weeks to
Elephant Falls WATERFALL
complete; prices start at 1,200,000d. (admission 10,000d; h7am-5pm) Named after
a large rock that allegedly resembles an ele-
Bidoup Nui Ba National Park NATURE RESERVE phant’s head, these powerful curved falls are
(%063-374 7449; www.bidoupnuiba.gov.vn) Occu- reachable via a steep ascent along uneven,
pying a densely forested highland plateau, slippery stone steps with intermittent rail-
this national park encompasses evergreen ings. You can also squeeze yourself through
and coniferous woodlands, bamboo groves a cave to get behind the falls and be doused
and grasslands at altitudes between 650m and with bracing spray. The falls are near Nam
So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds DS iaglhatts& A r o u nd 2288m. Hill-tribe guides are available to Ban village, 30km west of Dalat.
THE ONGOING BATTLE FOR THE HIGHLANDS
The uneasy relationship in the central highlands between the hill tribes and the Viet-
namese majority dates back centuries, when Vietnamese expansion pushed the tribes
up into the mountains. While French-colonial rule recognised the tribes as a separate
community, South Vietnam later attempted to assimilate them through such means
as abolishing tribal schools and courts, prohibiting the construction of stilt houses and
appropriating their land.
In response the minority people formed nationalist guerrilla movements, the best-
known of which was the Front Unifié de Lutte des Races Opprimées (FULRO) or the
United Front for the Struggle of the Oppressed Races. In the 1960s the hill tribes were
courted by the US as allies against North Vietnam, and were trained by the CIA and US
Special Forces.
They paid dearly for this after the war, when government policies brought more ethnic
Vietnamese into the highlands, along with clampdowns on education in native languages
and religious freedom (many hill-tribe people belong to unauthorised churches). Many
of these minority people have been relocated to modern villages, partly to discourage
slash-and-burn agriculture. It also speeds up assimilation.
In 2001 and 2004 protests erupted, which the government quickly and, according to
human rights organisations, violently suppressed. International human rights groups
point to more deaths than the government admits to, and thousands of hill tribe people
fled to Cambodia or the US afterwards. What happens in the central highlands all too
often remains behind closed doors, both for most outsiders and international observers,
but also for many ordinary Vietnamese. Talk to any organisation that works with the mi-
nority people and you’ll hear a story of continuing government surveillance, harassment
and religious persecution, with tensions remaining over religious issues (most hill tribe
people are Protestant) and land rights.
293
Datanla Falls WATERFALL Dalat Happy Tours FOOD TOUR
(adult/child 20,000/10,000d, bobsled ride one way/ (%0912 893 091; www.dalathappytours.com;
return 40,000/50,000d) This is the closest wa- street-food tour US$4) After all the active exer-
terfall to Dalat, so expect lots of tour groups. tions around Dalat, replenish your calories
You can reach the cascade (which is pretty by going an an entertaining nightly street-
but quite modest) either by walking down food tour with friendly Lao. Start from the
or taking the exhilarating bobsled on rails central Hoa Binh cinema at 6pm and pro-
instead. Datanla is 7km south of Dalat. Take ceed to sample bahn xeo (filled pancakes),
Hwy 20 and turn right about 200m past the buffalo tail hotpot, delectable grilled skew-
turn-off to Tuyen Lam Lake. ers, ‘Dalat pizza’, rabbit curry, hot rice wine
and more. Meal price not included.
Lat Village VILLAGE
4 Sleeping
Less than 1km from the base of Lang Bian
Mountain is Lat Village (pronounced ‘lak’), a
fairly unremarkable minority community of oKen’s House HOSTEL $
(%063-383 7119; www.kenhousedalat.com; D59
about 6000 people spread across nine hamlets. Hoang Van Thu; r US$12-22; nW) With walls
Only five of Lat Village’s hamlets are actually
Lat; residents of the other four are members of covered with creeping vines, Parisian scenes
and jungle imagery and patterned quilts on
the Chill, Ma and K’Ho tribes. It’s worth peek- beds, this is by far Dalat’s most colourful
ing into the Catholic church for a glimpse of a
K’Ho ritual pole alongside the altar. hostel. Join an impromptu hotpot party/
communal dinner with the friendly staff.
2 Activities
Sleep In Dalat Hostel HOSTEL $
Adventure outfits offer trekking, mountain (%0913 923 379; www.sleepindalathostel.com;
biking, kayaking, canyoning, abseiling and 83/5b Ɖ Nguyen Van Troi; dm US$7, d US$20-35;
rock climbing, as well as trips to the coast. W) Haunted by Ben the sausage dog, this
Compare prices, but make sure that you’re welcoming hostel is tucked away down a
comfortable with all the equipment and narrow alleyway, insulating you from main
safety procedures. street noise. Owner Linh cooks communal So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds DA catlai vti t&i eAsr o u nd
oPhat Tire Ventures ADVENTURE TOUR dinners so that you can get to know your fel-
low travellers, and the canyoning tours get
(%063-382 9422; www.ptv-vietnam.com; 109 rave reviews. Private rooms have their own
Ð Nguyen Van Troi; h8am-7pm) A highly pro-
fessional and experienced operator with bathrooms; dorms share (clean) facilities.
mountain-biking trips from US$49, trek- Dalat Cozy Nook Hostel HOSTEL $
king from US$39, kayaking from US$39, (%0949 691 553; 45/5a Ɖ Phan Dinh Phung; dm
canyoning (US$75), rappelling (US$57) and US$5; aW) Two spotless mixed dorms with
white-water rafting (US$67) in the rainy sea- the most comfortable bunks in Dalat attract
son. Multiday cycling trips are available and a constant crowd of international backpack-
it also ventures into Cat Tien National Park. ers, and the lively group dinners, organised
by helpful owners, give you the perfect op-
Groovy Gecko portunity to swap traveller tales.
Adventure Tours ADVENTURE TOUR
(%063-383 6521; www.groovygeckotours.net; 65 Dalat Central Hostel HOSTEL $
Ð Truong Cong Dinh; h8am-7pm) Experienced (Hotel Phuong Hanh; %0989 878 879; 80 Ɖ BaThang
agency operated by a lively young team with Hai; dm/d US$5/20; aW) More a budget hotel
prices starting at US$38 for rock climbing, than a hostel, though it’s a popular traveller
canyoning or mountain biking, day treks hub. The vast eight- and 12-bed dorms come
from US$25 and two-day treks from US$65. with comfy bunks and privacy curtains, a
women-only dorm is available and the private
Pine Track Adventures ADVENTURE TOUR rooms are huge, with triangular bath-tubs.
(%063-383 1916; www.pinetrackadventures.com;
72b Ð Truong Cong Dinh; h8am-7pm) Run by
an enthusiastic local team, this operator of- Villa Pink House HOTEL $
(%063-381 5667; ahomeawayfromhome_dalat@
fers canyoning (from US$55), white-w ater yahoo.com; 7 Ð Hai Thuong; s/d/tr US$16/20/30;
rafting (from US$60), trekking, biking and iW) A well-run family-owned place, where
some excellent multisport packages. A six- many rooms have great views. It’s managed
day exploration of the area around Dalat by the affable Mr Rot, who can arrange mo-
and bike ride down to Mui Ne is US$635. torbike tours in the countryside around Dalat.
294
oVilla Vista BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ tain views. Owners Axel and Mai Dung re-
(%063-351 2468; [email protected]; 93 gale you with local anecdotes and the coffee
Ngo Thi Sy, Phuong 4; r from US$60; nW) Look served at their cafe is wonderful.
down from this mansion on the hill and the
whole of Dalat opens up in the valley below oAna Mandara
you. There are only four exquisite rooms here, Villas Dalat BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
decorated in the 19th-century French fashion (%063-355 5888; www.anamandara-resort.com;
(albeit with flat-screen TVs and rain showers). Ð Le Lai; r US$115-157; naW) Elegant prop-
Delightful owners Tim and Huong prepare re- erty spread across seven lovingly restored
French colonial villas. Finished in period
markable breakfasts, hook you up with Easy furnishings, the villas have the option of
Riders and share their Dalat knowledge. private dining; most come with a fireplace
Dalat Hotel du Parc HOTEL $$ in the lounge and all have wonderful pano-
(%063-382 5777; www.dalatresorts.com; 7 Ð Tran ramic views. The spa is glorious. Located in
Phu; r 1,700,000-1,900,000d, ste 2,800,000d; the suburbs.
aW) A respectfully refurbished 1932 build-
ing that offers colonial-era style at enticing Dalat Palace HISTORIC HOTEL $$$
(%063-382 5444; www.dalatpalace.vn; 12 Ð Tran
prices. The grand lobby lift sets the tone Phu; d/ste from US$135/252; naW) With un-
and the spacious rooms include classy fur-
nishings and polished wooden floors. It’s impeded views of Xuan Huong Lake, this
grande dame of hotels has vintage Citroën
b ristling with facilities, from the spa and fit- cars in its sweeping driveway, and lashings
ness centre to the excellent restaurant.
of wood panelling and period class. The opu-
lence of French-colonial life has been splen-
Dreams 3 HOTEL $$ didly preserved: claw-foot tubs, fireplaces,
(%063-382 5877, 063-383 3748; dreams@hcm.
vnn.vn; 138-140 Ð Phan Dinh Phung; s/d US$32/37; chandeliers and paintings. However, it can
naW) This commodious venture owned be empty at times, and consequently lack
by the amazing ‘Dreams Team’ offers incred- ambience. Look for online deals.
ibly tasteful accommodation. All rooms have
So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds DEaatliantg& A r o u nd high-quality mattresses and modish bath- Ngoc Lan Hotel HOTEL $$$
(%063-382 2136; www.ngoclanhotel.vn; 42 Ð
rooms, and some have a balcony. On the top Nguyen Chi Thanh; r/ste from US$75/143; aW)
floor there’s a jacuzzi, a steam room and a
sauna. The only downer is the location on a Luxury hotel where the rooms have clean
white lines with stylish purple accents. The
traffic-heavy street. modern decor juxtaposes nicely with the
Dreams Hotel GUESTHOUSE $$ colonial character of the building, includ-
(%063-383 3748; www.dreamshoteldalat.com; 151 ing wooden floors and French windows. It’s
& 164b Ð Phan Dinh Phung; s/d US$22/27; niW) right in the heart of town, so expect some
An incredibly hospitable guesthouse owned noise.
by a family that looks after its guests with
affection and care. Boasts spotless rooms, a 5 Eating
breakfast spread, and hot tub and sauna.
Dalat’s restaurants make the most of the
Dalat Train Villa APARTMENT $$ city’s wealth of vegetables, grown in abun-
(%063-381 6365; www.dalattrainvilla.com; 1 Ð dance in the temperate climate. Keep an eye
Quang Trung; d US$35-45, f US$75; nW) Three out for avocado shakes and ice cream, and
stunning French-era villas that have been artichoke tea, said to lower blood pressure.
sensitively converted into apartments with Trong Dong VIETNAMESE $
lounges and kitchens, family rooms perfect
for groups, and refined doubles. There’s a (%063-382 1889; 220 Ð Phan Dinh Phung; meals
80,000-120,000d; h11.30am-3pm & 5.30-9.30pm;
converted train-carriage cafe on your door- W) Intimate restaurant run by a very hos-
step for meals. About 2km east of the centre.
pitable team where the creative menu in-
cludes such delights as shrimp paste on a
Zen Cafe & Villa GUESTHOUSE $$ sugarcane stick, beef wrapped in la lut leaf,
(%0994 799 518; www.zencafedalat.com; 27c
Pham Hong Thai; r US$21-39; W) Lodge in spa- and fiery lemongrass and chilli squid.
cious, characterful rooms in a century-old One More Cafe CAFE $
French villa, surrounded by tranquil gar-
dens, sufficiently high up to give you moun- (77 Ɖ Hai Ba Trung; cake 25,000d; h8am-9pm,
closed Wed; nWv) Comfy chairs to sink into,
eclectically lined peach walls and a glass 295
display full of cakes greet you at this cosy, yakitori and tempura are all fantastic, the
Aussie-run cafe. Linger over an array of teas, bento boxes are a bargain and there’s even
an espresso, an all-day breakfast or a smoothie. natto for aficionados. Perch in front of the
bar (with extensive whisky offerings from
Central Market VIETNAMESE $ around the world) to watch sushi master
(Cho Da Lat; meals from 20,000d; h7am-3pm) Tommo at work.
For cheap eats in the day, head to the upper V Cafe INTERNATIONAL $$
level of the Central Market. In the evening, (%063-352 0215; www.vcafedalatvietnam.com; 1/1
food stalls pop up around the market along Ð Bui Thi Xuan; meals 89,000-145,000d; h7am-
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. 10.30pm; Wv) Atmospheric bistro-style
place that serves international cuisine, such
Da Quy VIETNAMESE $ as chicken curry Calcutta, veggie lasagne,
(Wild Sunflower; 49 Ð Truong Cong Dinh; meals from
50,000d; h8am-10pm) Run by Loc, a friendly Grandma’s Hungarian goulash and Mexican-
style quesadillas. The interior is decorated
English speaker, this place has a sophisticat- with atmospheric photography and there’s
ed ambience but unsophisticated prices. The
traditional clay-pot dishes and hotpots are live music every night from 7.30pm.
more exciting than the Western menu. Windmills ITALIAN $$
(Ɖ Le Dai Hanh 1; meals 120,000-200,000d;
oRestaurant Ichi JAPANESE $$ h11am-10pm; Wv) You won’t be tilting at
(%063-355 5098; 1 Đ Hoang Dieu; meals 100,000-
300,000d; h5.30-10pm Tue-Sun) Dalat’s only windmills at this cute-as-a-button cafe that
specialises in Dalat’s best pizza and classic
truly genuine Japanese restaurant is com- pasta dishes such as linguine vongole. But
pact, with subdued lighting and jazz in
the background. Spicy tuna rolls, chicken even if you’re not tucking into a quattro
EASY RIDING IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds DEaatliantg& A r o u nd
For many travellers, the highlight of their trip to the highlands is an off-the-beaten-track
motorcycle tour with an Easy Rider. Besides the romance of cruising down endless high-
ways, the Easy Riders’ stock-in-trade is good company and insider knowledge, providing
a brief but intimate window into highland life.
The flip side to the popularity of the Easy Riders is that now everyone claims to be
one. Some Easy Riders have banded together to protect ‘their’ brand, donning blue jack-
ets and charging membership fees. Similarly, in Danang, Hoi An and Nha Trang, the Easy
Rider moniker applies to other packs of motorcycle guides.
Whether you’re speaking to a jacket-wearing chap or an indie-spirited upstart, it’s pru-
dent to find out just what they can show you that you can’t see on your own. Easy Rider
excursions start at US$25 for a day ride close to Dalat, ramping up to US$60 to US$75 per
day for extended trips across the highlands and to the coast, or even all the way to Hanoi.
Not every jacketed Easy Rider is a good guide and many freelance riders are perfectly
talented guides. Most riders can produce a logbook of glowing testimonials from past
clients; also check internet forums for recommendations.
Before you commit to a long-haul trip, it’s a good idea to test a rider out with a day
trip. Consider the following:
¨¨Is the driver safe?
¨¨How is the driver’s command of English?
¨¨Can you spend the next 48 hours or more with the driver?
¨¨Are your bags safely strapped on the bike?
¨¨Is the seat padded and the helmet comfortable (and clean)?
¨¨Are rain ponchos provided?
One more important element to consider is the route. The most beautiful roads in south-
ern Vietnam are the scenic back roads between Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kon
Tum (the main road linking the four isn’t hugely attractive), plus the coastal highways
that link Dalat to Mui Ne and Nha Trang.
296
NATIONAL HIGHWAY 20: ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
Open-tour buses, private cars and Easy Riders with passengers tackle the twists and
turns from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat, and there are several possible stops along the way.
Langa Lake The HCMC–Dalat road (Hwy 20) spans this reservoir, which is traversed
by a bridge. Lots of floating houses, where families harvest the fish underneath, can be
seen here.
Volcanic Craters Near Dinh Quan on Hwy 20 there are three extinct yet impressive
volcanoes. The craters date from the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago.
You’ll have to do a little walking to see the craters. One is on the left-hand side of the
road, about 2km south of Dinh Quan, and another on the right-hand side about 8km
beyond Dinh Quan, towards Dalat.
Underground Lava Tubes Almost halfway between Ho Chi Minh City and Dalat are
rare underground caves that were formed as the surface lava cooled and solidified, while
the hotter underground lava continued to flow, leaving a hollow space.
To find the lava tubes, first find the teak forest on Hwy 20 between the Km 120 and
Km 124 markers. The children who live around the forest can point you to the entrance of
the lava tubes. Take a torch (flashlight) and go with a guide.
formagghi, it’s worth stopping by for the ex- ers come here for the Vietnamese food; Viet-
cellent cappuccinos and espressos. namese come here to try the steaks. Top off
your meal with a glass of Dalat wine.
Goc Ha Thanh VIETNAMESE $$
(53 Ð Truong Cong Dinh; meals 100,000-150,000d; oLe Rabelais
h7am-10pm; Wv) Casual place with attrac- FRENCH $$$
(%063-382 5444; www.dalatresorts.com; 12 Ð Tran
tive bamboo furnishings owned by a wel- Phu; meals 600,000-1,700,000d; h7am-10pm)
So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds D arli nakti &ngA r&oEunntde r ta i nm e nt coming Hanoi couple. Strong on dishes such
as coconut curry, hotpots, clay pots, tofu stir The signature restaurant at the Dalat Pal-
ace is the colonial-style destination with the
fries and noodles. grandest of dining rooms and a spectacular
Nhat Ly VIETNAMESE $$ terrace that looks down to the lakeshore.
Set dinner menus (1,700,000d) offer the full
(88 Ð Phan Dinh Phung; meals 55,000-160,000d; treatment; otherwise treat yourself to flaw-
h11am-9.30pm) This place serves hearty
highland meals on tartan tablecloths in- less à la carte dishes, such as seared duck
breast with orange or roast rack of lamb.
cluding sumptuous hotpots, grilled meats
and seafood – try the steamed crab in beer oMing Dynasty
(1kg costs 320,000d). Draws plenty of locals: CHINESE $$$
(%063-381 3816; www.khaisilkorp.com; 7 Tran
a lways a good sign. Hung Dao; mains 150,000-850,000d; hnoon-
Dalat Train Cafe INTERNATIONAL $$ 3pm & 7-10pm) Paintings of mountainous
landscapes adorn the walls of this refined
(www.dalattrainvilla.com; 1 Ð Quang Trung; mains C hinese restaurant, with lake views from
79,000-155,000d; h7am-10pm; Wv) Calling
all trainspotters! Don’t miss the opportunity its terrace. Scroll through the iPad menu to
select beautifully executed dishes such as
to step inside this lovingly resorted French- Beijing duck, pork ribs with honey sauce,
era railway carriage for a snack or meal in
a unique setting, surrounded by images of whole steamed grouper and flower crab
with ginger and scallion.
trains worldwide. The blue-cheese burger,
spicy tofu and veggie lasagne are all sol- 6 Drinking & Entertainment
id choices. From Dalat Train Station, turn
right, walk 80m up the hill and look for the Dalat wine is served all over Vietnam. The
sign on the left. reds are pleasantly light, while the whites
tend to be heavy on the oak. Dalat has a lim-
Long Hoa VIETNAMESE $$ ited but decent night scene.
(%063-382 2934; 6 Ð 3 Thang 2; meals 50,000-
150,000d; h11am-2.30pm & 5.30-9.30pm) A cosy La Viet COFFEE
bistro run by a Francophile owner. Western- (82 Ɖ Truong Cong Dinh; h7am-10pm) Is it an
antique store? Is it a cafe? This cosy corner
7 Shopping 297
beguiles with its riot of plants, old bicycle There’s a good selection of Vietnamese cof-
parts, birdcages, vintage telephones and an- fee in Dalat; check out the shops in and
tique pianos. Find a corner to perch in to sip around the Central Market.
some seriously good coffee.
Hangout BAR 88 Information
(71 Ð Truong Cong Dinh; h11am-midnight; W) Lam Dong General Hospital (% 063-382
Late-night watering hole popular with some 1369; 4 Ð Pham Ngoc Thach; h24hr) Emer-
of Dalat’s Easy Riders, as well as visiting gency medical care.
backpackers, with a relaxed vibe, a pool ta- Main Post Office (14 Ð Tran Phu; h7am-6pm)
ble and inexpensive beers. The owner, a flu- Sinh Tourist (% 063-382 2663; www.thesinh
ent English speaker, is an excellent source of tourist.vn; 22 Ð Bui Thi Xuan; h 8am-7pm)
local information. Tours, including city sightseeing trips, and
open-tour bus bookings.
13 Cafe-Bar BAR Vietcombank (6 Ð Nguyen Thi Minh Khai;
h7.30am-3pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat) Changes
(13 Ɖ Tang Bat Ho; hnoon-11pm) This plant- travellers cheques and foreign currencies.
filled terrace strung with twinkly lights
and Chinese lanterns makes for a relaxed
beer stop. The mellow soft rock-reggae
soundtrack adds to the ambience and its 88 Getting There & Away
burgers are seriously tasty.
AIR
oEscape Bar LIVE MUSIC There are regular flights with Vietnam Airlines,
VietJet Air and Jetstar, including a daily service
(www.escapebardalat.com; Basement, Muong to Danang (1¼ hours), four daily to Hanoi (1¾
Thanh Hotel, 4 Ð Phan Boi Chau; h4pm-midnight; hours) and HCMC (45 minutes), and two weekly
W) Outstanding live-music bar, owned by to Can Tho (1¼ hours).
blues guitarist Curtis King who performs Lien Khuong Airport The airport is 30km
here nightly with a rotating band (from south of Dalat.
9pm). Expect covers of Hendrix, The Ea-
gles, The Doors and other classics, but the So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds SDhaloaptp i&ngA r o u nd
improvisation is such that each tune takes BUS
on a life of its own; travelling musicians are Dalat is a major stop for open-tour buses. The
welcome to jam. The bar’s decor, all 1970s Sinh Tourist has daily buses to Mui Ne, Nha
chic, suits the sonics perfectly. Trang and HCMC.
Beepub LIVE MUSIC Long-Distance Bus Station (Ben Xe Lien Tinh
Da Lat; Ð 3 Thang 4) Dalat’s long-distance bus
(74 Ɖ Truong Cong Dinh; h5.30pm-late) On good station is 1.5km south of Xuan Huong Lake, and
nights the owner leads the place in a hot is dominated by smart Phuong Trang buses
jam session, and there are occasional DJ that offer free hotel pick-ups and drop-offs and
nights. On bad nights the volume is cranked cover all main regional destinations.
up loud enough to summon the police, and CAR & MOTORCYCLE
it’s set to get even louder when the bar next From Nha Trang, a high road offers spectacular
door starts its own music nights. views – a dream for motorbikers and cyclists –
BUSES FROM DALAT
DESTINATION COST (D) DURATION (HR) FREQUENCY DISTANCE
Buon Ma Thuot 110,000 5 9 daily 200km
Can Tho 320,000 11 461km
2 daily at 7am &
Danang 270,000 15 7pm 660km
HCMC 230,000 7-8 306km
Kon Tum 280,000 11 3 daily 272km
Nha Trang 135,000 4-5 every 30min 136km
Pleiku 409km
210,000-230,000 9 2 daily at 4am &
4.30am
17 daily
3 daily
298
So u th w e s t H i g h l a n ds NG egtotainngM uA rc oPuansds DAMBRI FALLS Ngoan Muc Pass
Located one hundred and thirty kilo- The spectacular Ngoan Muc Pass is 43km
metres south of Dalat, en route to Bao southeast of Dalat. On a clear day you can
Loc and Ho Chi Minh City, Dambri Falls see the ocean, 55km away. As the highway
(admission 10,000d; h7am-5pm) are one winds down the mountain it passes under
of the highest (90m), most magnificent two gargantuan water pipes that link the
and easily accessible waterfalls in Viet- lake with the hydroelectric power station at
nam that are worth visiting even in the the base of the pass.
dry season. For some incredible views,
ride the vertical cable car (5000d) South of the road (to the right as you face
or trudge up the steep path to the top the ocean) you can see the steep tracks of
of the falls. the crémaillère linking Thap Cham with Da-
lat. At the top of the pass there’s a waterfall
A second path leads down some next to the highway, pine forests and an old
steep stairs to the front of the falls for train station.
more great views, and carries on down
to the smaller Dasara Falls. Cat Tien National Park
The road to the falls branches off % 061 / ELEV 700M
Hwy 20 18km north of Bao Loc.
Cat Tien (%061-366 9228; www.cattiennational
hitting 1700m at Hon Giao mountain and follow- park.vn; adult/child 50,000/20,000d; h7am-
ing a breathtaking 33km pass.
10pm) S comprises an amazingly biodiverse
Hwy 27 to Buon Ma Thuot is scenic but pot- area of lowland tropical rainforest. The
holed. A major new road is being built between 72,000-hectare park is one of the outstand-
Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot that bypasses the ing natural treasures in Vietnam, and the
airport. hiking, mountain biking and birdwatching
here are the best in the south of the coun-
88 Getting Around try. Always call ahead for reservations as the
park can accommodate only a limited num-
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT ber of visitors. However, a word of caution:
The Vietnam Airlines bus between Lien Khuong visitors have to be really lucky to see any of
Airport and Dalat (40,000d, 40 minutes) is the larger mammals resident in the park,
timed around flights. It leaves from in front of so don’t come expecting to encounter tigers
the Ngoc Phat Hotel at 10 Ð Ho Tung Mau two and elephants.
hours before each departure; your lodgings can
organise a free shuttle to pick you up. Cat Tien was hit hard by defoliants dur-
ing the American War, but the large old-
A transfer company offers taxi services to growth trees survived and the smaller plants
Dalat from the airport for a fixed 180,000d; have recovered. In 2001 Unesco added Cat
fixed-fee taxis from Dalat are 200,000d. Meter Tien National Park to its list of biosphere re-
ed taxis cost around 430,000d. serves. As there are good overnight options,
it’s worth spending at least two full days
BICYCLE here, if possible.
The hilly terrain makes it sweaty work getting
around Dalat. Several hotels rent out bicycles Fauna in the park includes 100 types of
and some provide them free to guests. Cycling mammal including the bison-like guar, 79
tours available. types of reptile, 41 amphibian species, plus
an incredible array of insects, including 400
CAR or so butterfly species. Of the 350-plus birds,
Daily rentals (with driver) start at US$50. rare species include the orange-necked par-
tridge and Siamese fireback.
MOTORCYCLE
For short trips around town (around 20,000d), 1 Sights & Activities
xe om drivers can be flagged down around the
Central Market area. Self-drive motorbikes are Cat Tien National Park can be explored on
150,000d to 200,000d per day. foot, by mountain bike, by 4WD and also
by boat along the Dong Nai River. There
TAXI are 14 well-established hiking trails in the
For reliable taxis try Mai Linh (% 063-352 1111). park, colour-coded by the level of difficulty
and ranging from 2km to 26km in length.
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