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National Oceanographic Museum. ($) The main attraction<br />
here is the aquarium with a full range of colorful reef fish,<br />
sharks, turtles, <strong>and</strong> other tropical species. The museum section<br />
also includes exhibits of stuffed birds <strong>and</strong> sea mammals,<br />
plus thous<strong>and</strong>s of marine specimens in jars. Some signage is<br />
in English. E1 Cau Da St., just north of the Cau Da harbor<br />
entrance at the south end of town .<br />
Nha Trang Cathedral. Enjoy good views of the city from<br />
outside this hilltop Catholic shrine. The French Gothic style<br />
church completed in 1933 features vibrant modern Vietnamese<br />
lighting touches inside. E Intersection of Nguyen Trai<br />
<strong>and</strong> Thai Nguyen Sts.<br />
Po Nagar Cham Towers. ($) The Nha Trang Huu Duc, also<br />
known as the Mother Goddess or Lady of the City Towers,<br />
are among the best-preserved Cham ruins in Vietnam.<br />
Hindu worship at this site dates back to the 2nd century;<br />
the present buildings were constructed between the 7th <strong>and</strong><br />
12th centuries. Today, Po Nagar remains an active shrine<br />
for Vietnam’s minority Cham community <strong>and</strong> for Chinese<br />
<strong>and</strong> Vietnamese Buddhists. Of the original eight towers, four<br />
remain in various states of preservation. The North Tower<br />
(Thap Chinh), built during King Harivarman I’s reign in ad<br />
817, originally housed a linga (phallic stone). After the linga<br />
was stolen <strong>and</strong> replaced, the statue of the goddess Uma seen<br />
today was finally substituted for it. The towers are a long<br />
<strong>and</strong> rather unpleasant walk from the center of town, so take<br />
a cyclo or a motorbike. Be prepared for swarms of hawkers<br />
congregating at the site. EOn north side of Cai River over<br />
Ha Ra <strong>and</strong> Xom Bong Bridges.<br />
Thap Ba Hot Spring Center. ($) If your idea of relaxation<br />
involves soaking in a mineral mud bath, head to this hot<br />
spring on the northern outskirts of town. In addition to mud<br />
baths, there are hot mineral pools <strong>and</strong> a mineral swimming<br />
pool with a thermal waterfall. Choose to soak solo, with a<br />
partner, or in a group. A canteen <strong>and</strong> guest house are available<br />
for longer stays. ECell 25, Ngoc Son, Ngoc Hiep Ward,<br />
about 3km (2 mi) from Nha Trang’s center.<br />
Vinpearl Cable Car. ($) You’ll find a five-star resort <strong>and</strong> a<br />
small amusement park on the isl<strong>and</strong> of Hon Tre (Bamboo<br />
Isl<strong>and</strong>), both carrying the Vinpearl br<strong>and</strong>. The world’s longest<br />
cable car over open sea provides spectacular views of<br />
the harbor, outlying isl<strong>and</strong>s, Nha Trang, <strong>and</strong> surrounding<br />
mountains. Buy a ticket for the cable-car trip only, or get<br />
it included in an admission ticket to the amusement park,<br />
where waterslides are the top attractions. EDepartures just<br />
south of Cau Da Harbor .<br />
Nearby Sights<br />
No visit to Nha Trang is complete without a boat trip to the<br />
surrounding scenic isl<strong>and</strong>s, such as Hon Mieu (Tri Nguyen<br />
Isl<strong>and</strong>), Hon Mun, <strong>and</strong> Hon Tam. Hon Mieu, often advertised<br />
as an “outdoor aquarium,” is really an important commercial<br />
aquaculture center, with more than 40 marine species<br />
bred here. Boat trips can be arranged through local hotels<br />
<strong>and</strong> travel agencies or directly at the port on the south end<br />
of town.Hon Mun (Ebony Isl<strong>and</strong>) <strong>and</strong> Hon Mot have the best<br />
snorkeling.<br />
About 16 km (10 mi) outside of Nha Trang on Highway<br />
1 is Monkey Isl<strong>and</strong> (Hon Lao), named for its wild macaques<br />
now inured to h<strong>and</strong>outs from visitors (<strong>and</strong> thefts of their<br />
sunglasses, bags, <strong>and</strong> other items). To get here, hire a car<br />
<strong>and</strong> driver or take a 15-minute boat ride from the pier in<br />
the south part of town. Many tourists visit Monkey Isl<strong>and</strong><br />
as part of a day-trip to the beach at Doc Let.<br />
A unique option for exploring the isl<strong>and</strong>s is chartering<br />
a sailing yacht with a captain <strong>and</strong> crew from the Nha Trang<br />
Sailing Club (E72-74 Tran Phu St.). For l<strong>and</strong>lubbers, the<br />
club offers one of Nha Trang’s best beaches for loafing plus<br />
restaurants serving Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, <strong>and</strong> international<br />
dishes, all available on the alluring beachfront terrace<br />
<strong>and</strong> all open to the public.<br />
Shopping<br />
Nha Trang’s souvenir shops are mainly clustered around the<br />
intersection of Tran Quang Khai <strong>and</strong> Hung Vuong streets.<br />
Bargaining is part of the shopping experience.<br />
To buy something unique—or just to look—visit Long Thanh<br />
Gallery (E126 Hoang Van Thu St.), showing the work of<br />
friendly <strong>and</strong> talented local photographer Long Thanh. Since<br />
1964, Long has specialized in stunning black <strong>and</strong> white images<br />
of Vietnamese daily life.<br />
Activities<br />
Beaches. Forty kilometers (25 mi) north of town is relatively<br />
isolated <strong>and</strong> largely undeveloped Doc Let Beach. The beach<br />
is clean, with white s<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> fewer tourists than in Nha<br />
Trang, a fine spot for a day-trip. Hire a car <strong>and</strong> driver or<br />
take a taxi, though guided tours often offer an optional trip<br />
to Monkey Isl<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Bai Dai (Long Beach), about 22 km (14 mi) south of<br />
Nha Trang, can be more easily reached thanks to the new,<br />
extremely scenic airport road. This fabulous white-s<strong>and</strong> beach<br />
is at the northern end of Cam Ranh Bay, a spectacular harbor<br />
that once housed a vast U.S. naval base, followed by a Soviet<br />
naval base after the fall of South Vietnam, which became a<br />
Russian base after the fall of the Soviet Union. The roadside<br />
is still littered with war materiel, <strong>and</strong> the Vietnamese military<br />
is in charge of the coastline now, which has kept most of area<br />
undeveloped <strong>and</strong> pristine. But the government is encouraging<br />
tourism expansion here, so things are likely to start changing<br />
fast. Your best bet to get here is a car <strong>and</strong> driver or taxi.<br />
Water Sports. Nha Trang has all kinds of water-related activities,<br />
including snorkeling, jet skiing, scuba diving, <strong>and</strong> boating.<br />
It’s the main scuba center in Vietnam, so if you are a<br />
certified diver, this is the place to take a plunge. You can<br />
rent equipment through most hotels or operators right on<br />
the beach. Dives may be disappointing during the rain <strong>and</strong><br />
windy season, mid-October through January, when sediment<br />
stirred off the bottom limits visibility.<br />
© 2010 Fodor’s Travel