TRAVELLIVE 02-2017

While the Snake Farm
(Thailand) attracts many
tourists with its snake cages
and snake performances
including catching snakes,
playing with snakes and
opening their mouths, the Nha
Trang Snake Show can create
a new feeling for tourists after
visiting all corners of this site.
In the snake breeding
area, tourists can see
tightly covered yet well
ventilated glass cages
with white sand floors
for the snakes to slither around
in. In the cages are dry stumps
which these reptiles can curl
around. Moreover, venomous
snakes, water snakes, pythons
and even salamanders are also
included in this sophisticated
collection.
Nipolajs Solovjous says that
the purpose of opening the
Nha Trang Snake Show
is to drive people towards
environmentally-friendly
activities and to realize that
snakes are useful animals.
Snakes are a great source
of medicine. Their meat is
said to cure neurological
diseases, aches, pains,
paralysis, convulsion,
epileptic convulsion, boils and
ulceration diseases. Snake fat
is said to cicatrize wounds
rapidly and heal burns. Snake
blood may cure backaches,
while snake bile is used as an
anti-inflammatory, an antioncotic,
to help rheumatism,
treat cold perspiration, manage
asthma, reduce high fever
and relieve headaches. Snake
venom is also used to treat
leprosy, cancer, epilepsy,
muscle pain, angina pectoris,
arthritis, and neuritis. Their
skin can be used for antisepsis,
mangy, rot ears, sore throat,
children's epileptic seizures
and more.
While snake awareness is
essential to the project in Nha
Trang, the show itself is clearly
the main event. Audiences
enthusiastically wonder how
artists can perform with their
snakes. With the venue having
a 100 person capacity, the
stage features a thick layer
of glass in the center so that
snakes cannot accidentally
escape and crawl out. During
show time, audiences are
asked not to move to avoid
attracting the dangerous
attention of the snakes. Two
performers wearing black
clothes and heads wrapped
in towels deliver a surprising
and thrilling spectacle. Snakes
are put on wood barrels
with wheels. Everyone is
scared when a wild cobra is
released from a barrel, but the
performers skillfully hold its
tail and play with it in different
postures. Then comes another
poisonous snake, three more
and lastly a group of big
snakes, each at least 1.5m long,
are released.
A performer deftly plays with
two poisonous snakes in his
bare hands. And what about
the third snake? He quickly
opens its mouth and keeps
it open when it is about to
attack him. The python is
immediately controlled by
the skilled and professional
artist. His actions of opening
the snake's mouth, taking its
venom and distinguishing
whether it is male or female,
shocks the audience. The
performance lasts about 20
minutes, always leaving the
packed audience smiling and
satisfied.
A scuffle between a cobra
and a mongoose was another
interesting part of the show.
Cobras can live together
with mongooses because a
mongoose can easily eat a
cobra without being poisoned.
However, the scuffle is ended
just before the two are about to
engage in a fight to the death.
Already attracting many
tourists, the Nha Trang Snake
Show promises to offer more
interesting and thrilling
performances to show how
mysterious the snake world is.
Further information:
ü The Nha Trang Snake Show is located
in the village of Phuoc Dien in Phuoc
Dong commune (suburb of Nha Trang).
About 1km north of the Phuoc Dong
People's committee, after passing Hon Thi
quarry. Visitors can easily find the place on
the road on the left.
ü In Nha Trang, please contact the hotel's
tour desk for further information.
TRAVELLIVE 103