Hidden away on the far side of Vietnam lies on the world’s most beautiful seaside cities, where tins of beer are incredibly cheap, and beaches fill the horizon with crystal-clear blue water
Nha Trang is a coastal city on the eastern side of Vietnam, and it’s also one of the country’s most important tourist hubs. It’s lined with soft, sandy beautiful beaches and pristine, enticing blue seawater – which is handy, because it’s usually very, very hot all year round.
The suburban tropical paradise has a relatively consistent temperature, around 32C in the height of summer, and still 25C in winter. Tourists would likely be desperate for a nice, cold drink throughout the year… which is just as well, seeing as it’s reportedly the cheapest place in the world to buy ice-cold beer.
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Travel expert Worldwide Wilbur said he was handed a gloriously chilly Tiger beer can for just 32p in Nha Trang.
“It’s true what you have heard about beer in Vietnam,” he wrote. “It is incredibly cheap. Actually most everything is extremely cheap in Vietnam.
“At a street-side outdoor restaurant in Nha Trang, I had this can of Tiger for just 10,000 Dong [32p].” But, the city’s not only known for its cheap alcohol – it’s also regarded as Vietnam’s seafood capital.
It’s naturally teeming with marine life on its tropical shores, and almost all of the seafood served across the city is freshly caught. In fact, tourists have flocked to the seaside hotspot purely to try the local culinary speciality; jellyfish with rice vermicelli.
Nha Trang is also home to several tourist resorts, as well as a huge water park, and the iconic Monkey Island.
The small islet contains about 1,000 monkeys, made-up of three different species, and has been holidaymakers’ focal point for years. But, one of the best ways for tourists to spend their time is exploring the diamond blue South China Sea from underwater.
Scuba diving is legendary on the coast of Vietnam – particularly around the glorious protected marine reserve in Hon Mun Island.
Vietnam’s own tourist board wrote on its website: “Perched on a pristine stretch of the southern coast, Nha Trang is a playground for sunseekers. Days here are spent dining on delicious seafood, snorkelling around stunning islands, and partying on the sand after dark.
“Nha Trang lays claim to some of the country’s finest luxury resorts and thrilling watersports. Despite the development boom, colourful fishing villages and serene riverside restaurants are just a stone’s throw away.”
Before you head home, though, you’ll definitely need to try one of the city’s famous mud baths. Relaxation-seekers often venture into the hills north of the city, where a number of spas offer tourists the chance to chill out in a warm pool of healing mud – perfect for letting the stress of everyday life slowly disappear.