Nha Trang, Vietnam

After a few days exploring Ho Chi Minh City, we began our journey north, spending a week in the coastal town of Nha Trang.

We paid $24.41 for a nine-hour train ride that Jim booked online from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang. We arrived at the train station two hours before our 1330 departure, only to find that the train was running an hour late. Given our last train experience in Sri Lanka left us stranded for 11 hours, we wisely packed extra water, a PB&J, and some snacks. 

Conductors guided us to our carriage and seats, which Jim had also reserved. The train ride was comfortable, with space to stow our luggage above. No one checked our tickets during the journey. While food was offered from an unknown source on the train, we opted for our snacks instead. 



We took a Grab to our accommodation for $1.57, where we met our host who led us to our apartment on the 39th floor—complete with three slow elevators, one of which was out of service. The views from our apartment were spectacular, with large windows facing the ocean. The window seat provided the perfect spot to enjoy sunrise with our morning coffee. From above, we appreciated the beautifully landscaped promenade, a clear sign of the city's pride.


Our apartment was conveniently located near a couple of Mexican restaurants and a fantastic breakfast spot known for great coffee and delicious croissants. At the first Mexican restaurant, when Jim asked for hot sauce, the server brought out a small black bottle that resembled a doTERRA essential oil and warned us it was very, very hot. After trying just a few drops in our salsa, we quickly realized it was more than we could handle—the heat made it impossible to enjoy our meal.



While we didn’t come for the water, the long beach lined with palm trees provided the perfect shady spot for a relaxing afternoon. The promenade was ideal for walking and exploring. We visited the Long Son Pagoda Buddhist temple, enjoyed oysters with the locals, and spent the rest of our time at home, soaking in the views. 

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