Nha Trang is pretty much just a beach resort. We got hassled a lot more by streets sellers or hawkers as they are known over here. You get used to it but it can become really frustrating as they don't seem to understand the word 'no'! We visited two sites on the first day by getting lifts on motorbikes. We went to the Po Nagar Cham Towers and the Long Son Pagoda with the Giant Seated Buddha. It was really hot in Nha Trang so we just chilled out and had a couple of drinks after a busy day and practically no sleep on the not so aptly named sleeper bus.
We decided to book an 'Easy Rider' motorbike tour the following day. Some girls we had met in Ho Chi had done the same thing and loved it. We liked the idea of getting to see some of rural Vietnam rather than just stopping in the busy major towns and cities. It was not cheap at USD$45 a day but that included everything (accommodation, petrol, entrance fees to a few places) except food! After booking the tour we went over to Vinpearl, an island just off the coast of Nha Trang which is owned by Donald Trump and has a huge water park, theme park, sea world and other entertainment things. You get a cable car out across the sea then everything is free except sea world which we gave a miss anyway. We regretted leaving our flip flops in the lockers as the floor was scorching and we burnt our feet going from slide to slide but had a good laugh in the process. However we just made our bruises from the last water park even worse! After that we went to the arcades including a 4D film which was just a 3D film in which they sprayed water on you and then saw some monkey’s riding bicycles!
In the evening we went out for food and got starter, mains, beers and 4 free shots for about 3 pounds each! We then went to a Bia hoi which was pretty quiet but served San Miguel in big jugs of over 1.5 litres for 14,000 VND (less than 50p). The Miss Universe 2008 contest was being held in Nha Trang the coming weekend and we had been told that some of the contestants would go to the next bar we went too... sadly they weren't going to be there for another couple of nights!
On our way home we stopped for food at a tiny street seller and a little old lady cooked us steak baguettes which were fantastic! We then headed back and a group of Vietnamese guys and girls all crowded around us and after someone bumped into me and they started moving quickly I realised they had taken my camera from my pocket. They began to run when they saw I knew and was charging after them, they all got on motorbikes and dispersed except one guy who waited and I asked him if he would take me and follow them which he did. We came back after losing them and his mate was now there. They said they could get the camera back if I gave them money, 1.5 million VND (about £50). I said OK but there was no way I was going to give it to them, I knew they were all in on the scam the way they acted. They came back in about 30 seconds so he clearly knew exactly who had it and where they would be. I asked to see the pictures and unfortunately my face came straight up so he said it’s clearly yours. I said I need to see more pictures then he looked down to press the button and I snatched it back and told them to go away which they thankfully did. It may not have been the best thing to do in hindsight but the next day was the start of our Easy Rider Tour and I was not going to be cameraless for it!! By the time we had got it back it was late and we needed to sleep as we were about to start 4 days on the motorbikes!
