A Russian vibe city in Vietnam (blog and vlog)

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There is something in life you don’t plan for but happen and you’re kind of glad it did happen this is one of the moments.

I stepped off the overnight bus from Saigon at 5 am. Thinking where am I, all I knew is I had a 14 hr layover till my bus to hoi an. After some research (thank god for data) I realized that I was in nha trang and it was one of the cities I wanted to visit but cut off the list because didn’t have enough time. Nha Trang makes an excellent first impression: warm ocean air, shining sun, and a friendly tourist vibe. Nha Trang is a coastal city on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. The charm of Nha Trang for me is it’s a proper city on beach, as compared to a beach resort town.

One thing that caught my eyes right away is Russians are everywhere! There was maybe a 10:2 ratio of Russian tourists compared to foreign tourists. I am not joking! This is the first time where I do not see as much Chinese or European Tourists as compared to the Russian tourists. Even the menus and signboards have a Russian translation.

Thao tram huong tower

My first stop was at an interesting pink tower on the seafront. The Tram Huong Tower (also known as the Lotus Tower) is a major landmark along Nha Trang's famous beach. I am not sure what it was exactly there for because I couldn’t enter, but it was pretty to look at!

Nha Trang Cathedral

My second stop after breakfast was the Cathedral of Nha Trang. It was built in the early 20th century and is easily identifiable by its bell tower. The cathedral looked exactly what you would expect from a cathedral around the world, a little disappointing as the temples in Asia are typically extravagant decorated inside. The best picture was from outside in the courtyard.

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Location: Nguyen Trai, Phuoc Tan
Opening times: Mon-Sat 5:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Sun 4:30 AM – 8:00 PM

Nha trang train station

Nha Trang railway station is one of the main railway stations on the North-South Railway in Vietnam. It serves the city of Nha Trang. It was opened on September 2, 1836.

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Location: 17 Thái Nguyên, Phước Tân

Po nagar cham towers

Nha Trang is known more for fun attractions than it’s historically significant sites, I decided to go check out this one place called Po Nagar Cham Towers. These towers were built between the 7th and 12th centuries, though the site has had religious significance since the 2nd century AD. It is high on a hill so you can really feel the cool breeze. Sat down on the bench looking down onto the busy beach town of Nha Trang, i could immediately see why this peaceful spot was chosen for worship.

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Location: North side of Xom Bong Bridge, on the banks of Cai River
Opening times: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Admission fee: VND 22,000 ($1)

Long Son Pagoda

If you love visiting pagodas, then this is the place for you. it is an iconic landmark of Nha Trang, the Long Son Pagoda and its enormous white sitting Buddha statue are noticeable from nearly any place in the city.

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Location: Thai Nguyen St.
Opening times: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

The city of Nha Trang I feel is a Russian beach resort and not much more. There are a few cultural sights and museums to see if you find yourself there for the day.