Vietnam – The Beaches – Natrang, NO NO NO !!

Hi all,

Well I set off on my first overnight 12 hour bus ride to Natrang. I was immediately soothed by the daunting prospect of trying to sleep by the “Union Jack” head rests that all of the seats had. Luckily I was one of the first on so managed to put my seat straight into a slight recline. As usual the bus is filled to the rafters and my initial seat mate had her companion sitting on a stool in the gangway next to her. This meant that she took up some of my space. Luckily some locals got off early on so they moved by as if by magic another Vietnamese female appeared to take her place. (They must keep reserves in the luggage hold!). I got out at the first rest stop and hadn’t eaten so looked around for something edible but I’m sick of baguettes and otherwise it was a sit down situation so decided I’d get by on my water. Miraculously I slept the rest of the way and awoke about 15 minutes before we reached Natrang.

I’d decided not to book ahead after last time and sure enough the motobikes were waiting to take us to guest houses and earn their commissions. I knew roughly where I wanted to be and couldn’t have ended up with a better location. Across the road from the beach but right in the centre, although the main areas are in the two streets behind that was great as I wouldn’t hear any noise. I haggled the room down from $12 to $10 and could get in straight away (it was only 6.15am). So I decided to relax for a couple of hours before checking out the area.

Natrang – well it’s the Benidorm of Vietnam. Personally I wouldn’t come again. It’s quite a nice beach but there’s a main road running behind it and really you could be anywhere. I spoke to someone who’d been passing through 8 years ago and they couldn’t believe how much it had grown. It’s also summer holidays here so a lot of Vietnamese are visiting from Ho Chi Minh which makes it even busier.

I had a long walk around. One dilemma is while you’re looking around you’re not looking down and so stubbed my toe on a brick. I’m not quite sure what’s happened but cuts and bruises just seem to appear. Travellers look like they’ve been in the battlefield. I guess it’s just the perils of wearing flipflops. I took my time picking a nice place for lunch and then decided to spend the afternoon at the beach as it was a glorious day. The beach wasn’t too crowded (locals don’t sunbathe), I sat in the shade as various ladies with their wares tried to get me to buy something from them. I pretended to be asleep as much as possible. I did actually doze off at one point but then didn’t know if I’d wake up if someone tried to grab my bag. In the end I gave in to a massage, well I love the coconut oil they use and although it wasn’t the best you can’t really complain at $5.

The following day I’d booked a boat trip “Mama Hanh’s”. They are famous and have been going for years. She’s now rich and has homes in America, where as 8 years ago she would be on her one boat with the tourists. Kevin an older Kiwi guy (Clive James springs to mind) was also going from my guest house and  he relayed stories of how  far out to sea they’d gone and the partying on board etc.  Not any more. We got to the boat and it was full of Vietnamese tourists apart from a couple of Spanish and Germans. We stopped off for some snorkelling (not a patch on Cham Island and Natrang is supposed to be the no.1 diving area) but the masks were a bit leaky so just had a swim. After more sailing we moored for lunch and then the boat men turn in to a singer, guitarist and drummer and set up a stage. The singer was our guide for the day anyway and was quite funny but then it turned in to an open mike session. I had to go back on the top deck - it was too painful. Then another boat boy jumps in to the water with a floating bar and wine and everyone grabs a rubber ring (to support their cup) and jumps in. Once the wine is finished it’s off to a further island. I think Hon Tam was it’s name, a purpose built place where you pay to get on and use the beach. I decided it was beer o’clock. Time to get back on the boat and visit the aquarium, I’d heard this was  not great so didn’t bother. I really wanted to get back – there’s commercialism and then there’s “it’s just not fun”. Finally dry land beckoned.

Kevin was also travelling on his own so we decided to go for a couple of beers and dinner. I’d been recommended to go to ”Good Morning Vietnam” by the American girls I’d met in Halong Bay, they said it had the most amazing food. Sorry but no. After dinner I was knackered (must have been all that sea air) so headed straight back.

Sorry but Natrang – not my cup of tea…..hence no pics.

Transport count:

Plane = 5, Bus = 8, Train = 2, Boat = 2, Sunglasses = 3, Mosquito repellant = 3

Take care

Sally