… the capital of Khanh Hoa Province, which is becoming well known for its beaches and excellent scuba diving. A quiet fishing village as recently as a few years ago, recent government and private investments have made it into a thriving resort.
Our first stop was the Cham Po Nagar complex – one of the few remaining relics of the ancient Cham culture. Construction began in the 7th century to mark the site on which Hindus had worshipped for more than 500 years. Originally consisting of 8 towers built without using mortar, only four remain today, containing shrines which are used for prayers and offerings. The main tower is dedicated to Po Ino Nagar, the Shiva’s only known female incarnation. The towers sit in a lovely park with aged bonzai and flower plantings, as well as a stunning view of the Nha Trang harbor below.
The photos below show the inside and outside of one of the small towers.
Unexpectedly, after our visit to the Towers, our guide led us through a dump (really!), and across the street to the Xom Bong Bridge, which spans the harbor. It was an amazing sight to see the fleet of brightly painted blue and red fishing boats, as well as a few of the unique round Vietnamese boats, thung chai. We crossed the bridge although it was quite high, the guardrails very low, the sidewalk narrow, and the oncoming traffic fierce. At one point a street vendor had blocked the walk completely, and we had to step into traffic to get past him. The first view of the bridge is from the Cham Towers. Note the vendor in the last photo.
Our next stop was the Long Son Pagoda, founded in the late 19th century and rebuilt several times since. This pagoda is most noted for its huge white Buddha, 78 feet tall, seated on a lotus blossom. Built in 1963, visitors must climb 152 stone steps to reach the Buddha’s platform; unfortunately, once there we couldn’t find anyone to take a really great photo! There is also a sleeping Buddha more than 40 meters long, as well as a shrine to the Buddhist monks who immolated themselves as a protest against the Vietnam War.
Back on the bus, we headed to a local silk embroidery shop. The artists create stunning works of art by transferring patterns for artwork onto silk, and then painstakingly embroidering the patterns. The upstairs had a workroom of more than a dozen embroiderers busily working. Prices were very low, with many of the smaller works selling for less than $100 very nicely framed.
Our final stop was the pristine Nha Trang beachfront, which stretches for miles. This area has only recently been developed into a world-class beach. Most exciting for us was the discovery of plentiful sea glass! The sand was filled with beautifully weathered glass and pottery, perfect for jewelry-making. The trees and shrubs had been pruned into a variety of fanciful shapes … very interesting!
One last indulgence was a short ride in the traditional Vietnamese pedicab or xiclo.
We’ll have to get back to that beach some day!
Love all your pictures from the last four ports. And thanks again for all the great information that you pass on to us. Hong Kong holds a special place in my heart, love the city. The vietnamese pedicab looks really cool.
ReplyDeleteReally look forward to all your blogs. Thanks again for keeping us in the loop. Miss you both..