This is a tender port for the Queen Elizabeth. Nha Trang probably has a pier large enough to dock the Queen Elizabeth. However, the city fathers allowed a large amusement park company to build a cable car line across the entrance of the bay. The cable line is high enough for most ships to pass underneath the cable. The Queen Elizabeth and the average cruise ship made today is too high to pass under the cable.
Once ashore, we took a ship’s tour titled “Villages & Countryside of Nha Trang.” One of the best tours we have taken. First stop was to the Loc Tho Pagoda, a local temple and associated charity school. The temple was a quick look, but the school and the kids were another thing. We spent a bit of time with the kids. Part of our group had even brought along some small gifts for the kids. The kids were excited out of their skins. I’m not sure how the teachers got everyone calmed down after our visit. The second stop was to a Communal House, a village meeting place, where group decisions were made and information was passed out to villagers. In front of this house, a couple of groups were weaving mats for use in the house. Our guide told us that everything in a Vietnamese house was done on a mat.
The next stop was to The Bamboo Resort, a place by the local river with rooms and a swimming pool. We had refreshments, coconut drink and fruit, beer for a dollar extra, and listened to a trio of girls playing some interesting instruments. One was made of bamboo while the other two were more modern stringed instruments. Stop four was more out in the country, with a drive past a number of rice fields and banana groves. We visited a typical country home and then saw a small herd of water buffalos, totally staged for our enjoyment.
Last stop was to an embroidery art shop where the ladies were creating beautiful pictures using only colored thread, one stitch at a time. All the works of art were for sale but would have been difficult to ship home. Back at the tender pier, there was the usual stalls of local goods however, Vietnam is the country of origin for any number of brands of backpacks, shirts and shoes. A lot of these were being sold in the stalls.
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| River by the Bamboo Resort |
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| Musical Trio |
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| Rice Field |
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| Home Visit |
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| Drying Rice |
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| Water Buffalo |
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| Embroidery Art Workshop |
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| Cable Car across the Bay |
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| Temple |
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| School |
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| School |
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| Pagoda |
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| Communal Building |
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| Weaving Mats |
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| Entrance to Bamboo Resort |
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