Leading
the way with a little known cruising
ground in this exciting new destination,
Sunsail brings you brand new sailing
along a stunning 60 mile stretch of awesome
coastline.
From
the top beach resort of Nha Trang, discover
one of the most intriguing and unspoilt
countries in Asia on a bareboat yacht
charter holiday… and do it soon
before the rest of the world catches
on!
One
of the most beautiful and unspoilt countries
in Asia, Vietnam is a land of stunning
coastline, paddy fields, mountainous
jungle, ancient monuments and exciting
cities. Vietnam’s history is immense,
providing great diversity from its thousand
years of Chinese rule to the still-evident
French-colonial period, which has filled
its elegant streets with the best cafes
in Asia.
Our
exciting new Vietnam base is located
at the Nha Trang Sailing Club.
The
Sunsail Base is located within
the "Sailing Club" complex
on the beachfront at the southern
end of Nha Trang. Coming from the
airport, it is the next building
along after the ferris wheel and
water park.
From
humble beginnings the Sailing Club has
now evolved into a swanky restaurant
and bar/nightclub and is one of the most
popular spots to chill out during the
day or party during the night.
A
good selection of restaurants, hotels
and supermarkets is conveniently located
near the Sunsail base.
Recommended hotels include:
- Yasaka
Saigon, Nha Trang (2 miles from base)
- Ana
Mandara Resort, Nha Trang (200m from
base)
From Saigon Airport there are currently two flights a day to Nha Trang
with Vietnam Airlines. A ticket costs 650,000 Dong and the trip lasts
around 1 hour. The first flight in the morning is 10.30 approx.
When
checking in your baggage, be careful
to look after your luggage receipt tags
as you will need to produce these at
Nha Trang Airport in order to get your
luggage out of the airport.
Until
recently Nha Trang Airport was right
in the middle of town but looking to
the future and wanting to lure international
flights, the People’s Committee
decided to shift the location 40km south
to an old military base which has a slightly
longer runway. While waiting for your
luggage, take the opportunity to book
a taxi to town and pay for it at the
taxi desk - at 170,000 Dong , it is cheaper
than using a metered taxi.
The
drive from the airport to town takes
about 30 minutes and is a pleasant trip
through sand dunes and a new stretch
of the coastal highway.
Getting to Sunsail By Train
For
a real adventure try the train! Day and
overnight services run from Saigon train
station to Nha Trang about three times
a day. Booking a soft bottom bunk air
conditioned berth on the night train
allows you to get a reasonable night's
sleep before arriving in Nha Trang at
around 6am the following morning.
Our cruising area encompasses the Khanh Hoa Province, which stretches
from the Cam Ranh up to Van Ninh comprising approximately 60 miles
of spectacular coastline with beautiful beaches and many islands
and deep bays to explore.
There are restaurants and small resorts
on some of the islands and the locals are
always very happy to see you.
NHA TRANG (Khanh Hoa Province)
The
coastal city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa
province, Central Vietnam, lies on the
trans-Vietnam highway, 1,278km from Hanoi,
and 442km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Nha
Trang is endowed by nature with deep,
quiet and warm waters all the year round,
surrounded by archipelagoes, islands,
mountains and white sand beaches a wonderful
and attractive tourist resort. To the
north of Nha Trang stands the Chong mount
which looks like a wide open hand over
the sea. Far offshore, the Yen island
appears with lush green colours where
salangane nests have been harvested for
years to make the traditional "bird's
nest" tonic and food.
The
7 km white sand beach of Nha Trang is
often called Vietnam's Mediterranean
Area, considered one of the jewel along
Vietnam's long stretching coast line.
Nha Trang is sunny all year round, with
an average temperature of 23%u2103 due
to northern winds. The rainfall is less
than anywhere else in the country and
the area is not threatened by storms
since it is protected by the Truong Son
Mountains and Ca Pass. From Ca Pass,
one can see Ro Paddle, Ke Ga Cape, Hon
Do, and Tran Nam Paddle.
Hon
Tre Island is 25 km2 and belongs to a
group of islands located southwest of
Nha Trang. It takes two hours to reach
Hon Tre Island by rowboat and only 20
minutes by ferry.
Nha
Trang benefits from topographical advantages
of the sea, islands, mountains, and deltas.
West of Nha Trang, there are endless
mountain ranges where a wide variety
of animals and birds live.
Nha
Trang has many specialties. Every year,
bird's nest soup, or Yen nest soup, is
cooked. Nha Trang has the most Yen birds
in all of Vietnam. The magnificent coral
seabed in Nha Trang makes it ideal for
scubadiving and snorkelling.
2 people on board with sailing experience are required . The skipper must have
sailed this size yacht before for at least 5 days or more, and have good navigation
skills and must know how to anchor the yacht. The 2nd adult must have sailing
knowledge and they need to know what to do in an emergency man over board
The
SW season is ideal sailing weather
with excellent day time winds,
calm seas and plenty of sunshine.
At dusk the wind dies away leaving
very safe and flat anchorages.
Ho
Chi Minh City and the south are hot all
year round, particularly from May to
August, with daytime temperatures ranging
from 24°C to 35°C.
Hanoi
and the north experience the four seasons
with June to September as the hottest
months at around 33°C, and December
through February as winter averaging
18°C.
Tidal
range is 1 to 2 metres.
Nha Trang’s high season runs from May to September. The mornings
are generally calm with the SE sea breeze kicking in around 1pm. The
breeze builds during the afternoon then dies soon after the sunsets around
6 pm.
With
the afternoon breeze the best time to
board your yacht is in the mornings or
late afternoon.
The
official currency of Vietnam is the Dong.
Approximate exchange rates are:
AUD$1
= 12,000 Dong
NZ$1 = 10,000 Dong
US$1 = 15,500 Dong
You can pay for goods and services in US$, however you will get better
value for your money if you use local currency. Most hotel change travellers
cheques (with a 1%-2% commission) and cash at reasonable rates. Credit
cards (Visa or Mastercard are most commonly accepted) can be used in
a limited number of shops and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hoi
An and Hanoi, however they are not widely accepted outside these cities.
Cash advances can be obtained using these cards at the major banks and
ATMs in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danag, Hoi An and Hue. Please note,
if travelling to remote areas of Vietnam, it is advisable to carry Dong
or US$.
The
Vietnamese language is derived from Latin
characters. English is widely spoken
throughout the country, especially in
tourist areas. The Lonely Planet Vietnam
Phrasebook is recommended for those wanting
to learn more about the
Vietnamese
cuisine is generally delicious
and good value, with a strong French
colonial influence.
To
enter Vietnam, you require a passport (with
at least 6 months remaining validity) and
a tourist visa. This visa must be obtained
prior to arrival. A combined entry/exit
and baggage declaration form will be issued
to you prior to your arrival and the yellow
copy of this must be retained until your
departure from Vietnam. International departure
tax is currently US$12 for flights leaving
Saigon and US$14 for flights leaving Hanoi.
Once
arriving at Saigon Airport, checking
into the country is relatively straightforward
if a little time consuming. You will
be given a yellow customs form after
clearing immigration. It is very important
you keep this safe during your stay as
it must be produced when leaving the
country.
Please
note: All Vietnam visas are SINGLE ENTRY
- unless you have specifically requested
MULTIPLE ENTRY and this is stamped into
your passport. Please ensure you have
a multiple entry visa if you are entering
Vietnam twice. The status of a Tourist
Visa cannot be changed from Single entry
to Multiple entry once you have arrived
in Vietnam.
For
up-to-date authoritative advice on health
protection and vaccinations, we recommend
that clients consult their family doctor.
Vietnam
moorings are mainly at anchor, there are
a few small jetties around the cruising
area.
Fuel
is available in Nha Trang Town
Bottled
water is available at resorts and villages
throughout the cruising area. Drinking
local tap water is not recommended, even
in hotels
The
electric current in Vietnam operates mostly
on 220 volts, but occasionally you will
find 110 volt sockets. Electric plug types
vary throughout the country, however the
two-rounded pin standard Asian plug is
usable in most parts of the country.
Vietnam
is generally a safe country, however petty
street crime is on the rise as tourist
numbers increase. We recommend that you
wear as little jewellry as possible and
keep your spending money close to your
body in a secure place. We also recommend
taking taxis rather than cyclos at night.
Taxis are metered and inexpensive. Carry
a hotel card so that you can show your
taxi driver where you want to go. You should
leave valuables in hotel safety boxes at
all times and carry photocopies of your
passport, creditcard numbers and airline
tickets, and keep a record of your encashed
travellers cheques. These papers should
be kept in a safe place separate from the
originals.
Vietnam
is fast becoming known as a 'shopper's
paradise'. Ceramics, lacquerware, bamboo,
silk and embroidery are just some of the
many good buys. Many travellers also have
clothes tailered due to the low prices
(standards vary). A few guidelines to follow
when shopping....
Except
in department stores, bargaining is the
norm.To get the best price, you will
have to haggle hard.
Export of certain antiques is not permitted. Make sure you are aware
of the relevant regulations before purchasing.
Fake reproductions are common. Make sure you know what you are buying,
especially in the case of antiques.
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