The road to Nha Trang

At least once a year, I travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang by sleeper bus, passing through Mui Ne during the day. I even choose a seat on the upper level, on the right side coming from Ho Chi Minh City. This allows me to fully admire the seascape on the way back. I love the feeling of my longing for the sea gradually fading as the blue of Mui Ne's sea peeks through the coconut trees, and the overwhelming sensation of seeing the sea so blue it feels like I could touch it, so breathtakingly beautiful and close, as if I hadn't been away from Nha Trang for months.

The most beautiful stretch of road from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is the section passing through Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. The blue sea, white sand, roadside resorts, paths leading down to the beach, and bougainvillea flowers in full bloom under the sun. The lush green trees lining the road flashed past my eyes and were captured in my phone's image.

Crossing the bridge with boats lined up on the river below reveals the abundance of Phan Thiet. Beyond the purple crape myrtle hills along National Highway 1, stretching for about a kilometer, lies Ninh Thuan province. Nature is truly strange; this arid, sun-scorched land of rocky mountains and sandy winds is situated between two prosperous regions: Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa . As the car passes Mui Ne, the sea is breathtaking, with its deep blue ocean, spectacular rock formations arranged by nature's hand—both accidental and intentional—and the fragrant smell of fish sauce intensifies the anticipation of reaching Nha Trang.

As the car passed the Cham Towers, I knew we were about to enter Phan Rang City. I have an acquaintance whose family sells grilled pork skewers (nem nuong) on ​​a central street. The nem nuong dish, which migrated from Nha Trang to Phan Rang, has retained its original flavor and ingredients. These two cities share similar culinary tastes with signature dishes such as banh can, banh uot, banh xeo, banh beo, chicken rice, and nem nuong…

It was late afternoon, and looking at my watch, I knew I'd arrive in Nha Trang in about three hours. Crossing the small bridge marking the border between Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan, I started seeing coconut groves, knowing I was home even though I still had over 60km to go. My mood was light and airy, an indescribable feeling, as these places were so familiar, having been frequented by me during my decades as a civil servant traveling within the province. At this point, I felt a growing sense of excitement. The bus stopped more often along the way to drop off passengers. These familiar landmarks brought back memories of my youth, exploring every nook and cranny of the province. From the days when Cam Ranh was just a district, to becoming a town, and then a city. So much has changed in my decades as a civil servant.

I remember the roads leading to my friends' houses, acquaintances' houses, the road to the beach, the road to the airport… Once, on a business trip, the car broke down near Thuy Trieu Lagoon. No one was in a hurry to get home; instead, we took the opportunity to take pictures with the beautiful scenery…

In May, the scorching heat of Ho Chi Minh City made me long for the sea so much. This time, when I go back to Nha Trang, I'll buy a bus ticket and take the old route to admire the sea, passing through places that, even though I know them by heart, still feel familiar, like meeting old friends again.

DAO THI THANH TUYEN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/sang-tac/202505/duong-ve-nha-trang-8c17090/