The way to Nha Trang

At least once a year, from Ho Chi Minh City I return to Nha Trang by sleeper bus, during the day, the bus passes through Mui Ne. I also choose the upper-floor sleeper ticket and it is on the right side from Ho Chi Minh City. That way I have the opportunity to fully enjoy the picture of the sea on the way back. I love the feeling of my longing for the sea gradually being satisfied when the blue sea in Mui Ne appears through the coconut trees, and I am truly overwhelmed when I see the blue sea as if I can just reach out and touch it, so blue and beautiful that it is heartbreaking, so close as if I have never been away from Nha Trang for months.

The road from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is most beautiful through Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. Blue sea, white sand, resorts along the road, roads leading down to the sea, bougainvillea in season, brilliant in the sun. The green row of tamarind trees along the road passed by my eyes and left an image on my phone.

Crossing the bridge with boats and ships parked on the river below, one can see the richness of Phan Thiet. After the purple Lagerstroemia hills on Highway 1, running about a kilometer, one enters Ninh Thuan. Nature is truly strange, the arid land, scorching sun, rocky mountains and sandy winds... are located between two rich regions: Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa. When the car passes Mui Ne, the sea is truly beautiful with the color of the blue ocean, the spectacular rock beaches arranged by nature, both unintentionally and intentionally, the fragrant smell of fish sauce adds to the feeling of longing to return to Nha Trang.

The car passing Thap Cham means we are about to enter Phan Rang city. I have an acquaintance whose family sells grilled spring rolls on a central street. Grilled spring rolls migrated from Nha Trang to Phan Rang, retaining the same flavor and ingredients. These two cities have similar culinary tastes with typical dishes: Banh can, banh uot, banh xeo, banh beo, chicken rice, grilled spring rolls...

It was late afternoon, looking at my watch, I knew I would arrive in Nha Trang in about 3 hours. Crossing the small bridge that separates Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan, I began to see coconut gardens, and I knew I had arrived home, even though it was still more than 60km away. I felt elated, a feeling that was hard to describe when these places were so familiar to me for decades as a civil servant, often traveling on business trips in the province. Only then did I feel nauseous. The car stopped more often along the way to drop off passengers. The familiar places reminded me of my youth when I wandered through every nook and cranny in the province. From the day Cam Ranh was just a district, it became a town and then a city. So many changes in decades as a civil servant.

I remember the roads leading to your house, to your acquaintances’ houses, to the beach, to the airport… Once on the way back from a business trip, the car broke down at Thuy Trieu lagoon. No one was in a hurry to go home so they took the opportunity to take pictures of the beautiful scenery…

In May, the hot weather in Ho Chi Minh City makes me crave the beach so much. This time when I return to Nha Trang, I will buy a ticket to take the old route to see the sea, passing through lands that, although familiar, still feel familiar like meeting old acquaintances.

DAO THI THANH TUYEN

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