Identifying sea tourism and marine economy as key industries, the south central coastal province has been preparing conditions to welcome tourists back as soon as possible.

When COVID-19 had not yet broken out, I used to go out to the sea every morning. Before dawn, the sea was bustling with laughter. On the shore, many people were talking; meanwhile, others were swimming.

Many locals in Nha Trang, who have suffered from diseases related to bones, joints, respiratory and blood pressure, had to go to Ho Chi Minh City for medical examination and treatment. Doctors said: “Your Nha Trang has a very good doctor!”. It is the “sea doctor”. We went to the sea regularly, both on sunny and rainy days, except for stormy days.

On sunny days, we often came to the Con Se Tre waters inside Nha Trang Bay to walk on the seabed, watching corals and feeding fish. Many people have been charmed with the captivating beauty of the coral reefs and schools of colorful fish on the seabed. In order to explore the undersea dense forests, we go snorkeling and scuba diving. With scuba diving, a whole new world opens up.

We often went to the island to camp. We sat by the fire, listened to soul of the coucals all night long and the rattlesnakes on the trees’ branches.

Go snorkeling and scuba diving. With scuba diving, a whole new world opens up.

We often went to the island to camp. We sat by the fire, listened to the soul of the coucals all night long and the rattlesnakes on the trees’ branches.

On a business trip to the Republic of Korea, many engineers from the POSCO Steel Company asked me where was I from and I answered I came from Khanh Hoa Province. They were not impressed. However, when I said my city is Nha Trang, they expressed their excitement and told me their stories about Nha Trang. The translator said I was a lucky man. Perhaps, many foreigners know and remember the name Nha Trang more than Khanh Hoa, especially since Nha Trang Bay was admitted as a member of the Club featuring the most beautiful bays in the world.

Coming to Khanh Hoa, visitors had the chance to listen to the folk songs on the Binh Ba lobster and Dien Khanh dried deer meat. According to the gastronomers, lobster in Binh Ba island is the best. Lobsters live naturally in very clean waters with appropriate salinity. They are sweet and fragrant.

In addition to sorghum and delicious dishes such as fish fins and bird's nests, Nha Trang is famous for many rustic foods such as bun ca (fish noodle) and banh can (mini pancake), and especially banh can muc (mini pancake with squid).

Then COVID-19 hit

When I heard the information about the temporary closure of the sea to ensure social distancing, I felt very disappointed. The beach in Nha Trang is now empty all day. Only the pigeons were roaming innocently on the sand. Sometimes, the cuckoos chirped softly.

Due to COVID-19, Nha Trang’s tourism has had to “hibernate” amidst its peak season. People have been asked to stay at home. The street that was once very busy with foreigners is now quiet. Many luxury hotels have witnessed a change of owners. Vinpearl Land and its cable cars have been also forced to close. The high-speed cruise ships lie dormant on the wharfs.

COVID-19 has caused the interruption of many events such as the Nha Trang Sea Festival 2021. The annual event has invigorated the sea and island culture of the coastal city but the tenth edition was cancelled.

The tourism industry has faced many difficulties, leading to the deep negative growth of Khanh Hoa Province’s economy. The provincial authorities is more concerned about the economic structure of the service, tourism – industry – agriculture industries as well as investment into the economic sectors. However, sea tourism and the marine economy are still spearhead industries. Khanh Hoa is calculating measures to welcome tourists as soon as possible. Many people call Nha Trang the city of reunion because it is the gathering place for many leaders and beauties from around the world. The city is also a destination for people who have a special love for the sea.

The sky is still blue. The waves seem to try to bury the nostalgia. Somewhere in the marine park, melodies still resound, expressing the aspiration for a brighter future.