Nha Trang, Vietnam - city beach is a lovely spot as you can see. Though ready to pounce at any time are the beach side entrepreneurs selling everything from sunglasses to food. Though for 20,000 dong you can rent your self a little covered shelter which gives you a comfy spot where the vendors are less active.
The city beach is lined with palm trees like this with a green way between it and Tran Phu Boulevard. All the hotels and such are located either across the road or at the far ends of the beach. Though their are a few spiffy restaurants and bars like The Sailing Club along the beach, most places to eat and drink are located inland a few blocks away.
My last visit to Nha Trang was about 5 years ago and while the city its self hasn't changed much, the beach area sure has. The park that backs up the main beach has been transformed from a scrubby no man's land to a place as beautiful as the beach. Back in the day, the shadows of the palm trees at night were known to house ladies for rent who supplemented their rental fees by histing customers money before the rental agreement could be consummated. Tourist police and the new park design have made it harder for this things like this to happen but solo guys should still be wary. 
I did some research on the Internet and decided on a double room at Perfume Grass Inn (Khach San Que Thao), 4A Biet Thu Street. A block or so from the beach and smack dab in the middle of all the tourist action so I wouldn't go hungry or get to thirsty. Along with that the reviews I read on line made it sound like it was a step above your basic guest house and all for $25 .00 a night, including breakfast and Internet access in the lobby. The place could have been great but it was chaos, the lobby filled with backpackers coming and going, front desk trying to converse in Vietnamese, English, Korean, Japanese and numerous European languages. Along with the numerous live in staff and there family's, including Grandma and kids living and eating in a couple rooms off the reception area. After we had the cigarette smoke flavored towels replaced on the first day and a day later they got the AC working properly and the frig. frigerating I was sad to leave because things were really starting to come together. That i
s except for the mildew around in the bath room and it was beyond repair. However, the room was nicely furnished and decorated, rustic wood floors and paneled walls with traditional Vietnamese wood furnishings. I feel in love with the wooden chase and am still trying to figure how to get one back to the states.
I had some time to kill on the day I was to head back to Saigon so I took a look at some other mini hotels. About a block away there is an alley off of Tran Phu Blvd. (64B). I looked at rooms in the Song Linh Hotel at 64B/15 Tran Phu - phone 0914014758 and the Hotel An Hoa 64B/6 Tran Phu, e-mail anhoahotel@yahoo.com both were very nice, supper clean especially the An Hoa and the managers were very friendly. Room rates were 8 - 10 dollars including breakfast and use of a computer in the lobby. Down this alley their is probably a half a dozen brand new places like these two.
