Nha Trang Vietnam

[MISTER 67]

Has anyone visited Nha Trang, we are thinking of a Singapore to Hong Kong cruise with one of the stops at Nha Trang. I was stationed at the Air Base from December 67 to December 68 and was wondering if tourists are allowed on the base. I've checked it out on Google Earth and have read that it's out of commission but most of the buildings are still standing including my barracks.

Edited July 18, 2019 by MISTER 67

[amyr]

That's a good question.  I would probably head over to the Ports of Call Asia board and ask there, that way you'd reach more people than just the Holland America board readers.  At the very least maybe you'd get the name of a tour guide you could email to ask?  

[MISTER 67]

3 minutes ago, amyr said:

That's a good question.  I would probably head over to the Ports of Call Asia board and ask there, that way you'd reach more people than just the Holland America board readers.  At the very least maybe you'd get the name of a tour guide you could email to ask?  

Appreciate your help, I'll give your suggestions a try.

[doublebzz]

Visited Nha Trang last year on a Westerdam cruise.  The beach area was beautiful and I can see why the city was an R&R site for U.S. troops during the Vietnam War.  Today, the beach side hotels are crowded with Russian tourists.  I agree with Amyr that contacting a local tour guide might be your best chance for visiting the air base. 

[Sir PMP]

Take the shuttle bus to the mall and then negotiate a taxi to take you to the base and back..

[RevNeal]

I visited Nha Trang back in 2014 when on a very similar cruise. It was very meaning for me because my uncle was stationed there flying C47 Gunships from early 1966 until his death in March 1967.  We were not allowed on the base, but I didn't try.  We did drive by in a bus where we told it was.

[dockman]

30 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Take the shuttle bus to the mall and then negotiate a taxi to take you to the base and back..

 

The three times i was there off Holland cruises they charged $10 or so for the shuttle and told us it was a 20 min one way ride.  I walked to the gate at the port (five min max walk)  and took a taxi for about $ 2 who dropped me at same shuttle bus stop five mins later.  No problems no hassles, metered taxi which they used.

 

Go to NHA TRANG sailing club.  On the beach in middle of everything and a very pleasant place   Google it.

[Sir PMP]

1 hour ago, dockman said:

 

The three times i was there off Holland cruises they charged $10 or so for the shuttle and told us it was a 20 min one way ride.  I walked to the gate at the port (five min max walk)  and took a taxi for about $ 2 who dropped me at same shuttle bus stop five mins later.  No problems no hassles, metered taxi which they used.

 

Go to NHA TRANG sailing club.  On the beach in middle of everything and a very pleasant place   Google it.

Shuttle was free on the Amsterdam (twice) and Volendam(4 times), Sailing club is nice and so is Louisiana Brew next door..

[dockman]

Glad to hear shuttle now free.  Maybe too many people did not appreciate being lied to as to distance etc.

 

Nha Trang is a very pleasant beach community.  Crossing the road to get to the beach can be a real adventure with tons of motorbikes.  Find a local and cross with them and do not stop and go....once you start walking the bikes will dodge around you.  If you try to dodge around the bikes you are in trouble.

[MISTER 67]

3 hours ago, doublebzz said:

Visited Nha Trang last year on a Westerdam cruise.  The beach area was beautiful and I can see why the city was an R&R site for U.S. troops during the Vietnam War.  Today, the beach side hotels are crowded with Russian tourists.  I agree with Amyr that contacting a local tour guide might be your best chance for visiting the air base. 

Yep, I was pretty fortunate to get stationed in Nha Trang but it was hairy once in awile when the Vietcong hit the base with 122mm rockets. It was down right scary during the Tet Offensive in January of 68.

[Copper10-8]

18 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Has anyone visited Nha Trang, we are thinking of a Singapore to Hong Kong cruise with one of the stops at Nha Trang. I was stationed at the Air Base from December 67 to December 68 and was wondering if tourists are allowed on the base. I've checked it out on Google Earth and have read that it's out of commission but most of the buildings are still standing including my barracks.

 

First of all, thanks for your service!  Nha Trang is no longer an active Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF) base (it was until 2009). Plus there are reports from 2016 that the base property has been/will be sold for redevelopment. So, unlike Da Nang where you can still see the former U.S.-built HAS complex (see below) while traveling down the highway adjacent the base, chances are not very high, if you were to get in, there is much left to see at Nha Trang from the time you were based there

 

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/former-us-airbase-in-nha-trang-to-be-sold-for-540-million-58328.html  

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Copper10-8

[MISTER 67]

14 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

First of all, thanks for your service!  Nha Trang is no longer an active Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF) base (it was until 2009). Plus there are reports from 2016 that the base property has been/will be sold for redevelopment. So, unlike Da Nang where you can still see the former U.S.-built HAS complex (see below) while traveling down the highway adjacent the base, chances are not very high, if you were to get in, there is much left to see at Nha Trang from the time you were based there

 

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/former-us-airbase-in-nha-trang-to-be-sold-for-540-million-58328.html  

 

 

Thanks so much for posting that, if we go I'll just look for other areas that bring back memories, good or bad