Doc Let Beach – primitive beauty beckons
Update: May 10, 2010
Ninh Hoa, a coastal district in the central province of Khanh Hoa, is well-known for its ocean temperate climate and as a land of sunshine and cool winds. In which, Doc Let Beach is suggested as ideal for summer vacation, especially for Saigonese to flee the heat and the ear-splitting noises of urban life.

After visiting Nha Trang City and other famous destinations such as Hon Tre Islet, Hon Tam Ecotourism Park, Bai Dai Beach and Cham Towers, tourists should take a trip on National Highway 1 to the north to stop by Ninh Hoa which pledges to put a nice impression in tourists’ eyes and memory by its stunning Doc Let Beach.

About 40km from Nha Trang City, passing over Banh It Pass and taking a turn onto Road 635 for just over 10km, Doc Let Beach will appear full of surprises and beauty.

In recent years the beach has gained the attention of many locals and foreigners. Doc Let Tourist Park covers about 14ha, of which five have been developed into resorts under the shade of a eucalyptus forest by Khanh Hoa Tourist Company.

These resorts feature bungalows at three-star standard priced from VND150,000 to VND300,000. The park also serves entertainment and recreational needs with tennis courts, swimming pools, massage rooms, karaoke, underwater games, beach volley ball, boat cruises, surfing and balloon flying.

Some parts of Doc Let are still primitive with endless sand dunes separating the beach and the land. In order to get to the beach you must first drag through the sand dunes which are dozens of meters high, that is why people call the beach Doc Let (Dragging Hill).

After playing with the waves and wallowing in the crystal blue water, swimmers can lie under the shade of green trees along the beach and listen to the whispers of the wind in harmony with the sounds of the waves crashing onto shore. The next must-do thing is to hire a boat for VND50,000 to cruise to Van Phong Bay to discover the daily life of the local offshore fishermen.

Shopping in Doc Let is another fantastic experience of the trip. Sellers stand in lines at the market gate and invite guests. Doc Let’s seafood market is inside Doc Let Tourist Park and sells fresh seafood such as crab for VND90,000 per kilogram, shrimp for VND100,000 per kilogram or snails for VND20,000 per kilogram.

An overnight stay at Doc Let Beach on a clear star-studded night is wonderful. The surface of the sea shimmers with the lights of the fishing boats. Indulging in the vaporous lights of the boats, the twinkling lights of the stars and the soft sounds of the waves and winds, daily stress is swept away. At the park or on the beach, tourists also can enjoy seafood prepared by fishermen.
SGT