Nha Trang (con't)

Did I mention in the previous post that I was really enjoying Nha Trang???  Well today only helped to confirm that!

Today started with a boat trip (yeah) out to explore the South China Sea, the islands and coral reefs near Nha Trang.

First though we stopped at a local fishing village on one of the islands not too far away from the mainland.  The colourful boats in the water and walking through the little village were a great way to start the day!

And a very fun experience was the chance to ride in a bamboo basket boat!  The young boy in the boat in the foreground paddled me around the harbour.

The next few hours were spent cruising among the islands, snorkelling in a really lovely coral reef (far better than I expected to be honest) and enjoying lunch on the boat.

But all good things do come to an end, and back in Nha Trang again I decided to go and visit the Long Son Pagoda which was founded in the late 19th century.  At the top of the hill behind the pagoda is a Big White Buddha seated on a lotus blossom.

Mid-way up the hill to the Buddha is the monastery bell, and I was lucky enough to be there at the start of a prayer time when one of the resident monks was ringing the bell.

Surrounding the Buddha are rows and rows of memorial boxes.  These are not graves (the bodies are elsewhere), but memorials for loved ones placed near the Buddha for good luck.

Also on the grounds of the monastery is a giant reclining Buddha statue which was quite lovely too.

And a group of kids having fun on a Sunday afternoon was an added bonus to my Buddha visit.

Back on the road again tomorrow to continue the travels north.