The Road to Bai Dai Beach

 

We followed the coastal road toward Cam Ranh Bay. The ride was spectacular by motorbike, being able to stop at will and snap a few photos of pristine rugged coastline. Right where the route cleared the hills, 25 kilometers south of Nha Trang, we turned left at a hand-painted blue-trimmed signboard reading 'Bien Bai Dai' in red letters. From a wooded parking area, sand-bag steps with bamboo railings led onto the beach. Thatched and tarped roof-tops stood taller than any I had seen in Cambodia or Thailand and shaded dozens of beach-side eateries for quarter of a mile. Beyond that, the beach became secluded for mile after mile where the turquoise colored South China Sea met the low-lying, white-sand, scrubby dunes of Cam Ranh Bay.

 

Only four other foreigners strolled the beach.

A few of the Vietnamese were Sunday beach goers from Nha Trang but most were families from the nearby Cam Ranh Bay military installation. They waded, splashed, swam, kicked soccer balls, posed for family pictures, ate, drank, laughed, and chattered. One neighboring table sang 'Happy Birthday'. Another young group arrived, one of the girls carrying a guitar.

 

In Nha Trang, the beach drops off steeply making undertows and currents potential hazards for us not-so-good swimmers. The Bai Dai beach sloped gradually seaward to make for a calmer swim. To dry, I walked  to the south end of the shacks and back. They all seemed to offer similar seafood which looked awesome but we had only stopped for the sunshine and beer. Tiger, 333, and Heineken were the main sellers. I was surprised how quick cans chilled in a cooler of ice. By late afternoon when the turquoise sea turned darker blue, we tallied the green empties under our table, paid our tab, and headed back to Nha Trang.