Nha Trang city's 71 offshore islands are renowned for the remarkably clear water surrounding them. A trip to these islands is one of the best reasons for visiting Nha Trang, so try to schedule at least one day for a boat journey. Virtually every hotel and travel company in town books island-hopping boat tours. You can pay more for a less-crowded and more luxurious boat that takes you to more islands. Indeed, you'll have to do this if you want to get in much snorkelling.

Shallow water preverts boats from reaching shore at some of the fishing villages. In this case, you must walk sometimes several hun dred metres across floats. The floats were designed for Vietnamese people, and weightier-Westerners might get wet - balance carefully and take care with your camera. Nevertheless, ifs all good fun and a visit to these villages is highly recommended.

Nha Trang is Vietnam's premier scuba-diving locale. Visibility averages 15m but can be as much as 30m, depending on the season (late October to early January is the worst time of year). There are around 25 dive sites in the area, both shallow and deep. There are no wrecks to visit, but some sites have good drop-offs and there are a few small underwater caves to explore. The waters support a good variety of sort ana hard corals, and a reasonable number of small reef fish. A full-day outing including boat transport, two dives and lunch typically costs between US$40 and US$70. Most dive operators also offer a range of dive courses, including a 'discover diving' programme for uncertified, first-time divers to experience the thrill under the supervision of a qualified dive master. There are dozens of dive operators hustling for business on the streets of Nha Trang