VietNamNet Bridge – The central coastal city of Nha Trang has long been well known as a top tourist destination, thanks to its deep blue sea, untouched islands and unique gastronomy. However, now it is coffee that is attracting a new wave of visitors to this beautiful beach city.

Coffee shops here are imbued with Nha Trang’s typical characteristics: serene, relaxing and instilled with a sense of freedom.

Most of the most beautiful cafes are located near the seashore, with stunning views out to sea. Sitting here, drinkers can enjoy the sunny beaches, rows of coconut trees and many others of the city’s beauties.

Sitting on a special location, Me Trang cafe is included in an educational project linking the company and Nha Trang University.

It aims to provide a practice centre for students to test their theoretical knowledge in reality, giving them a clearer idea of the career demands needed after their graduation.

Pham Minh Son, a Nha Trang City resident, said: “Drinking coffee here is my way of enjoying some leisure time. Sometimes I drink four cups of coffee a day.”

“This is my very favourite cafe. Sitting here, I can taste the delicious flavor of coffee while enjoying the stunning beauty of Nha Trang’s landscape,” he added.

People here do not drink coffee on the run. They brew their coffee at a leisurely pace and in single servings using no paper filters or other devices aside from a simple metal filter called Phin.

It’s true in Nha Trang people consume hot and ice-cold coffee throughout the day at their homes, in restaurants, in cafes and on the streets. The popularity of coffee here has something to do with the city’s proximity to the highlands in central Vietnam , where the coffee is cultivated and brought to Nha Trang for consumption.

While other coffee-producing regions in the world focus more on single origin blends based mostly on the Arabica variety, Vietnam has opted for a multi-origin blend which most consumers here prefer. It has become, after Brazil, the world’s second largest coffee producer.

The quality and the taste of coffee, like wine, depend on a variety of factors, including the native soil, the climate, the elevation and the methods of harvesting and the means of roasting and processing. These are each as important as the species of the coffee bush.

Since the French introduced coffee in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak in the 18 th century, Vietnamese coffee producers have built up an enormous wealth of know-how and experience which has been turned into remarkable commercial success.

Visitors to Nha Trang will miss out on a part of its culture if they do not try Vietnamese-style brewed coffee there.

VNA/VNN