It's not hard to guess what the most popular cuisine in the coastal city of Nha Trang is. Still, seafood comes in many forms and combinations so variety can still be the spice of your culinary adventures here. Of course as Nha Trang is a tourist destination this means that you can try the upmarket five-star hotel dining options but it's nice to know that there are lots of local down-home choices. In fact the only obstacle you will find is that not all menus are in English.

The ideal location to indulge your taste buds is the sea side or the beach front. A long walk on the sandy beach reveals many joints big and small that jut out into the sea. They mostly serve freshly cooked seafood. While you eating out in Nha Trang don't compromise on anything that is not caught live and cooked in front of your eyes. Savour the delicious food in the backdrop of mountains and the sea, complete with the music of lapping waves.

All kinds of fish, both freshwater and saltwater, are abundantly available. Some of it is dried and consumed later. Drying is an excellent way of preserving fish. Dried fish is mostly available in regions which have erratic electric supply and where ordinary people cannot afford refrigerators.

There are other kinds of cuisine in Nha Trang to choose from if you are not a seafood lover. Nha Trang has many eateries that serve Italian, Thai, Indian and Turkish food. Many of the bigger Nha Trang hotels cater to international tourists and hence have continental cuisine. For the unadventurous traveller who likes his food like back home, Vietnam does not disappoint. You can catch pizzas, burgers and bakes in the many restaurants in Nha Trang.

There is a choice of poultry and meat for the handful who are averse to seafood. The commonly eaten meats are pork, beef, chicken, goat and ducks. Ducks and goats are not easily available though. One of the typical Vietnamese specialities is bird's nest soup. Bird's nests are collected by the locals from bird farms in the islands and from some houses in the interiors of the city. These nests are made into delicious soup. A one time tasting of the soup is highly recommended.

Each region has its speciality - Binh Tan, an ancient village near Nha Trang City, is famous for its nuoc mam or fish sauce. Nuoc mam is the most important condiment in Vietnamese cooking. It is what salt is to Western and soy sauce is to Chinese cooking. It is used practically in all recipes and is known for its nutrition value. Thousands of tiny fish are fermented to make this concoction. When Vietnam was torn by war, many poor families survived on nuoc mam and rice. Till very recently the staple diet of many families was rice with nuoc mam and few wild edible plants. One thing that is common to all regions is a serving of fresh vegetables and herbs as side dishes along with sauces and dips.

The Vietnamese cooking is traditionally very healthy, with the right mix of flavours and nutrition. Vietnamese use a lot of fish sauce, fresh herbs, rice, vegetables and fruits. The herbs and spices used include lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and lemon. This apart, a lot of Buddhist vegetarian dishes also make their way into the Vietnamese kitchen.

Whether it is vegetables, poultry, seafood or meat, the flavours are fresh and the meals are artfully composed. Vietnamese food and cooking is known as the 'light cuisine' of Asia and for a reason. The delicate soups, stir-fries and well-seasoned grilled food served with rice and noodles are easily digestible and easy on the stomach. Even the snacks and desserts are not heavy and are often made out of fresh fruits and served with tapioca or sweetened rice. It is very rare that you will find any dish with artificial flavouring or added fats.

While the Vietnamese cuisine relies largely on fresh vegetables, subtle seasonings and rice, the cooking techniques reflects its Chinese and French influences. This is a result of years of suppression. Food in Vietnam varies with its regions and topography. In the south, the food is mainly fresh seafood owing to the bountiful coastal area. In the colder north food means a hearty meal of beef. In the central region the food is totally different and may have influences of the former court cooks.