Thousands of Russian tourists are basking in the sun at Nha Trang beaches with no worries whatsoever over the coronavirus epidemic. 

The famous beach destination is bustling even as the Ministry of Health said Monday that Khanh Hoa Province, where it is located, could be declared free of the novel coronavirus epidemic soon. The central province has not recorded a single infection for 30 days.

Typically a top destination for Chinese and Russian tourists, with the former dominating, Nha Trang tourism had experienced a setback in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus, which broke out in China, being declared an epidemic in Vietnam on February 1. Flights to and from China have been banned, and other entry restrictions are in force.

However, on Thursday, the sunny and cool weather attracted thousands of foreign tourists, mostly Russians, to the 12-km-long beach along Tran Phu Street in Nha Trang. 

Most of the chairs and umbrellas along the beach, arranged by hotels for their guests, were taken up.

Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, deputy director of Khanh Hoa's tourism department, said that Cam Ranh International Airport, around an hour from Nha Trang, welcomed about 54,000 Russian tourists in January, a year-on-year increase of 10 percent.

It is expected that the locality will welcome 52,000 Russian visitors this month. She said Russia has remained a stable tourism market for the province despite the coronavirus epidemic.

Vladmir, a Russian, gets into the water with heel fins. He said he was enjoying the nice and sunny weather.

After arriving in Nha Trang on February 18, Vladmir had learnt that one resident of Khanh Hoa had been infected with the virus, but he was not worried. "I don't see anyone coughing or sick at all. I don't worry about the Covid-19.

A Russian woman spreads a towel for her child to lie down while her husband swims in the sea. It is the family's first visit to Nha Trang and they have visited the Stone Church and Ponagar Tower so far.

Irina, a Russian tourist, reads a book, lying on the beach. She and her husband plan to visit Da Lat, a popular resort town in the Central Highlands and Phan Thiet, a central coastal town, after leaving Nha Trang.

The couple are not worried much about the risks of the coronavirus epidemic in Vietnam, she said. "My husband and I will return to Vietnam, especially Nha Trang because this place is beautiful."

An elderly vendor walks on the sands, trying to interest tourists into tasting her snacks.

On February 1, Vietnam suspended all flights to and from China and stopped granting visas for those from or going through epidemic-stricken areas. This strongly affected Khanh Hoa's tourism industry, which is heavily dependent on Chinese tourists.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province estimated the central province has lost VND9 trillion ($387 million) in tourism revenues so far, particularly because of the absence of visitors from China.

Vietnam has so far recorded 16 cases of novel coronavirus infection, of whom 15 have recovered.

The global death toll has climbed to 2,360, mostly in mainland China, and confirmed infections topped 77,672. Nearly 20,900 of those have recovered.