About Nha Trang
Nha Trang in Vietnam is famous for its world-class beach and a vast amount of activities to do around, from island hopping, surfing, and waterfall exploring to cliff jumping.
Nha Trang has a similar vibe to the bigger Da Nang but offers many more activities, especially watersports.
We spent three months in Nha Trang in 2020 and 2021 and returned on a short visit in September 2022. And we loved our time there.
Even though we didn’t have the chance to do some excellent activities like island hopping or diving (due to the situation). But now, Nha Trang is back to business and ready for you!
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Nha Trang Travel Tips
Location: Nha Trang is easy to reach through its international airport in Cam Ranh, just a 45-minute drive away, by train on the Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi line and by many intercity buses from both southern and central cities. We recommend you book tickets to Nha Trang on 12go.
Transport: Going around Nha Trang is usually the easiest by renting a motorbike, but if you’re not up for that, then Grab cars and taxis are readily available throughout the city and affordable to go between places.
Internet, calls: The easiest way to stay connected on your trip to Nha Trang and Vietnam is to get an affordable local SIM card (at the airport or in one of the supermarkets/phone stores). You can also buy an affordable Vietnam eSIM online through Airalo or Holafly (we especially love these for short trips).
Currency: The currency used in Nha Trang and Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong, abbreviated as VND, and 1 USD is around 24.000 Vietnamese Dong.
Tours, activities, tickets: There are plenty of options for booking tours online and in many tour agency offices across the city, but the biggest selection of trusted ones is found on GetYourGuide, Viator, and Klook (Klook is especially great for tickets).
Insurance: We recommend both Heymondo (get 5% off for being our reader) and SafetyWing (which we personally use at the moment).
Nha Trang Travel Map
Trip map created with Wanderlog
Top things to do in Nha Trang
Vietnam’s Nha Trang is a booming tourist city with the top things to do being swimming and sunbathing at its world-class beaches and doing many activities like island hopping, snorkeling, surfing, cruising the bays, and exploring waterfalls.
1. Enjoy the beaches
The top thing to do in Nha Trang is enjoying the various stunning beaches.
Much like most beaches in Vietnam, Nha Trang’s beaches face the east, so take advantage of the fantastic sunrises there!
The beaches in central Nha Trang have all the amenities you need, from toilets, cafes, restaurants, beach loungers with umbrellas, and more.
Some beaches you can visit in Nha Trang and the area are:
- Nha Trang Beach: the main beach in the city
- Bai Dai Beach: 40-minute drive south of Nha Trang
- Hon Chong Beach: located in the north bay of Nha Trang
- Doc Let Beach: 1-hour drive north of Nha Trang, not too developed beach (yet)
2. Visit the Po Nagar Cham towers
The Po Nagar Cham towers are a top attraction in Nha Trang, and you can find similar towers scattered from the central to south-central coast of Vietnam.
Visit the Po Nagar Cham towers in the early morning to avoid crowds, as it’s the most visited spot in Nha Trang.
The ticket to Po Nagar Cham Towers in Nha Trang costs only 10.000 VND ($0.4), and the opening hours are from 6 am to 5:30 pm daily.
We visited similar Champa Kingdom towers in My Son Sanctuary and Mui Ne.
- Read about the My Son Sanctuary in our Hoi An Ultimate Guide
- Read about the Po Shanu Cham Towers in our Mui Ne Guide.
The Po Nagar Towers in Nha Trang can be visited in about 30 minutes, as it’s not a big complex.
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3. Go surfing
Nha Trang is a trendy spot for surfing in Vietnam, with easy waves and warm water.
And if you didn’t know already, Vietnam is actually a pretty great country for surfing (especially for beginners). In addition to Nha Trang, you can also surf in Da Nang, Mui Ne, Phan Rang, and Vung Tau.
The surfing in Nha Trang is usually done on the Bai Dai beach, about a 40-minute drive south of Nha Trang. But people also surf on the main beach in Nha Trang.
The water on the main Nha Trang beach is waist-deep, so you don’t need advanced swimming skills to try surfing here. And you can quickly recover from a wipeout (being thrown off the board by a wave).
We tried surfing for the first time in Mui Ne, another excellent spot for beginners with awesome local surf experts.
4. Go diving or snorkeling
Nha Trang is known for its beautiful beaches and incredible marine life, so it’s also the perfect place for snorkeling and diving.
The best spots for diving and snorkeling in Nha Trang are around the nearby islands of the Hon Mun Marine protected area.
Book your tour: Hon Mun Island Half-Day Snorkeling
As tours weren’t operating when we were in Nha Trang, we only tried snorkeling at Mia Resort‘s coral reef. We had a great time, but next time we’d absolutely go for a snorkeling tour of the islands, as it looks incredible!
5. Go island hopping
The nearby islands of Hon Tam, Hon Mot, Hon Mun, and Hon Tre are great for an island hopping trip from Nha Trang, which is a great way to explore their beautiful waters and marine life.
And if you want a private experience, you can also hop aboard a private catamaran in Nha Trang and enjoy swimming, snorkeling the coral reef, eating delicious food, and taking in all the views while also visiting a fishing village.
Book your sailing on a catamaran in Nha Trang. (up to 10 people).
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6. Learn Scuba Diving basics
Beyond the snorkeling and swimming you can do around Hon Mun and other islands, you can also book a scuba diving discovery course from Nha Trang.
The Scuba Diving Experience in Nha Trang is NOT a course where you get certified in scuba diving.
It’s more of a try-out experience where diving professionals safely guide you.
Klook.comWe’ve only found out about this experience while doing our research. However, as we’re planning to do our diving certification soon, this would be a great way to give it a go and see how we actually like it. It seems like a great introduction to diving.
Book your tour: Scuba Diving Discovery Course on Hon Mun Island
7. Visit the Long Son Pagoda
Long Son Pagoda in Nha Trang is a must-visit spot, and even if you don’t visit, you will still be able to see it from far away due to its very tall Buddha statue on top of the hill behind it.
And you can also get a pretty good view of the city from the Long Son Pagoda hill.
Alongside the sitting Buddha statue on the hill, the temple grounds also house the reclining Buddha, also known as the “sleeping Buddha.”
There is no entrance ticket for the Long Son Pagoda in Nha Trang, and the visiting hours are all day long.
8. Go swimming and cliff jumping at Ba Ho Waterfall
Ba Ho Waterfall is one of the most famous waterfalls in the Nha Trang area; great for refreshing yourself on a hot day with many activities like cliff jumping, trekking, and kayaking.
It takes around 40 minutes to reach Ba Ho Waterfall from Nha Trang, and we suggest renting a scooter for getting there. But you can easily book a taxi/Grab car or even join a Ba Ho Waterfall tour.
9. Have fun at the VinWonders Nha Trang
For a fun day in Nha Trang, you can visit the VinWonders Nha Trang (formerly known as Vinpearl Land Nha Trang) on Hon Tre island right across Nha Trang’s bay.
VinWonders offers an amusement park, beach, water park, game arena, and mall and hosts many performances.
Hon Tre Island is also home to the famous Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang.
10. Enjoy Nha Trang Hot Springs and Mud Baths
Nha Trang is famous for its many hot springs and mud baths.
We booked a full mud bath experience at Thap Ba Hot Springs, where you get a mud bath and mineral baths and then enjoy the hot/cold pools afterward.
We spent around 3 hours at the Thap Ba Hot Springs. And if we had more time, we would probably stay even longer to chill/bathe even more. But the usual duration of the full mud bath experience at Thap Ba is about 2 hours and a half.
Having a mud bath in Nha Trang is a must-do thing, and we can highly recommend it to everyone!
In addition to mud baths on the “mainland” of Nha Trang, you can also get a speedboat to Hon Tam Island and enjoy a mud bath, pools, and a lovely beach right there.
We didn’t know about the mud bath at Hon Tam Island and only found out about it after researching more things to do in Nha Trang that we didn’t have time to do.
So check out the different options, as the one on Hon Tam also looks like a fantastic place.
Klook.com
11. Visit the fishing villages
There are some cool-looking fishing villages around Nha Trang that you can visit. Most are only reachable by boat, so they’re best explored on an Island Hopping Tour that also visits one of the floating villages.
Klook.comIf you don’t want to join a tour and want a more local experience, you can visit the Hon Mieu island by yourself. To get to the Hon Mieu island and the Tri Nguyen fishing village there, head to the Cau Da dock and get the Tri Nguyen hourly ferry for about 10.000 VND ($0.4) one way.
When you reach the Cau Da dock, ignore the tourist desk and swarms of ticket sellers trying to sell you private tours to the other islands. All you need to do is walk down to the local boats and only pay when you get on the boat. Good luck!
12. Climb up the three peaks of Angel Mountain
The Angel Mountain on the north side of Nha Trang is a perfect place to go for a nice hike which you can finish in about 2 to 3 hours if you visit all three peaks there.
And Angel Mountain is also a wonderful place to go for sunset as you get incredible views of Nha Trang and its bay.
Note: If you’re going to hike Angel Mountain at midday, bring sunscreen and maybe a hat, as there is no natural shade.
You can also only hike for about 15 to 20 minutes to get to the first viewpoint, which is already a great vantage point. And many people actually only hike up to that point.
13. Go on a sunset cruise
Sunset cruises are a popular activity in Nha Trang, and they usually include dinner and cocktails as you cruise around the bays around Nha Trang.
Again, this is something that we haven’t had the chance to experience, but we definitely would like to on our return!
Klook.com
14. Enjoy all the different water activities
Beyond the water activities that Nha Trang is famous for, like diving and snorkeling, you can also do a lot of other things, like kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding on the Cai River, flyboarding, and banana boat rides.
15. Admire beautiful Ninh Van Bay
Just north of Nha Trang, you can find the beautiful Ninh Van Bay, with golden sand beaches and pristine nature.
And the best way to explore Ninh Van Bay is actually on a boat trip or staying in one of the luxurious resorts situated right on the bay’s shores.
Resorts directly in Ninh Van Bay:
Klook.comWe tried to explore Ninh Van Bay by ourselves, but you can’t really access it from the main road. However, the color of the water was absolutely crazy!
But you can get some pretty nice views of the bay while driving the coastal road up from the Amiana Resort towards the natural rock formations at Hang Heo.
And if you drive along that coastal road in the afternoon and towards the sunset, there will be many small popup cafes along the road. They serve coffee and other drinks, as well as some simple street food. It’s a popular spot for locals, especially for snapping photos.
16. Drive the stunning coastal road to Nui Chua
Head south from Nha Trang for a fantastic motorbike adventure towards the Nui Chua National Park and drive its beautiful coastal road.
Nui Chua National Park is about 100km south of Nha Trang, and you can reach it in around 3 hours by motorbike. We stopped a few times along the way, but still managed to get there in 3 hours.
There aren’t that many tours you can book for Nui Chua. So at the moment, you can either go there by yourself on a day trip or stay in one of the few hotels.
While driving through Nui Chua National Park, you will be rewarded with amazing views and beautiful beaches. And in the beautiful Vinh Hy Bay, you can also take a glass-bottom boat ride to see the incredible marine life and corals.
Note: On our visit, the beautiful Nui Chua beaches were FULL of trash, but it might depend on the sea conditions, as it seemed like all the garbage came from the water. And it was also during the pandemic, so nobody was there to clean it up.
A lot of the coastline in Nui Chua National Park is also full of incredible geological formations. And on the last part towards Phan Rang City, you can even find salt flats and countless vineyards for which this area is famous for.
You can stay at some of these hotels in Nui Chua:
- Vinh Hy Resort (right in the Vinh Hy Bay, by the water)
- Casa Maya Hotel Ninh Thuan (north-side)
- Aloha Hotel Binh Tien (north-side, right next to the new golf course, beautiful beach)
- Amanoi Resort (one of the most luxurious resorts in Vietnam – secluded on a hill above Vinh Hy Bay, with a private beach below)
And you can also stay at one of the hotels catering to the kitesurfing crowd near Phan Rang City, as it’s a very popular spot for both surfing and kitesurfing.
Our friends from Mui Ne frequently go on surfing and kitesurfing trips to Nui Chua. Read more about Mui Ne and surfing in our Mui Ne Travel Guide.
We will write a complete guide to Nui Chua soon, so subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when it’s published.
Best time to visit Nha Trang
The best time to visit Nha Trang is between March and August when the weather is warm, and the sea is calm and clear for diving, snorkeling, and swimming.
The windiest time in Nha Trang is between mid-November and February when the sea is rougher, with bigger waves, and murkier water, and it’s not a great time for swimming.
We were in Nha Trang for three months, between February and May, and the weather was delightful most of the time. We arrived in Nha Trang at the beginning of February, and for a bit, there were strong winds and big waves, but later on, the wind stopped, and we could swim easily at the beach.
And we also visited Nha Trang at the beginning of September, and we had great weather and beach conditions.
Nha Trang is quite a unique destination in Vietnam weather-wise because of its long dry season, from January until August, with February being the driest month.
Where to stay in Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a so-called “resort city” since it’s home to hotels and resorts of some of the world’s biggest chains.
But Nha Trang also offers plenty of budget and mid-range accommodations, from homestays, hostels, and hotels to big comfortable apartments.
Below, we will give you an overview of the best places to stay according to your budget.
Nha Trang resorts
The biggest and arguably best resorts in Nha Trang are located in the Cam Ranh area, about a 40-minute drive from the city, on the Bai Dai beach. And most of them offer shuttles to the city for you to be able to explore it.
We stayed in two excellent resorts in the Nha Trang/Cam Ranh area, the Mia Resort Nha Trang and the Radisson Blu Cam Ranh.
Mia Resort Nha Trang
We stayed in a beautiful cliff villa set on a 35 meters high cliff, offering the best view of the East Sea. Mia Resort Nha Trang gave us one of the best sunrise views ever.
You can also do many activities at Mia Resort. We went kayaking and snorkeling in their bay. And we loved the experience, as we had never kayaked on the sea before that.
In addition to private pools at the villas and the big shared pool, there are also two private beaches to sunbathe and swim at.
Radisson Blu Cam Ranh
The newly built Radisson Blu Cam Ranh Resort is your perfect choice for an active holiday. It’s nestled in Cam Ranh Bay on the beautiful Bai Dai beach with incredible ocean views. It offers tennis, kayaking, badminton, volleyball, and football.
We had a relaxing stay in a beautiful beach-front villa with a fantastic pool, and we absolutely loved the great food at the on-site Blu Lobster restaurant. And you also visit the restaurant even without staying there.
Nha Trang budget and mid-range accommodation
If you’re looking for budget accommodation for your visit to Nha Trang, you are in luck, as it truly offers a wide selection of budget-friendly hostels, hotels, and homestays.
Best price and best-reviewed budget hotels in Nha Trang
- Azura Gold Hotel & Apartment (1-minute walk to beach, clean, rooftop pool, in-house restaurant)
- HighSea GoldCoast Superview Apartment (well-equipped studios and suites, very close to the beach)
- Nha Trang Moony Hotel (right next to north beach, well-equipped rooms/studios)
Best-reviewed mid-range hotels in Nha Trang
- Homie Panorama Nha Trang (amazing location, right next to beach, ocean views, pool, gym)
- Boutik Cham NhaTrang Hotel (beautiful hotel in a quiet area, 10 minutes drive south of the center of Nha Trang)
Best-reviewed hostels in Nha Trang
We stayed at XO Hotel & Apartment for two months during our extended stay. The apartment was well-equipped and quite lovely overall.
Though the cleaners didn’t do the cleaning the best at first. But then we raised the issue with the management and got them to “level up” their cleaning efforts. 😁 You’re welcome! Besides that, XO Hotel & Apartment was a great and comfy place to stay long-term with very hospitable staff.
Where to eat in Nha Trang
There are so many great places to eat in Nha Trang, as it offers something for every taste and hosts restaurants of many different cuisines.
Some places we highly recommend:
- Pizza 4P’s Nha Trang (probably the best pizza in Vietnam – try eggplant Margherita)
- Yên Nhà Hàng Chay & Yoga Nha Trang (delicious vegan food – try mushrooms in pepper sauce)
- Blu Lobster (amazing food – part of Radisson Blu Cam Ranh Resort, but can be accessed without staying there)
- Sailing Club Nha Trang (a very famous waterfront restaurant with amazing desserts)
By the way, Pizza 4P’s amazing pizzas are praised by everyone, even Italians. And there’s even a Reddit post about Pizza 4P’s eggplant pizza.
How to get to Nha Trang
The easiest way to get to Nha Trang is to fly into the Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) or by train and intercity buses from Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne, Da Lat, Dak Lak, Quy Nhon, and even Da Nang.
⏬ Skip ahead to How to get around Nha Trang
Coming with a drone? Beware!
Like Da Nang, Nha Trang’s airport in Cam Ranh is also a bad place to fly into internationally with a drone because of the supposed high security and military presence in the area.
During our long stay in Nha Trang in 2021, we flew from Nha Trang domestically and had no problems. But on our last visit to Vietnam in September 2022, we arrived on an international flight from Kuala Lumpur.
And just before exiting the airport, our bags went through the last scanner, and we got stopped and questioned about our drone (DJI Mavic 2 Pro).
The customs officers at the Cam Ranh Airport told us that we couldn’t bring the drone into the country and they must keep our drone at the airport until our departure.
But the funny thing is that our departing flight was from Hanoi, not from Nha Trang, as we were about to go to Da Lat, Da Nang, Hoi An and lastly Hanoi.
So we argued the reasoning for not being allowed to bring the drone and that we are definitely not leaving our drone in Nha Trang while we fly out from Hanoi.
And in the end (after about 10 minutes of arguing), they gave up and allowed us to go. So not only did they give us a hard time on our arrival to Vietnam, but they also wasted our time and almost caused us to lose the Grab ride we booked.
Countless cases online talk about this situation happening in Da Nang and Nha Trang and how the airport staff often ask for a bribe for you to take the drone. And we did not want to do that, nor do we ever want to.
NOTE: In Vietnam, possessing a drone IS LEGAL, and there is no law preventing you from bringing it into the country. But unfortunately, there are many corrupt “officials” at the Da Nang and Nha Trang airports, waiting to get some extra money from tourists (coming on international flights).
REMEMBER: If you do leave the drone with them (please DON’T), you will have no proof, no confirmation, and no guarantee that you will receive your drone back.
How to get around Nha Trang
Going around Nha Trang is usually the easiest by renting a motorbike. Though, if you’re not a driver, then taxis and Grab cars are readily available throughout the city, and affordable to go between places.
And one of the most convenient and comfortable ways to explore Nha Trang if you’re short on time is to book a private car service for half a day (4 hours) or a full day (8 hours).
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How many days in Nha Trang is enough?
The perfect amount of time for most short-term visitors to Nha Trang is two full days for visiting the highlights and another few extra days for island hopping, activities, and relaxing.
Most travelers on the north-to-south or south-to-north route stay only a few nights in Nha Trang before heading out to Da Lat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, or Da Nang.
Also read: Canyoning in Da Lat: All You Need To Know
Feeling adventurous? A place not on everyone’s Vietnam to-do list is Dak Lak (Buon Ma Thuot) in the central highlands, only about 4 hours away from Nha Trang. Check buses from Nha Trang to Dak Lak on VeXeRe.
We loved our time in Dak Lak!
Prices in Nha Trang
Nha Trang is an excellent destination for any budget, as it offers various accommodations, restaurants, and activities.
And while you can definitely splurge and enjoy the luxury part of Nha Trang, you can also go the backpacker/local way and keep it simple and fun.
| Accommodation | Food | Transport |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel: $20 – $50 / night | Inexpensive meal: $1 – $2.5 | Taxi 1km: $1 – $2 |
| Hostel: $5 – $10 / night | Mid-range meal: $5 – $10 | Motorbike rental: $5 – $10 |
Is Nha Trang a safe destination?
Nha Trang, like all of Vietnam, is a safe destination for any traveler, and you should have no problem safely navigating and exploring this wonderful place.
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Is Nha Trang worth visiting?
Nha Trang is definitely worth visiting for its fantastic beaches, world-class snorkeling, great surfing, and delicious food.
We spent quite a bit of time in Nha Trang, and we really loved the vibe there. It’s definitely much less “hip” than Da Nang, but it’s a wonderful place. And we especially loved the park area that stretches the main beach.
We hope we have inspired you to visit Nha Trang!
And we hope you will love it as much as we did.
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