Nha Trang is a coastal city in the middle of Khanh Hoa province. It has been one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations for a long time. The city has many beautiful beaches, bays, and large and small islands that were given to it by nature. It also has many scenic spots, attractions, entertainment options, and resort facilities. Below is some useful information that can assist your first time adventure in Nha Trang.
Where is Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a beautiful city on the coast of Khanh Hoa Province. It is in the south central part of Vietnam. Nha Trang is 180 km away from Da Lat, 440 km from Ho Chi Minh City, 520 km from Da Nang, and 1,280 km from Hanoi. Because it’s close to Ho Chi Minh City and Central provinces, it’s a popular beach destination in the summer.
How to go to Nha Trang
Depending on where you start, there are many ways to get to Nha Trang: You can fly, take a train, a bus, a motorbike/car.
Go to Nha Trang by plane
At the moment, Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Jetstar all fly from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh airport. There is a flight from Hanoi on Bamboo Airways. Tickets cost between 1,400,000 VND and 2,500,000 VND.
Cam Ranh Airport is about 35 kilometers from the center of Nha Trang. Taxi companies will pick you up and take you to the city for about 300,000 VND. You can also take bus route 18, which costs 50,000 VND for one way.
Go to Nha Trang by passenger bus
- From Hanoi: The bus to Nha Trang leaves from My Dinh, Luong Yen station. Cost is 700,000 VND per person per bed. But the trip from Hanoi is really long and takes a lot of time, so we suggest you take a plane.
- From Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): There are many buses to Nha Trang, and the fare is about 300,000 VND per person. For example: Hoang Long car, Phuong Trang car, Minh Dung car, Lien Hung car, Phuong Nam car. It’s best to leave late at night and arrive in Nha Trang early in the morning.
- From Da Lat: most people take the Phuong Trang bus, which costs about 200,000 VND per person.
- From other provinces: There are usually buses that run from provinces to Nha Trang. To get a ticket, go to the main station of the provinces.
Go to Nha Trang by train
A North-South railway runs through the city of Nha Trang. The length of the railway that goes through the city is 25 km. This has made it easier for Nha Trang to connect to the rest of Vietnam.
The Nha Trang station is an important stop on Vietnam’s North-South railway. All Thong Nhat train lines stop here. In addition to the Thong Nhat train lines, the SQN1-2, SNT3-4, SNT1-2, and the first 5-star train that runs between Saigon and Nha Trang also pass through and stop here.
- From Hanoi: take the SE1, SE3, SE5, SE7, and TN1 trains. When you come back: SE2, SE4, SE6, SE8, TN2. Most train tickets cost around 350,000 VND (soft seats) or 600,000 VND (air-conditioned bunk beds). Cost of a 5-star train is 650,000 VND.
- From Saigon: SNT4 and SN4. To get back to Saigon from Nha Trang, take SNT3. Train tickets are usually about 350,000 VND (soft seats) or 600,000 VND (bunk beds with air conditioning). A 5-star train costs 650,000 VND.
Go to Nha Trang by motorbike or car
Tourists who like to explore and enjoy driving often choose to get to Nha Trang by motorbike or car. National Highway 1A runs through the suburbs of Nha Trang from north to south. The section that goes through the city is about 15 km long. National Highway 1C connects the city center to National Highway 1A. (with about 15 km in length).
Also, Nguyen Tat Thanh Street connects the city of Nha Trang to the city of Cam Ranh, which is where the Cam Ranh International Airport is. Vo Nguyen Giap Street connects the city of Nha Trang to National Highway 27C (formerly Road 723), which leads to the city of Da Lat. Therefore, if you’re going to Nha Trang by motorbike or car, you can consider explore more on Cam Ranh or Da Lat.
Read more: How to ride in Vietnam like a pro
When is the best time to visit Nha Trang?
The weather in Nha Trang is pretty mild, and from January to August it is dry. It’s not too cold in the winter. So, tourists can come here to travel any time of the year. From April to the end of June, it is more sunny and warm, but not too hot.
In September, it started raining occasionally, but that didn’t stop tourists from having a lot of fun. From October to December, it rains more, and cold air may come with it. This time, domestic tourism is no longer at its peak, so it’s a good time for people who want a quiet vacation.
June, July, and August are the busiest months for tourism in Nha Trang because that’s when most people are on vacation. If you want a comfortable, cheap, and easy trip, avoid these months. Of course it’s busy, but it’s also the best month for weather and there are a lot of fun things to do.
What are Nha Trang’s famous tourist attractions?
People know Nha Trang for its beautiful beach and islands, as well as its historic sites, mountains, and fun places.
Beach
Nha Trang Beach goes all the way through the city. You can walk to the sea from Tran Phu Street. But the area around the Tram Huong tower is the most popular place to swim. Many tourists say that the beach of the city has clear, clean, fine golden sand. There are a lot of activities you can do on the beach of Nha Trang, like swimming, sunbathing or simply enjoying a peaceful cup of coffee and watch the ocean.
Islands
Each of the islands in Nha Trang Bay has its own beauty, like fishing villages, unspoiled double beaches, a “kingdom” of monkeys, or colorful coral reefs.
Hon Mieu
Hon Mieu, or Mieu Island, is close to the mainland and is known as one of the most beautiful islands in the bay. Here, Tranh beach is almost 500m long. On one side, there is fine white sand, and on the other, there are many small pebbles. The water is clear blue, and the slope is gentle enough for swimming. Bai Tranh is also the place to go for games and water sports like jet skiing, parachuting, banana floats, flyboarding, and more.
Hon Tam
Hon Tam, or Tam Island, is about 7 km southeast of the city. This is an island with a lot of green forests, long sandy beaches, and calm waves. It’s a great place for tourists who want to relax.
Hon Chong
On Pham Van Dong street, about 3 km northeast of the city center, is where Hon Chong is. This place is made up of big, oddly shaped stone blocks that are stacked from the high shore to the sea. This tourist spot is also one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to see a coastal city.
Hon Mun
The best place to dive and see coral is on Hon Mun, which is 12 km from the Stone Bridge Port. Because two hot ocean currents meet on the island, there are about 2,000 species of coral and a lot of tropical marine life. When people join a diving tour at a depth of 6 to 8 m, they can see the colorful world of the ocean and touch many types of stars, sea fish, and other sea life.
Hon Noi
25 km from the port, Yen Island-Hon Noi is known for its wild and peaceful beauty. There are two beaches with the same smooth, white sand and clear blue water on both sides. From the top of Du Ha mountain, about 200 steps up, you can see the whole sea.
Monkey Island
Monkey Island – Hon Lao is a popular place to visit because the forest is home to about 1,500 monkeys. As visitors walk around the island, they can see them everywhere. Most of the monkeys here are friendly, but people should be careful because they often get close to people to steal food. On the island, there is also a place where circus shows happen at 9:30, 10:30, and 15:15.
Hot Mot Island
Hon Mot Island is popular with tourists because it has a peaceful fishing village on the water with tiled houses covered in green moss and boats bobbing in the water. Here, people can breathe in the fresh sea air and watch how the fishermen live. There are also a lot of other things to do on the island, like shallow diving to see corals, water motor games, glass bottom baskets, parachute canoes, and more.
Booking island day tours will save you money and time. It costs between 450,000 and 600,000 VND to go on a beach tour and play games at Hon Mun-Tranh beach or Hon Tam. A trip to dive on Mun Island costs 600,000 VND. In addition to going to the island, the tours often include a mud bath or lunch at a fishing village. Especially, if you love diving, you can consider taking Scuba Diving Experience at Coral Reef (from 42 USD/person) operated by An Nam Tour, this tour is loved by a lot of tourists. The tour will take you to two diving sites and serve a delicious lunch in An Nam Restaurant.
Aquarium Museum
If you love to see marine life, you can go to these places:
Tri Nguyen Aquarium
This aquarium appear with a huge ship design. Inside is the basement with 4 fish tanks. This is the main sightseeing area, gathering hundreds of sea creatures like a miniature ocean. On the 2nd and 3rd floors are restaurants and souvenir shops. When you visit Hon Mieu, you can stop by this aquarium.
Maybe it suits you: Coral Reef, Fishing Village, Tranh Beach and Tri Nguyen Aquarium Day Tour (From 24.25 USD/person)
Oceanographic Museum
The Oceanographic Museum is part of the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography, which was founded in 1923 and is located at 1 Cau Da. More than 20,000 marine and freshwater species are on display here. Some animals, such as devil face fish, lionfish, and tube anemone, are raised in glass tanks. This shows how diverse Vietnam’s marine ecosystem is. The museum has a whale skeleton that is 18 meters long and a Dugong sea cow that was caught in a fisherman’s net in Phu Quoc in 2003.
Adults pay 40,000 VND to get in, college students pay 20,000 VND, and high school students pay 10,000 VND.
Ponagar Tower
This Champa temple is on top of a hill that is about 10 m above sea level. It is at the nose of the Cai river, which is now in the Vinh Phuoc ward. This is one of the most important pieces of Champa history in the country.
The building has three floors, which are connected by stone steps from the bottom to the top. It no longer has the Gate Tower area. On the middle floor, or the pre-top area of the Mandapa, there is a place for people to rest and make offerings. There are 4 rows of 8-sided columns, with 12 small ones on the outside and 10 big ones on the inside.
Co Tien Mountain (Fairy Mountain)
Follow Pham Van Dong street north to the Duong De area, and you’ll see Co Tien mountain in Vinh Hoa ward. It has three peaks that range in height from 200 meters to more than 300 meters. About 10 km from the city center, the destination is a place where people from the area often go to work out or camp.
The way to Co Tien mountain isn’t too hard, and kids can climb with adults. From the base of the mountain to the camping spot on the top of number one, it takes about 30–45 minutes. The best time to climb is at 5:30 to see the sunrise, and 15:30 to see the sunset. If you ride a motorcycle, you can park it at a house near Ngo Van So Street for 5,000 VND per motorcycle. You can rent tents and flashlights there.
VinWonders Nha Trang Amusement Park
This is a 200,000-square-meter resort and entertainment area on Hon Tre island, which is connected to the mainland by a modern cable car system. There are indoor, outdoor, water park, aquarium, performing arts area, ocean movie castle, and food court areas in the amusement park.
Here, there are many ways to have fun. You can go to the water park or play games like free-falling towers, thrilling swings, and roller coasters to get a thrill. Don’t forget to take your kids to the movie castle or the candy fortress. At the end of the day, visitors can ride the 120-meter-high wheel with their families to see the beautiful scenery of Nha Trang Bay.
Adult tickets cost 880,000 VND and include two rides on the cable car. Tickets for children between 1 m and 1.4 m tall cost 660,000 VND. Customers who are over 60 can get a discount of only VND 530,000 per ticket.
Save more for you: Buy VinWonders Nha Trang with only from 560,000 VND (23.89 USD)/adult.
Read more: 20+ Nha Trang Tourist Attractions You Can’t Miss
Klook.comWhat to eat in Nha Trang?
As a coastal city, Nha Trang is known for its fresh seafood dishes. In addition to seafood, the city has many specialties and interesting dishes, such as squid pancakes, grilled spring rolls, fish vermicelli, banh can, wet cakes…
Cheap and fresh seafood in Nha Trang
If you buy seafood at the market in Nha Trang, it can be very cheap. In reality, you can buy fresh seafood at any traditional market in Nha Trang, but locals say that the best seafood is found in only a few ones.
- Xom Moi Market: Ngo Gia Tu Street, Phuoc Tien Ward, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province (Open from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
- Hon Ro Port Market: Hon Ro Port, Phuoc Dong Commune, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province (Open all day)
- Vinh Luong Port Market: National Highway 1A, Vinh Luong ward, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province (Open from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM)
There are many seafood restaurants in the area if you don’t want to buy seafood and cook it yourself. Popular seafood restaurants in Nha Trang draw a lot of locals and tourists because they have a lake where they raise fresh seafood from which you can choose. The prices between shops are also pretty close to what you’d pay at the market, so you can enjoy seafood at the restaurant to the fullest.
- Bien Hen Seafood Restaurant: 5 Pham Van Dong, Vinh Tho ward, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa Province
- Harbor Seafood (Ben Cang Seafood): Lot 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Boulevard, Phuoc Dong Commune, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province
- Roundabout Seafood (Hai San Vong Xoay): Ton That Tung Roundabout – Pham Van Dong, Vinh Tho Ward, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province
- Chill Garden Seafood Buffet: 1 Le Thanh Nghi, Vinh Nguyen ward, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa Province
Other local specialties of Nha Trang
Fish cake noodle soup
This is a dish that is unique to Nha Trang and that you should try. With thin, chewy vermicelli noodles, mackerel, and a delicious broth, this dish has a unique taste. Go to Bun Ca Ba Nam Beo Apartment B2 Phan Boi Chau, Nha Trang, and the Quan Ca Loan noodle shop on Ngo Gia Tu street to try this dish (Trinh Phong junction).
Jelly Fish noodle
This is a unique dish from Nha Trang. It has chunks of milky, thick, crispy jellyfish in a clear, sweet broth made from fish. It has a sweet, cool, and rich taste. You can get delicious jellyfish noodles at Bun Ca Ba Nam Beo Apartment B2 Phan Boi Chau, Nha Trang, and 23 Yet Kieu Restaurant. Prices for each bowl range from 20,000 to 30,000 VND.
Ninh Hoa Spring Roll
Nem Ninh Hoa is a snack that has become well-known in Nha Trang. You shouldn’t miss this dish if you go to Nha Trang. There are two kinds of spring rolls and spring rolls that have been grilled, and each has its own flavor. 15 Le Loi is where you can get this dish.
Read more: Discover Nha Trang’s 20+ Best Bites: A Local’s Guide To Find Great Nha Trang Restaurants
How to move around in Nha Trang
Motorbike
The main road in the city runs along the beach, so you should rent a motorbike to get around, especially if you want to try the local food. Renting a motorbike costs between 100,000 and 150,000 VND per day, not including gas. Usually, this is a service that hotels offer.
In case you can’t ride a motorbike, there are some other options below.
Taxi
If you don’t want to move around too much, this is the most popular choice. If you want to take a taxi in Nha Trang, you should go with a reputable company like Mai Linh, Vinasun, Quoc Te, or Tram Huong.
- Mai Linh: (0258) 38.38.38.38
- Vinasun: (0258) 38.27.27.27
- Sun Taxi Nha Trang: (0258) 3 89.89.89
- Quoc Te Taxi: (0258) 3.52.52.52
- Tram Huong Taxi: (0258).3.561.561
Grab
This ride-hailing app has already been used in this city, so you can easily use your phone to get a ride, check the route, see the price ahead of time, and tell your friends about the ride.
Boat/Canoe
If you love islands hopping, you should definitely rent a boat. This form of transportation is good for traveling in a group and costs between 900,000 VND and 1,500,000 VND per boat per day.
Bus
If you mostly stay on the mainland and want a cheap way to get around Nha Trang slowly, you can take the bus.
Private Car
Private car service in Nha Trang is a good option if you are traveling with family or a group of friends and want to see the most of the city on your own time without having to worry about other people. You can choose between a full day and a half day. Drivers live in the city and can tell you a lot about it.
Hotels in Nha Trang
As a tourist city, Nha Trang has many different places to stay. If you’re looking for cheap places to stay, Tran Phu is a road that goes along the beach and has a lot of hotels. Some hotels that are suggested are the Muong Thanh (from 45 USD/night), the Novotel (from 59 USD/night), the InterContinental Nha Trang (from 121 USD/night), the Sheraton Nha Trang (from 115 USD/night), and the Lodge (from 26 USD/night). Hotels on this street start at 900,000 VND per night and are close to the sea and the city’s center. The more expensive option is 2-3 million VND per night.
Behind Tran Phu street, there are cheaper hotels and homestays. Specifically, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Hung Vuong or Nguyen Thien Thuat streets. In exchange, your room won’t have a view of the ocean.
If you like to stay at resorts and want a private space that isn’t close to the city center, you can stay at Amiana Resort (from 111 USD/night) on Pham Van Dong Street, Vinpearl Resort (from 71 USD/night), or MerPerle (from 75 USD/night).
How long should I stay in Nha Trang?
The best time to visit Nha Trang is for 4 days and 3 nights. This way, you can see everything the city has to offer, from beaches and islands to land-based attractions, as well as have time to relax and unwind. Obviously, this will depend on how much money you have and where you want to go.
ATM and Money Exchange
There are many ATMs in the city center, so you won’t have any trouble getting cash.
At Cam Ranh Airport, you can change your foreign currency into VND (can easily see at the luggage bell area). If you are in the city, there are a few places where it is legal to exchange money:
Banks:
- Vietcombank Nha Trang at 17 Quang Trung Street
- Agribank Nha Trang at 12 Hung Vuong Street
- ACB Bank Nha Trang at 80 Quang Trung Street
- Dong A Bank Nha Trang at 55, 2/4 Street
- MB Bank Nha Trang at 9F Le Thanh Ton Street
- SeABank Nha Trang at 42 Yersin Street
Besides that, you can exchange money at any of the following Jewelry stores in Nha Trang:
- Kim Vinh Jewelry Store at 88 Ngo Gia Tu Street
- Kim Chung Jewelry Store at 56 Ngo Gia Tu Street
- Ngoc Mai Jewelry Store at 69 Phan Boi Chau Street
- Tao Store at 21 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street
Local Emergency Contact for tourists
- 24/24 Hotline to support tourists in Nha Trang: dial *2258 or 0947.528.000 (In addition to the hotline, Khanh Hoa also has a Tourist Support Center located on Tran Phu Street – Nha Trang City)
- Emergency Rescue: Dial 112
- Police: 113
- Fire Department: 114
- Ambulance and Medical support: 115
- Remember to save your hotel/homestays phone number in case of emergency
Other notes before going to Nha Trang
- Carefully prepare documents and make extra copies when you need to.
- To make moving easier, don’t bring too many things that you don’t need.
- You shouldn’t bring more cash than you need, in case someone steals it.
- You should swim in places with a lot of people, and especially when your kids are with you, you should keep a close eye on them.
- Make sure you have extra safety gear like life jackets when you go sailing or swimming underwater to stay safe.
We believe that by relating to you some of our experiences while vacationing in Nha Trang, you will now have the self-assurance to confidently plan a vacation itinerary that makes sense for you.
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