I have recently visited Nha Trang and had a wonderful stay in this beach city of Vietnam. In this first-timers travel guide about Nha Trang, I will show you how to get to Nha Trang, get around, good areas to stay and top things to do in Nha Trang.
Nha Trang is one of the most popular beach destinations in Vietnam for both locals and foreign tourists, especially Russian, Chinese, and Korean. The city is known for its stunning sandy beaches, delicious seafood, beautiful cultural attractions, and affordable accommodations.
From my observation, Hotels and resorts in Nha Trang are often cheaper compared to other cities in South Vietnam like Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, or Phu Quoc. For the same amount of money for a basic guest house in Nha Trang, you can have a comfortable stay in a mid-range 4-star hotel in Nha Trang.
Top 13 things to do in Nha Trang for first-timers
1. Enjoy the beaches and water sport activities
Nha Trang is best known for its beaches, so you can spend most of your vacation enjoying the beaches. You can swim, sunbathe, and relax on the beach. Nha Trang Beach (or Tran Phu Beach) and Hon Chong Beach are popular beaches in the city center.
There are many watersport activities to enjoy including snelling, scuba diving, windsurfing, paragliding, jet ski, flyboard, or kayaking. The price is also very reasonable and it’s very fun to try.
2. Island hopping
Island hopping is one of the top activities in Nha Trang, especially for those who love a sun, sea and sand holiday. You can easily take one-day island-hopping tours, which usually offer transportation, lunch, and some beach activities like snorkeling, diving, and swimming.
Popular islands in Nha Trang for island hopping include Hon Mun, Hon Tam, Hon Noi, Hon Mieu, Binh Hung Island, and Binh Ba Island. Hon in Vietnamese means island.
3. Mud bath
Taking a mud bath is a popular activity for visitors in Nha Trang for relaxation. Some famous mud baths in Nha Trang include Thap Ba, I-Resort, and 100 Egg Mud Bath Spa.
These complexes often provide both public and private mud baths. There are also mineral pools, jacuzzis, swimming pools, and saunas.
You can watch my youtbe video here:
4. Check out the night market, Tram Huong Tower and April 2nd Square
Most of the accommodations in Nha Trang are located in the city center, on and around Tran Phu Street. From here you can easily walk to explore the night market, Tram Huong Tower, and the April 2nd Square.
The largest night market in Nha Trang is located near the 2-4 Square. It’s on one street and usually open from 5pm. You can buy local specialities, handicrafts, clothes, and food here.
Tram Huong Tower is located on the huge April 2nd Square right next to Nha Trang beach. Nha Trang is famous for its Agarwood goods, and Tram Huong Tower is there to show what Nha Trang is known for.
5. Enjoy fresh seafood
A visit to the beach city is not complete without trying its fresh seafood, especially if you are a fan of seafood. You can find many seafood eateries that are dotted along Tran Phu Street, and Dong Da Street. At these restaurants, you can buy fresh seafood onsite and they will cook it for you.
6. Nha Trang Cathedral
Nha Trang Cathedral, also known as Nha Tho Nui in Vietnamese, is a must-see cultural attraction in Nha Trang. It is a really nice cathedral located on a small hill and has stunning architecture. I took Grab from my hotel Liberty Central to the church, which cost only 15,000VND.
The cathedral is free to enter, but when I visited the cathedral, there was a guard at the entrance asking me to put a donation before entering the cathedral. I just put 20,000VND in there to be able to go in as many other visitors also have the same uncomfortable experiences passing this entrance.
7. Long Son Pagoda
Long Son Pagoda is a great cultural attraction in Nha Trang. It is located in the city center and is only a few minutes Grab ride from Nha Trang Cathedral. The pagoda is free to enter. You can visit the main hall, the lying statue, and the White Buddha Statue.
You need to climb numerous steps though. You can avoid the heat by visiting the pagoda early in the morning. The top of the complex has stunning views of the city and its bay.
8. Dam Market
Dam market is a popular market in Nha Trang to buy souvenirs, clothes, and experience local life. It is centrally located in the heart of the city center and only a short Grab ride from Long Son Pagoda. As many other markets in Vietnam, remember to bargain when buying stuff here.
9. Po Nagar Cham tower
The central part of Vietnam including cities like Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, and Da Nang has some stunning ruins from Cham Kingdom. Po Nagar Cham tower is a beautiful complex that was built around the 8th or 9th century.
You can admire the architecture from different towers and enjoy the view of the beach nearby. There is a chair with a shaded tree to sit on as well as a toilet and souvenir shop onsite. You can buy a ticket onsite and it is only a short grab ride from the city center of Nha Trang.
10. Monkey island
Monkey island is an interesting place to visit especially if you are traveling with kids. You can see many wild monkeys roaming free on the island, and feed them.
Monkey island is located outside of the city center. It cost 70,000VNd Grab bike from Po Nagar Cham tower to Monkey island tourist wharf (Long Phu Pier). From the ferry station, you can buy a ticket for the speed boat and admission fee to the island. The ticket was 180,000 for adult and 100,000 vnd for children.
The animal show is also very entertaining. There are only three shows a day at 10am, 14pm, and 15.15pm, so adjust your time to see these shows.
In addition to the monkeys, there are many nice spots to take photos and a nice beach for swimming. You can use chairs and sunbeds on the island as it is included in the ticket. There are onsite restaurants and fruit juice shops if you want to eat and drink.
11. Hon Chong Promontory
Hon Chong Promontory is a great place to have a look while in Nha Trang. It is located close to the city center and easy to reach by a short Grab ride. There was a small admission fee and you can have great photos with the rocks especially during sunset.
You can have great views of the city skylines from here. The cafe on site is also a nice place to sit down and enjoy a fresh juice.
12. Stay a night in Vinpearl Resort on Hon Tre island
Vinpearl is a popular complex on Hon Tre island that offers accommodations with a private beach, cable car ride, and vin wonder theme park with many activities. You can consider staying here especially if you are traveling as a family and a couple.
13. Ba Ho Waterfall
I skipped this attraction because I already see many impressive waterfalls in Dalat but if you are looking for things to do in Nha Trang, visiting Ba Ho waterfall is also a popular activity in the city for many visitors. It is located quite far from the city center, 45 minutes drive away.
If you don’t drive, you can take Grab. It is easy to take Grab from the city center and might be difficult to get Grab back to town but a taxi might be available. Some Grab drivers can wait for you. When my driver dropped me off at Monkey Island Wharf, he gave me his number and told me to call him when I finished exploring. He’ll come back to pick me up at the same price as the Grab App.
Actually it is the same in many other touristy cities, when I take a Grab ride to one destination, the driver offers to wait for me to drive back or drive me to other destinations with the same price as Grab and doesn’t count the waiting time.
How to get to Nha Trang and get around?
Nha Trang is located approximately a 9 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City, and 4-5 hours from Dalat. I took a 9-seat limousine from Dalat to Nha Trang; the driver picked me up at my hotel in Dalat and dropped me off at my hotel in Nha Trang.
You can also consider taking a sleeper bus which has more seats. This bus usually drops off at the bus station, and you will need to catch a taxi to get to your hotel. I think a limousine is the most comfortable option for traveling between Dalat and Nha Trang.
Nha Trang can also be reached by train. Nha Trang Train Station is located 2 km from the downtown area. The train is a good option if you are coming from Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang.
You can also get to Nha Trang by airplane, especially if you are coming from big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. The nearest airport is Cam Ranh airport, located 37 km away from Nha Trang city center.
You can easily get around in Nha Trang by walking, renting a motorbike, or taking Grab. I explore the city center on foot most of the time, and use Grab bikes for a longer journey. Grab bikes are good options if you are solo travelers. If you travel as a group or with family, Grab cars are better options.
What is the Best time to visit Nha Trang?
The best time to visit Nha Trang is the dry season, which is typically from January to August. During these months, the weather is sunny, making it great it ideal for exploration and enjoying beach activities which Nha Trang is known for.
The rainy season in Nha trang is from September to December. On a rainy day, you can explore cultural and historical attractions. I recommend bringing an umbrella along as you can experience rain all day.
I visited Nha Trang early May, the weather was very hot ( as were many other parts of Vietnam). The good thing is that there was no rain, so I was able to enjoy the beaches, islands, temples, and churches.
How long should you stay in Nha Trang?
In my opinion, 2 to 3 days is a minimum amount of time to spend in Nha Trang to see major cultural attractions, enjoy the nightlife, beaches, island hopping, and watersport activities. You can add extra days for your relaxation or exploration at a slower pace.
There are many resorts in Nha Trang like Vinpearl where you can just spend the whole vacation enjoying their facilities such as adventure park, aquarium, and beaches.
I spent 3 nights in Nha Trang on my recent trip, 2 nights in the city and 1 night on Hon Tre island. I was able to see some highlights such as Long Son Pagoda, Nha Trang Cathedral, Dam Market, Po Nagar Cham tower, Monkey island, and Hon Chong Promontory.
I also had plenty of time to explore the beaches, enjoy the nightlife, try fresh seafood, and explore Hon Tre island. I didn’t make a visit to Ba Ho Waterfall because after seeing so many impressive waterfalls in Dalat, I decided to skip this one in Nha Trang.
See more: 2 to 3 Days in Da Lat Itinerary
Where should you stay in Nha Trang?
The best area to stay in Nha Trang for the first time is the city center, especially the area around Tran Phu Street. This area has high concentrations of accommodations and is only a block away from Nha Trang beach. It is also home to many tourist facilities such as restaurants, cafes, shops, and clubs.
You can also consider staying in Pham Van Dong Street which is the extension of Tran Phu Street. The lower number part of Pham Van Dong is Hon Chong Beach, which is also surrounded by many high rise apartments and hotels. This area also has a great number of restaurants and cafes.
You can find a cluster of resorts and luxury hotels in the middle section of Pham Van Dong (around Do theater). Great base if you have a good budget and don’t mind taking a taxi/Grab to get to the city center.
Families and couples can consider staying in Hon Tre island, which is the location of the two luxury resorts: Vinpearl and Marriott. This is an isolated island, and best for those who want a relaxing vacation and are willing to spend most of their time at these resort’s facilities.
I stayed in 3 different hotels and resorts in Nha Trang in the city center and on Hon Tre island. For a budget travelers, I think Azura Gold Hotel & Apartment is a good choice. It has a prime location right next to Tran Phu Beach. My room was spacious with a stunning ocean view. There is a nice rooftop area with a small pool, a gym, and a free massage chair.
If you have a higher budget for a 4-star hotel, I recommend Liberty Central Hotel. I stayed in room 1515 with partial sea views and it was very clean and comfortable. Beach and many restaurants are all within easy walking distance from Liberty Central.
I also had an experience staying at Vinpearl resort on Hon Tre island. I think it is best suited for families and couples, but I traveled as a solo traveler and had a fun time myself. I didn’t buy the ticket to VinWonders but had plenty of time on the beach, swimming pool, and just relaxing. I took a cable car one way and on the way back to the mainland I took a speed boat to experience both transportations.
You can check more about best areas to book hotels in this post: Where to Stay in Nha Trang
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These are my notes about Nha Trang for first time visitors. It includes how to get to, get around, top things to do, and some good places to stay. I hope this information will be useful for you to organize your own trip to Nha Trang.