Nha Trang

1. Scuba diving at Hon Mun Marine Protected Area

Scuba diving is a must-do activity in Nha Trang if you’re a fan of water-sport. Isolated from the land, Hon Mun Marine Protected Area takes a 40-minutes boat ride to offshore and comprises 3 available diving sites for tourists: Moray Beach, Madonna Rock, and Whale Island. Getting fully geared and diving into the undersea, you can explore a wide variety of small colorful tropical fish, moray eels, and pufferfish as well as thriving coral reefs.

2. Islands hopping around Nha Trang Beach

Taking a boat tour to some Nha Trang’s neighboring islands, where you can leisurely snorkel, sunbathe and swim around, will definitely make your day. There are quite a number of the beautiful island that is worth your visit: Tam Island, Mun Island, Mot Island, and Mieu Island, where to enjoy water sports such as jet-skiing and kayaking, relax by the beachside or see the local fishermen at work catching cuttlefish, shrimp, and flower crabs.

3. Cliff jumping at Ba Ho Waterfalls

As one of Nha Trang’s must-visit attractions, Ba Ho Waterfalls is a 40-minute drive from Nha Trang City, with picturesque stretches of coastlines and paddy fields throughout the journey. Surrounded by dense rainforest and comprising three tiers and swimming pools at the bottom of each, Ba Ho Waterfalls is truly an out-of-the-way treasure that makes for a welcome, adventurous escape away from the crowds. The rocks surrounding the pools are famous for daredevils to jump, from the height of 30m. If you have guts, jump in, chill out and let little fish nip at your toes. The feeling will be extremely exciting and refreshing, which will immediately blow away all of your burdens and stress.

But if jumping is not your thing, Ba Ho Waterfalls still offers tons of scenic natural spots outing trips such as picnics, camping, hiking or fishing.

4. Having a fun-packed day at Vinpearl Amusement Park

Situated on Hon Tre Island, Vinpearl Amusement Park is connected to the mainland of Nha Trang via a 3,320-metre sea-crossing cable car, which offers great views of the bay along the way. This is a large-scale theme park featuring water slides and games, a wave pool, and an impressive 3,000sqm aquarium which has a tunnel with a motorized walkway through letting visitors admire no less than 300 species of colorful fish. This modern and beautifully-kept aquarium is claimed to be the biggest of its kind in Vietnam.

5. City touring on a bicycle

Joining a bicycle tour is a fun, inexpensive, and healthy way of exploring Nha Trang city. A full-day cycling tour offers a scenic route along the coastline, visiting top attractions such as Nha Trang Cathedral, Long Son Pagoda, Po Nagar Cham Towers, The White Buddha, Chong Rocks, and Ngoc Son Pagoda.

6. Joining a cooking class

Attending a cooking class is a good way of immersing yourself in the local culture. Available in many local restaurants and five-star hotels in Nha Trang, it is a half-day session that starts with a morning stroll to the local market and the latter learn to make some typical Vietnamese dishes instructed by an experienced chef. Learners will be rewarded with their own cook and a special gift bag at the end of their class.

7. Muth bathing at Thap Ba Hot Springs Centre

Accessible within a 15-minute drive from Nha Trang City, the establishment is fitted with private and shared mud-baths, herbal-bath, jacuzzi, waterfall, swimming pool, and sauna. As odd as it may sound, mud baths are popular amongst travelers looking to relax after a day of exploring Nha Trang, and people believe the all-natural mud contains a wide array of minerals that can help relieve fatigue, remove dead skin cells, strengthens bones, and alleviate pain.

It is undeniable that Nha Trang is one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the world. Many locals come to Nha Trang to relax in a resort during the weekend or go on their honeymoon for several days, but for first-timers, who often ask how long should it take to visit Nha Trang, we suggest a 2-day trip to experience the essence of Nha Trang’s beauty, while staying in control of your budget and without being exhausted .

Day 1: Nha Trang Islands – City Tour

AM: Book a boat tour heading to islands around Nha Trang beach. Visit Tam Island, Mun Island, Mot Island for a day. Enjoy brilliant turquoise waters and have great swimming, snorkeling, kayaking. Have lunch with fresh seafood and laid-back on the beautiful beaches.

PM: Get back to land and take a city tour visiting top attractions: Long Son Pagoda, Ngoc Son Pagoda, Nha Trang Cathedral, and Po Nagar Cham Towers. Shop at Dam Market and wander around the main street Tran Phu for dinner with local foods and hang out at some bar at night.

Day 2: Ba Ho Waterfalls – Thap Ba Hot Springs Centre

AM: Venture Ba Ho Waterfalls. Enjoy sightseeing and swimming at crystal pool under the waterfall (and try cliff jumping, if you dare).

PM: Move to Thap Ba Hot Springs Centre to relax and take a muth-bathing for the afternoon. Return to the city to have dinner and spend the last night visiting the Night Market for souvenir shopping.

If you are a veteran backpacker, please feel free to manage the trip your own and alter it when needed, else, we recommend you join a tour organized by a professional company, that can free you from hassles and keep you safe throughout the journey.

1. Nem Nuong: (grilled pork sausage):

The sausage itself is flavored with chopped shallots, crushed garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper. In a portion, you will have a dish of Nem Nuong, a dish of vegetables, a dish of rice paper wrappers, and especially, a bowl of dipping sauce, which is mainly made of fish sauce, minced pork, and lime water that contributes the most for the Nem Nuong’s flavor.

2. Bun Cha Ca (grilled fish rice noodles):

Is minced fish marinated with flavors, then shaped into balls or flat circles and grilled, then used with the soup of pineapple and tomato to create the sweet and sour taste. This dish is ideally for breakfast, or brunch.

3. Bun Sua (jellyfish noodles):

Made of noodles and jellyfish, created in the same way it’s prepared in Bun Cha Ca. The jellyfish used to cook this dish should be as small as a thumb or two fingers, colored milky, and with thick edges, which usually catch from far offshore. People say this dish will help release the heat inside your body due to the effect of jellyfish.

4. Banh Xeo Muc (sizzling cake with squid):

Banh xeo, which is a very popular street food across Vietnam, was named after the sound it makes when we put rice flour into a hot oiled pan. Usually, Banh Xeo is made with pork and shrimp, but in Nha Trang, it cooked with squid instead. It has the wonderful taste of fresh squid after frying. You can wrap it up in a cabbage leaf then dip into the dipping sauce. This dish is light digested and be consumed anytime of the day.

5. Banh Beo (water fern cake):

Is a small circular steamed rice cake with a dimple in the center. In the dimple, you’ll find shrimp powder, scallions, and mung bean paste. Banh Beo can be found all around Vietnam, but in Nha Trang, it tends to be smaller in size. You can easily eat one Banh Beo at a time.

The best time to visit Nha Trang is between February and May, while the city enjoys an average temperature between 26 and 27°C with little to no rainfall. That makes it ideal for lounging on the beach, island-hopping, hiking, diving, surfing, and other water-sport activities.

P/s: The hottest months of the year are July and August, and the monsoon period takes place from September until December. Avoid scorching heat and regular rainy days during those times.

If you prefer airplane: Probably a one-hour flight from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City is the easiest way to get to Nha Trang. However, when touching down at Cam Ranh International Airport, which is closest to Nha Trang, you need to take a transfer bus to get into the city. Price varies upon seasons.

Or train: is also an interesting way to get to Nha Trang from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, which takes about 8 hours to travel between the two cities. Price varies depends on facility.

And Bus: Nha Trang is well-served by several higher-quality buses. “Open Buses” cost more than local buses but drop-off/pick-up is conveniently from the company office right downtown rather than an outlying bus station. Prices start at $10.

Throughout this article, we wish you to have an idea of how to travel to Nha Trang for your best experience. In case you are looking for your own travel agent, who can offer a wonderful and hassle-free trip to Nha Trang, please feel free to let us know. We always commit our best to make it your once-in-a-lifetime journey.