Nha Trang is a coastal city in Khanh Hoa in the Central of Vietnam. There are a lot of beautiful and sunny beaches and blue sea in Nha Trang. This is an ideal destination to visit in Vietnam from July to September, when other parts of the country are suffering from harsh weather conditions. To help you have a perfect trip, I will share my experiences and top things to do in Nha Trang – Vietnam.
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Best time to visit Nha Trang city
July to September is the best time to visit Nha Trang. During this time, Nha Trang is full of sunshine, which is totally different from Hanoi and Saigon with heavy rain and stormy weather. Therefore, there is nothing comparable to spending this time resting on a cruise or on the beach in Nha Trang.
How to get to Nha Trang from Hanoi and Saigon?
From Hanoi city or Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city), you can choose plane or bus.
1. By plane
Some airlines such as Viet Jet, Jetstar, Vietnam Airlines or Mekong offer many flights to Cam Ranh airport – Khanh Hoa, which is only 35 km (22 miles) from Nha Trang. You may check the flights and book tickets on their websites. You should book at least 3 weeks before departure for the best deals.
From Cam Ranh airport, you may go to Nha Trang by bus ($3/person) or taxi ($15 to $18).
2. By bus
* From Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city). The distance between Saigon and Nha Trang is 540km (340 miles), which takes about 10 hours to get to Nha Trang.
There are many bus agencies with buses to Nha Trang at about $11/person (bed ticket) or $8/person (seat ticket). You may consider some popular bus agencies below:
– Ha Linh bus (I think this is the best agency): 217 Pham Ngu Lao street – District 1 – Ho Chi Minh city. Tel: +8483.920.9470
– Phuong Trang: 292 Dinh Bo Linh street – Binh Thanh – Ho Chi Minh city. Tel: +8483.8309.309
– Hanh cafe: 229 Pham Ngu Lao street – District 1. Tel: +848.3920.5679 or +848.3837.6429
– Sinh Cafe: 246-248 De Tham street – District 1. Tel: +848.3838.9597
* From Hanoi. The distance between Hanoi and Nha Trang is 1400km (880 miles), so it often takes less than 30 hours to reach Nha Trang.
Fare of buses from Hanoi is about $40 to $45. Some popular agencies:
– Hoang Long bus: Giap Bat bus station – km 6 Giai Phong street – Hoang Mai district, Tel: +844.3664.6617 or My Dinh bus station – 20 Pham Hung – My Dinh, tel: +844.3795.1776
– Sinh Cafe (open tour): 38 Ly Nam De street – Hoan Kiem district – Hanoi. Tel:+8498.8757.689
Renting a motorbike or car in Nha Trang
Most hotels in Nha Trang have vehicle renting service from $4 to $5/day, you may deal with the receptionist or consider:
– Mr. Nam. +84905.111.541, $4/day. Delivery service is available.
– +84984.080.357, I don’t remember his name.
Best Hotels and Motels in Nha Trang
1. The hotel close to Binh Tan bridge, on Nguyen Tat Thanh highway, has very romantic view overlooking the river and rates about $9/day. If you stay for 2 or 3 days, you can bargain for lower price of $7.5/day.
2. Hon Chong area, Pham Van Dong street. Hotels and motels in this area are of various prices. Those hotels and motels are close to a famous cuisine area in Nha Trang city. The price is quite good compared to the center area, ranging from $7.5 to $10/day.
3. Anh Thu motel at 24/19 Hung Vuong street costs about $6/day for a single room, and $10/day for a double room. Tel: +84983.575.424 or +8458.3521.799.
I remember there are a few cheap motels near Binh Tan hospital, on Da Tuong street.
4. Khanh mini hotel on Hung Vuong street, not far from the beach. Contact Mr. Viet: +8493.2639.124. The cheapest room costs $10/night. If you stay for many days, you can negotiate for better price.
5. Nu Huong hotel (queen hotel) at 62 – Hong Bang street is slightly far from the beach but near the cuisine area. The price of a room for 2 people is $10/day, for 4 people is $15 – $18/day. Tel: +8412.277.7970
6. Friendly hotel at 15 C2 Hoang Hoa Tham street. Contact Mrs. Loan: +845.8352.5464 – +8490.5402.279. The price for a room is $10/day
7. Trang Vang motel (golden moon motel) at 98C/5 Tran Phu street. Tel: +8491.6003.739 or +8498.3577.822. The price ranges from $10 to $15/room/day.
>> Check Out 300+ Hotels in Nha Trang City – Vietnam
Where to eat in Nha Trang?
When finding places to eat in Nha Trang, you must remember two things: NEVER step into Muoi Do restaurant (quán Mười Đô) and NEVER listen to the recommendation from taxi and motor-taxi drivers.
– Rent a motorbike and drive around the city, cross Tran Phu B bridge then turn left to Thap Ba street. There are many seafood restaurants there with suitable prices.
– You may try Nha Trang eating style: Come to the beach, rent a canvas and buy a few grilled dried squids and beers from a hawker.
– Sau Phong restaurant is on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street. This restaurant is famous for goat hot pot.
– Que Huong restaurant near the airport, on Hoang Dieu street has seafood and bush meat. They are very tasty and cheap.
– You may try spider crab near Binh Tan bridge, on Nguyen Tat Thanh street (the way to the airport). Spider crab is sold at about $9/kg. Fresh, tasty and cheap. When choosing spider crabs, remember not to pick the big one, medium size is better.
Rice (cơm, the most important dish of Vietnamese) and noodle restaurant
– The rice restaurant on Nguyen Chanh street, near Thai Nguyen school offers at $0.7/rice plate.
– Com Nieu (clay pot rice) at Ngoi Do restaurant, 9 – Le Thanh Ton street. I like this restaurant a lot for its good service and reasonable price. My friends and I ate here and really love it.
– Ca keo (a kind of fish) hot pot on Le Thanh Phuong street, near Khanh Hoa Children’s house.
Eating at night
– Duck porridge on Han Thuyen street serves boiled duck along with a bowl of duck porridge, enough for 2 people at about 4 dollar.
– Noodle is from $1 to $2. Popular restaurants: Bac Hai noolde (phở Bắc Hải) on Quang Trung street. Hong noodle (phở Hồng), $2/bowl, at the end of To Hien Thanh and Le Thanh Ton street.
Where to drink in Nha Trang?
– Paramount cafe is very spacious. It is on Tran Phu street and near Novotel hotel.
– Hoa Dong Noi cafe on a big alley on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street near Ngoc Trai restaurant is the biggest and most beautiful cafe in Nha Trang.
– Moka at 74 Hung Vuong has nice ad lovely space. The 2nd floor has a very nice aquarium. The cafe serves some interesting Italian drinks.
– Hon Chong cafe at Hon Chong (Hòn Chồng) is a spacious cafe overlooking the sea. You can come here to enjoy the cool fresh air and various drinks at reasonable price. Especially, drop by at 4.30pm to drink a cup of coffee if you want to watch the extremely romantic sunset.
– The most special place is Altitude Cafe and Bar on the 28th floor of Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel. You can have an overall view of Nha Trang from here. It is very romantic, which is suitable for couples. Price of drinks ranges from $4 to $8 from 4pm to 11pm.
– You may try drinking coffee on the pavements for only $0.3.
– Some Bars at Yasaka hotel, Lode hotel or Sailing club on Tran Phu street, Night club on Hung Vuong street, or Rocky bar on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.
What to Eat in Nha Trang city – Vietnam
1. Dried squid is widely sold in Nha Trang with the price of 20$/kg (2.2 pound). You can buy dried squid on Hoang Van Thu street or near Thap Ba.
2. Salangane’s nest is a famous specialty in Nha Trang. There’re many places in Vietnam selling it but Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa has the best. Salangane’s nest is processed into different ways with price ranging from $8 to $15/box, depending on the quality and quantity. You should buy Bird’s nest at certified shops.
3. Seahorse is sold at Cau Da port and Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography with the price $1/one seahorse. The seahorse is put in a wine bottle for preservation. Seahorse wine is believed to be very good for men.
4. Fermented pork roll. Every time visiting Nha Trang, I always buy this at the restaurant opposite Binh Tan post office, next to a drugstore as gifts for my family and friends. It’s very tasty at the price of $5/kg (2.2 pound) or $3/0.5kg (1.1 pound).
Top things to do & see in Nha Trang Vietnam
There are many attractions in Nha Trang, however, you should prioritize the following sites: Hon Chong (Hòn Chồng), Po Nagar Cham tower (tháp Chàm Po Nagar), Vinpearl Land and some islands.
Vinpearl Land
Traveling to Nha Trang, you shouldn’t miss Vinpearl Land. With $23 for a ticket, you will have the chance to enjoy all kinds of games in the biggest tourist resort of Nha Trang. Vinpearl Land is divived into 3 zones: Outdoor zone including various thrilling games, Indoor zone with video games and movies, and Water park, aquarium and water music performance.
To visit every corner of the resort, you will have to spend a whole day, from 9 a.m to 7.30 p.m (the first show of water music starts at 7 p.m).
In the morning, you should spend time at the outdoor and indoor zone. Then, have lunch with fast foods and rest in a tent on the sidewalks. In the afternoon, play in the water park and aquarium, then watch water music show at 7pm.
Islands
You should visit 3-4 islands in Nha Trang. There’re different price depending on services provided by the tour agency. Therefore, you should carefully consider before booking. You should bring some foods for lunch because lunch on ship is slightly bad.
Renting ship yourself to visit islands
Ship will start at Cau Da port (cảng Cầu Đá), near Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography (Viện hải dương học Nha Trang). Buy tickets at Cau Da port.
If you travel in a big group, you may rent 1 canoe (7 seats) or a ship. Contact: Mr. Cuong, owner of Con Se Tre resort, +8490.350.8876 or Tu Hai Brothers Boat Trip at 100 Tran Phu street, +8458.3524.569
Scuba diving
Nha Trang is known as the paradise of scuba diving in Vietnam with the best services and the most beautiful blue sea. To try this sport in Nha Trang, you may contact the following firms:
– Blue Diving Club at 66 Tran Phu – Nha Trang. +8458.3825.390
– Coco Dive Center at 2E Biet Thu. +84058.3812.900
– Rainbow Divers at 2 Tran Quoc Khai. +8458.3826.166
– Jeremy Stein’s Rainbow at 72 Tran Phu street – Nha Trang. +8458.3829.946
>> Check Out 300+ Hotels in Nha Trang City – Vietnam
