Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It's the place to go in Vietnam if you want to do some scuba diving or snorkeling.
Understand
Traces of human settlement in Nha Trang date back to the Cham Empire, though in times of Vietnamese rule, there wasn’t much more than small fishing villages. The French recognized that this beautiful bay, with its islands and white sand beaches, made for a perfect bathing spot, and began the transformation into a resort town. American soldiers agreed, and it became a favorite vacation stop during the war.
Today, most of the tourist infrastructure is in the southern part of town around Biet Thu, whereas most of the locals live around the Cho Dam in the northern quarters. Tran Phu is the backbone of the city, accompanied by a pleasant waterfront promenade, palm trees and the nearly 6km of beach — by no means pristine, but nice enough.
Get in
By plane
Cam Ranh Airport (CRX), built on the grounds of an old American airbase in 2004, is located 30km from the city and serves only domestic destinations. Taxi fare from the airport to downtown locations should be about 170,000 dong, though many hotels have their own buses.
By train
Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The railway station is close to the cathedral in the northern part of town. If you want a soft-sleeper (the highest class available on Vietnamese trains), book your train ticket directly at the train station as far in advance as you are able. Having a private travel agent book this ticket will quite often result in you paying the agent for a soft-sleeper — the agent will book a hard-sleeper and you will not know until you board the train and it is too late to make changes. This is one of the most common scams in Vietnam!
By bus
Most open tour buses arrive from Ho Chi Minh City in the south (8 hours) and Hoi An to the north (10 hours). They drop their passengers in the main tourist area around Bien Thu, while the public bus station is at 58, 23 Thang 10, about a 10 minute walk west of the center.
Get around
Nha Trang has a reliable and easy to navigate public bus system, where the ticket fare does not exceed 2000 dong for a ride on a modern, air-conditioned bus with Vietnamese music. You will find buses nr. 3 and 2 the most useful, since they pass through the southern quarters. Alternatively, you'll find the usual selection of taxis, cyclos and motorbikes.
There is no destination in Nha Trang that justifies a fare higher than 20,000 dong/person.
See
Islands
Tour operators offer boat tours to the surrounding islands for around $7USD, that usually include such funny things as a on-board fruit buffet or the "swimming bar", where you float in a circular swimming aid and try your hardest to get drunk. There are more serious approaches to it, so shop around for the flavor you want it to have.
Other sites
Do
Although prices can be cheap for diving in Vietnam, don't get dazzled by the low cost — make sure the dive operator has the proper safety equipment and insurance.
Work
Eat
Nha Trang has plenty of 10,000 dong street stalls, but it also has a plenty of tasty international fare - at delightfully local prices.
Budget
On Nguyen Thi Minh Khai just west of Hung Vuong there is a soft ice cream shop not to be missed. A mere 2000 dong gets you a small cone.
Mid-range
Splurge
There isn't a lot in the way of upscale dining in Nha Trang — most of the restaurants cater to the beach crowd. If you're determined to splash out, head to an expensive hotel along Tran Phu and see what they're offering.
Drink
Most clubs are on Biet Thu.
Sleep
Accommodation is abundant in Nha Trang. Most hotels catering for foreigners are in the area around Biet Thu, but be sure to walk north into the side lanes if you want to cut down on prices and avoid the noisy traffic.
Budget
You should be able to find a decent clean room with fan for ~USD 4, with air-con ~USD 8.
Mid-range
Splurge
For expensive accommodations, check along Tran Phu, or try an island resort. (See below).
Contact
Internet access can be found in many hotels and through cheap internet cafes all over town. The farther away from Bien Thu, the cheaper the rates — 3000 dong/hour is the going rate at most places, although even cheaper can be found.
Stay safe
Thefts on the beaches of Nha Trang are sadly very common. Never leave your bag unguarded. Be aware of girl gangs at night. They are acting as if they are prostitutes. In fact, they steal your money.
Get out
There are several other beaches in the vicinity of Nha Trang. About 30 km north of Nha Trang, just when past the village of Ninh Hoa, a peninsula juts out into the South Chinese Sea, and on its northern coast rides its tinier brother, Hon Khoi. Several resorts are located on the eastern beach of Hon Khoi, where you find palm-trees, white sand and turquoise waters. To get there, follow the highway north past the turnoff to Dac Lac Province/Buon Ma Thuot. Then look out for a sign reading "Doc Let-Resort", close to a filling station. A taxi will take 2 persons for about 200,000 dong, while a Xe Om should not be more expensive than 100,000 dong. Or catch a through-bus plying highway Nr.1 and jump off at the turn off. There will always be some motorbike-drivers waiting to take you. Whatever place you choose to go, be sure to reserve a bungalow in advance.
Nha Trang is a coastal city and capital of Khánh Hòa province, Vietnam. It is well known for its pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving and is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists, attracting large numbers of backpackers on the Southeast Asia circuit. It is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists. Nha Trang Bay is amongst the world's most beautiful bays. Tourists can participate in Sea Festival and August- Nha Trang Rendez- vous Festival every 2 years.
The city has about 300,000 inhabitants and is projected to increase to 500,000 to 600,000 inhabitants in the year 2020 according to estimation of Nha Trang Administrative Board Statistics.
Historically, the city was known as Kauthara under the Champa. There's still Po Nagar Tower of Champa in Nha Trang now.
As a coastal city, Nha Trang's developed in marine science with Nha Trang Oceanography Institution. There's also Hon Mun marine protected area - one of four first marine protected area in the world admited by IUCN. The famous French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Émile John Yersin (who discover yersinia pestis) identified himself with Nha Trang's life for 50 years (people called him Ông Năm- Mr Fifth in familiar way), established the Indochina Pasteur Institution (Nha Trang Pasteur Institution now) to research bubonic plague and then died on March 1st in 1943 in Nha Trang. Nowadays, to commemorate him, in Nha Trang, there're a street named after him, a shrines beside his tomb and Yersin museum in where his house located.
Lying off Nha Trang is Bamboo Island, operated by the Sofitel Vinpearl Group. There is now a chair lift linking the mainland to the 5 star resort and theme park on Bamboo Island.
Flights to Nha Trang no longer use the city's airport, but fly into Cam Ranh airport (approx. 50 kilometers south).
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