Nha Trang

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.

Culture and History

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.

Travel to Nha_Trang, visa requirements

Flights to Nha_Trang, airtickets

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!

Buses to Nha_Trang

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.

Nha_Trang attractions and sightseeing

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

• The Alexandre Yersin Museum, northern end of Tran Phu, on the grounds of the Pasteur institute. Mon-Fri 7-11.15am & 2-4.30pm, Sat 2-4.30pm; admission 26,000 dong. Has a small but very informative display about the life and adventures of the man who discovered the germ that causes the black plague and established Dalat as a hillside-retreat.

City tours

• Scuba diving and snorkeling are offered by several outfitters. A morning on the boat, snorkeling over the reef, is about US$12, while you can do the diving trip for about US$30.

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.

• Rainbow Divers [1] offer high standards of safety and professional service. There are daily dives and courses for all levels.
• Blue Diving Club [2] is another PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center.

Work

• Travel to Teach [3] works with a project teaching English and Computers too the kids that sleeps on the beach. Crazy Kim's Bar (see below) is the headquarters for the project.

Shopping, Nha_Trang souvenirs

Good restaurants and cheap meals

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

• El Coyote, 76 Hung Vuong St., ☎ 84.58.526320. Serves Tex-Mex and French food, and booze from the bar next door. It's slightly over-priced — figure on 90,000 - 105,000 for a full meal with a drink or two — but if you've been craving some enchiladas, it's worth it.

• Hai Vy, Along the main road next to the beach. A big restaurant serving Vietnamese and seafood cuisine. The portions are quite big, so it's advisable to order dishes sparingly and top up later. 25000-50000 dong.

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.

Nha_Trang nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

Most clubs are on Biet Thu.

• Crazy Kim's Bar is run by a woman who is an anti-pedophilia activist, providing a future for street children to keep them from being sold to the western sex-tourists.
• Sailing Club is a slightly posh establishment on the beach front south of the intersection with Biet Thu, sporting a dancefloor and 12 (twelve) speakers to pump up the jam. Lean back in your bamboo-chair on a starry tropical night on the big terrace and sip your favorite poison, if you were lucky enough to catch a seat.
• Pete's Bia Hoi. A quaint but cheap bia hoi (draft beer) joint located 2 blocks back from the Nha Trang Sailing Club and has excellent beer at "very cheap, very Vietnam" prices. 2 litres of ice cold San Miguel are available for 2000vnd, however smaller measurements are also available at equally priced offerings. He also has a small menu of snacks available at a reasonable price, his deep fried cauliflower and deep fried mushrooms are very good.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

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.

• Hoàng Châu Hotel, 6 Tôn Dản, T 058-524066 is a small place in a quiet dead-end street off Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Rooms are US$8 with air-con, local TV, hot shower.
• Quang Minh Hotel. Newly-constructed, a three-minute walk from the beach and offers rooms from $6/night, including satellite TV, hot water and refrigerator.
• Perfume Grass Inn Friendly staff who will book everything for you, including the morning half day snorkelling trip for USD12 per pax, and the whole day trip to the 4 islands for USD6. Pretty reasonable prices, as the prices offered by the agencies are around the same, what's more, you can check out early for the whole day trip, and leave your luggage at the hotel. After the trip, you can use their shower to freshen yourself up for perhaps the overnight bus/train trip to the next location.

Free internet and nice breakfast too. Airconditioned, hot water, with refrigerator and satelite TV. Rooms from around USD10/night for 2 people.

Mid-range

• Bao Dai Villa. The private villa of Vietnam's last emperor, Bao Dai. The villa is a little way from "downtown" Nha Trang and is somewhat secluded. Regular rooms go for about US$30 and large suites go for US$75. Enjoy one of the best views and best food from the Bao Dai Restaurant which overlooks the ocean.

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 — 6000 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.

Cope

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.

• Doc Let Beach Resort, sign-posted; Tel. 058-849663, Fax 849506. The best known place and closest to the mainland. Though it started out as a traveller's secret, it quickly became a destination for domestic tourists, who basically flood the place during weekends and holidays. There is some socialist charm to the not so "white palm beach turquoise waters"-like architecture of the place, but it's definitely not the old Robinson-feeling you might be craving.

• Jungle Beach 091-3429144,syl@dng.vnn.vn is reportedly slightly more upmarket, with prices being US$15 per person, even if you sleep on the beach. Run by a Canadian-Vietnamese couple, food's included, and it's the most remote of the resorts here.

• Paradise Resort, Nha Nhi Thien Duong, follow the signs from Doc Let-Resort through Dong Hai-village, ☎ 0084-58-670480 (paradise_doclech@hotmail.com, fax: 0084-58-670479), [4]. Run by an elderly gentleman and his Vietnamese family. Bungalows are US$16-18 (US$11-14 for a single person), depending on how close they are to the beach. Meals are included, and prices for drinks are reasonable. Water, fruits, coffee and tea are free..

Featured articles
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows . .