Nha Trang is one of the most beautiful coastal beach cities in Vietnam. It retains a loyal following among foreign tourists who know of it, but the destination remains shrouded in mystery for others. Wise Traveller offers readers the inside track on why Nha Trang should be on their 'bucket list'.
Vietnam's tourism is booming, with a record six million international visitors in the first quarter of 2025. Nha Trang has also seen an 80% increase in tourism last year.
Location
While often overlooked by travellers favouring the northern delights of Hanoi or the attractions of Ho Chi Minh City in the south, Nha Trang is a thriving and bustling port city on the southeast coast.
Lying at the mouth of the Cai River and 412 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang is ideally located, as it has more days of sunshine per year than anywhere else in Vietnam.
Nha Trang's main beach, Tran Phu, is a 7km stretch of pristine sand and clear water, bordered by rustling palms, colourful beachside bars and seafood restaurants. With a stunning bay facing onto the South China Sea, there are also 19 islands and islets dotted off the coast to explore.
Best Time To Go
The climate in Nha Trang is relatively mild, with a dry season lasting from January to August. This period is marked by warm, sunny weather and minimal rainfall, perfect for beach activities, island hopping, and sightseeing. With average temperatures between 26-32°C, the city provides ideal weather, providing sun-filled lazy days on the beach, snorkelling, or diving in the turquoise waters.
How To Get There: Land and Air
In recent years, the rise in international visitors to Nha Trang has mirrored the development of Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR). The airport, a 45-minute drive from the city, welcomed over 4.6 million tourists in the first five months of 2025. Of this, the number of international passengers arriving in Nha Trang by air reached over 2 million, affirming the airport as a vital gateway.
Terminal 2 processed 4.3 million international passengers in 2024, a 79% year-over-year increase and reaching 70% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. South Korean travellers have been particularly significant to this recovery, with their numbers increasing 53% from 2023.
Vietnamese airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Jetstar, all operate flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Cam Ranh. Bamboo Airways has flights from Hanoi. CXR remains focused on expanding its network to other regions, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.
Indeed, Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, recently announced the launch of new flight services to Vietnam, including a twice-weekly service between Singapore and Nha Trang from November 21. The carrier said this will progressively increase to five times a week.
In 2025, the airport was also recognised by Skytrax, the world-renowned airline and airport rating organisation, as one of the Top 10 Cleanest Airports in the World, ranking seventh, and the only airport in Vietnam, to be included on the list.
With Cam Ranh Airport 35 km from Nha Trang, there are taxi services available, while visitors can use bus route 18 as an alternative.
If you are travelling overland, then be prepared. A bus or train journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang can take seven hours or more, depending on travel options and any changes on the way. Nevertheless, prices are pretty reasonable.
Hotels
Tran Phu is a road that runs along the main beach, and there are many hotels for tourists to choose from. For those wanting to be just steps away, then Muong Thanh, Novotel, InterContinental Nha Trang and Sheraton Nha Trang are among the closest to the action.
For the more budget-conscious, visitors should explore accommodation, such as hotels and homestays, around Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Hung Vuong or Nguyen Thien Thuat streets.
As for new hotels in Nha Trang, Accor has signed an agreement to open a Handwritten Collection hotel by the end of 2025. The new hotel, located on Pham Van Dong Street, a primary coastal avenue, will feature 113 guestrooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby bar, and wellness facilities.
IHG Hotels & Resorts is also planning to open voco Scenia Bay Nha Trang – By IHG by the end of 2025, bringing 250 stylish rooms and breathtaking sea views. The hotel will rise 28 floors and offer guests a premium stay experience that meets the rising demand in this destination.
Beaches and Islets
Nha Trang's greatest lure is a sandy beach facing a stunning bay dotted with 19 islands and islets. Tran Phu Beach is packed daily with holidaymakers, with watersports, from para-sailing to kite surfing, paddle boarding to jet skiing, on tap.
Hon Mieu is one of the most beautiful islands in the bay. The water is clear and suitable for swimming. You can visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium, with a giant ship design, which houses four fish tanks. This is the main sightseeing area, gathering hundreds of marine creatures like a miniature ocean. On the 2nd and 3rd floors are restaurants and souvenir shops.
Other island highlights include Hon Tam, Hon Mun for for diving and coral viewing, and Monkey Island, or Hon Lao, which has about 1,500 monkeys living in the forest.
Nha Trang Attractions
The town's vibrant entertainment scene is anchored by Sailing Club Nha Trang, a flagship venue for more than twenty years. Sailing Club's weekend beach parties are famous, and you can expect to party with a mix of locals, expats and tourists.
On the 43rd floor of Havana Hotel, Skylight Nha Trang delivers incredible views of the city from a 360-degree Skydeck. After sunset, international DJs and live acts take centre stage.
Nha Trang keeps culture lovers busy with several attractions. Built in the 8th century by the Cham people, the Po Nagar Cham Towers is a must-see. Its impressive architecture blends many different religious influences, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
In town, Nha Trang Cathedral is a display of ornate French-style stained glass windows and imposing columns. At the Long Son Pagoda, a towering Buddha statue watches over the city from a hilltop. The serene Buddhist Meditation Institute is enveloped by multi-layered gardens covered in flowers and plants, and overlooks a beautiful vista of paddies and mountains.
Nha Trang also offers mud baths, with the mineral-rich clay said to have therapeutic and skin-healing benefits. Finish off with a refreshing dip in the hot mineral pools. If you're feeling particularly indulgent, book a coffee massage or a chocolate body wrap. The most popular mud bath is at I-Resort, where you can extend your visit to the huge water park with slides, pools and thrilling watersports.
VinWonders is a self-contained island playground with a sprawling amusement park and golf course. Best of all, it's accessed via a stunning cable car ride, the longest in Southeast Asia.
The entertainment and resort area, located on Hon Tre Island, is divided into indoor, outdoor, water park, aquarium, performing arts area, ocean movie castle and food court. Visitors can experience a 120m high Ferris wheel to admire the landscape of Nha Trang Bay.
What to Eat
Nha Trang is, understandably, the seafood capital of Vietnam for good reason. Teeming with marine life, the waters off the Khanh Hoa coast supply the fresh fish and shellfish that are the highlights of most meals in Nha Trang. Whether it's streetside eateries, restaurants, or upmarket dining, there's no chance of going hungry.
You can enjoy dishes such as squid pancakes, grilled spring rolls, fish noodle soup, banh can, and banh uot. And don't forget, the many coffee shops, lemon tea shops, milk tea shops, and sweet soup shops that dot Nha Trang and are loved by many tourists and locals alike.
Lonely Planet highlighted Ot Hiem Restaurant as a favourite among locals and visiting Vietnamese in-the-know for its stylishly rustic decor and extensive 16-plus page menu. It also recommended dropping into La Viet Coffee (8 Le Loi), known for its craft-roasted beans sourced from Da Lat. Signature coffees include a Coldbrew Margarita and a Black Velvet cold brew with mulberries and salted lemons.
Andy Probert is an independent journalist who writes about global travel news, airlines, airports, and business. His work has appeared globally on the BBC, and in many national newspapers and magazines.
