Nha Trang has a lot going on. I found a lively coastal city with tree-lined streets, motorbikes weaving through traffic, plenty of restaurants and a sense that people live and work here, not just come for a beach holiday.
It’s on Vietnam’s south-central coast, about an hour’s flight from Ho Chi Minh City. The city’s history stretches back thousands of years and one of the best places to start exploring is Po Nagar Cham Towers, beside the Cai River.
The Cham people built the brick towers between the eighth and 13th centuries as a place of worship for the goddess Po Nagar.
The complex sits on a hill above the river, with carved details and a very different feel from the busy city around it. It’s an easy visit from the centre and gives some context to Nha Trang’s long history.
Long Son Pagoda is another city landmark. A large white Buddha sits on the hilltop, looking out over Nha Trang. The climb is worth it for the view, while the pagoda itself offers a quieter break from the traffic below.
Nha Trang Cathedral is a change of scene, with French-style stained glass windows and imposing columns.
On the seafront, the Agarwood Tower, or Tháp Trầm Hương, is one of Nha Trang’s best-known landmarks (pictured above). Agarwood is an important local product and the tower reflects its place in the region’s identity.
The nearby night market is small, but an easy stop while walking around the central waterfront. Many stalls sell souvenirs, including agarwood trinkets.
The Life Puppets Show at Đó Theatre in Vega City, North Nha Trang is clever, funny and entertaining, with impressive puppetry and traditional live music. Not at all what I expected when I was told that we were going to a puppet show. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting the city.
Still very much a fishing community, seafood is a big part of Nha Trang’s appeal. We ate at Lang Ngon Corner Restaurant in the city centre and Bon Mua Restaurant on the seafront.
Both had a good range of quality dishes and seafood, making them worthwhile choices for a meal out. A highlight was the jellyfish salad (main image).
Nha Trang is known for its natural mineral waters and we visited I-Resort Hot Mineral Springs to experience them.
The resort has a family waterpark with slides, pools and mineral baths, plus a large café and plenty of seating. There’s enough to keep you there for most of the day; we booked a mud room and enjoyed a massage and mud bath in addition to the springs.
Back in town, make time for coffee. Egg Coffee, at 67 Trịnh Phong, serves both egg coffee and salted coffee. If you like crème brûlée, try the egg coffee: its rich, sweet topping has a similar dessert-like quality. I preferred the salted coffee, where sweet and savoury flavours deliciously come together.
Despite being a coastal resort, we didn’t get to the beach, islands or VinWonders this visit.
Hon Mun is known for its marine life and is a popular spot for snorkelling and scuba diving.
VinWonders is on Hon Tre Island and combines an amusement park with a golf course. The cable car ride across the bay is an attraction in its own right.
Monkey Island, with more than a thousand resident primates, and Yen Sao Island, home to swiftlets, are other options for getting out on the water.
Where to stay
We stayed at the beautiful and luxurious The Anam Cam Ranh hotel, about 40 minutes drive south of Nha Trang and 10 minutes from the airport. Read more about my stay here.
Nha Trang worked well for us because we could fit a lot into a few days: history, a show, good food, coffee and time to unwind.
I feel we missed out by not visiting the islands, so they’re high on my list for a return trip.
It’s a lively city with enough variety to suit many different kinds of travellers.
