The capital of Khanh Hoa Province, and located on Vietnam's south-eastern coastline, Nha Trang is a popular tourist destination and a great stop on any backpacking trail. With a reputation as a glamorous 'party city' - it hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 2008, the Miss World pageant in 2010, and the 2016 Asian Beach Games - Nha Trang boasts fabulous, pristine white-sand beaches, and stellar scuba-diving and snorkelling.
The beautiful bay on the shores of the South China Sea is dotted with islands travellers can easily access and explore, and is home to the five-star Vinpearl holiday resort, an opulent, Disneyworld-like structure that caters for the well-heeled. One of those wonderful coastal destinations that is as popular with locals as with foreigners, and as revered by backpackers as by more affluent travellers, Nha Trang also features some interesting cultural fare that the more discerning traveller will enjoy seeking out.
Must-see tourist attractions include the Po Nagar Cham Towers (a beautiful collection of temples built between the 7th and 12th centuries); the Long Son Pagoda; the Alexandre Yersin Museum (constructed in honour of the French-Swiss bacteriologist who spent 50 years living in Nha Trang); Nui Hon Chong beach; and the Lanterns Cooking Class, offered by one of the best restaurants in downtown Nha Trang.
While in Nha Trang, be sure to try the local specialities, which include fresh seafood and barbecued pork rolled in rice paper.
Getting Around
Nha Trang is a relatively compact city, which makes getting around fairly straightforward; it is possible to walk most places. The city has a reliable and cheap bus system that helps people to travel almost anywhere in the city inexpensively. A nice way to get around Nha Trang is by hiring a bicycle, which can be done at most hotels. Unfortunately, hiring a car in Nha Trang is not an option for most travellers, as one needs to hold a Vietnamese licence to do so, but hiring a car with a local driver is common practice. While taxis in Nha Trang provide an inexpensive means of transport, they can sometimes be difficult to find. For this reason, it's best to call ahead and book a taxi or try finding a taxi outside any major hotel in the city. Travellers should also insist that the taxi driver use a meter to avoid being overcharged. For an authentic Vietnamese way of travelling around Nha Trang, visitors can hire a cyclo with a driver for the day. Cyclos are not the fastest mode of transport but do provide a novel way of seeing the city.
Nightlife
Shopping
Restaurants
Sightseeings
Child Attractions
Climate
Nha Trang, in southern Vietnam, has a tropical savannah climate with a lengthy dry season and shorter rainy season. Nha Trang's dry season lasts from January to August and the wet season is from September to December. During the rainy season, Nha Trang experiences around 41 inches (1,040mm) of rainfall. The wet weather in the city is caused by the presence of the northeast monsoon. It is best to avoid travelling to Nha Trang during the wet season as typhoons can also occur, bringing terrible winds. Throughout the year, Nha Trang experiences hot and humid weather, with temperatures that range between 69°F (21°C) and 91°F (33°C) all year round. The city becomes particularly humid between May and August, which is the peak of Nha Trang's rainy season.