Nha Trang

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It’s more lively and urban in character than other beach destinations like Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. It’s also the scuba diving center of Vietnam.

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.

The monsoon season is from October to mid December. Sea winds can be heavy, and sometimes the weather can get pretty chilly.

Most people like the locals or tourists come to Nha Trang for the beach. That would be their main motive. The beach here is unbelievably breathtaking. The water is so clear that you can literally distinguish everything you see under sea. The sand is white, the wind is peaceful, the air is fresh, and the people are friendly. Most importantly, everything the place has to offer is great and inexpensive. Whether you come for fresh air from the ocean, or to get a nice tan, or just to relax with your family, the beach at Nha Trang has it all. What is also different here is that you will likely see many women vendors walking along the beach selling steamed seafood. They will carry different types of seafood (some are unique to Vietnam and very expensive), and food is always kept hot and fresh. If you ever have the chance to come here, one of the things you must try is this as it is very tasty.

Having said all that, make sure that you visit in the right season. Nha Trang beach can be spectacularly disappointing when the weather is grey and the waves choppy. The experience is then one of murky sandy waters, a strip of standard brown sand with a multitude of empty beach chairs and no one to be seen.

The sites below can be toured in one day. It is always better to tour with other people.

National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam

01 Cau Da, 058-590-037. Admission US$1. Open 7am-4pm.

This is like an aquarium with popular and rare species of the sea. A perfect place to bring kids as they will get to see sharks, turtles, coral reefs, lionfish, sea horses, and many other creatures.
Alexandre Yersin Museum

10 Tran Phu St., 058-822-355. Admission US$2. Mon-Sat 8-11am and 2-4:30pm.

This is a scientific museum of a Swiss-born, Dr. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), who arrived in Vietnam in 1891 to study infected animals. He then later on produced a serum from horses and buffaloes. In this museum, you will be able to view all of his work as well as his equipment. Yersin never went back to Switzerland as he spent the rest of his life in Nha Trang. Don’t try to take pictures. Do respect the rules since they’re quite serious here.
Long Son Pagoda

Thai Nguyen St. Free admission. Open 8am-5pm.

At this pagoda, you will see a 79 ft. tall white Buddha. The pagoda was established in 1963 to honour the monks and nuns who died demonstrating against the Diem government.
Po Nagar Cham Towers

2 Thang 4 St. Admission US$0.8. Open daily 7:30am-5pm.

This tower was built by the Cham people to honor Yang Ino Po Ngar, mother of the kingdom. The local Buddhists of Nha Trang occupied this place for prayers and worshipping, and there are many incense lighted giving the place an interesting aroma. The Po Ngar Kalan is a very glorified structure with amazing architectures filled with stunning colors. It is a 20-25 minute walk from the main beach strip, however be prepared to wander through the ‘real’ Nha Trang, quite a shocking change from the showy built up beach side resort.