---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Nha Trang, Vietnam | Wimup"
description: "Nha Trang travel guide: the ten things worth your time on Vietnam's south-central coast, plus the islands, the mud baths, the food and how to arrive."
url: https://wimup.com/city/nha-trang
type: City guide
updated: 2026-10-11
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Nha Trang

Nha Trang, Vietnam · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 14 min read

Nha Trang is Vietnam's beach city: seven kilometres of sand in front of a hotel strip, a bay of islands offshore, and a Cham temple older than anything else on the coast. Come for the water, stay for the mud baths and the fish noodle soup.

## Quick answer

Give Nha Trang three days. Day one is the city: a swim off Tran Phu at dawn, Po Nagar and Hon Chong, then Long Son Pagoda and the Stone Church. Day two is the bay, by boat to Hon Mun and the islands. Day three is a mud bath in the morning and Dam Market in the afternoon. Go between February and August, before the rains.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Feb · Mar · Apr
- **Ideal length:** 3 days
- **Budget per day:** $30–80
- **Language:** Vietnamese
- **Getting around:** By Grab, on foot along Tran Phu, by boat to the islands
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Nha Trang

### 1. Climb to the Po Nagar Cham Towers

Temple · 61 Duong 2/4, Bac Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Four brick towers survive of the Cham temple to the goddess Yang Ino Po Nagar, and the main north tower dates to AD 817. Named a special national relic in January 2025, it is still a working shrine, not a ruin.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticket at the gate
- **Best at:** Early morning, before the tour buses
- **Tip:** Shoulders and knees covered. Days 20 to 23 of the third lunar month bring the festival and the pilgrims.

Links: [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/po-nagar-cham-towers-77f?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Snorkel the reefs around Hon Mun

Marine park · Hon Mun, Nha Trang Bay, about 10 km offshore

The heart of Vietnam's first marine protected area project, set up in 2001 around the islands in the south of the bay. Coral losses halted diving in 2022, and trips now run to controlled sites, so ask your operator exactly where you are going.

- **Time:** Half a day
- **Cost:** Boat tour
- **Best at:** February to August, when the sea is calm
- **Tip:** Wear a rash vest rather than sunscreen on the reef. Boats leave from the Cau Da quay in the south of the city.

Links: [Khanh Hoa province](https://en.khanhhoa.gov.vn/vi/preserve/hon-mun-marine-protected-area?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. Walk up to the Long Son Buddha

Pagoda · 22 Duong 23 Thang 10, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Founded in 1886 and rebuilt at the foot of Trai Thuy hill, with 152 steps up to a white seated Buddha cast in 1964. Reliefs round its base honour Thich Quang Duc and the monks who burned themselves in 1963.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Donation
- **Best at:** Late afternoon, with the city below in the light
- **Tip:** Men on the steps offer guided tours. You do not need one.

### 4. Swim off the Tran Phu seafront

Beach · Tran Phu, Nha Trang ward, Khanh Hoa

About seven kilometres of sand and promenade in front of the hotel strip, and the city's living room. Swim early, while the water is flat, then come back after dark when 2/4 Square and the beach bars fill.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** 6am, with the swimmers and the tai chi
- **Tip:** The rains run September to December, heaviest in October and November. Plan beach days outside them.

### 5. Sink into a mud bath at I-Resort

Hot springs · Group 19, Xuan Ngoc, Tay Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Hot mineral springs and mud tubs in landscaped grounds on the river west of the city. A slow morning in the mud and the pools is the most Nha Trang thing you can do that does not involve the sea.

- **Time:** Half a day
- **Cost:** Entry ticket, private tubs extra
- **Best at:** Weekday mornings, before the groups
- **Tip:** Bring a swimsuit you do not mind staining. Grab gets you there from Tran Phu in about twenty minutes.

Links: [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/i-resort-nha-trang-7ca?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Look up at the Stone Church

Cathedral · 31 Thai Nguyen, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Christ the King Cathedral, begun in 1928 and consecrated in 1933, sits on a rock outcrop above the railway station, which is why locals call it the mountain church. French Gothic in stone, with good stained glass.

- **Time:** 30 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Morning, when the glass is lit
- **Tip:** The station is next door, so it fills a wait for the train. Mass takes priority over visitors.

Links: [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/cathedral-parish-nui-church-7ee?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. Shop Dam Market

Market · Ben Cho, Nha Trang ward, Khanh Hoa

The round, lotus-shaped hall built between 1969 and 1972 is where the city buys dried squid, fish sauce and bird's nest. Eat at the stalls around the outside rather than inside the hall.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** 8am, when the fish comes in
- **Tip:** Bargain on dried seafood. Buy bird’s nest only sealed and labelled, never loose.

### 8. Visit the Alexandre Yersin Museum

Museum · 8-10 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Yersin isolated the plague bacillus in 1894, founded the Pasteur laboratory here in 1895 and died in the city in 1943. His former home inside the Pasteur Institute is now a small museum to him.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Ticket at the door
- **Best at:** Weekday mornings
- **Tip:** His grave at Suoi Dau, about 20 km south-west, is a national relic and a quiet stop on a day out.

### 9. Tour the Institute of Oceanography

Museum · 01 Cau Da, Nam Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

The research station began in 1922 as the Indochinese Oceanographic Service, and its museum keeps tanks of live reef fish beside rooms of preserved specimens. The best rainy-day hour in the city.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticket at the door
- **Best at:** Before or after an island boat
- **Tip:** It sits beside the Cau Da quay, and Bao Dai’s villas are on the hill next door.

Links: [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/nha-trang-institute-of-oceanography-bb4?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Watch sunrise from Hon Chong

Viewpoint · Hon Chong, Bac Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa

Stacked granite boulders at the north end of the bay, one carrying a huge hand-shaped print that local legend gives to a giant. The view south over the whole bay is the reason to come.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Ticket at the gate
- **Best at:** Sunrise
- **Tip:** Po Nagar is a few minutes south by Grab, so do both before breakfast.

## Best islands & reefs in Nha Trang

Four islands, from the marine park to the theme park.

1. **Hon Mun** (Marine park · South bay): The marine park island, and the reef most boats are aiming for. Snorkelling first, diving only at sites the park allows.
2. **Hon Tre and VinWonders** (Theme park · Opposite Tran Phu): The big island facing the city, home to the VinWonders theme park and reached by a cable car over the sea. [VinWonders](https://vinwonders.com/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Hon Mieu** (Village island · South bay): The nearest island, ten to fifteen minutes from Vinh Truong port. A fishing village and the Tri Nguyen aquarium.
4. **Hon Tam** (Resort island · South bay): A resort island built around its own mud baths, for a day that mixes the beach and the tubs.

## Best beaches in Nha Trang

Three stretches of sand, from the city front to the far north.

1. **Tran Phu beach** (City beach · Central): The city beach: about seven kilometres of sand, showers and loungers, and calm water early in the day.
2. **Bai Dai** (Long beach · Cam Ranh road): Long Beach, on the Cam Ranh peninsula 20 to 25 km south. Mostly resort frontage, with public stretches between.
3. **Doc Let** (Day beach · Ninh Hoa): Fine white sand about 50 km north in Ninh Hoa, at its best from March to August.

## Best dive centres in Nha Trang

Three established shops. Ask each one which sites the park has open.

1. **Rainbow Divers** (PADI · Central): The founder opened Vietnam’s first PADI centre in 1997, and the shop still trains instructors.
2. **Sailing Club Divers** (PADI · Da Tuong): PADI five-star centre on Da Tuong running daily boats to the marine park.
3. **Angel Dive** (SSI · Nguyen Thien Thuat): SSI centre on Nguyen Thien Thuat, open from early morning for the boat departures.

## Best restaurants in Nha Trang

Five kitchens, from the charcoal grills to the noodle counters.

1. **Lac Canh** (Grill · Nguyen Binh Khiem): Honey-marinated beef you grill yourself on a clay charcoal stove, served here for over forty years.
2. **Nem Nuong Dang Van Quyen** (Nem nuong · Lan Ong): Grilled pork sausage rolled at the table in rice paper with herbs. Several shops share the name: this is 16A.
3. **Bun Ca Nguyen Loan** (Noodle soup · Ngo Gia Tu): Fish-cake noodle soup and jellyfish noodles from early morning, and the reference bowl in town.
4. **Lanterns** (Vietnamese · Nguyen Thien Thuat): Vietnamese cooking on Nguyen Thien Thuat, with half-day cooking classes and local charity work behind it.
5. **Ganesh** (Indian · Hung Vuong): North Indian kitchen on Hung Vuong with a long vegetarian list. The break from fish sauce.

## Best bars & rooftops in Nha Trang

Six rooms, from beach bars to forty floors up.

1. **Skylight** (Rooftop · Tran Phu): Rooftop beach club on floors 43 to 45 of the Havana hotel, with a skydeck and a glass-floored walk.
2. **Sailing Club** (Beach bar · Tran Phu): Beachfront bar and restaurant on Tran Phu that turns into the city’s late club.
3. **Louisiane Brewhouse** (Brewpub · Tran Phu): Microbrewery on the sand since 2006, brewing its own beers with a pool beside the tables.
4. **Altitude** (Rooftop · Tran Phu): The Sheraton’s top-floor bar on Tran Phu. Evenings only, and closed Tuesdays.
5. **InterContinental Lobby Lounge** (Hotel bar · Tran Phu): A hotel bar with a long whisky list and the bay through the glass. [InterContinental](https://nhatrang.intercontinental.com/dining/the-lobby-lounge/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Rainforest** (Cafe · Vo Tru): Treehouse cafe of swings and rope nets on Vo Tru. Order the coconut coffee.

## Best mud baths & hot springs in Nha Trang

Four places to sit in the mud, from the river to the centre.

1. **Thap Ba Hot Spring Center** (Mud bath · Ngoc Son): The original: mineral mud tubs, hot pools and a hydrotherapy waterfall north-west of Po Nagar.
2. **I-Resort** (Hot springs · Xuan Ngoc): Hot mineral springs and mud tubs in landscaped grounds by the river. The calmest of the four. [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/i-resort-nha-trang-7ca?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **100 Egg Mud Bath** (Mud bath · Phuoc Dong): Mud baths and mineral pools in egg-shaped buildings off Nguyen Tat Thanh, south of the city. [Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/100-egg-theme-park-b11?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Galina Mud Bath** (Hotel spa · Hung Vuong): The only mud bath in the centre, on two floors of the Galina hotel on Hung Vuong.

## Best day trips in Nha Trang

Five trips, from an hour north to the highlands.

1. **Ba Ho** (Waterfall · 25 km north): A stream of three pools stepping down Hon Son mountain about 25 km north. A scramble, not a stroll.
2. **Yang Bay** (Waterfall park · Khanh Vinh): A park round the falls in Khanh Vinh, 40 to 45 km inland. The name is Raglai for heavenly waterfall.
3. **Diep Son** (Island · Van Phong Bay): Three islets in Van Phong Bay joined by a sandbar you walk at low tide. Boats leave from Van Gia.
4. **Vinh Hy Bay** (Bay · Ninh Thuan coast): A deep bay walled in by Nui Chua National Park, the dry forest coast south towards Phan Rang.
5. **Da Lat** (Highlands · Lang Biang Plateau): The highland city at 1,500 metres, three and a half to five hours up the pass by sleeper bus. [Wimup guide](https://wimup.com/city/da-lat.md)

## Festivals & annual events in Nha Trang (2026)

- **Tet, Lunar New Year** (Jan or Feb): Fireworks over 2/4 Square and Hon Tre at midnight, then three days of shut kitchens.
- **Cau Ngu whale festival** (Spring): Fishing villages honour the whale at their whale temples, with boats, processions and offerings.
- **Reunification Day and May Day** (Apr 30 · May 1): The long weekend that fills Tran Phu with domestic visitors. Book rooms weeks ahead.
- **Po Nagar Festival** (Apr or May): Days 20 to 23 of the third lunar month at the towers, national intangible heritage since 2012.
- **Bird’s Nest Festival** (May or Jun): Day 10 of the fifth lunar month on Hon Noi, the island where the nest trade began.
- **Khanh Hoa Sea Festival** (July): The city’s biennial festival on 2/4 Square. The 2026 edition ran 17 to 19 July.
- **VnExpress Marathon Nha Trang** (August): Around 13,000 runners on Tran Phu in 2025, over distances from 5 km to the full 42.
- **New Year countdown** (Dec 31): The Western new year comes in on 2/4 Square, with the beach crowd on the sand.

## Must-try dishes in Nha Trang, Vietnam

- **Bun cha ca**: Rice noodles in a clear fish-bone broth with fried and steamed fish cake. The city’s breakfast.
- **Bun sua**: The same fish-cake soup topped with crunchy jellyfish.
- **Banh canh cha ca**: Thick tapioca noodles in a marlin and mackerel broth, with fish cake.
- **Nem nuong Ninh Hoa**: Grilled pork sausage from Ninh Hoa, rolled in rice paper with greens.
- **Banh can**: Small rice cakes from clay moulds, topped with egg, shrimp or squid.
- **Goi ca mai**: Raw small-fish salad rolled in rice paper with herbs and peanuts.
- **Binh Ba lobster**: Lobster from Binh Ba island off Cam Ranh, sold by the kilo.
- **Yen sao**: Swiftlet nest from the bay’s islands, in soup or sweetened. The classic gift.

## Nha Trang transport & airports

- **Air**: Cam Ranh (CXR) sits 35 km south, 45 to 50 minutes by car. Terminal 2 handles international flights, most of them from South Korea. [Cam Ranh International Terminal](https://camranh.aero/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) · [Vietnam Airlines](https://www.vietnamairlines.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Train**: The station is at 17 Thai Nguyen, by the cathedral. Reunification Express trains take about 7 to 8 hours to Ho Chi Minh City and a full day to Hanoi. [Vietnam Railways](https://dsvn.vn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Bus**: Sleeper coaches leave the southern bus station for Da Lat, three and a half to five hours, and run overnight to Ho Chi Minh City. [FUTA Bus Lines](https://futabus.vn/en-US?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Getting around**: Grab, Be and Xanh SM all work in the city. Bus 18 runs to the airport about every 30 minutes and takes about an hour.

## Nha Trang at a glance

- **Country:** Vietnam
- **Region:** Khanh Hoa province, south-central coast
- **Population:** 422,601 in the former city at the 2019 census
- **Founded:** A Cham port: the Po Nagar towers date from the 8th to 13th centuries
- **Nickname:** Vietnam’s beach city
- **Language:** Vietnamese
- **Currency:** Vietnamese dong (VND)
- **Time zone:** UTC+7, no daylight saving
- **Calling code:** +84, area code 258
- **Airports:** Cam Ranh (CXR), 35 km south
- **Power:** 220V, 50Hz, plug types A, C and F
- **Emergency:** 113 police, 114 fire, 115 ambulance

## Interesting facts

- Alexandre Yersin, who isolated the plague bacillus, died in Nha Trang in 1943 and is buried at Suoi Dau.
- Nha Trang Bay joined the club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World in 2003, its 29th member.
- Hon Mun was Vietnam's first marine protected area project, launched in 2001 with IUCN and the World Bank.
- The cable car to Hon Tre opened in 2007 at 3,320 metres and took a Guinness record over the sea.
- Since 1 July 2025 the city is four wards of a larger Khanh Hoa, which absorbed Ninh Thuan province.

## Nha Trang travel FAQ

### How many days do you need in Nha Trang?

Three. One for the city (Po Nagar, Long Son, the Stone Church and the seafront), one for a boat across the bay to Hon Mun and the islands, and one for a mud bath and Dam Market. Add a day for Doc Let or Diep Son.

### When is the best time to visit Nha Trang?

February to April, when the sea is calm and the heat has not peaked. The dry season runs January to August. The rains come September to December, heaviest in October and November, and boat trips get cancelled.

### How do you get to Nha Trang?

Fly into Cam Ranh, 35 km south and 45 to 50 minutes by car. The Reunification Express takes about 7 to 8 hours from Ho Chi Minh City, and sleeper buses come down from Da Lat in three and a half to five.

### Can you still dive in Nha Trang?

Yes, within limits. Coral losses halted diving at Hon Mun in 2022, and the bay's management board has since reopened controlled sites. Snorkel trips run normally. Book a licensed shop and ask which site it is cleared to use.

### Which mud bath in Nha Trang is best?

Thap Ba is the original and the busiest, I-Resort the calmest and most landscaped, and 100 Egg the most playful. Galina is the only one in the centre. Go on a weekday morning, before the tour groups arrive.

## Nearby guides

- [Da Lat](https://wimup.com/city/da-lat.md): Day trip · 10 picks
- [Hoi An](https://wimup.com/city/hoi-an.md): Vietnam · 10 picks
- [Phnom Penh](https://wimup.com/city/phnom-penh.md): Cambodia · 10 picks
- [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 80 cities

Part of the [Vietnam guide](https://wimup.com/country/vietnam.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md)

## Sources

- [Nha Trang tourism board](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Climb to the Po Nagar Cham Towers: Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/po-nagar-cham-towers-77f?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Snorkel the reefs around Hon Mun: Khanh Hoa province](https://en.khanhhoa.gov.vn/vi/preserve/hon-mun-marine-protected-area?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Sink into a mud bath at I-Resort: Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/i-resort-nha-trang-7ca?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Look up at the Stone Church: Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/cathedral-parish-nui-church-7ee?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Tour the Institute of Oceanography: Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/nha-trang-institute-of-oceanography-bb4?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Hon Tre and VinWonders: VinWonders](https://vinwonders.com/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [InterContinental Lobby Lounge: InterContinental](https://nhatrang.intercontinental.com/dining/the-lobby-lounge/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [100 Egg Mud Bath: Khanh Hoa tourism](https://dulichso.khanhhoa.gov.vn/en/article/100-egg-theme-park-b11?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Air: Cam Ranh International Terminal](https://camranh.aero/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Air: Vietnam Airlines](https://www.vietnamairlines.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Train: Vietnam Railways](https://dsvn.vn/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Bus: FUTA Bus Lines](https://futabus.vn/en-US?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.