Nha Trang is one of Vietnam’s most pleasant beach resorts. Just a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang is renowned for its pristine palm tree-lined beachfront. The gentle waters of Nha Trang Bay make for enjoyable swimming, and numerous islands nearby are ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving.
CLIMATE
Nha Trang experiences two distinct seasons every year, which is the monsoon period (September until December) and the dry period (January until August) with moderate temperatures that stay between an average low of 18°C and an average high of 30°C. The weather in Nha Trang is usually warm and humid for the first eight months of the year, making it a popular destination for travellers looking to soak up the sun and enjoy various recreational activities. The best time to visit Nha Trang is between February and May, when the average mean temperature is between 26 and 27°C.
RESTAURANTS/DINING
Being a coastal city and the capital of Khanh Hoa province on the South Central Coast of the country, Nha Trang is one of the most attractive destinations for international tourists in Vietnam. Nha Trang is not only famous for the pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving, but also for its special delicacies. Here are 5 must-try foods list for people first coming to Nha Trang:
Grilled fermented pork roll- Nem Nuong
When mentioning Nha Trang cuisines, we definitely cannot neglect grilled fermented pork roll, also known as Ninh Hoa’s or Nha Trang’s fermented pork roll. We can eat fermented pork roll fresh (nem chua”) or grilled (“nem nuong”). However, most of the tourists will choose “nem nuong” to enjoy in Nha Trang, and buy “nem chua” as the gifts for family at home. Grilled directly with the fire of coal brazier, fermented pork roll is served with raw herbs as well as dipping sauce with pickled green papaya.
Lac Canh’s Grilled Beef
The secret of making perfect grilled beef lies on the recipe of mixing beef with honey and more than ten kinds of spices. The recipe is handed down from generation to generation, and only known to specific members of restaurant owner’s family. Customers are free to grill the beef and enjoy the dish in their own way.
Lac Canh’s grilled beef is so favored by tourists that it appears in many famous international travel guides.
Rice vermicelli with grilled fish and jellyfish – Bun cha ca
It’s “bun cha ca” broth, which is made from boiled sailfish and mackerel’s bones, that determines the exclusive taste of this specialty. Different from the fatty boiled pork bones’ broth; “bun cha ca” broth is sweet and savory, especially suitable for people who are going on a diet. A bowl of Nha Trang’s “bun cha ca” also contained jellyfish and steamed sailfish.
Lang Chai’s Seafood
Before visiting Hon Tam, Bai Soi or Bai Mini beaches, tourists are advised to drop in Lang Chai to buy some seafood. Customers can choose fresh seafood which is raised in cage under the sea by their own hand. After that, people will sail to nearby restaurant by ferry, where seafood will be immediately prepared and cook. On mainland, tourists can consume fresh seafood at reasonable price at Chieu Anh Restaurant.
Banh can- “Can” cake
Sitting around the warm fire of coal brazier, watching the cook skillfully pouring flour into moulds , and then enjoying hot “banh can” in a windy day is an unforgettable experience for anyone when in Nha Trang. “Banh can” is a popular snack in Central and Southern regions of Vietnam, including rice flour, lard, spring onion and eggs. The cakes are sold in pair, and served with special sweet and sour dipping sauce made from Nha Trang’s famous fish sauce, and raw vegetables.
Bird nest
Referring to Nha Trang, can not forget swallow’s nests – a specialty of Nha Trang City. Many islands in Nha Trang Bay is home to swallows, of which Noi Islet is the most famous.
The best one in the delicacies of Khanh Hoa is bird nest. It is a precious thing which is endowed by the nature for the locals here. Under the feudal period, Bird Nest is a gift which only the Kings enjoyed. In Khanh Hoa, canaries live naturally on more than 30 large and small islands. Among them, the most famous are Bird Nest in Noi islet, then Ngoai islet and Sam islet…
Nests often nest on the rocky cliffs so people often build bamboo scaffolds under the cliffs to get the nest. The canaries are divided into many types such as: blood canaries, betel residue canaries, white canaries, gold canaries… According to Oriental medicine, bird nests are often used as nutritious food to deal with fatigue and sluggish. In addition, bird’s nests also increase the resistance and immunity for the body … Bird nest is often processed into many ways such as sugar canary soup, Canary soup, chicken with bird nest, bird nest lotus seed, bird nest sweet soup…
Nha Trang City is one of leading holiday destinations in Viet Nam. The city is famous for Nha Trang Bay with an area of 507m², including 19 large and small islands. Many of which have put into operation in tourism such as Chong Islet, Tre Islet, Bich Dam, Mun Islet, Tam Islet, etc.
TRE ISLET
Tre Islet is the largest islet in the bay with an area of over 3,000ha – attracts the most visitors with 5-star accommodation and golf course, Vinpearl Land Amusement Park and the world’s longest sea-crossing car cable.
VINPEARL LAND AMUSEMENT PARK
Lying on the north of Hon Tre Island, Vinpearl Land has not only traditional identity, but also modern beauty. It only takes 5 to 12 minutes to go Vinpearl by high-speed boat or the longest Cable-car system, which is one of the wonder of Nha Trang tourism industry. From a height of 40m of this system, visitors can enjoy the panorama of brilliant flower on the East Sea Coast, or beautiful Nha Trang City.
Vinpearl Land Nha Trang includes a number of modern and unique facilities. Its cable car system is a gondola lift, built in April 2006 and opened in March 2007. This giant cable car is 3320m long and supported by 9 pillars, making it the longest over-water cable car in the world. At night, the cabins and the 9 pillars (which resemble the Eiffel Tower) are lit by a laser system. It’s not only the children that will enjoy this wonderful journey above the sparkling waters of Nha Trang Bay. Once on the island you will find a delightful beach to relax at with plenty of sun-beds and umbrellas. At the amusement park there is something for everyone from going on rides to watching the dolphin and seal show, where for a small cost you can swim with the dolphins, truly an exceptional experience. There is a waterpark with a variety of slides and water games, plenty of bars to grab a cool drink, and restaurants to enjoy a relaxing meal. Next on the list has to be the massive aquarium where the kids will be entertained with a variety of over 300 fascinating sea creatures, The outdoor musical performance stage where you will travel the world’s different cultures with traditional dances and entertainment.
Another attractive feature of Pearl of Vietnam is modern tuktuk cars that take tourists to the hotels or interesting places on a winding road in charming mountain scenery.
DAM BAY (ĐẦM BẤY)
Dam Bay (Đầm Bấy) is a small and deserted bay located in the eastern of Hon Tre Island in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa Province). It has not been pretty popular site comparing to Hon Mun, Hon Tam, Dai Lanh Beach, Van Phong Bay, Ninh Van Bay, etc in Nha Trang City, but it will bring to you a lot of interesting surprises by its pristine beauty.
To get to Dam Bay, it just takes about 15 minutes to travel by high-speed boat and 45 minutes to travel by wooden boat. You should start at the wharf near Nha Trang Institution of Oceanography to takes the boat to Hon Mun, then move to glass-desk boat so that you can see the colorful underwater world with numerous flocks of fish and stunning coral reefs.
The attraction of Dam Bay is its wilderness and quietness. It is situated in a sheltered and special location which is surrounded by mountains, therefore, the wind blow into the bay is very light and the ocean wave is gentle. It is also remote and unspoiled by human. That is reason why Dam Bay is an ideal place for whom feel interesting in “Robinson on the uninhabited island” style.
The beach in Dam Bay is incredibly stunning and beautiful with super white and smooth sand, blue and pure water and warm temperature. You will feel safe when swimming in here because of sheltered position of the bay.
Besides sandy beaches, Dam Bay has untouched rocky complex with multi-shaped cliffs, stones and mountains which attract adventure lovers. You can join trekking to explore the wildlife and natural landscapes on the bay. Moreover, coral reefs in here are also very diverse and as fantastic as other island in Nha Trang. You can dive or snorkel to discover the beauty of underwater world.
And the most important feature in Dam Bay is the feeling of peace and quietness that you can only find in here. There is no luxury and modern resort or hotel in here. Everything is designed as natural as possible. So you just find small thatched-roof tents on the seashore. You will feel like staying in an idyllic and lovely fishing village.
MUN ISLET
Mun Islet with high biological diversity and a lot of sea creatures, especially corals was planed as the first marine protected area of Viet Nam. Here, visitors can dive snorkeling, ride glass-bottom boat or walk under the sea to admire the magnificent water world of Nha Trang sea.
TAM ISLET
Tam Islet is an ideal destination for recreation and leisure activities such as parachuting, jet skiing, windsurfing, sailing, high-speed motorcycle, etc.
HUSBAND AND WIFE ROCKS
Consists of two enormous groups of rocks lying by the sea at the foot of La San Hill with rocks lying in disorder, which maybe resulted from tide’s erosion. The grand group of rocks off-shore is called Hon Chong, the Chong Rock consisting a square-shaped block lying on a flatter and bigger one. You can see the neat imprints of a giant’s five-fingered hand engraved on the stone side facing the sea. According to a legend, once upon the time, when a giant man was sitting fishing there, a giant fish swallowed the bait and pulled him away. He tried to pull himself back with a fishing-rod in hand, pressing the other hand against the massive rock leaving the easily-seen imprints. On the rocky ground, several rocks stand strangely on one another such as two rocks standing upright with another big rock lying between like a big stone gate to another group of rocks. The second group of rocks bears the shape of a woman sitting facing the sea. It’s called Hon Vo, the Wife, that has a close meaning with Hon Chong, the Husband. The Hon Chong Promontory, located in the sand dunes, looks like the work of a giant, who carelessly put several massive rocks together. On one side of the rock, facing the sea, there is a deep handprint with the five fingers close together.
Standing on Chong Island, we can find ourselves in front of the blue sky, the vast sea and Yen Island in the distance. Far to the right is Cau Da Port, Tre Island and the 6-kilometer Nha Trang beach with lines of verdant coconut-trees and casuarina-trees on the very white sandy beach. Jutting out from the shore, hidden behind the top of Lasan Hill is Nha Trang Estuary and the crowded Cu Lao Fishing Portan.
TRI NGUYEN FISH LAKE TOURIST AREA
Tri Nguyen Fish Lake Tourist Area in Mieu Islet is an interesting destination for people who love sea creatures. The lake breeds hundreds of valuable and rare sea creatures. Tri Nguyen Aquarium in Tri Nguyen Fish Lake Tourist Area – a miniature ocean with lots of precious fishes and marine plants has the shape of a fossil ship covered fully moss.
PO NAGAR CHAM TOWERS
Po Nagar Cham Towers is a typical architectural and sculptural work of Cham culture. Situated on the high ground of Mount Cu Lau on the bank of River Cai, a few kilometres north from the city centre. It was built between 8th and 11th centuries by the Cham people who once ruled the central plain of Vietnam.
Po Nagar Cham Towers were built to honour the goddess Po Nagar- literally translated as ‘The mother of the Country’- who is said to have taught agricultural and weaving skills to the Cham people.
THAP BA HOT SPRINGS
Nha Trang is also well-known for mineral hot spring and mud bath. Thap Ba Hot Springs Centre is a great place to relax and rejuvenate after a day of exploring Nha Trang. Great for a temporary retreat away from the bustling city, the hot springs centre is set against a mountain backdrop with plenty of greenery and flowers. It is also fitted with private and shared mud-baths, herbal-bath, Jacuzzi, waterfall, swimming pool, and sauna.
Locals believe that the natural hot mineral springs help detoxify and soothe fatigued muscles, remove dead skin cells, and supply minerals to the body. Meanwhile mineral mud is said to contain antiseptic properties which is used as a facial mask to treat acne and revitalise the skin.
NHA TRANG INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY
The institute shelters an lively oceanographical museum which keeps and displays about 20,000 living creatures and 40,000 marine specimens collected through monitoring trips in the East Sea and some other contiguous areas. The living creatures like crabs, turtles, fish… of all kinds kept in glass tanks and lighted colourfully make the museum like a miniature ocean. The specimens, which are arranged basing on biological development and evolvement of marine species, are appreciated highly by visitors.
LONG SON PAGODA
Long Son Pagoda is famous for its large white Buddha image, which sits atop the mountain crest and can be seen from anywhere in town.
DAM MARKET
Located in the city center of Nha Trang, Dam Market is lively and vibrant with merchants selling all kinds of goods. Since it is used mainly by the local people, it gives you a glimpse into the daily lives of the Vietnamese people. It is also popular with tourists interested in buying Vietnam gifts to bring home.!
