Nha Trang is a small coastal city known for its beautiful beaches and the Ponagar Temple. However, despite having a lot of charm, it is one of the cities least visited by foreigners, especially on a first trip to Vietnam. After more than 7 trips to Vietnam, totaling more than a year touring the country, finally, this year I took the opportunity to travel to Vietnam again and visit some places that I was missing such as Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc …if you are thinking about visiting Vietnam, on the blog you will find many posts with complete guides that will take you to explore Vietnam practically in its entirety.
In this post I tell you about the 15 best things to see and do in Nha Trang, how to get there, where to stay…
Nha Trang is 4 hours by car from Phan Thiet, there are several alternatives to get there and I have a post that explains all your options and which ones are recommended. How to get to Nha Trang.
Due to its remoteness and its “difficulty” or rather, the time it takes to get there, this destination is rarely visited by foreigners, however, it is a very touristy city, especially by Vietnamese. The beaches are beautiful, the temples incredible and if you have enough days I recommend taking time to get to know Da Lat and the national parks that surround Nha Trang.
15 BEST THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN NHA TRANG, VIETNAM
1. Po Nagar Cham Temple
The Po Nagar Cham Temple is one of the most important places to see in Nha Trang. In fact, the vast majority of travelers arrive here hoping to visit this place, since it is usually one of the main images used in all travel guides, postcards...
The Cham temple of Po Nagar is a complex that includes several Hindu temples. They were built around the year 781 by the Cham people, who ruled this central area of Vietnam at that time. This enclosure is dedicated to the goddess Po Nagar, a Hindu deity believed to be the mother of the Cham.
The temple complex is made up of three main towers, each dedicated to a different deity. The tallest one, dedicated to the goddess Po Nagar, the central tower dedicated to the deity of fertility and the smallest tower dedicated to the goddess of war.
2. Long Son Pagoda Nha Tho Nui
The Long Son Pagoda Nha Tho Nui is a Buddhist temple built in 1886. Since its construction it has needed several renovations, in the last renovation in 1964 a huge Buddha statue made of white marble was added. The complex houses more buildings among which you will find the main temple, a prayer room, a library and all this surrounded by beautiful gardens. The best time to visit the Pagoda is first thing in the morning at sunrise or sunset, it is usually a very visited place.
3. Suoi Do Pagoda, a must see in Nha Trang
The Suoi Do Pagoda is another of the essential places to see in Nha Trang. It is a beautiful Buddhist temple located on the outskirts of the city, about 30 kilometers. It's worth going, you can get there by taking a taxi. I recommend you agree on a price to go and wait for you to return.
The temple was built in the 17th century and is a popular place for pilgrims from all over Vietnam. The complex has several buildings and the main temple is notable for a 10-meter-high statue of Amitabha Buddha. You can also visit the prayer room, a library, a ceremony room...
4. The Nui Church Cathedral
Nui Church Cathedral is a Catholic church built in 1886 by French missionaries in the center of Nha Trang. It is built in a neo-Gothic style and stands out for having two twin towers on its main façade. The interior of the cathedral is spacious and very bright with large windows, it stands out for having an altar made of white marble and a statue of Christ the King.
5. Ba Ho Waterfalls Cliff Jumping
The natural environment of Nha Trang is incredible. The city is surrounded by mountains, plains and fields, lush forests, waterfalls... near the city are the Ba Ho waterfalls, a beautiful natural environment that you cannot miss.
It is a group of 3 waterfalls formed on the Ba Ho River, which flows through a series of natural pools and cliffs. The highest waterfall on the route is 30 meters high, followed by two smaller waterfalls, equally beautiful.
It is a very touristy place, where you will also find a calm river area where you can bathe, go canoeing, jump from a type of liana that they have placed on the banks of the river... in addition to having a picnic, walking along the trails...
6. Yersin Museum
The Yersin Museum is one of the most interesting museums to visit in Nha Trang. It is dedicated to the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. He was the one who founded the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang in 1895. There is an extensive exhibition of Yersin's letters, research equipment, annotations and studies.
7. Nha Trang Night Market
The Nha Trang night market is the perfect place to stroll when night falls and eat something at a very good price at some of its stalls. They set up many stalls with clothing, footwear, accessories, fakes, technology, souvenirs, fresh products, street food...
8. Thap Tram Huong
This tower, known as the Incense Tower, is one of the most iconic buildings in Nha Trang. The building is dedicated to the performing arts and you will find it on Loc Tho beach. It is a tower built of reinforced concrete and covered with aluminum panels. It was designed by the Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia.
9. VinWonders Nha Trang
VinWonders Nha Trang is a theme park located on Hon Tre Island. An island very close to the city of Nha Trang. It is the largest amusement park in Vietnam and one of the largest in all of Asia. If you are a fan of theme parks and you are going to visit Nha Trang you should dedicate a day to this place, without a doubt. The park is divided into 6 zones; The Kingdom, The World, The City of Dreams, The Rainforest, The Jurassic World and the Dream City.
10. Visit Hon Train Island
Hon Tren Island is beautiful, and is a great place to go diving or snorkeling. It is possible to take a tour to visit the island in one day that includes transportation, the ferry, food, a party on the boat, snorkeling...
11. Jungle Beach y Doc Let
These two beaches, located in the city of Nha Trang, are beaches designated for backpackers. They are popular for having a wide variety of fairly inexpensive accommodations, there are beach bars where you can have a cocktail accompanied by fresh grilled fish or lobster. The atmosphere is very lively, the beaches are beautiful and if you are looking for a good area to stay, close to the beach and not very expensive, these two beaches are the perfect place.
12. Tran Phu Beach
Tran Phu Beach is another of the beautiful beaches you will find in Nha Trang. It is a very popular beach that you will find between the port and the city center. It is a long beach, 7 kilometers long, and has a promenade. It has fine white sand, the water is very crystal-clear turquoise blue, ideal for swimming, snorkeling or practicing some water sports. You can rent a paddle surf board or a kayak.
13. The Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography
The Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography is a research institute that was founded in 1923 by the French colonial government, being one of the oldest oceanographic research institutes in the world. The institute is dedicated to research into the oceans, marine ecosystems, marine ecology, marine biology and fisheries. It is possible to visit it.
14. Hon Tam
Hon Tam is an island located in Nha Trang Bay. It is a tropical island, with a lot of vegetation, beautiful beaches, a mangrove area and a great variety of wild species. It is a very popular beach destination in Vietnam. On the island you will find luxury hotels, cheaper options and it is the perfect destination if you want to spend a few days resting. On the island you can enjoy the sun and the beach, swim among colorful fish and snorkel, walk and cycle in the mangroves, enjoy the fauna and monkeys that live on the island and visit the Hon Tam temple.
15. Vinpearl Park
Vinpearl Park is an amusement park dedicated to the whole family. There is a huge Ferris wheel, aquatic area, merry-go-rounds... it is much lighter than the VinWonders Nha Trang park, but it has a water park, a great activity since in this area of Vietnam it is always very hot and there is a lot of humidity.
POSTS FROM NHA TRANG AND SURROUNDINGS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Vietnam and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!