Vietnam is a sea lover's paradise with its many seaside towns, beach resorts and ocean activities. Beach destinations like Mui Ne and Phu Quoc are great crowd pullers but the biggest and most popular is Nha Trang. Nha Trang is the capital of the Khánh Hòa province. It is a coastal city situated on the South Central Coast of Vietnam, and is surrounded on all three sides by mountains and by a large island on the fourth side. Travel and Leisure has chosen Nha Trang as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world for two succeeding years. Nha Trang is famous for its luxurious seaside resorts and is the scuba diving centre of Vietnam. You can indulge in the luxuries of the many Nha Trang hotels or discover the ocean by scuba diving here.
Travel and Leisure magazine chose Nha Trang as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world for two succeeding years.
History shows that Nha Trang was a group of small fishing villages, and traces of human settlement date back to the Cham Empire. The French stumbled upon the white sand beaches and the beautiful bay with islands and found it a perfect vacation spot, and hence began the transformation of the islands into a resort town, erecting many Nha Trang hotels. The Americans were only too eager to share this booty with the French and it became their favourite relaxation stop during the war. Nha Trang was also the summer residence of the last Vietnamese emperor, Bao Dai.
Nha Trang attracts many international tourists to its pristine beaches and world famous scuba diving facilities. From backpackers to celebrities, they all have Nha Trang listed in their travel plans. The bay of Nha Trang is one of the most beautiful bays in the world. In fact, it was the beauty of this seaside town that attracted the organisers of the Miss Universe Pageant to host their 2008 pageant by the bay. Apart from the splendour of its landscape and many things to see & do in Nha Trang, tourists also flock the place to participate in the Sea Festival and the August Nha Trang Rrendezvous Festival that falls every two years.
Nha Trang was earlier known as Kauthara under the Champa. Even today there is a Po Nagar Tower of Champa in Nha Trang. View our Nha Trang map to see the location of many of the beatiful tourist attractions in Nha Trang.
The water is so crystal clear that you can almost see the underwater creatures. There are miles and miles of empty beaches, cosy islands and coral reefs that provide an ideal opportunity to swim, snorkel and scuba dive in Nha Trang. For avid swimmers and divers this is paradise. The beauty of the beach against the mountains is breathtaking. The white sand in the backdrop of the gentle, peaceful wind and friendly people is perfect for calming your senses. Most importantly, all this comes at an affordable price and Nha Trang tours will take you to experience the best of Nha Trang. Whether it is the fresh air from the ocean, a nice tan, or just quality time with your family that you are looking for, the Nha Trang beaches will not disappoint you.
Along the beach are many women vendors selling steamed seafood. They carry a variety of seafood, some of which are unique to Vietnam. These are hot, delicious and some times expensive. Sitting down in one of the seaside Nha Trang restaurants and getting a taste of the fresh seafood is highly recommended.
If dining out at a seafood restaurant isn't your cup of tea, you can rent a boat, purchase fresh seafood off the coast and have the locals cook it for you. The local fishermen have set up farms right in the middle of the sea where you can get any type of seafood. Vietnam's main speciality is lobster, so be sure to get a taste of it while you are there. Being a beach destination there are many restaurants and bars lining the bay.
For the non-swimmers and non-divers, there are boat trips out to the islands and a variety of other Nha Trang tours to enjoy. If the weather in Nha Trang is a little chilly you can go for a quick dip in the hot springs, or sit back and relax in your Nha Trang hotel. It is in the recent years that there has been a boom in the water sports offered here. Catamarans, jet skis, kayaks, windsurfing and body boards, and paragliding facilities are available for hire on the beach itself.
If you are coming by air from Saigon to Nha Trang, be sure to ask for a window seat. The view of Nha Trang's bay, studded with many islets and several small boats, is stunning from mid air. Some of the boats lining the bay are fishing boats and most carry passengers and goods to places. Further ahead, the city looks like a thin ribbon dwarfed by the mountains.
You can see a contrast of life in Nha Trang. While on one side there are wide palm-lined boulevards that separate the modern Nha Trang hotels and chic Mediterranean villas from the beaches, the other side has barefoot children and push carts vendors selling food and drinks. Nha Trang can be indulging and heady yet grounding at the same time.
Meet the team from InnoViet - we are your local connection in Nha Trang! We want your trip to Nha Trang to be a learning experience about the real Vietnam, its people and culture. We also hope that we are able to share our local knowledge with you to make your trip unforgettable!
