1. Nha Trang Beach
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Curving gently around the bay, Nha Trang’s main beach is a delight to visit. Although it certainly is not the most beautiful beach you will ever see, it really does have everything you could want close at hand. Besides its welcoming sands and inviting waters that make for some great sunbathing and swimming, there is a lovely boardwalk for you to stroll along, as well as lots of gardens, playgrounds, and sports facilities nearby.
On top of all of this, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and bars can be found lining its six kilometers of sand, while beach vendors also pass by from time to time selling fruit, drinks, and seafood.
Nha Trang can offer a great urban beach experience, just make sure you visit this place in the right season. The beach can be disappointing when the weather is grey and the waves choppy. During this time the beach turns into a strip of brown sand with a multitude of empty beach chairs and no one to be seen.
2. Vinpearl Amusement Park
Dubbed Vietnam’s Disneyland, the fun and festive Vinpearl Amusement Park makes for a great day out for all the family, as there is an endless array of entertaining and exhilarating things for you to see and do. Located on Hon Tre Island, the park boasts a plethora of rides and rollercoasters, as well as a huge water park and fish-filled aquarium.
As you approach the island on the Vinpearl Cable Car, your excitement will only build as you see everything laid out before you, with lots of swimming pools, restaurants, and shops to be spotted around the tree-filled resort.
In addition to its many, many attractions, Vinpearl also has a gorgeous beach for you to recline on, with lots of fantastic watersports also on offer.
3. Ba Ho Waterfall
Located around an hour’s drive to the north of Nha Trang, Ba Ho Waterfall actually consists of three separate and equally scenic cascades that lie along a fast-flowing river surrounded by dense jungle. The rugged rocks that line the falls and jut out from the thick forest make for an incredible sight. Some brave visitors even dive off the first waterfall’s craggy clifftop into the pool below.
Meaning ‘waterfall with three basins’ in Vietnamese, Ba Ho’s outstanding beauty makes it a perfect place to visit for nature lovers. There is also a great hike you can do along the river and through the jungle to reach the other two falls.
4. Po Nagar Towers
Lying on the banks of the Cai River, the well-preserved remains of the Po Nagar Towers certainly make for an impressive sight, and it is not without reason that they are one of the most popular attractions in Nha Trang. With some of them dating all the way back to before 780 AD, the four remaining towers represent some of the finest examples of the incredible architecture that the once-mighty Cham Kingdom left behind.
In addition to the fabulous brickwork of the towers, there are some lovely stone statues and altars for you to check out, with lots of intricately carved inscriptions also on show. Dedicated to the goddess of the country – Yan Po Nagar – the site is still in use to this day. When you visit, you’ll find a mix of Buddhists, Cham, Chinese, and Vietnamese all worshipping amongst the magnificent old temples, columns, and meditation halls that dot the complex.
5. I-Resort
If you’re looking to kick back, relax, and unwind, the upmarket I-Resort is a great place to head to. It boasts a fantastic outdoor water park, hot mineral mudbaths, and a spa salon where you can book every type of massage imaginable. Set in a tranquil spot surrounded by lush forest, the I-Resort has a very harmonious feel to it, and the sparkling waterfalls that gently cascade into its many pools only add to the ambiance.
As a number of fun water slides meander their way around the site, which also sports a great restaurant, it is a very family-friendly place to visit; you can easily spend the day in the resort’s peaceful confines.
6. Vinpearl Cable Car
Linking Hon Tre Island to Nha Trang, the Vinpearl Cable Car takes you on a 3,320-meter-long ride across Nha Trang Bay until you reach the fun-filled Vinpearl Amusement Park. The journey takes around 15 minutes to complete, and the long cable that keeps you in the air is strung up between seven red and white towers that look like miniature versions of the Eiffel Tower.
As the cable cars run around 40 meters above the ground and sea, there are lots of fantastic views for you to drink in, and this unique approach to the amusement park only makes your arrival there even more special.
7. Long Son Pagoda
Speaking of temples, no visit to Nha Trang can ever be complete without stopping by the Long Son Pagoda – the most famous and impressive Buddhist temple in town. Built in 1886, the pagoda is very striking to gaze upon: majestic dragon mosaics cover the roof and entrance while its interior boasts an impressive ceremonial hall.
The main feature, however, is its glistening white Buddha statue that towers to a colossal 24 meters. As Long Son Pagoda is set upon a hilltop, many people come here to take in the fantastic views that it offers of the rest of Nha Trang while basking in the peaceful ambiance and taking in the astounding architecture all around them.
8. Hon Chong
Jutting out into the sea, Hon Chong promontory makes for a beautiful sight. The view before you is even better, with forest-coated mountains and islands lying far off in the distance across the glittering waters. Besides clambering over the rocks and taking photo after photo of the stunning scenery, visitors can also check out the nearby local beach, which is much quieter than the one in Nha Trang itself.
Here you’ll find a delightful Ruong house which exhibits some wonderful traditional architecture, as well as some small restaurants and cafes. Lying just offshore is the small island of Hon Do, which has a very pretty and laidback Buddhist temple for you to wander around.
9. Nha Tho Nui Cathedral
Built between 1928 and 1933, Nha Tho Nui Cathedral is one of the most important and impressive buildings in Nha Trang and certainly warrants a visit. Perched atop a hill with the city all around it, the French Gothic style architecture looks absolutely incredible, with some beautiful stained glass windows found beneath its sturdy and distinctive square clock tower.
Due to its picturesque setting with the mountains rising dramatically in the distance behind it, the cathedral is a popular place to get married among locals, and it still holds a daily mass.
10. Doc Let Beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in the whole country, Doc Let certainly does paint a pretty picture; its dazzling white sands and gently swaying palm trees lie next to the inviting, crystal-clear waters of the bay. Boasting an 18-kilometer-long beach that stretches as far as the eye can see, there is more than enough sand to go around; as it lies about an hour’s drive from Nha Trang, it seldom gets very crowded.
While some small hotels and resorts can be found here and there, most of Doc Let Beach is wonderfully undeveloped; as such, it is a very peaceful and relaxing place to spend a few days, and the glorious sunsets really do look spectacular.
In addition to its idyllic look and feel, there is also some great seafood on offer, as well as lots of fun watersports for you to enjoy.
11. Monkey Island
Located a short and scenic ferry ride away from Nha Trang, Monkey Island is so named due to the thousand or so monkeys that inhabit it. Bred for export to the Soviet Union, the program was abandoned during the American War, and now the mischievous primates can be spotted almost everywhere you go.
Besides seeing what monkey business they get up to, visitors can lounge on the beach and take in the peaceful ambiance, or go swimming, kayaking, jet-skiing, or scuba diving in the surrounding waters. On top of all this, there are a couple of lovely shops and cafes for you to check out, as well as a fun go-kart track to race around.
12. National Oceanographic Museum
Opened all the way back in 1922, the National Oceanographic Museum is a great place to head to if you want to learn more about Vietnam’s abundant marine life. Located in a lovely old French colonial-era building, there are lots of interesting exhibitions for you to explore. Two of the most impressive items on display are the skeletons of a huge humpback whale and a much smaller dugong.
In addition to its various marine artifacts and preserved fish specimens, there is also a small aquarium for you to wander around. Swimming in the various tanks, you can see seals, reef sharks, marine turtles, and lionfish, with lots of colorful coral also on display. While staying in Nha Trang, the National Oceanographic Museum makes for a great day out for all the family.
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