Nha Trang

Under the Champa ,Nha Trang was known as Kauthara, as it is still home to the famous Po Nagar Tower built by the Champa. Nha Trang used to be no more than small fishing villages until the French colonization. They were the first to recognise the potential of holidays in Nha Trang and accordingly poured invested in Nha Trang to transform it into a resort town and holiday destination.Having has consistently maintained its position as one of the most beautiful bays of the world, a holiday in Nha Trang is a must stop on any Vietnam Tour. Situated 450km north of Saigon and 1200km south of Hanoi, Nha Trang features a 4-km- long strip of beach. The Nha Trang Bay, when viewed from above, looks like an aquamarine stone sparkling in the sunshine. The bay which covers an area of 405km2 and includes 19 large and small islands is bounded by miles of smoothly golden sands.

If the heavenly beaches, hot springs, diversified kinds of fish, and colorful coral reef underwater are not enough, then Nha Trang also offers one of the best spots for scuba diving and snorkeling. Holidays to Nha Trang during the period from January to August, provides the chance to experience the most wonderful weather for swimming and sunbathing.

With series of complexes such as Vinpearl Land, Tri Nguyen Aquarium and Hon Tam Resort, Nha Trang is known as the famous entertainment center of Vietnam. Vinpearl Land complex is built on an island designed to be an independent recreational spot. The Island features the five-star international Vinpearl Resort and Vinpearl Amusement Park. The park contains many modern and unique large-scale facilities spread over an area of more than 200,000 m2. These include the Guinness record 3,320- meter long sea -crossing cable car system, Water Park, Under Water World, Amphitheatre, Shopping Mall and Food Village. Vinperal Land used to host many international beauty competitions such as Miss

Picturesque vistas of forest and water falls surrounded by mountain ranges, and high mountain peaks makes a holiday to Nha Trang truly inspiring. Hon Ba Peak with a height of 1578m is located 60km far from the city centre and is regarded as “the second Da Lat of Vietnam”. Driving for about 25km through mountain passes and bendy slopes gets you to this magnificent location. The pure air and cool temperature here contrasts to the much warmer climate down below. Scientists estimate that there are more than 40 rare floras and 60 endangered species living in Hon Ba Mountain. When you tire of the beaches on your Nha Trang holiday, making the trip to Hon Ba will be well worth the time.

Sea food is the staple diet of Nha Trang which is famous for producing the highest quality fish sauce in Vietnam. Among the many delicacies are grilled fermented pork roll, grilled beef, rice vermicelli with grilled fish and jellyfish. In addition, the swallow’s nest soup – with bird’s nests collected from the wild, is regarded as the best in Vietnam.

Cam Ranh Airport (CXR), built on the grounds of an old American airbase in 2004, is located 30km from the city and serves domestic destinations as well as Russia and South Korea. Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon). The railway station is close to the cathedral in the northern part of town. If you want a soft-sleeper (the highest class available on Vietnamese trains), book your train ticket as far in advance as you are able. Soft sleeper rooms are 4 berth, hard sleepers are 6 berth. You can sit comfortably on a lower bed in a 4 berth room but in a 6 berth you will have to be very short in order to sit up straight. SNT trains (meaning Saigon to Nha Trang) have similar quality cars but are slower than the SE trains. The journey to Nha Trang from Ho Chi Minh City takes between 6-8 hours on the SE trains, but are often delayed. The SNT trains take over 9 hours and travels overnight only.

Nha Trang, like the rest of Vietnam, has two distinct seasons- the dry season and the wet season.

Fortunately, the coastal city sees does not receive as much rain as other parts of the country. Instead, it gets over 2600 hours of sunshine annually and has an average temperature of 26℃. So, which months are perfect for a holiday in Nha Trang and which are best avoided?

Wet Season

The last four months of the year are part of the wet season and most of the rainfall that Nha Trang gets in the year happens during these months. October and November are the wettest months of the year, despite the weather being hot and humid. December though tends to be cold, with temperatures dropping below 20 ℃. This time of the year is best avoided as rain coupled with tropical storms may throw a wrench in your plans.

Dry Season

The first eight months of the year are part of the dry season. Between February to April, the temperature remains in the mid20s and there is little chance of rainfall. This is the best time to visit Nha Trang as you will be able to enjoy all that Nha Trang has to offer, including a much calmer Bay, without the threat of imminent rain hanging over you. These months are also the peak season so ticket prices tend to be higher. A holiday in Nha Trang is more than worth it though.