Buzz
Nha Trang, blessed by nature with its long coastline, picturesque scenery, and rich culinary delights, has long been a beloved destination for many enthusiastic travelers.
Embark on a Journey Through Nha Trang's Coastal Paradise for 3 Days and 2 Nights
Join Mytour as we follow the footsteps of Thanh Toàn to explore the seaside city of Nha Trang for 3 days and 2 nights.
Getting to Nha Trang
There are numerous coach services to Nha Trang, offering decent quality and reasonable prices, such as Phương Trang, Quang Hạnh, Trà Lan Viên, and Hà Linh. Each day, there are buses operating between Nha Trang and Saigon, and vice versa. You can either book tickets online or directly contact the bus companies. It's advisable to choose evening departure times (around 8 PM or 10 PM) so that you arrive in Nha Trang around dawn.
Hotel Room Reservation
I booked a room at Sun City Hotel, a Superior View City room. The hotel is located on Tôn Đản Street, close to the beach and convenient for visiting the city's famous landmarks.
Day 1: Departure from Saigon to Nha Trang – Po Nagar Cham Towers – Hon Chong
I chose the 10 PM bus to Nha Trang, arriving at the South Nha Trang Bus Station around 6:45 AM. Then, I took a motorbike taxi for 50,000 VND / 2 passengers to Sun City Hotel. The hotel's location is quite nice, near Tram Huong Tower, Sailing Club, Nha Trang Night Market, and close to the beach, perfect for evening strolls.
Usually, check-in time is at 2 PM, but if it's not too busy, you can ask the receptionist for an early check-in, and they'll gladly check the room for you. After checking in, you can also rent a motorbike at the hotel for 120,000 VND / bike / day.
The first stop on my itinerary was Po Nagar Cham Towers, located on 2/4 Street, Vinh Phuoc Ward, Nha Trang City. The entrance fee is 22,000 VND / person / visit. The towers are situated on top of a small hill, named after the Goddess Po Nagar (known as Thiên Y Thánh Mẫu Ana by the Vietnamese), the divine goddess created from the sky clouds and sea foam, who created the earth, giving birth to precious wood, plants, and rice.
Regarding the architecture of the towers, it consists of 3 floors, from bottom to top. The ground floor is the gate tower. The middle floor is the guest house for pilgrims to rest, prepare offerings, and dress before the formal ceremony. The top floor is where the tower peaks are located. When visiting the towers, if any female visitor happens to wear a dress or short sleeves, they can borrow ceremonial clothes to enter the towers.
The second destination of the day is Hon Chong. From Po Nagar Cham Towers, turn onto 2/4 Street heading north to Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, then turn onto this road and you will reach Hon Chong. Here, you also need to purchase an entrance ticket for 22,000 VND / person / visit and enjoy free parking.
In my opinion, this place is divided into 3 areas: first is the Assembly Hall with ancient houses displaying souvenirs, gemstones...; next is the café overlooking the sea and part of Nha Trang city when looking down from the hill, and finally Hon Chong – the rocky area below with piled rocks without any specific order.
According to legend, in the past, this place used to have tall and upright cliffs. One day, a young couple's boat was swept by big waves and strong winds into this sea gate. The waves hit the boat against the cliffs, causing it to break apart. The big waves dragged the wife far away. The husband hurriedly rushed out to pull his wife in, but the waves grew stronger. The husband held onto the cliff with one hand while pulling his wife with the other. The already shaky cliffs, now with the added strength of the husband clinging on, collapsed into the sea, burying the unfortunate young couple. They died, but the imprint of the husband's hand remained deeply engraved in the rock, enduring through time.
After finishing the visit, you can visit the café on the hill to admire the serene beauty of this scenic spot.
Leaving Hon Chong, we continue along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street then turn left onto 2/4 Street and find a restaurant to recharge. Below are some suggestions:
Banh Canh:
• Bà Thừa's Banh Canh Stall at 55 Yersin Street
• Phuc's Banh Canh Stall at 53 Van Don Street
• Aunt Ha's Banh Canh Stall at 14 Phan Chu Trinh Street
Nem Chua – Chả Lụa – Grilled Nem:
• Nem Stall at 25 Le Hong Phong Street
• Dang Van Quyen's Nem Stall at 16B Lan Ong Street
• Dang Van Quyen's Nem Stall at the intersection of Phan Boi Chau and Han Thuyen
Pho:
• Pho at 63 Le Thanh Phuong Street
• Pho at 70, No. 112 Bach Dang Street
• Hong's Pho at 40 Le Thanh Ton Street
In the evening, you can relax at the hotel, take a stroll along the beach, or find a cozy corner to enjoy some coffee. By nightfall, you can visit Nmart convenience store to grab 1-2 cans of beer and some dried squid or grilled food to take down to the beach for some seaside relaxation while admiring the sea and Vinpearl Land's nighttime view. Next, feel free to explore the dining and entertainment options at Sailing Club or Nha Trang Night Market.
Day 2: Vinpearl Land
You can have breakfast on the 15th floor of the hotel, then purchase Vinpearl Land tickets at the front desk for 650,000 VND per person. To get to Vinpearl Land, you can either take a motorbike or taxi.
Regarded as one of the longest sea-crossing cable car routes in the world, spanning 3.32 km with an average height of 45 m above sea level. The route is connected by seven towers over the sea, two towers on land, and two terminals located at both Nha Trang and Hon Tre ends. Smooth transportation is ensured with 47 cabins, reducing travel time to 9 minutes and 20 seconds and can operate under wind conditions of level 7.
I strongly recommend taking the cable car despite the potential wait, as you will undoubtedly be satisfied with the experiences it offers.
Here, there are plenty of thrilling rides such as high-speed roller coasters, pirate ships, flying boats, and DropSky. Following the path down the stairs, you'll reach the Game World, and you should definitely try the mountain slide ride – it's incredibly exciting.
Once you've explored that area thoroughly, head to the Ocean zone, where you'll find a 4D ocean cinema and an aquarium. Exploring the aquarium will make you feel like you're voyaging through the depths of the blue sea, witnessing sea creatures firsthand that you usually only see on screen at home.
If you arrive during the right time slots from 11:00 AM – 11:10 AM and 3:00 PM – 3:10 PM, you can enjoy the mermaid show swimming with adorable sea creatures.
After your tour, take the staircase up and head outside. Here, you'll find a high-speed music carousel game that you can try. Then, admire and take photos with the statue of a mermaid, watch magic performances, or have an artistic portrait drawn of yourself.
Statue performer schedule on Fridays & Saturdays: 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM; 2:10 PM – 2:45 PM; 2:50 PM – 3:25 PM
Street circus performance time: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
European street festival on Fridays & Saturdays: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Water music performance time: 7:30 PM – 7:55 PM; 8:30 PM – 8:55 PM.
In the afternoon, after enjoying and exploring to your heart's content, you can head to the Water Park. The Water Park is divided into 3 main areas: children's swimming area, adult swimming area, and the main beach with beautiful white sand and crystal-clear blue water, creating an irresistible attraction. At the main beach, besides swimming, you can also participate in various water activities such as sailing, jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking... Additionally, the winding lazy river with its cool, refreshing water will help you escape the hot sun of this wonderful coastal area.
7:30 PM is the time for the water music performance. If you visit on weekends or holidays, it's best to arrive early to choose the ideal seating position.
Day 3: Exploring Nha Trang Beach – I-Resort
Due to limited time, I opted not to choose the tour to explore Nha Trang's 4 islands, but instead, I strolled along the beach for photos, enjoyed some coffee, and visited Nha Trang Center. Inside Nha Trang Center, there are also Platinum cinemas, bars, food stalls... offering a wide variety of options.
Next, head to I-Resort located at Group 19, Xuan Ngoc Hamlet, Vinh Ngoc. At first glance, I-Resort impresses guests with its harmonious design, imbued with traditional Vietnamese architecture, using simple yet sophisticated materials (stone, wood, and palm leaves). Spread over 6 hectares, the builders of I-resort Nha Trang have divided it into separate zones such as waiting area, family mud bath area, outdoor mud bath - mineral area, spa area, swimming pool, restaurant... very reasonable.
The coconut leaf-thatched roofs, the lotus pond in front of the house, the rural garden with pumpkin vines, and the blooming golden mustard flowers at I-resort Nha Trang make tourists feel not like they are in a tourist spot but rather like they are returning to the scenery of their Vietnamese homeland. And like a natural therapy, this beautifully rustic space contributes to purifying the soul, helping tourists forget their worries and feel truly relaxed when soaking in the mineral mud tubs.
Price of hot mineral mud bath services:
- Tub for 1 – 3 guests: 300,000 VND/person
- Tub for 4 – 5 guests: 250,000 VND/person
- Tub for 6 guests and above: 230,000 VND/person
- Children under 6 years old: 150,000 VND/person
After enjoying the mineral mud bath, on the way back, you can indulge in some of Nha Trang's specialty dishes before getting back on the bus to Saigon, concluding the exciting 3-day-2-night journey of exploring Nha Trang.
By Thanh Toan
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourMarch 8, 2017
