How to spend a weekend in Nha Trang, Vietnam

Vietnam is home to many wonderful towns and cities, but some of them can often be overlooked. Nha Trang in particular, is a beautiful city that’s sometimes left out of backpacker’s travel itineraries when planning their Vietnam trips as it’s just not quite as big or popular as Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, for example. 

However, Nha Trang is incredibly popular with Russian tourists due to the ease of Vietnamese visas for Russian residents so you’ll find that many of the bars, restaurants and local businesses are all well catered for Russian tourists.

That doesn’t mean to say that there’s not plenty of things to see, do and eat for everyone else though! Below, you’ll find an extensive guide on how to spend a weekend in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

How to get there

Nha Trang resides on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, not too far from Da Lat.

It can be easily reached by bus from Da Lat (3-4 hours), from Ho Chi Minh City by luxury train (7-9 hours) or overnight bus (10 hours) or by local sleeping bus from Hoi An (10-13 hours).

There is also an airport in Nha Trang that you can fly into from most places in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and more.

Where to stay

As Nha Trang is a pretty big city, there’s plenty of places to choose from when it comes to finding suitable accommodation for your budget.

From little hostels with private rooms such as Straw Hat Hotel, to more lavish resorts such as Alana Nha Trang Beach Hotel. You certainly won’t struggle to find a decent place to sleep that suits all your needs.

What to do

Although the city of Nha Trang itself has a quiet, picturesque promenade, most of the action resides a little out of the city in the form of day trips to numerous beaches and waterfalls.

However, you’ll still find a few things to keep you entertained during your weekend in Nha Trang; check them out below.

Go big or go home at Long Son Pagoda

Long Son Pagoda is a Buddhist temple that sits on top of a hill in the city and is considered to be one of the most important sites in Nha Trang. You have to climb a fair few steps to get to the top, but once you do, you’ll be greeted by a giant Buddha statue, as well as lovely views of the city below.

Address: số 22 Đường 23/10, Phương sơn, Thành phố Nha Trang, Vietnam
Opening hours: Every day from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Vinpearl Land Cable Car

Vinpearl Land resides on a nearby island to Nha Trang but it’s still classed as one of the best things to do in Nha Trang.

A fantastic offering of a world-class amusement park, 5-star luxury resort and lavish waterpark and fancy restaurants await your arrival in Vinpearl Land.

The best (and most fun) way to get there is to take the Cable Car from Nha Trang Beach over the bay to Vinpearl Land. This way, you’ll get to enjoy fabulous views of the bay, as well as Nha Trang city itself and all the attractions at Vinpearl Land.

Address: Vinpearl Land Resort Island, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, Friday to Sunday from 8:00 am – 10:00 pm

Nha Trang Beach

Speaking of Nha Trang Beach, this is another one of the top things you need to do during your weekend in Nha Trang.

The beach is absolutely beautiful. Think gorgeous white sand, plenty of beach restaurants and stunning water lapping against the sand for you to cool off in.

Under the sea – snorkeling in Nha Trang

As well as the beautiful beach itself, Nha Trang is also a hotspot for snorkeling excursions. The wildlife in the sea around Nha Trang is so vibrant and diverse, you’ll likely see an array of creatures on your adventures including eels, exotic fish and spectacular corals.

Those with a slight fear of the ocean can rest assured that it’s highly unlikely that you’ll see any sharks or rays while snorkeling or diving here, so if you were expecting a more extreme underwater adventure, Nha Trang probably isn’t the best place for this!

One of the best places to go snorkeling within close proximity to Nha Trang is Hon Mun, just 45 minutes away from the city by boat.

This site is so widely popular with avid snorkelers in Nha Trang as it’s home to thousands of species of fish and over 300 varieties of coral. The water is also crystal clear here, so you can see down into the depths, sometimes up to 25 metres!

Jump in! Ba Ho Waterfalls cliff jumping

Just a short 40-minute drive north of Nha Trang city, Ba Ho Waterfalls can be found. These waterfalls are an insanely popular tourist attraction in the region, known for being a hub for adventure travelers who love to cliff jump.

You have to hike through jungle-like terrain in order to find this not-so-secret hideaway and once there, you’ll be greeted with an abundance of warm-water pools that you can jump in and frolic about in.

Even if you’re not quite brave enough to make the jump, the pools are still a great little area to swim in and the hike itself is truly beautiful.

Address: Ninh Ích, Ninh Hòa, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam
Opening hours: Daily from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Where to eat

Cafe Culture

Cafe Culture is without a doubt one of the best places for breakfast and brunch in Nha Trang. 

You’ll find things such as Full English Breakfast, eggs benedict, muffins and omelettes as well as smoothies, a vast array of coffees and sandwiches too.

The staff at Cafe Culture are also so lovely and friendly and it’s a great place to work from if you’re a digital nomad, as there’s free Wi-Fi available.

Address: 31/7a Biệt Thự, street, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 625080, Vietnam
Opening hours: Tuesday, closed. Wednesday – Monday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Da Fernando

Da Fernando is a great place to eat in Nha Trang if you’re looking for a bit of everything. You’ll find local Vietnamese food, as well as pizza, pasta and salad dishes.

It’s also relatively affordable, especially considering the generous portion sizes!

Address: 96 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, Lộc Thọ, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam
Opening hours: Every day from 10:30 am – 10:30 pm

Cheers Sports Bar

If you’ve been traveling for quite a while by the time you arrive in Nha Trang, you very well may be craving some homey comfort food and that’s exactly what Cheers Sports Bar can offer you.

A range of hearty pub-like meals await you at Cheers, as well as plenty of international sport being showcased on the many TVs.

Address: 138 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, Lộc Thọ, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam
Opening times: Monday – Thursday from 9:00 am – 11:30 pm. Friday – Sunday from 9:00 am – Midnight