What can you do in Nha Trang, Vietnam?

I've been to Nha Trang twice now, and both times I noticed the same thing: the crowd is almost entirely Russian and Korean tourists.

That's not a knock on anyone, but it does mean that if you're not careful, you'll end up swept into the more commercialised, sleazy pockets of the city rather than discovering what actually makes it worth visiting.

One of the best things to do here are the hikes, and the long stretch of walking path which is amazing for walking and enjoying the beaches.

The city is very much walkable and you can cycle from one end to the other which is what I love.

As for the theme park — yes, some people will tell you to skip it. But here's my honest take: the city centre on its own can feel limiting after a day or two. The theme park at least gives you something different to do and breaks up the routine. I'd say go for it, if only to get a change of scenery.

Here are my offbeat things to do in Nha Trang.

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What You Should Know?

✈️ How to get here:
You can easily fly in by booking your flights here or, if you're already in Vietnam, take a bus from Ho Chi Minh City and book it here:

📱 SIM Card
Stay connected from the moment you arrive and grab your SIM card here

🌿 Best Tours to Book
If you’re short on time, these are my top picks:
💦 Half-day trip to Ba Ho Waterfall:
🎢 VinWonders Theme Park ticket

Where To Stay?

Champton Nha Trang Hotel: New hotel with an amazing 5 star experience
Amiana Resort: secluded resort with access to beach
Sheraton Nha Trang: excellent price quality ratio considering where it is located
Sea Soul Nha Trang: really clean gorgeous hotel with good value for money

Also read: Best Things To Do in Dalat (Itinerary): Coffee, Culture & Nature

Best Things To Do in Nha Trang

1. Go On A Food Tasting Tour by Scooter

The best thing about being in Vietnam are the scooters and this was such an unconventional way to see the city: through a food tour. You can book it here (highly recommended!)

Everything about the places they bring you are super local which also adds an interesting layer to the city which you might not know.

The tour is 4 hours long and is a really nice way to see Nha Trang than all the other touristy stuff out there.

2. Hiking Angels Mountain Peak

Hands down, one of the highlights of my entire Nha Trang trip. The hike takes you across three peaks with sweeping views of the city and coastline and there's even a motorbike prop waiting at the top.

If you're searching on Grab, look it up as Fairy Mountain. The trailhead starts just behind Coffee Uni Cô Tiên.

The first stretch is steep, but it levels off as you go. I reached Peak 1 in just under an hour and there's a motorbike, a flag, and already some beautiful views of the bay and city from here. You can turn back at this point, but I'd encourage you to push on.

Peak 2 is about 20 minutes further. After a short descent, the trail climbs again and it is steeper than the first section, with some parts requiring a light scramble. There's a rope along most of the incline, which helps. Peak 3 is another 15 minutes beyond that on a much more manageable path. Both Peak 2 and 3 sit higher up and reward you with even better views, especially of the bay and the islands to the north.

The full hike there and back, with rest stops and photos will take you just under three hours.

3. Snorkelling & Boat Party

A really nice day trip where you get to snorkel, do a bit of parasailing for extra and enjoy a nice BBQ lunch with fantastic views of the waters in Nha Trang.

It is easy to book here, you are also given two hours free time to do other activities which doesn’t feel as rushed compared to other tour operators.

4. VinWonders

I was debating whether or not I should go to VinWonders and glad I did. There is a Japanese garden, a few rides and a nice day out especially if you are with a family.

You can book beforehand the tickets over here. The park sits on Hon Tre Island and you get there via what is genuinely one of the longest cable cars in the world: the ride itself is worth it for the views over the bay alone.

Once inside, there's more than you'd expect. There's a Japanese-inspired garden area which is surprisingly pretty and great for photos, a decent selection of rides if you're into that, cultural performance shows, and a whole water park section. It's a full day out easily and I'd say budget at least 5 to 6 hours to get your money's worth.

5. Visit Po Nagar Cham Towers

If you have time, you should consider going on a half day tour that takes you to these spots.

Po Nagar Cham Towers are ancient Hindu temples sitting on a hill overlooking the river and they date back over a thousand years.

This somehow feel completely removed from the beach-resort version of Nha Trang that most visitors never look past. It's not a huge site so you won't spend hours here, but it's worth the short trip over.

6. Explore Long Son Pagoda

This one is free, easy to get to, and most people walk past it without a second thought which is exactly why you should go.

The pagoda itself is colourful and interesting but the real payoff is climbing the steps up to the giant white Buddha at the top. The views over the city from up there are genuinely lovely and it only takes about 20 minutes in total.

Go early, wear something that covers your shoulders and knees.

7. Day Trip to Ba Ho Waterfalls

If you need a break from the city and the beach, Ba Ho Waterfalls is one of that place that you should go to after you have exhausted all the things to do in Nha Trang

It is a series of three waterfalls and natural pools about 25km outside of Nha Trang — you can hire a scooter and get there in under an hour or go on this tour which is easy to organise.

You basically walk through the jungle to reach the upper pools.

8. Cafe Culture in Nha Trang

Ofcourse you can’t miss the cafe culture in Nha Trang, there are so many Instagrammable ones like the Koi Garden cafe with fishes all around and the Capybara Coffee & Tea Cafe.

But there are so many independent cafés tucked away on side streets, up staircases, and on rooftops. A good one near the beach is Bakeboy bakery & cafe which serves artisan baked goods!

What to order: Vietnamese iced coffee — cà phê sữa đá — is the obvious one and it's everywhere. But also try cà phê trứng, which is egg coffee, if you haven't had it before. It sounds strange but it's essentially a thick, creamy foam over strong coffee and it's really good.

9. Scenic Stop at Hon Chong

I was walking and running in Nha Trang and during sunset this is a cool place to stop called Hon Chong. There are often performances here and it costs around 30,000 VND to visit.

But even if you don’t this was a nice place to take in the views and chill amongst some granite rocks.

You can even rent a bicycle from here at Coastal Cycles and cycle all the way to the other end and back. That’s what I did in the evening and it was really fun!

10. Go On A Day Trip to Da Lat or stay 2 days there

day trip to da lat or for two days from nha trang

I love Da Lat and partly it is my main reason too to visit whenever I am in Nha Trang. You can book your bus tickets here.

There are so many hidden things to do in Da Lat and the biggest draw is the weather — everything is perfectly crisp and the best things are the alpine coaster, cafe culture and amazing day trips that you can do to see the flowers in this part of Vietnam.

Read my guide: Best Things To Do in Dalat (Itinerary): Coffee, Culture & Nature

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10 Offbeat Things To Do In Nha Trang (That Most People Miss)