Should you go on vacation to Nha Trang in 2021? Read our review and tips! Find out about prices at the resort, how to choose a good and inexpensive hotel, what excursions are worth going to, and how to save money.
Our review of Nha Trang. Should you go on vacation in 2021
What is Nha Trang really? Before the trip, we read a lot of negative reviews from tourists, where the resort was described as dirty and occupied by Russians. However, our fears did not materialize. The city turned out to be very green, clean, with spacious streets and sidewalks, an abundance of cheap food and fruits. As for the crowds of tourists, there were none - maybe the crisis has affected. There weren't too many Russians either, on the same Patong in Thailand there were much more of them.
We tested the city for several days and decided to stay for a few months to explore the surroundings and just live peacefully by the sea. Nha Trang is great for these purposes!
Pros of rest in Nha Trang:
- nice sea with a decent beach, long and wide coastline that is cleaned;
- a comfortable embankment with exercise equipment - you can keep fit on vacation;
- It is not necessary to look for food for a long time - it is always at hand. Moreover, there are both inexpensive eateries and respectable cafes and restaurants of various cuisines (including Russian);
- inexpensive fruit shops that make delicious smoothies and cocktails;
- a large selection of inexpensive hotels;
- a huge number of attractions, some of which can even be reached by bus;
- if you don’t speak English, it doesn’t matter - the Vietnamese have adapted and have almost learned Russian :)
- traffic is not as intense as in Ho Chi Minh City, so you can safely rent a bike (there are many rental points);
- the inhabitants of the city turned out to be not at all selfish, as, for example, in Hoi An. They are generous, good-natured and smiling (however main rule - always ask the price in advance and check the change!). Over time, sellers begin to recognize, make nice gifts and discounts.
Cons of rest in Nha Trang, according to tourist reviews for 2020 and in our opinion:
- an abundance of tourists, including Russians;
- not a beach bounty at all, but no big deal;
- in winter there are waves on the sea. Swimming is dangerous + garbage;
- the entrance to the sea is sharp;
- the beach is across the street from the hotels, along which the Vietnamese rush on bikes. However, if you move evenly and raise your hand up, you can safely cross the road. As a last resort, you can join other people and walk together, or ask a police officer for help.
The sea, in our opinion, is really so-so, there were often big waves, so before the trip, read about when is the best time to relax in Vietnam. If the cons are not critical, visit the resort. The main thing is not to be biased!
Read reviews of tourists about holidays in Vietnam (Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc) and a selection of the best resorts in the country.
Reviews about hotels in Nha Trang. Which one is better to choose
The Vietnamese are a very hardworking and enterprising people, everyone is busy with some business, every piece of land is used, everyone is trading in something. Hotels are being built at a breakneck speed, and there is definitely no shortage of them in Nha Trang - this is noted by all tourists in their reviews. Before choosing a hotel, we advise you to think hard, do you really need an expensive hotel? Indeed, in Nha Trang you can stay for only $ 6-13 on the second or third line! Moreover, the conditions will not differ much from the $ 20 hotel - the main thing is to choose accommodation with good reviews.
Economy hotels
Our hotel... We chose a hotel in Nha Trang for a long time and carefully based on reviews of tourists, rating and location, and stayed at the small family hotel Minh Hoa Hotel, which is located on the third line, but in a small corner, so it is quiet there. I liked the hotel very much: the rooms are clean, spacious, with their own bathroom, daily cleaning. The cost is $ 13, but for a long stay we got a $ 2 discount. The hostess is very hospitable, she made gifts in the form of fruits, cookies, etc. Just choose a room with a balcony (3rd floor), a large window (2nd floor), or with one bed. We highly recommend this hotel - the price-performance ratio is perfect!
Budget hotels... Holidays in Nha Trang can be even cheaper: hotels cost from $ 6, for $ 8 you can find a hotel on 2 or 3 lines with a rating of 7 out of 10 points (for example, Dong Hai Hostel). However, the bulk of guesthouses and hotels in the very center of Nha Trang, near the lotus building, cost from $ 10 - for example, Dung Trinh Hotel. The conditions are more than good, in this regard in Vietnam everything is at the highest level (not like in the Philippines, where for the same price you will get a hut with cockroaches).
When choosing a hotel in Nha Trang carefully read the reviews of tourists and a list of services provided, so that later you do not get surprises in the form of a lack of air conditioning or a window and do not spoil your vacation. If this does happen, we advise you to resolve this issue right away and demand exactly the room you booked, or ask for a discount with subsequent relocation, if suddenly your room is busy.
3, 4 and 5 star hotels
As for the higher level hotels in Nha Trang, there are more than enough of them:
- a three-star hotel costs from $ 15, with good reviews - from $ 22 (Nice Swan Hotel 3 *),
- four-star - from $ 38 (we can recommend Nhi Phi Hotel, it has a good rating and many reviews),
- five-star - from $ 150, but you can find it with good discounts (from $ 80, Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa).
Advice: remember that on Chinese New Year, accommodation prices skyrocket! In addition, rooms are often booked six months in advance, so we advise you to check this point at the reception. We went to Ho Chi Minh City on Chinese New Year, as hotels there are cheaper and there is more choice.
Food prices in 2021
Exchange rate: 10,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) ≈ 32 RUB.
Prices in Nha Trang, of course, are not as low as in Can Tho, where you could eat noodles for 15 thousand dongs, but average by Vietnamese standards. I'll make a reservation right away that we almost always eat in local establishments and rarely go to cafes and restaurants for tourists - after all, prices there are usually overpriced, and the dishes are not so tasty.
Food prices in Nha Trang in establishments for locals:
- soups (pho bo, pho ga) - from 25 thousand dongs;
- second courses (rice with chicken, noodles with meat) - from 25 thousand dongs, but usually 30-45, depending on the type of meat;
- seafood - from 45 thousand dongs per dish;
- oysters - from 80 thousand dongs;
- squid stuffed with meat - from 50 thousand apiece;
- snails - from 50 thousand dongs (spicy soup with snails - from 25 thousand);
- stuffed baguettes (ban mi) - from 10 thousand dongs;
- coffee - from 10 thousand dongs (the taste is divine, try it!);
- pies (ban bao) - from 10 thousand dongs;
- smoothies and cocktails - from 10 thousand dongs (the most delicious and satisfying ones are made from avocado, it is better to take cocktails without ice and sugar).
For detailed food descriptions, Vietnamese names, photos and prices, see our food guide. We also wrote about the difference in dishes and prices in different regions of Vietnam.
Fruits mainly cost in the range of 20-40 thousand dongs per kilogram, with the exception of imported ones (grapes and cherries, for example). As with food, we have a fruit guide to help you. Some are expensive - a sugar apple, for example, from 50 thousand dongs.
How to save on food in Nha Trang
Do not disdain nondescript establishments for local and roadside cafes - in our opinion, they are tastier there. Sometimes you can find real culinary masterpieces there! Wipe cutlery with antibacterial napkins just before eating.
In cafes and restaurants, we recommend trying not local cuisine (after all, it is tastier and cheaper in the same eateries), but something exotic (for example, crocodile meat) or ordering dishes from other cuisines (for example, if you miss Russian food).
Always check the price if it is not listed on the menu, otherwise at the end of the meal the price may be very high.
If you leave the tourist streets, you can find food almost twice as cheap - we found it, checked (especially for seafood, snails, etc.)! But also in the center the prices are reasonable.
Fruit in the market is not always cheaper than in shops in the center, but you can bargain in the market (however, the Vietnamese are not very willing to do this). It is definitely not worth buying fruit on the boardwalk - very expensive! Sometimes fruit can be bought for promotions in supermarkets.
Prices in Nha Trang for transport. Rent a bike
You can save money on a taxi in Nha Trang by taking a free city map with bus routes (you can find it at Perekrestok or travel agencies). A city bus ticket costs only 7 thousand dong! If you need to go out of town (for example, to Zoklet beach), then prepare 25 thousand dongs one way. Buses to Cam Ranh airport - from 70 thousand dong.
You can rent a bike from about 80 thousand dongs (the cheapest rental that we found, but the bike was so-so), mostly offers for 100-130 thousand dongs. There is adequate rental on the second line on the right side, if you go to the lotus (there will be a large "pocket" at the hotel): you don’t ask for a passport, and a small deposit, and bikes with helmets are quite new. There are semiautomatic devices (they are better than scooters). Perhaps the best rental in Nha Trang.
The cost of gasoline is from about 20 thousand dongs per liter, prices vary. We usually only refuel at gas stations, and we don't buy the green liquid that is sold everywhere along the roads.
Excursions in Nha Trang: reviews of tourists and our advice
In Nha Trang, you do not have to look for travel agencies - they will find you themselves. While you walk five minutes to the sea, you will be handed at least a dozen leaflets with prices for excursions. Consider the most common excursions among tourists in Nha Trang and try to figure out whether they are worth spending money on.
Find out about the best excursions in Nha Trang.
The range of prices for excursions in Nha Trang is large - we advise you to compare in different travel agencies. According to tourists, it is much cheaper to take an excursion with an English-speaking guide. Remember: your tour operator will have the highest prices for excursions (if you are on a tour)!
Sightseeing tour in Nha Trang, tourists are not advised to take, since all the sights included there can be easily inspected on their own (Po Nagar towers, Cathedral, Long Son pagoda, etc.). Cost - from $ 15.
On the Zoklet beach you can also get there on your own - by bus (# 3) or bike. The beach itself is not bad, the entrance to the sea is shallow, shallow and there are no waves. We were not particularly impressed by it, and there was a lot of rubbish on the sand. According to tourists, this is the best beach in Nha Trang. Vacationers are advised to try fresh seafood on the beach. By the way, parking is paid there. The cost of the excursion is from $ 10.
Tourists leave positive reviews about the excursion in Eco Park Young Bay (about 40 km from Nha Trang): they like the rich program and organization. We are not in favor of group viewing, so we recommend visiting it yourself if you know how to ride a bike. It is better to come to the park early in the morning, before sightseeing buses appeared, or, conversely, in the afternoon (we did just that, and before closing, we walked almost completely alone and fed the crocodiles). There are many interesting things in the park: the waterfalls themselves, the zoo, the crocodile farm, stunning mineral baths, etc. The cost of the excursion is from $ 19. If you are driving on your own, the entrance ticket will cost 90-250 thousand dongs.
To the waterfalls Ba ho we also advise you to go on your own. Here we have not seen sightseeing buses, although we have been twice. The entrance is about 25 thousand dong
According to tourists, excursions from Nha Trang to Northern (from $ 25) and Southern islands (from $ 7) are good, although some were disappointed. Nothing extraordinary, but in general tourists like it. Since we are not supporters of excursions, we did not visit the islands. If $ 7 for a trip is still not bad, then $ 25 is already decent. We read the reviews and the program of excursions and decided that they did not contain anything interesting for us: elephants, dogs, sika deer, monkeys, orchids, aquariums - we have already seen enough of all this.
On the mineral springs and mud baths (Thap Ba or 1000 Eggs, for example) you can also go on your own. We still do not understand what the excursion is all about? I arrived, paid, swim in different baths. Entrance to Thap Ba - from 80 thousand dong, the price depends on the desired number of baths.
On the streets you can find offers of trips to Dalat, Sapa, Ho Chi Minh City and other cities, but we think that this is completely blasphemy - it is much cheaper to take an intercity bus and explore the cities on your own and devote at least two or three days to this. And a bike ride to Dalat is generally an exciting journey (albeit dangerous)! Just do not tell those who rent the bike that you are going to Dalat: the landlords are afraid for the safety of their motorcycle.
Tours with Easy riders on bikes. The idea is cool: a Vietnamese chopper drives you around the sights. The cost is high, individual and group excursions, from 1 day to a week. Tours are in English only, choppers do not rent without a Vietnamese guide, we asked.
Outcome: we would not recommend taking any excursions if you know how to ride a bike! If not, first visit the places where you can get by bus and taxi. From long trips, we recommend Yang Bay and Ba Ho (excellent views along the way). Also devote the whole day to the Winperl entertainment island - there is a very interesting oceanarium and many attractions. You can visit Dalat and Halong Bay (1-2 days).
Find out what souvenirs to bring from Vietnam.
