How I get to Nha Trang?

1. Air

Nha Trang is serviced by Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR), 30 kilometres south of the city. It takes 50 minutes to reach the city from the airport along a good scenic coastal road. There are daily flights to major cities in Vietnam, as well as international and charter flights. CXR is a small airport, and it's now overwhelmed by the number of passengers coming through. As of August 2015, there was only one Vietinbank ATM. There are a few cafes serving pho, coffee and sandwiches, money exchange and service desks for Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific.

There’s a Vietnam Airlines booking office in Nha Trang at 91 Nguyen Thien Thuat, T: (058) 352 6768, F: (058) 352 5956.

Domestic destinations include:

Da Nang (Vietnam Airlines)

Hanoi (Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, Jetstar)

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, Jetstar)

International destinations include:

Chengdu, China

Chongqing, China

Guangzhou, China

Hangzhou, China

Ningbo, China

Wenzhou, China

Wuhan, China

Seoul, South Korea

Fixed rate taxis from the airport to Nha Trang are set at 350,000 VND. Find a taxi that is not part of the stand and you can negotiate it down to 300,000 VND. Do not go by meter as it will be far more expensive. A safe bet is to prearrange pick-up with your hotel for 300,000-350,000 VND. A taxi from Nha Trang to the airport can be negotiated to 250,000 VND.

A cheaper way to get between Cam Ranh International Airport and Nha Trang is the airport minibus, costs 65,000 VND per person. It drops you off at the old Nha Trang airport (no longer in use) at the southern end of the tourist centre. From there you can take a taxi to your hotel. To transfer from Nha Trang to CXR, go to the depot (located at the end of the small street beside The Light Hotel on Tran Phu Blvd) at least two hours before your domestic flight.

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2. Train

Nha Trang's train station is located on Thai Nguyen, Phuoc Tan district, east of Long Son Pagoda. Book ahead, especially for sleepers on weekend trains. The easiest way to buy tickets is to visit the station in person a few days in advance or buy them through a hostel/hotel/travel agency, who add a small commission. You can also buy tickets through Vietnam Railways’ official website or a string of agency websites (some who claim to be the official website). The website is only in Vietnamese and your international credit card may or may not work. If it does go through, you pick your ticket up at the station.

Vietnam train options, in order of comfort:

Nam mem dieu hoa (VIP): Higher quality soft sleeper (4-berths per cabin with air-con), only available on certain trains

Nam mem dieu hoa: Soft sleeper (4-berths per cabin with air-con)

Nam cung dieu hoa: Hard sleeper (6-berths per cabin with air-con)

Ngoi mem dieu hoa: Soft seat with air-con

Ngoi cung: Hard seat

HCMC (Vietnam Railways Reunification Express) departs at 08:35, 11:44, 17:55, 20:34, 21:22, 22:12, 22:46 takes 7-9 hrs. Soft sleeper 611,000 VND top / 651,00 VND bottom; hard sleeper costs 450,000 VND upper / 541,000 VND middle / 577,000 VND bottom; soft seat air-con 333,000 VND

HCMC (SNT1 – trains have privately run Golden Trains tourist cars with nicer sleepers) departs at 19:00, arrives 03:28. Soft sleeper 639,000 VND top / 679,000 VND bottom; hard sleeper costs 484,000 VND upper / 579,000 VND middle / 629,000 VND bottom.

Da Nang departs at 03:21, 05:00, 13:26, 16:29, 19:54, 21:29. Soft sleeper 543,000 VND upper / 578,000 VND bottom; hard sleeper costs 399,000 VND upper / 480,000 VND middle / 514,000 VND bottom; soft seat air-con 359,000 VND

Hue departs at 03:21, 05:00, 13:26, 16:29, 19:54, 21:29. Soft sleeper 650,000 VND upper / 692,000 VND bottom; hard sleeper costs 489,000 VND upper / 575,000 VND middle / 614,000 VND bottom; soft seat air-con 359,000 VND

Hanoi departs at 03:21, 05:00, 13:26, 16:29, 21:29. Soft sleeper 1,391,000 upper / 1,481,000 VND bottom; hard sleeper costs 1,031,000 VND upper / 1,227,000 VND middle / 1,310,000 VND bottom

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3. Bus

As a popular destination, Nha Trang is well-served by the “Open Bus Tour” companies and other higher-quality buses. Open Buses cost more than local buses but drop-off/pick-up is conveniently from the company office right downtown rather than an outlying bus station.

Formerly known as Sinh Cafe (it changed in 1999 due to an epidemic of copycats), TheSinhTourist is one of the most popular with tourists.

TheSinhTourist: 90C Hung Vuong St, Nha Trang; T: (058) 352 4329; www.thesinhtourist.vn ; nhatrang@thesinhtourist.vn; open daily 06:00 - 22:00.

HCMC: Departs at 07:45. Sleeping bus costs 279,000 VND and takes 11.75 hours.

HCMC: Departs at 19:30. Sleeping bus costs 279,000 VND and takes 10 hours.

Mui Ne: Departs at 07:45. Sleeping bus costs 149,000 VND, 279,000 VND and takes 5 hours.

Mui Ne: Departs at 19:30. Sleeping bus costs 279,000 VND and takes 5 hours.

Da Lat: Departs at 08:00, 13:00. Sitting bus costs 149,000 VND and takes 4 hours.

Hoi An: Departs at 19:00. Sleeping bus costs 299,000 VND and takes 11 hours.

Note: The Sinh Tourist does not offer a direct bus from Nha Trang to Da Nang, Hue or Hanoi. For Da Nang/Hue, change bus in Hoi An. For Hanoi, change bus in Hoi An then Hue.

FUTA Bus Lines (aka Phuong Trang): So 7 Hoang Hoa Tham, Nha Trang; T: (058) 381 2812

HCMC, Mien Tay bus station: Departs at 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 12:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00, 22:00, 23:00. Costs 220,000 VND and takes 11 hours

HCMC, Mien Dong bus station: Departs at 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 12:00, 19:00, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 22:00, 23:00. Costs 220,000 VND and takes 11 hours.

Da Lat: departs at 08:00, 12:00, 15:00, 16:00. Costs 140,000 VND and takes 4 hours.

Da Nang: departs at 18:30. Costs 240,000 VND and takes

Negative reviews and horror stories of Hanh Cafe overflow on the Internet and if the downright nasty customer service at their Nha Trang office is any indication, their reputation is accurate. Use at your own risk.

Hanh Cafe Open Tour: 10 Hung Vuong, Nha Trang; T: (058) 352 7466; hanhcafe.vn; support@hanhcafeopentour.com

http://www.travelfish.org/location/vietnam/south_central_vietnam/binh_thuan/mui_ne">Mui Ne: Departs at 8:00, 20:00. Costs 130,000 VND and takes 5 hours.

HCMC: Departs at 08:00, 19:30, 20:00, 21:00. Costs 190,000 VND and takes 11 hours.

Hoi An: Departs 19:30. Costs 200,000 VND and takes 11.5 hours.

Hue: Departs 19:30. Costs 300,000 VND and takes 16.5 hours.

Hanoi via Hue: departs 19:30. Costs 610,000 VND and takes 35.5 hours (including 5 hour layover in Hue).

In 2015, Nha Trang’s southern bus station Ben xe phia Nam moved to a new location 5.5 kilometres west of the train station on 23 Thang 10, beside Metro superstore. Given the distance, buying tickets through a travel agent would be more convenient. There are several different bus companies servicing intercity routes, so exact times and prices will vary, but take the following as a guide:

HCMC: Departs hourly 06:00-23:30, costs 185,000-225,000 VND

Hue: Departs 18:00, 20:00, costs 265,000-280,000 VND

Hoi An: Departs 19:00, costs 220,000 VND

Da Nang: Departs 06:30, 18:30, 19:00, costs 230,000-240,000 VND

Da Lat: Departs hourly from 05:30-16:00, costs 140,000 VND

Gia Lai: Departs 18:30, costs 190,000 VND

Ca Mau: Departs 16:30, 18:30, costs 330,000 VND

Ha Tien: Departs 14:30, 15:00, costs 350,000-380,000 VND

Chau Doc: Departs 16:00, costs 310,000 VND

Tra Vinh: Departs 17:00, costs 330,000 VND

Kien Giang departs 17:30, costs 310,000 VND

Can Tho: Departs 19:00, costs 260,000 VND

Vung Tau: departs 08:00, costs 200,000 VND

Long Hai: Departs 19:30, costs 200,000 VND

Tuy Hoa: Departs 05:30, 13:15. Costs 70,000 VND

Qui Nhon: Departs 13:15, costs 100,000 VND

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4. Getting around

When it comes you getting around Nha Trang, you have plenty of options.

Walking around the downtown core is doable as the city is flat and major streets have footpaths, though any form of exercise can be very uncomfortable in the midday heat (which is why you find most locals napping during this time). Everywhere in the tourist centre is walking distance to the beach. A very pleasant promenade runs along the length of Nha Trang beach/Tran Phu Boulevard and it’s a popular place for all to stroll or run at sunset.

Xe om (motorbike taxis) are plentiful, usually found waiting on corners, and they’re a quick and easy way to get around. Helmets are required by law – settle on the fare, put on the helmet they provide you and go! A ride within the downtown core should cost no more than 20,000-25,000 VND. Taxis are also easy to find. You can go by metre but most locals we spoke to recommended agreeing on a fixed fare upfront or risk being driven around in circles. A ride within downtown should be no more than 40,000 VND. Or if you’re not in a rush, cyclos (three-wheel bicycle taxis) are a fun, scenic way to tour the city at night.

Hotels and shops in the tourist centre all rent bicycles and it’s possible to pedal to tourists sites like Long Song Pagoda and Po Nagar Tower. A decent city cruising bicycle costs up to 40,000 VND per day.

 at 115 Hung Vuong rents excellent mountain bikes for 140,000 VND per day.

Driving in Nha Trang is less intense than Hanoi or in Ho Chi Minh City, and the pace is relatively slow, however don’t let Nha Trang be your first time on a motorbike. To rent, motorbikes are around 80,000 VND per day, while automatic scooters cost 110,000 VND per day. Take care at the roundabouts and watch out for buses – the bigger the vehicle, the less the person driving it gives a damn about you.

One of the cheapest and surprisingly comfortable ways to get around Nha Trang is the air-conditioned white and blue city bus which costs only 7,000 VND per ride. There are six routes in total, but #4 will be most useful for visitors as it passes places of interest. The #4 Nguyen Bac - Vinpearl bus runs 13 kilometres north-south, from the beach north of Chong Rocks, through the tourist centre on Nguyen Thien Thuat before following down along the coast ending at the Vinpearl cable car station. Bus runs every 15 minutes, from 05:35-19:00. Catch the bus at designated stops (it will not pick-up, drop-off in between), the stops going in either direction are always across the street from each other. Buy a ticket from the collector on board and you can let them know where you want to go. No English spoken though, so it’s helpful if you write it down.

Another public bus that is useful to visitors is the blue-white-yellow air-con bus to Doc Let beach. From stops on Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, take #3 bus (Nha Trang – Ninh Hoa – Doc Let). Bus starts at 06:30, costs 24,000 VND per ride, takes 1.5 hours. Last stop is at the beach beside White Sand Doclet Resort & Spa.