The Nha Trang beaches are famous in Vietnam. But it's not the only reason
to visit Nha Trang. In the area, there are some awesome Champa ruins to
visit.
Nha Trang has around 300.000 inhabitants, it is stretched out along the
beach, where you find most of the hotels, most around Tran Phu Street which
is the long boulevard crossing the city. Nha Trang is also famous for its
diving facilities although I can not comment on first hand. The city was
known as Kauthara under the Champa. It is still home to the Po Nagar Tower
built by the Champa.
Getting there and away
Nha Trang is 215 km from Dalat and 520 km from Hoi An (see out Hoi An
section). Coming from Dalat,
you will want to make a stop in Phan Rang and visit the nearby Champa Po
Klong Garai ruins
which are in great condition. Phan Rang was a large American air force base
in the Vietnam war.
The three towers of the Po Klong Garai are visible are sitting on a hilltop.
They date back to about 1300AD. They were built as
Hindu temples during the reign of Cham King Jaya Simhavarman III.
None of the Champa temples are as big as their biggest enemies of the time,
the Khmers in Cambodia but the temples show an amazing quality in architecture
and sculpturing. Near Nha Trang there are more Champa temples, most
noteworthy is the Po Nagar Cham towers at the mouth of Cai River.
From Phan Rang the road follows more or less the coast although you won't
see much of the South China Sea.
You may want to have a stop in Cam Lam. On the western shore of the bay,
this was the area’s major port and naval base during French colonial days.
There is little else to see in Cam Lam.
For many tourists, locals and foreign, the Nha Trang beaches are the best
beaches they will visit in Vietnam. And yes, the beach here is very nice
although the water can be a little rough, especially in the rainy season.
Around Nha Trang you find many sights to visit. The most popular tour in
Nha Trang is the 4 island boat trip. This will bring you along the most
interesting places on the coast of the city.
Hotels in Nha Trang
Many of the hotels in Nha Trang can be found along Tran Phu Street. Top
end hotel here is the
Six Senses Hideaway Ninh Van Bay Nha Trang, with rooms of over US $400 a
night. However, for most travelers this is probably beyond their budget.
Ho Chi Minh City may not be very appealing, there is one very nice
and interesting daytrip to be done: the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Cao Dai
Temple. Read more here:
