Is Nha Trang worth visiting, and what should you do with two or three days there?

Po Nagar Cham Towers

The towers sit on a hill above the Cai river, built by the Champa kingdom between roughly the 8th and 11th centuries and still an active place of worship. The brickwork and the carvings are the reason to come — this is a different architectural tradition from the Vietnamese and Chinese-influenced sites further north.

Entry is around 30,000 VND (≈ $1.2) and you need 45 minutes to an hour. Go early: it is exposed, and the tour buses arrive mid-morning.

Dress respectfully — shoulders and knees covered. It is a religious site, not a ruin, and people come to pray.

The view over the fishing boats on the river below is half the reason to climb the steps.

The mud baths: yes, really

Nha Trang's mineral mud baths are the city's other signature, and they are more fun than they have any right to be. You soak in warm mineral mud for about 20 minutes, then move through hot mineral waterfalls, jacuzzis and warm swimming pools.

The main options: Tháp Bà, which is the original and closest to the Cham towers; I-Resort, with extensive landscaping and hot springs; and 100 Egg Theme Park, which is exactly what it sounds like.

A sensible half day pairs the two: Po Nagar at 08:30 before the heat, then the nearby mud baths late morning. That is the standard local itinerary and it works.

Prices vary by venue and package; expect to pay extra for a private tub versus a shared one, and bring a swimsuit and a towel.

What else, and how to split the time

• Long Son Pagoda, with the large white Buddha on the hillside above the city.

• Nha Trang Cathedral, French Gothic, in the middle of town.

• Island hopping and snorkelling in Nha Trang bay — Hon Mun is the usual marine stop. Boats leave from the port; the trips are cheap and cheerful rather than luxury.

• Hon Tam (Mermaid Island) for a more upscale beach day with its own mud bath options.

• VinWonders on Hon Tre island, reached by an over-water cable car — a full theme park and water park, and a good rainy-day or family option.

• Seafood and the night market in the evening. This is a fishing city, and the seafood is the local speciality.

Two days: Po Nagar, mud baths, beach, night market. Three days: add an island boat trip or VinWonders, and use the extra day to do nothing, which is what a beach stop is for.

The honest assessment

Nha Trang is a resort city. The seafront is a wall of high-rise hotels, the beach is busy, and there is a large Russian and Korean tourist presence with signage to match. If you came to Vietnam for old towns and quiet, this is not that.

It is also a genuinely useful break in a long north-to-south route. After Hue, Hoi An and Da Lat, three days of beach, mud and seafood resets you, and the Cham towers give the stop some substance.

Getting there: Nha Trang is on the Reunification Express line, which is how we arrived, and Cam Ranh airport is about 35 km south for flights to Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

Frequently asked questions