Thanks for staying tuned to my posts!
So, after spending 3 nights at Hanoi, it’s time to bid farewell to the capital of Vietnam! The next stop on my route is the beach city of Nha Trang. Initially, I wanted to do a Hanoi-Hue-Hoi An route before going to Nha Trang, but I figured out that it’s gonna cost more and also due to the tightness of my schedule. However now, I sort of regretting not going there as I heard lots of good stuffs especially on Hoi An.
I booked a Vietnam Airlines flight from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport to Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh Airport. Taking the train from Hanoi to Nha Trang is possible but it will cost me USD 85 and will take 2 nights!! The flight cost me USD 78, so why not??? The flight took about 1.5 hours. Initially, I wanted to book Vietjet Air but after hearing about many delay issues, i decide to play safe by booking with Vietnam’s national carrier. Do note that there is no airport in Nha Trang itself. The nearest airport is Cam Ranh airport, which is like 30km away from Nha Trang.
A321 operating VN 1557 to Cam Ranh. The livery is Cambodia’s national carrier but the aircraft is loaned from Vietnam airlines.
Flight service by Vietnam Airlines is pretty good. There’s more legroom compared to those seats on budget airlines. A small snack box containing a pudding and a fruit cake is handed out to passengers.
So after landing, I took the airport bus to the city center. Tickets are at VND 60 000 and can be bought right at the arrival gate. The signs may be in Vietnamese, but just approach the counter and ask if they provide the service to the old nha trang airport. The airport minibus will operate based on the flight arrivals. It will take about 45 minutes to reach to the old nha trang airport. From there, you can arrange your own transport to your hotel. I took a motorbike taxi which cost me VND 40 000. Do note that not all Vietnamese drivers/riders know the address that well. So, try having a local to help you write the address of your hotel in Vietnamese.
I booked my hostel, HQ hostel, for 3 nights. Dorms here cost me USD 7 per night and the price includes breakfast! So after reaching, I decided to wander around looking for places to eat.
Nha Trang is really a touristy and developed place. There are tall buildings around and strangely, many Russian restaurants. You can find many Russian expats and tourits here! And it was in Nha Trang that I saw the first fast food outlet (KFC) in Vietnam! The beach is really crowded with locals and tourists. The water, well it’s clean but not matching the standards of those beaches you see in Thailand. Nha Trang also has it’s share of nightlife which is around the Nguyen Thien Thuat and Biet Thu St area. The nightlife here isn’t as rowdy as those in Bangkok.
Night life in Nha Trang
Prices wise in Nha Trang are slightly higher than those in Hanoi. It’s a city area, what do you expect right? For those shoppers, you can shop at the Nha Trang shopping center and also a small mini night market that sells mainly souvenirs.
Just look for this prominent tower and the night market is nearby
I also booked for a snorkeling day trip for VND 300 000 by Nha Trang Tourist. Snorkeling gear, hotel transfer, lunch, fruits and bottled water are provided.
So, that’s about Nha Trang. Now, snorkeling!
The trip started off at 0800, with a 15 minute drive to the jetty for boat transfer. We went to Mun Island first and it took 30 minutes to get there. The water is really cold there and the water is clear and good enough for snorkeling. Alternatively, you can also book a diving trip to Mun Island.
We were allowed 45 minutes to snorkel here before going to another island. We went to Mot Island next for another 45 minutes of snorkeling.
Lunch was served on the boat, buffet style. Vietnamese food is served here. Lunch was okay, but you get for what you paid for, so no complaints! Fruits were also served after lunch!
After lunch, we headed to Mun Island for the last time. Here, we spent 30 minutes to snorkel and later back to the pier for our hotel transfer.
Well overall, the experience is okay. As I mentioned earlier, you get for what you paid for. But for the price, it’s really worth it considering lunch is included. The corals are not damaged and the water is clear and clean for snorkeling. The trip will end about 1600.
I wandered around the city and beach area before heading back to the hostel to call it a day.
So that’s all for now. Stay tuned for my next post, as I venture to the resort island of VinPearl!
Redd Wanderlust 