This list of things to do in Nha Trang goes beyond the usual tourist landmarks and is packed with recommendations for adrenaline junkies!
Nha Trang isn’t on the radar for most travellers from Singapore, and those who do know of it tend to picture just another laid-back coastal resort town in Vietnam. But on our trip there, we discovered that it’s actually an adventure paradise!
Instead of the usual beach clubs and malls, we explored Nha Trang’s land, sea, and sky to find the best things to do. After four days there, we’re convinced it’s only a matter of time before this Central Vietnam gem goes viral.
From untouched islands to motorcycle tours and paramotoring — here’s what you shouldn’t miss 👇
Flights to Nha Trang from Singapore
Just a ~2.5-hour direct flight from Singapore with Scoot, Nha Trang is an ideal destination for a short, action-packed escape filled with adventure.
We flew on the modern Embraer E190-E2, which has a 2×2 seat configuration. The wider legroom and lack of middle seats had us yapping the entire flight, but more on our flight experience below.
Enjoy 4x weekly flights between Singapore and Nha Trang from S$139/way with Scoot! One-way, taxes included. Terms and travel periods apply.
Things to do in Nha Trang
1) Snorkel at Hon Mun Marine Park
Hon Mun Marine Park is Vietnam’s first official marine protected area and consists of a cluster of islands home to over 1,500 species of marine life. Some of the islands include Hon Mun, Hon Mot, Hon Tam, and Hon Tre! You can only access the islands via a day tour or a private chartered boat.
On our tour, we went snorkelling at Mun Beach on Hon Mun Island. The snorkelling area is cordoned off by rope, and we were pleasantly surprised to see a wide variety of reef fish like trumpetfish and parrotfish so close to shore! Plus, the waters were crystal clear!
*Pro-tip: Bring your own towel and a change of clothes as there is no fresh water shower on Hon Mun Island.
Entrance fee: 22,000₫/pax (~S$1), incl. in tour package
Opening hours: 8AM – 4PM
How to get there: 20min boat ride from Bến Tàu Du Lịch Nha Trang Port (Google Maps)
2) Go on a scooter tour around Bich Dam Island
If there’s one island day trip you need to take from Nha Trang, let it be Bich Dam Island.
Home to a quiet little fishing village, Bich Dam is a treasure trove of dramatic landscape views with close to no tourists! In fact, the island is so untouched that there are only a handful of homestays and food stalls. The only way to get there is to book a private boat charter.
To get around the island, our tour guide from Vuongland Travel arranged for locals to take us across on scooters for 200,000₫/pax. The alternative is to hike, but it can get pretty hilly, so bring hiking poles!
The local scooter service has a pre-set list of attractions, so we didn’t have to worry about navigating to photo spots. If you want to visit anywhere else, just let your local guide know to make the arrangements 🤸♀️
Our first stop was Hon Lon Lighthouse, one of Vietnam’s oldest lighthouses. Built by the French in 1890, it’s perched on the edge of a cliff and overlooks tiny islets. We were honestly blown away by the view, as the colour of the sea reminded us of the capes in Portugal!
It’s such a picturesque location that we spent a good hour just sitting on a bench to take in the view.
Egg Stone Beach is named after the circular rocks that make up the beach!
Next, we dropped by Bãi Đế, a hidden beach said to be known for cows grazing on the nearby grass patch! Unfortunately, we reached too late in the day to see any, but it was quite surreal to walk on a grass field dotted with boulders that opened up to a beach.
Our last stop was Egg Stone Beach, where we built rock stacks and snapped some photos before returning to the pier.
Cost of scooter tour: From 200,000₫/pax (~S$10)
Meeting point: Bich Dam Island Jetty
How to get there: 20min boat ride from Bến Tàu Du Lịch Nha Trang Port (Google Maps)
3) Catch your own lunch at a floating restaurant
Nha Trang is Vietnam’s seafood capital, so you have to try it the most authentic way possible — on a kelong!
Mr Ri’s restaurant is located near Bich Dam Island, reachable only by boat. The kelong sells seafood caught by local fishermen, like groupers, squid, lobster, and oysters. We were also surprised to see reef fish like boxfish and remoras — perhaps it’s a local delicacy 😅
Catching your own fish is surprisingly hard! You’d think it’d be quick since they’re in a confined space, but they just slip right out of the net.
We eventually caught a grouper (600,000₫/kg) and could choose between having it steamed or hotpot style. The soup was so fragrant and the fish tender — one of our favourite meals in Nha Trang!
How to get there: 3min boat ride from Bich Dam Island
*Note: The only way to get to Mr Ri’s restaurant is to have your tour guide arrange a small local boat transport. It does not have a Google Maps listing.
4) Soar over Nha Trang on a paramotor or tandem paragliding tour
Photo credit: @flyvietnam.official via Instagram
Nha Trang has a unique landscape comprising skyscrapers, the sea, rice fields, and mountains. So what better perspective to see it than from up in the air?
Fly Nha Trang offers paramotor and tandem paragliding tours at sunrise. The former uses a small engine, whereas the latter relies fully on a fabric wing and wind! Either way, they’ll both fulfil your thrill appetite and be a core travel memory!
Cost: From 2,990,000₫/pax (~S$147) for a Paragliding or Advanced Paramotor Tour, incl. round-trip transfer
Activity timings: 6AM – 8:30AM
Meeting point: Hotel transfers are available within Nha Trang
5) Explore Hon Ba Nature Reserve on a motorcycle
The highest point of the reserve is 1,578m above sea level, so it gets noticeably colder 🥶
Nha Trang is surrounded by mountains, and Hon Ba Nature Reserve is the perfect change of scenery from the beach.
While most tourists only visit Kong Forest inside the reserve for an ATV or zipline tour, we recommend hopping on a motorcycle tour to explore the entire national park instead. The roads had many winding bends against a backdrop of epic mountains — which reminded us of the Ha Giang Loop!
Suối Đáu stream is located within Kong Forest 🪨
Our favourite spots were Suoi Da Giang and Suoi Dau streams. There were many rock formations we could scramble on, and the atmosphere was so peaceful there. There was nobody around except the sound of birdsong and rushing water 🧘♀️
Unfortunately, we were not dressed appropriately to embark on a hidden waterfall trek along the Suoi Nguon stream. So if you’re planning to go there, wear sandals or shoes with good grip that can handle water!
The trail isn’t on Google Maps, but our guide, Jimmy, said that it takes an hour to get there. And if you’re really lucky, you might even see the elusive black-shanked douc langur that calls the reserve home!
The main highlight of the tour was getting to barbecue our own lunch over a campfire. Maybe it’s the city folk in us, but it was our first time cooking in a forest, so we were pretty excited! Our guide prepared prawns, beef, pork, banh mi, dips, soda, and beers — it was more like a forest feast to end the tour.
*Pro-tip: The tour itinerary is flexible, so just discuss with the guide what you want to do!
Cost: From 1,170,000₫/pax (~S$58), incl. lunch
Tour timing: 8:30AM – 5PM
Meeting point: Hotel transfers are available within Nha Trang
6) Try jellyfish noodles at Fish Noodle Soup Nguyen Loan
Bún Cá Sứa, aka jellyfish noodles, is a must-try Nha Trang delicacy. It’s a bowl of piping hot thick rice noodles in a clear broth, topped with grilled fish, fish cakes, and translucent jellyfish!
We tried it at Fish Noodle Soup Nguyen Loan, a popular local spot known for its fishball and fish cake noodles too.
The flavour is reminiscent of the fishball noodle soup in Singapore, and the texture is similar to cartilage — making it both crunchy and chewy. It was our first time trying jellyfish, and we really enjoyed it 🪼
Cost: 50,000₫/bowl (~S$2.50)
Opening hours: 5AM – 10PM
Address: 123 Ngô Gia Tự, Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam
How to get there: 7min drive from Libra Hotel Nha Trang (Google Maps)
7) Scream your heart out at VinWonders Nha Trang
Photo credit: VinWonders
VinWonders Nha Trang on Hon Tre Island is one of the largest amusement parks in Vietnam, spanning six different zones — a theme park, water park, garden, aquarium, zoo, and fairytale zone!
Getting there is already pretty thrilling, as you’ll need to take one of the longest cable cars across the sea at 3.3km. Start the day at the theme park section: screaming on rollercoasters, viking ship, swings, and more 🎢
Photo credit: VinWonders
Then, check out Fairy Land, which is home to a 2,576m-long Alpine Coaster that cuts through the mountains of Hon Tre. But the real highlight is the two-seater Zipline, which has an epic view of the Nha Trang skyline and ocean.
While the park is famous for its adrenaline-pumping attractions, there are still many family-friendly zones and shows for those who prefer a tamer day trip. In fact, it’s a great spot to watch the sunset behind the city. There’s even a fireworks display every Friday and Saturday evening.
Entrance fee: From 1,050,000₫/pax (~S$52) for a standard ticket and cable car transfer
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 8PM
Address: Đảo Hòn Tre, Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa, Vietnam
How to get there: Take the ~8min cable car from VinPearl Cable Car Station (Google Maps)
*Note: The zipline requires a separate ticket of 300,000₫/pax (~S$15).
Tips for your next trip to Nha Trang
Don’t settle for the standard room
There are many hotels in Nha Trang’s city, and it would be a waste not to book one with an ocean view even if you’re travelling on a budget.
We stayed at Libra Hotel Nha Trang and booked their Deluxe Sea View room for only ~S$50/night for 2 pax, including breakfast! It’s a great alternative to staying in a luxury resort, and nothing beats waking up to a sunrise sea view from the comfort of your bed.
Most hotels near Nha Trang Beach are also conveniently within walking distance to the restaurants, shopping malls, and spas!
Use reef-safe sunscreen
Most sunscreens are toxic to corals and marine life, as they contain ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, zinc oxide, parabens, and more! To protect the ocean, look for sunscreens labelled as “reef-safe” or “ocean-friendly”. These sunscreens will usually have non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Make sure to still check the ingredient list, as greenwashing is unfortunately common in popular skincare brands. When in doubt, consult the HEL list to ensure your sunscreen is free of pollutants!
Cash is king
It is still more common to use cash than card for payments in Nha Trang. We had to pay our tour operators, entrance tickets, and local food vendors in cash! There are plenty of ATMs in the city centre should you need more.
Nonetheless, shopping malls and restaurants will take card payments. But take note that some places will charge a 3% card fee!
Save more on your next flight from Singapore to Nha Trang
If you’re looking for an adventurous coastal getaway from Singapore, this is your sign to check out Nha Trang. Just a ~2.5-hour direct Scoot flight away, the city is perfect for those looking for both thrill and the familiar comforts a city can offer.
We took the Embraer E190-E2, which has a 2×2 seating configuration, making the journey pass comfortably fast.
The generous 10kg carry-on baggage allowance was also a lifesaver on our flight back because we might have gone a little overboard while shopping for souvenirs and snacks 🤭
Planning your next adventure? Scoot flies direct ~2.5-hour flights between Singapore and Nha Trang from ~S$139/way. One-way, taxes included. Terms and travel periods apply.
Nha Trang’s blend of being a vibrant city with untouched nature spots truly makes it the best of both worlds. And if you’re a creature of comfort who enjoys the occasional burst of adventure (like me), this will end up being your next favourite city 😉
I’m already dreaming of a scuba-diving-dedicated trip to explore Nha Trang from below!
What are some of your favourite things to do in Nha Trang? Let us know in the comments below!
This post was brought to you by Scoot and Changi Airport Group.
