If you’ve been on the road for a while and are craving a few home comforts, some ‘vacation’ type activities and a few easy days, here are five reasons you should hop off in Nha Trang.
Looking for a fun spot to hop off and relax in Vietnam? Hop off in Nha Trang! Nha Trang is not one of our Stray overnight stops, but it’s a great place to hop off for a few days to rejuvenate. It should be explained upfront that it is not off the beaten track, it’s not an ‘adventure tourism’ destination and it’s not overly budget-friendly.
But it is a great place to relax, especially when you are craving a few home comforts. Or need some ‘vacation’ type activities and a few easy days. Here are the reasons why you should hop off in Nha Trang.
1. You can get proper Western-style food
Nha Trang is a popular Western tourist destination so you can get some really good Western-style food, which you might be craving if you’ve been on the road for a while. The beachfront Sailing Club restaurant is run by a British chef and does delicious platters and great steak sandwiches. You’ll also find Italian restaurants, Greek restaurants, American-style BBQ restaurants and burger joints.
2. To visit Vinpearl Land
Vinpearl Land is Vietnam’s answer to Disneyland. Set on an island visible from the mainland, you need to take a 3km long cable car over the ocean (the longest cable car over water in the world) to get there. On the island, there is an amusement park, arcade, aquarium and water park with some pretty crazy hydro-slides! Go wild!
3. To taste delicious locally brewed craft beer
The Louisiane Brew House brews craft beer onsite in giant vats and serves it pool-side in Oktoberfest-style glasses. You can spend the day by the pool, trying the different flavours on offer – the passionfruit beer is delicious! They also offer brewery tours which are really informative and include a beer tasting.
4. Relax and rejuvenate at the Thap Ba mineral baths and mud spa
Thap Ba is the original thermal hot pools and spa centre. It’s about a 20min drive out of the city and shuttles are available to take you out there. You can choose a package that suits you that includes a mud bath, hydrotherapy or massage. Then you can relax in the hot pools and Jacuzzis and really work the knots out of your back from carrying your backpack all over Asia!
5. It’s a nice short travel day
Currently, we leave Da Lat, a gorgeous little mountain town, bound for the coastal fishing village of Bai Xep in the morning. Hopping off in Nha Trang is the ideal way to break up this travel day. You’ll get to Nha Trang before lunch and have the rest of the day to relax on the beach. When you’ve done a few long travel days a short, 3-hour travel leg, seems like a holiday in itself!
After a few days spent in Nha Trang, you’ll be ready to get back on the Stray bus, get back off the beaten track and head to Bai Xep, where you’ll be hard-pressed to find another tourist. I call this the best of both worlds.
