Blessed with a magical beauty by nature, Nha Trang bay Vietnam has been honored to become a member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bay Club since June 2003, and was ranked as a national monument in 2005. This place has been written into music, poems with blue beaches, long stretches of fine white sand, amazing offshore islands, or colorful coral reefs under the ocean, and lots of other interesting things to see.
I - Overview of Nha Trang bay
Located off Nha Trang city, this Bay belongs to the South Central Coast of Vietnam, Khanh Hoa Province, bordering Nha Phu Bay and Cam Ranh Bay. Covering an area of about 507km2, this place includes up to 19 scattered islands creating a spectacular and poetic landscape, of which Hon Tre is the largest one.
Source: thanhnien
Nha Trang bay’s special feature lies in the depth that is superior to others, getting to 200m deep only 70km far from the shore, and 10 times deeper than that when reaching 100km. Said to be one of the rare natural models of the bay system in the world, this bay contains most of the typical ecosystems of tropical seas. In which, wetlands, islands, coastal sandy beaches, mangroves and seagrass beds in Nha Trang bay are said to be typical ones, with different functions.
In particular, the coral reefs are home to over 350 species, accounting for 40% of the world’s reef-building corals. It is also home to more than 26 market fish species, 200 bottom-dwelling fish species, 30 coastal fish species, 33 estuarine fish species and 176 coral reef fish species.
Nha Trang city is favored by nature with a mild year-round climate, fresh atmosphere and warm sunshine, so you can visit Nha Trang bay at any time. However, for a safer beach trip, it is best to avoid rain or storms and choose a time with beautiful sunshine. And the dry season (January to September), is considered the best time to visit the bay. At this time, the water is quite warm with light waves and the weather is dry, fit for swimming and interesting water activities.
II - Top famous attractions in Nha Trang bay Vietnam
1 - Hon Mieu island
Also known by many as Tri Nguyen, Hon Mieu is a densely populated island that makes a living from fishing and aquaculture. The traditional fishing village located in the west is a destination for many tourists, who are attracted by the fresh and delicious seafood dishes, which are extremely cheap.
Hon Mieu island in Nha Trang bay is an amazing island - Source: Trung Đỗ Nam
Beaches like Soi, Tranh are also beautiful places here, suitable for you to swim, explore nature and take some interesting check-in pictures. The most interesting point in Hon Mieu is Tri Nguyen Aquarium with a unique shape like a ship, which inside is a miniature ocean. Ticket prices for visiting Tri Nguyen Aquarium:
- Adults: 170,000 VND / person ($7.5)
- Children: 90,000 VND / person ($4)
As one of the islands in Nha Trang bay closest to the shore, this island is only about 1km from the mainland and 6km from the city center, so it’s not too difficult to reach. You can take a boat from Vinh Truong port (Vo Thi Sau street, Vinh Truong ward, Nha Trang city) with a travel time of about 15 - 20 minutes, or travel about 5 minutes by canoe with a capacity of about 15 - 35 people.
2 - Hon Mun island in Nha Trang bay
Having such a name thanks to the jet black rock here, Hon Mun Island is famous for its long white sand beaches and clear blue water, creating a picture in harmony with the green rows of the trees. You can participate in snorkeling or scuba diving, admiring colorful sea creatures, and exploring the biodiversity at the only marine conservation area in Vietnam.
Hon Mun in Nha Trang bay is an ideal place for snorkeling - Source: Mike Rigney
Walking on the seabed is also a fairly new experience here, but if you are a little afraid of going into the water, you can also choose to sight see and explore in a glass bottom boat. With a total area of 160km2, Hon Mun is about 14km from Nha Trang city center, accessible by canoe or boat.
Travel time is 20 - 30 minutes from Cau Da port at the end of Tran Phu street. Unlike some other island in Nha Trang bay Vietnam, you have to buy tickets to get on board and on the island:
- Traveling fee:
+ By boat: 250,000 VND / person ($10.94)
+ By canoe: 300,000 VND / person ($13.13)
- Entrance fee:
+ Adults: 22,000 VND / person ($0.96)
+ Children: 11,000 VND / person ($0.48)
3 - Yen Island
Yen island - Source: hanhnhanreview
Formerly known as Hon Noi, Yen Island in Nha Trang bay is also home to countless swiftlets of a small and extremely rare breed. Not only providing the largest reserve of bird's nests in the country, this is also the place where the Salanganes' nests anniversary is held annually. You can also find on this island the only double beach in Vietnam, with hot-cold sides and different colored water. Under the clear sea, there are also beautiful coral reefs hidden, so if you are a good swimmer or have experience, you can try snorkeling or explore on a glass-bottom boat.
Yen Island in Nha Trang bay is under the management of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company, so you have to buy tickets from Cau Da port to visit the island. There are 2 types of transportations for you to choose from, including wooden boats (45 - 50 seats) and speedboats (20 - 36 seats). The former has a travel time of about 1 hour with the price of 490,000 VND / ticket ($21.45), while the canoe moves faster, taking about 30 - 45 minutes with a rather high fare of 790,000 VND / ticket ($34.58).
III - Resting around Nha Trang bay
1 - Cruise on Nha Trang bay
Cruise on bay - Source: nhatrang-tourist
In addition to having a self-sufficient trip, you should also consider a very interesting service here that is cruise tours to explore the bay. You have the opportunity to see the whole beautiful landscape here, feel the sunset with a romantic red color and enjoy the starry sky. In that space, there is nothing better than enjoying a luxurious dinner with delicious seafood and falling asleep to the calm sound of the night sea.
Depending on the time of your Nha Trang bay travel tour, you can also visit many places, and participate in interesting water sports activities such as scuba diving, kayaking, and fishing,… From the moment you set foot on the cruise, you are served the most attentive services: colorful cocktails, spa, and melodious tunes throughout the journey.
Sea Coral Cruise
- Price: 750,000 - 950,000 VND / person ($32.83 - 41.58)
- Contact: (+84) 862 042 679
- Email: sales-nt@sealifegroup.com
Emperor Cruise
- Price: 850,000 - 1,200,000 VND / person ($37.2 - 52.52)
- Contact: (+84) 914 596 396 - (+84) 258 388 7780
- Email: nt.ssm@emperorcruises.com
Horizon Cruise
- Price: 1,300,000 - 1,700,000 VND / person ($56.9 - 74.4)
- Contact: (+84) 258 355 1155
- Email: info@nhatranghorizon.com
2 - Luxury resort
Cable car to Hon Tre island - Source: kkday
Located on Hon Tre island, Vinpearl Resort & Spa Nha Trang bay is the leading beach resort in Vietnam, honored by the prestigious World Travel Award in 2018. Coming here, you will find a variety of rooms, all of which have a beautiful sea view, and separate swimming pools for villas.
There are also 10 spa huts, of which 7 are next to the romantic lake and 3 are in the green garden. At Vinpearl Resort & Spa Nha Trang bay, you are pampered with relaxation and body treatments sourced from Bali, a special experience only available at this luxury resort. From Nha Trang city, you can get to Hon Tre island by the following ways:
Cano
- Ticket price: 1,000,000 VND / boat up to 5 people ($43.77)
- Pick up point: Cau Da port - no.14B Tran Phu street, Vinh Hoa ward, Nha Trang city
- Travel time to to Hon Tre island in Nha Trang bay: 7 - 10 minutes operating from 8am - 10pm
Cable car
- Ticket price: 730,000 - 800,000 VND / ticket ($32 - 35)
+ Including entrance ticket to VinWonders amusement park.
- Pick up point: Tran Phu street, Vinh Truong ward, Nha Trang city
- Travel time: 10 - 12 minutes (length 3,320m)
Speedboat
- Ticket price: 1,000,000 VND / boat up to 30 people ($43.77)
- Pick up point: Cau Da port
- Travel time: 12 - 15 minutes operating all day & 30 minutes / trip
Referring to sea tourism in Vietnam, Nha Trang bay has long been one of the first names that is on the list of best destinations. Coming here is an opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the most unspoiled, beautiful and poetic nature, as well as participate in interesting water sports and activities.
— Ha Bich
