Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [167]
Nha Trang is much more than a pretty strip of sand, however. The southern streets around Biet Thu are packed with great-value budget hotels and restaurants, plus some stylish boutiques and bars that are actually worth hanging out in. The downtown area, which swirls aound Cho Dam (“central market”), its colourful epicentre, heaves with life; while the route up to the Po Nagar towers escorts you past the city’s huge and photogenic fishing fleet.
The south–central coast | Nha Trang and around |
Arrival and city transport
Nha Trang’s long-distance bus station (058/382 2192) sits 1km west of the city centre at 58, 23 Thang 10; the train station (ticket office daily 7.30–11am & 1.30–9pm; 058/382 2113) is a few hundred metres east along Thai Nguyen, a continuation of the same road. Flights into the city land at the airport (058/398 9918), at Cam Ranh, 35km south of the city. From here take a bus (25,000đ) or taxi (around 200,000đ, depending on where you’re staying) to Nha Trang, and enjoy the superb coastal views along the way.
Nha Trang isn’t a very large city, so walking may well be your means of covering the ground – especially if a daily pilgrimage to the municipal beach marks the extent of your travels. Should you plan to stray a little further afield, bicycle rental is the most efficient and enjoyable way to go. Bicycles are available for around 20,000đ per day at most of the city’s hotels, though less active souls will always find cyclo and xe om aplenty. Fully fledged car tours of the region (around $40–50 per day) can be arranged by tour operators (see "Listings"), who also offer day-trips to the islands off Nha Trang and minibus tours of the central highlands.
The south–central coast | Nha Trang and around |
Accommodation
The fact that Nha Trang is chock-full of hotels doesn’t seem to be discouraging developers, and the city’s already wide choice of accommodation just keeps on growing. Beachfront monoliths are gradually blocking out any sea view from the mini-hotels on backstreets of the town. Even so, it’s worth bearing in mind that the city draws Vietnamese as well as foreign tourists, and that there can be difficulties finding a room over public holidays, when prices rise. The good news is that Nha Trang offers some of the best accommodation options outside Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, with great deals hidden away in the backstreets. Budget travellers, in particular, should head straight for “Hotel Alley”, beside 64 Tran Phu, where a clutch of newish mini-hotels vie for custom.
The south–central coast | Nha Trang and around | Accommodation |
Budget
Chi Thanh 17b Hoang Hoa Tham 058/352 1092, chi_thanh_Hotel@yahoo.com. This mini-hotel with clean, decent-sized rooms, all with a/c, is one of Nha Trang’s longest-standing budget options. US$11–20
Dong Phuong 1 101–103 Nguyen Thien Thuat 058/352 6896, dongphuongnt@dng.vnn.vn. Hugely popular family-run hotel, and one of many budget options clustered around this area. Functional but spacious rooms, ranging from small fan rooms to the enormous, a/c penthouse. US$10 and under–30
Golden Dragon 78/36 Tue Tinh 058/352 7117, www.goldendragonhotel.com.vn. A cosy and welcoming mini-hotel tucked away down a quiet backstreet in the south of town, just 5min from the beach, with good-value a/c rooms. The latest proud addition is a tiny pool and sundeck on the fourth floor. US$11–30
Hoang Long 30/12 Hoang Hoa Tham 058/352 5316. Tucked away down an alley opposite the Chi Thanh, this place offers compact fan or a/c rooms at very good prices. US$10 and under–20
My Hoa 7 Hang Ca 058/381 0111, myhoahotel@dng.vnn.vn. This smart, family-run mini-hotel in a central location is a decent budget option. The tidy rooms all have satellite TV, hot water and en-suite showers. US$10 and under–20
Perfume Grass Inn 4a Biet Thu 058/352 4286, www.perfume-grass.com. This reasonably priced place has lots of character. All the rooms are tastefully furnished, some with wooden floors, others with