Nha Trang is the main city of the Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa, which from a simple fishing village with a number of traditional houses has turned into a popular resort with a multi-kilometer beach, fashionable hotels and a variety of attractions for tourists. Nha Trang is visited by both Vietnamese residents and foreign travelers who dream of taking a break from the gray everyday life in a tropical paradise.
Located behind mountains that protect from tornadoes and typhoons, the city offers its guests the maximum number of sunny months (the rainy period lasts from November to February), the optimal water temperature, which does not fall below 22-24 degrees, the absence of poisonous and dangerous marine life near the coast …
Many tourists are concerned about the question of what to see in Nha Trang and its environs? Ancient sanctuaries, Catholic and Buddhist temples, amusement parks, museums, natural wonders - Nha Trang has it all!
TOP-10 attractions of Nha Trang
Cham Towers Po Nagar
Cham Towers Po Nagar
The Po Nagar Temple is a Hindu Cham sacred building of the 8th century, a place of worship for the goddess Yan Ino Po Nagar. The temple is located on a hill at the mouth of the Kai River, about 2 km from the center of Nha Trang. The first temple built of wood on this site was burned down during the Javanese invasion in 774. After 10 years, it was restored in brick and stone. Until the 13th century, the sanctuary was expanded. Throughout its history, it has been subjected to ruin several times.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a team of French scientists led by Henri Parmentier investigated and restored this ancient temple. According to archaeological excavations, on the temple hill, on an area of 500 square meters. previously there were 10 different buildings. Until our time, only 5: 4 towers and Mandapa - a pavilion, from which only the pillars have survived, have survived. The main tower, 22.8 meters high, makes a particularly strong impression. In the main sanctuary there is a statue of the goddess Yan Ino Po Nagar, carved during the reign of King Jama Parameswaravarman in 1050.
Bao Dai Villas
Bao Dai Villas
The architectural complex of the villas of Bao Dai, the last Vietnamese emperor, consists of five luxurious buildings, including a museum, a fashionable hotel and a restaurant. All these mansions, built in 1923 according to the design of the Frenchman A. Crema, are surrounded by an oriental-style park. The villas, each of which used to have its own poetic name, are located on three hills. At first, these buildings were the dacha of the emperor and his family, and then became a resting place for the first persons of South Vietnam.
In one of Bao Dai's villas, there is a museum where people come to admire the carefully restored historical interiors, see the personal belongings of the emperor, his clothes, and sit on his throne for a fee.
Institute of Oceanography
Institute of Oceanography
The Institute of Oceanography, founded in 1922, is located in Kau Da, a few kilometers south of downtown Nha Trang, in a two-story French colonial-style mansion. It combines:
- a research center subordinate to the University of Saigon. Its staff places great emphasis on captive breeding projects, conservation and restoration of local coral reefs;
- oceanographic museum, the main treasure of which is a giant whale skeleton. There are also stuffed sea animals, a selection of huge shells raised from the bottom of the sea. Exhibits in several rooms tell about natural disasters, legends and traditions, as well as the history of fishing in Vietnam;
- an aquarium with 20 outdoor pools containing the fauna of the South Seas. Here you can see sharks, rays, sea turtles. Smaller tropical fish live in indoor aquariums among cultured corals.
Monkey island
Monkey island
Hon Lao Island is located in the beautiful Nha Phu lagoon, 17 km north of Nha Trang city. This uninhabited island is home to one and a half thousand cute and naughty monkeys who are not at all afraid of tourists. Most of the primates live on the territory of a specially created reserve. In honor of the monkeys, the island got its second name.
The nursery, which bred and studied monkeys, appeared on the island in 1983. When it was closed, the primates were left on the island. They live in freedom, accept food from tourists and can steal a thing they like. The island also has a circus with shows of monkeys and other animals.
Travelers spend the whole day on the island. There are cafes and souvenir shops, pristine beaches, unique nature.
Orchid Island
Orchid Island
Orchid Island, transformed by nature itself into a botanical garden, famous for a huge number of blooming exotic flowers, is located in Nha Phu Bay. Orchids of all kinds grow here from old large tree trunks and cling to rocks. Enterprising Vietnamese have organized a real tourist paradise here. Beaches with gentle descent into the water, coral reefs near the coast, excellent infrastructure are conducive to carefree relaxation. Youngest guests will enjoy the elephant and monkey performances. With the star of the show - the elephant Lena - you can talk, feed her and take pictures.
The island has paths that lead to four waterfalls. On the rock near the lower waterfall, there is another local attraction - inscriptions created in ancient times by the tamas - the ancestors of the present-day Vietnamese. If you walk from the waterfall along the trail, laid by the tamas, you can see graceful cranes.
Winperl Amusement Park
Winperl Amusement Park
An interesting Winperl amusement park, covering an area of 200 thousand square meters. m, located on the island of Hon-Che, which can be reached by a cable car - the longest in the world. The park, surrounded by tropical jungle, offers a variety of activities for all tastes.
There is a shopping area with many shopping pavilions that women will surely like, a fresh water water park designed for the whole family, a huge oceanarium that you don't even need to walk through: a moving walkway drives all guests past the aquariums with marine life. Finally, there is a popular amusement park with extreme slides, dashing descents and panoramic Ferris wheels. Performances of various animals are held daily, and in the evening they turn on fountains dancing to music. Grab a bite to eat in the food village, which serves a variety of cuisines prepared by professional chefs.
Hon Chong Stone Garden
Hon Chong Stone Garden
An unusual pile of stones, turned by locals into a popular tourist attraction, is located at Hon Chong Cape in the north of Nha Trang. In front of this stone garden, there is a map showing all the boulders of the bizarre shape that have their own name. Many of them are covered with legends. For example, there is a stone that a fairy who fell in love with a dragon turned into. When the dragon learned about such a terrible death of his beloved, he himself became a stone. One of the huge boulders has a dent in the shape of a dragon's paw print. A little further, there is a "hanging" stone, which is sandwiched at a height slightly more than human height between two powerful rocks. Fans of interesting pictures are photographed under it.
Cathedral
Cathedral
The monumental Gothic Cathedral of Christ the King is built on a high rock and is visible from different parts of the city. For the convenience of the builders, the top of the rock was leveled with the help of explosions. The construction of the cathedral began in 1928 and lasted until 1934. The temple is decorated with a large rose window, luxurious stained glass windows and a huge clock made in France. They were installed on the belfry of the cathedral, 38 meters high. The interior of the temple is decorated in a Gothic manner and decorated with fresh flowers. Until the 80s of the last century, a cemetery adjoined the temple, which it was decided to demolish, and in its place to build a railway station.
Catholic temples are not uncommon in Vietnam. Until recently, Catholicism was the main religion of this country. And even now there are a lot of adherents of the Catholic faith.
Long Sean Pagoda
Long Sean Pagoda
While in Nha Trang, you should definitely see the magnificent Long Son Pagoda with a huge snow-white statue of the Sitting Buddha. Since this Buddhist temple is built on a hill, the figure of Buddha on a lotus flower is visible from afar. The hill is located near Trai Thu Mountain, where at the end of the 19th century the Long Son Pagoda, called Dang Long at that time, was located. Just a few years later, the pagoda suffered from a landslide that descended from the mountain. Residents of Nha Trang moved it to a relatively safe present place.
In 1963, a mass suicide of monks took place here in protest against the negative attitude towards Buddhism on the part of the ruling elite. At the same time, in memory of this sacrifice, a 24-meter-high statue of Buddha appeared on the site of the old temple. From the pagoda along the ridge of the mountain to the Buddha statue there is a long staircase, consisting of 152 steps. They also go up here in order to admire the Nha Trang spread below.
Ba Ho waterfall
Ba Ho waterfall
Ba Ho waterfall is located in the reserve 25 km from Nha Trang. To see it, you will have to purchase a ticket. This miracle of nature consists of three cascades, falling into three lakes, which are located at different levels. The total height from which the water falls is 60 meters.
The easiest way is to get to the lower lake Nyat. From there, tourists follow the red arrows that will lead to the middle lake. The path to the upper reservoir is difficult: you will have to climb up the steep cliffs, relying on special braces for climbers. But there are always few tourists. The water in all three lakes is cool, but not icy, which is used by many travelers who do not miss the opportunity to swim on a hot day.
