Moving away from Dalat, we are now at Nha Trang! We spent a total of 2.5 days in Nha Trang. Compared to tranquil and peaceful Dalat, Nha Trang is the outgoing wild sister instead. It's far more crowded and touristy (which also means higher price tags), particularly, there were a lot of Mainland China tourists. Depends on what kind of traveller you are, you may prefer one city over the other. My family are more fond of the scenic, cooling Dalat, but we unanimously agreed that Nha Trang is more vibrant in terms of night life.
Attractions
Po Nagar Cham Tower
Opening hours: 6am to 5.30pm daily
Entrance ticket: 22,000 VND per pax
This place reminded me of Angkor Wat, but at a less impressive scale. For first-timers in Nha Trang, it's still worth visiting nonetheless, just be prepared to encounter big tour groups unless you reach super early. According to local legend, the largest tower was built to pay tribute to Ponagar, or Lady Thien Y-ana for teaching the residents new agricultural and weaving techniques. Meanwhile, other towers in the complex are dedicated to gods.The complex isn't huge and can be visited within an hour or so.
Matching outfits with daddy.
This was the crowd-favourite photospot and I could understand why. Be expected to queue a while for your turn.
Nha Trang Cathedral
Opening hours: Mon to Sat: 8am to 11.30am and 2pm to 4pm; closed on Sundays
Entrance ticket: Free (tourists might be asked to make a small donation at entrance)
Situated on a small hill, Nha Trang Cathedral is made entirely of grey cement blocks and features beautiful stained glass windows. It is a popular spot for photoshoot, as evidenced by a local couple having pre-wedding photoshoot at the cathedral grounds during our visit. A very serene and peaceful place, remember to wear modestly to show respect to the divine.
Sidetrack a bit, I love my dress from Neonmello.
Opening hours for Rooftop Beach Club (inclusive of access to Skydeck and Skywalk): 4.30pm to 12am daily
Entrance ticket: Range from 180,000 to 250,000 VND per pax
Located at 43rd floor, Skylight Nha Trang is a rooftop destination that allows guests to experience 360 degrees spectacular view of the coastal city. We paid a visit on a Wednesday night, which turned out to be a great idea as the place is having "1-for-1" promotion every Wednesday (note: bonus ticket doesn't come with a complimentary drink). Anyway, the choices of complimentary drinks were limited. And the Sunset Sangria didn't taste good, even a layman like me could tell.
The beach club was busy. However, I thought it's pretty unusual that only Asians hang around in the bar, given that we have seen a lot of Westerners on the street. We were allocated to a standing table. Expectedly, old people like us didn't last long XD
Another key highlight of our visit was Skywalk that offers a thrilling experience to look directly down to ground level on a glass balcony. It's a highly photogenic place, particularly at night. Suggest coming at 5pm-ish for a daytime view For people who like escape crowds or not interested in Rooftop Beach Club, you may choose to visit Skydeck (that includes entry to Skywalk) during daytime between 9am to 2pm at 60,000 VND per pax.
Stunning city view glowing at night.
Food
Address: 146 Võ Trứ, Tân Lập, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam.Opening hours: 7am to 10pm daily
This wasn't part of our initial itinerary but I am glad that we decided to have lunch there to fuel ourselves up. It's extremely crowded at 11am in the morning, and it took about 15-mins to get ourselves seated. I would prefer an outdoor seats to enjoy the greenery but we didn't have any option.
First of all, I love their concept - lush greenery and relaxing vibe. The coolest (and the funnest) part has to be the functional slide connecting second level to ground level. Other interesting features include swing chairs, a huge hammock and areas designed as a birdcage. It's fun exploring as you do not know what surprises are awaiting ahead. We didn't take many photos because most Insta-worthy spaces were occupied.
The cafe serves a wide selection of food and drinks, but not alcohol. Vietnamese dripped coffee is a must-order item for all the caffeine lovers. My parents enjoyed it very much whereas I am never a huge fan due to its strong flavour, no matter how much sugar or milk you add it. Food was amazing and made from fresh ingredients. All the dishes ordered didn't disappoint, but our number one went to the beef noodles :)
Lac Canh Restaurant
Address: 77 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Xương Huân, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam.
Opening hours: 11am to 8.45pm daily
Maybe because the comparator (Quan 33 in Dalat) was just too amazing, we weren't entirely impressed by Lac Canh, a local BBQ restaurant with the similar concept - grill your own food over charcoal fire. Notwithstanding the small portion and expensive prices compared to Dalat (but I believe that it's already considered affordable in Nha Trang), the food tasted OK. The staff could speak English so communication is not a problem. Overall, it's worth a visit if you haven't experienced an authentic smokey BBQ meal!
The ingredients were well-marinated in spices.
Fresh shrimps.
Spring rolls had become a staple for every meal in Vietnam.
Accommodation
Address: 107A Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa,Vietnam.
Cost per night = RM95.78 per pax (2 people sharing a twin room)
(+) Friendly counter staff who can speak good English and Mandarin, convenient location, highly responsive to online queries
(-) Minimal sea view
The stay was satisfactory. Overall, I think the hotel meets the 4-star standard - clean, spacious and good service.
Lastly, does anyone know the meaning of "+" traffic lights below? Just curious haha XD
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