Located in the Khanh Hoa Province of Vietnam, Nha Trang is a coastal town with 10kms of beach and an average daily temperature of 26°C. With a population of around 300,000, Nha Trang retains a small town ambience and its inhabitants are genuinely friendly and welcoming of the increasing numbers of tourists arriving there for holidays and short trips.

With arguably the best beaches in the country, Nha Trang is a popular spot with scuba divers and local industry has exploited this with the establishment of a solid diving infrastructure which accommodates novices and experts alike. Package diving trips offer diving around popular sites such as Hon Mun, Madonna Rock, Goat Rock, Moray Beach and Electric Nose.

A selection of islands off the coast of Nha Trang, offer daytrip possibilities with the chance to explore some interesting flora and fauna as well as relax in an environment akin to a tropical paradise. Among the more popular islands are Hon Yen, Hon Rua, Hon Tre and the Spratly Islands.

Eating out is always a treat in Nha Trang with an abundance of traditional Vietnamese eateries and a good selection of international restaurants also. A busy night scene also helps to add to the holiday atmosphere of the town with typically Vietnamese bars on hand alongside those aimed more at expats and overseas visitors.

Recognising its potential as a holiday destination, Nha Trang is constantly adding to its tourist infrastructure with new accommodation opening every year. Currently reputable hotels in the area include the Ana Mandara Resort, the Vinpearl Resort & Spa and the Sunrise Beach Resort. Additionally, the town has a good selection of budget accommodations suitable for backpackers.

The nearby Cam Ranh airport provides a popular gateway for many visitors who arrive from international destinations via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Trains meanwhile, provide connections from both the north and south of the country while ‘open tour’ buses offer similar though considerably slower services. Once in the city, there are a variety of options for getting around.

While a long way from being on the map as a major beach holiday destination, Nha Trang still has plenty to offer both the backpacking visitor and the package holiday tourist. The unspoilt quality of the city is perhaps its greatest appeal although this atmosphere is destined to be short lived so it’s wise to get in before the tourist dollar really makes its mark.

As such, Nha Trang boasts one of the best selections of hotels outside of Vietnam’s main cities, and is adding more and more. Many are modest establishments but they are professionally run, clean and well located. It is here too that you will find the largest concentration of beachfront hotels in Vietnam, and while it may still have a long way to go before matching Asian tourist gems like Phuket, it offers good value hospitality that has come along in leaps and bounds.

Nha Trang is part of the Khanh Hoa province which was originally part of the kingdom of Champa from the 7th century up until the 19th century. Prior to that, a kingdom known as Lin-yi presided over the area with its origins believed to have begun around 192 AD.

Early Cham history is characterised by conflicts between the rival tribes of the Dua and the Cau. The conflicts were eventually settled and interbreeding between the two commenced. The origins of the Cham are a combination of Austro-Asian and Malayo-Polynesia. They still exist to this day, but their numbers have diminished greatly and are now estimated at about 77,000 making them a distinct minority group. Cultural characteristics of the Cham have remained constant with the same spoken language, written language, religious beliefs and ethnic rites as from the early days of their existence.

The decline of the Cham began around the 15th century with their first defeat at the hands of the Vietnamese people occurring in 1446. The next four centuries saw a number of battles between the two peoples for control of the area with the end of the 18th century seeing a major revolt launched against the Cham. They stood their ground and the revolt was defeated. The days of Cham control were numbered however and officially came to an end in 1832, with the annexation of the area by the Emperor Minh Mạng. In the 20th century, Nha Trang was in the spotlight as the site of a US Air Base during the Vietnam War.

Today it is a popular holiday destination and is developing every year. It is popular with Asian and European holiday makers and has become known for its stunning beaches and laid back atmosphere.

Nha Trang experiences a fairly favourable climate for the best part of the year with only the period from mid-October to mid-December presenting weather conditions that might be considered restricting to tourist activities. This period constitutes the peak of the rainy season and high winds and heavy tropical storms preclude any possibility of water sports or sea-based activity as well as presenting far from favourable conditions for land pursuits.

The rest of the year experiences a climate that is conducive to both beach and sightseeing activities although the months of July and August can be somewhat on the hot side with highs in the mid 30°C range. The ideal time to visit is the period from March to April; these months see favourable temperatures (28/29°C) and little or no chance of rainfall. For those hoping to do some diving, any time between February and June is good in terms of sea visibility. Outside of this period, diving is still possible (excluding the typhoon period) but conditions aren’t ideal.