Day Trips from Nha Trang: Where to Go and When

Ba Ho means "three lakes": a mountain stream that pools into three basins at different heights in the forest. The eco-park at the bottom has a swimming pool, kayaks, pedal boats, restaurants and bungalows. Getting from the first pool to the second and third means climbing over large boulders on narrow, slippery ground.

The park's booking site currently shows two gate prices: VND135,000 in the quick-booking box and VND200,000 on the ticket page, both including a bottle of water, the pool and the water games (checked October 2026). Call the hotline to confirm which one applies before you go.

A common question is whether you can bring your own food. According to the park, food and drinks from outside carry no surcharge in the general areas, except inside its two restaurants, Ba Ho and Cay Son (Cây Sơn). The site says nothing about cooking or bringing a stove, so ask first if you plan to cook; without a clear yes, bring ready-made food.

We think Ba Ho suits fit groups who enjoy scrambling and have shoes with good grip. With young children or older relatives, the first pool and the swimming pool are enough for a morning.

Doc Let's white sand and shallow water are covered in our guide to things to do in Nha Trang. For a day trip, the season is what counts: the sea here is usually at its best from March to August, when rain is scarce and the water calm, while October to December brings the northeast monsoon and rougher waves.

Ba Ho and Doc Let lie in the same direction, so in the dry season we suggest pairing them: the stream in the cool of the morning, lunch in Ninh Hoa, then the beach once the sun softens. If you swim at Doc Let, stay inside the buoyed area while lifeguards are on duty and follow the beach flags; on rough days, just walk the sand.

Yang Bay is a managed park in the hills, nothing like a wild stream. Electric carts and a small train move visitors around; there is the Yang Bay waterfall, the Ho Cho hot spring pools, a small zoo, crocodile fishing, fish you feed from baby bottles and a show by the Raglai ethnic group. The route runs along Vo Nguyen Giap (Võ Nguyên Giáp) and Cao Ba Quat (Cao Bá Quát) streets, then HL62; the park puts it at 40.7 km, about 56 minutes.

Admission is listed at VND200,000 for adults and VND140,000 for children 1-1.4 m tall; under 1 m is free. The website currently displays discounted rates of VND170,000 for adults and VND119,000 for children 1-1.4 m tall; confirm eligibility when booking (checked October 2026). The ticket covers the hot spring, swimming at the waterfall, the shuttle inside the park, the pig race at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the Raglai show at 10:45 a.m. If you would rather not drive, the park runs its own day tour. The tour with transfers and lunch is listed at VND550,000, with a displayed discounted price of VND495,000 per adult.

You can bring drinks and ready-made food, but portable gas stoves and charcoal burners are banned; to barbecue, rent a grill at the waterfall area, under staff supervision, for VND100,000 including charcoal.

For families with small children or larger groups, Yang Bay is the easiest mountain trip: a short drive, staff on site, and enough places to eat and rest. Arrive before 10 a.m. to catch the morning program. Swim only in the areas the park allows, and keep an adult right next to children.

Hon Ba is the high-altitude option. In 1915, Dr. Alexandre Yersin built a research station on this mountain; his wooden house was restored in 2004. The summit also has Truc Lam (Trúc Lâm) Hon Ba pagoda, open to visitors since early 2026 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It asks for modest clothing and does not allow food or drinks on the grounds, except bottled water.

The mountain road runs 37 km from the Suoi Dau (Suối Dầu) junction, with tight hairpins and stretches where a cliff rises on one side and the slope drops away on the other. There are no gas stations, charging points or repair shops on the way. For motorbikes, local authorities recommend manual-gear bikes rather than scooters because of the long descents. Fill the tank before you turn uphill.

If you would rather not ride the pass yourself, Kong Forest advertises a bus tour to the Yersin house; confirm the pickup point, departure time and price when booking. From November to March, the summit can drop below 15°C in the early morning and evening, so bring a warm layer.

On the afternoon of November 18, 2025, heavy rain caused a section of provincial road 657 up Hon Ba to collapse, and 118 people were stuck at the top until rangers led them to a safe shelter the following evening. For that reason, we leave Hon Ba out of rainy-season plans. Even in the dry season, check the mountain forecast and head down before dark.

The bay sits inside Nui Chua (Núi Chúa) National Park, ringed by hills on three sides with a fishing village on the shore. A boat trip is the main event: a glass-bottom boat for looking at coral costs about VND700,000 per trip for four people (June 2026 price), booked at the pier by the village embankment. Life jackets are required on board even in calm water, and if you snorkel, do not stand on, step on or break the coral.

Vinh Hy is at its best from February to October. Boats run only when they are cleared to leave port. If boats are suspended because of rough seas, use the coastal road only if it remains open and there are no severe-weather warnings. We think a tour or a car with a driver works better than riding a motorbike yourself: nearly 100 km each way plus time on the water is tiring enough before the drive back.

The dunes cover nearly 700 hectares and look best in low early-morning or late-afternoon light, when the sand has cooled and the ripples cast clear shadows. At midday the sand gets very hot, so bring water, a hat and sunscreen.

To combine them with Vinh Hy, do the bay in the morning, then drive down to Phan Rang for the dunes at sunset. That gets you back to Nha Trang late, so we suggest a night in Phan Rang instead. The Phan Rang area has a dry climate, with a short rainy season that usually falls between September and November.