The second recommended destination option for expats is the beautiful coastal Nha Trang. This city is markedly smaller than Da Nang covering approximately ninety-seven square miles.
The city is considered a resort oasis on the coast in the south of Vietnam about two-hundred and seventy five miles from Ho Chi Minh City.
Nha Trang is a very popular vacation destination for Vietnamese. There are approximately four hundred thousand people, calling it Nha Trang home, including several hundred expats. One of the primary attractions of this city is the four miles that directly fronts the beach.
Weather
The weather in Nha Trang is warm and comfortable year round. Of all the cities in South Vietnam, Nha Trang has the least amount of rain and only has four wet months per year which occurs from September until the middle of December. The climate in this city is considered tropical and the temperature ranges from 28 to 33 Celsius (82-91F) with the lows in the mid-teens (low 60sF). There is an exceptionally long dry season January to August.
Beautiful mountains surround Nha Trang on three sides and there is a rather large island not far from the coast that helps shelter the city during its heaviest storms. For the most part, the weather there is wonderful and if the beach life is what you are looking for when expatriating to Vietnam, Nha Trang may be a great place for you to at least check out
Smaller than even Da Lat (covered next), Nha Trang covers only about 97 square miles, yet it packs almost as many people into it as Da Lat. As we touched on earlier, Nha Trang is a coastal city known worldwide for its beautiful beaches, places to dive and the islands just off the shore
The main beach is long and curves along the Tran Phu Street which is where multiple hotels and seafood restaurants are located.
There are aerial cable cars that will take passengers over to Hon Tre Island and from them one can see the nature reserves in Hon Mun and Hon Tam. All islands are also accessible by boat and there are many stunning coral reefs to explore.
Transportation
Getting around town in Nha Trang is pretty easy and the city is
considered pedestrian friendly.
Because it is a major city in Vietnam, it offers just about every mode of transportation you can think of. Taxis, buses, trains, cyclo taxis and motorcycle taxis are all common forms of transportation found elsewhere.
You can also take a domestic flight from the city if you are looking to get out of town for a while.
A note on the cyclo taxis in Nha Trang. They are quickly becoming one of the most widely used forms of transport in Nha Trang. These threewheeled rickshaws have a seat attached at the front of the bicycle and can usually carry one or two persons at most
As we have discussed previously, owning a car in Vietnam is expensive and Nha Trang is no exception. Ultimately, you will save more money using public transportation or owning a motorbike over having your own car in Vietnam. The cost to ship a car to Vietnam or purchase one there far outweigh the benefit, especially considering the fees Vietnam charges for owning a car and what parking costs per month.
Food
Like most towns in Vietnam, Nha Trang offers a wide variety of delicacies. Because it is a coastal town with fishing villages nearby to supply freshly-caught fish, you will find that all seafood cravings will be easily satisfied. You can find crabs, squid, prawns, jellyfish and just about any shellfish you can think of.
You will also be able to find places that are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in case you get hungry late at night.
In addition to seafood in abundance, you can find Italian, French, Greek and many other Western restaurants that will satisfy most food cravings and need for variety.
Nightlife and Shopping
Nha Trang has a bustling nightlife with a mixture of the old and new. There are 60’s hippy bars, hole-in-the-wall type bars, glitzy nightclubs, and fancy rooftop lounges. There are plenty of alcoholic offerings from wine, beer to just about any other types of spirits you can think of. There are live dance performances and a variety of music shows in many different genres.
At night you will also find light shows, amusement parks and an amphitheater for outdoor music festivals. A simple online search yields many results of places to go to watch the sunset and continue on into the evening.
Once you are able to get yourself to get away from the white sandy beaches of Nha Trang, you will find plenty of places to shop.
The places closest to the beach will cater to tourists and there you can find a variety of handcrafted items made from seashells and other things found on the beach. Fresh fruit and flowers are also in abundance at the markets closest to the beach.
One of the largest grocery stores in Vietnam opened in Nha Trang in 2012. It is a whopping 5000 square meters and has over 25,000 food and nonfood items for sale. Ninety-five percent of the items sold in the Metro Supermarket Cash and Carry are locally produced.
If you can’t find what you are looking for there, Nha Trang also has several shopping malls, markets and boutiques sure to have everything you will need for your permanent move to this city.
Recreational activities
As far as recreational sports are concerned, the big thing in Nha Trang is diving. The locals put on dive shows for tourists and if scuba diving interests you, there are plenty of places that offer lessons and even tours.
Even though Nha Trang is on the beach, there is not much else in the way of water sports because the current and tides in some places can be quite dangerous.
There are also clubs for playing tennis, jogging and even Tai Chi in Nha Trang.
Cost of living
The cost of living in Nha Trang is pretty inexpensive. This is great considering how close to the beach you can be. Below is an outline on the general costs for a one bedroom, furnished apartment in the city as well as utilities and other living expense considerations.
- 900 sqft apartment in city centre area 7,200,000 VND.
- 900 sqft apartment outside the city centre 5,250,000
- Heat, electric, and gas in a 900 sqft apartment is about 725,000
- Internet at 60 Mbps is about 195,000 VND per month.
As you can see, the cost of living in Nha Trang is quite a bit cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City and, while slightly higher, is closer to the Da Lat living costs (covered next).
The difference between Da Lat and Nha Trang is one (Da Lat) is quiet and in the cooler hillside climate whereas while the other (Nha Trang) is a more bustling, busy city located on the much warmer beach climate. Between the two, it is a matter of what your preferences may be.