Tran Phu beach
About six kilometres of sand.
Minh Duc Ly — Public domain · bvi4092 — CC BY 2.0 · cloud.shepherd — CC BY 2.0 · cloud.shepherd — CC BY 2.0
A wide bay of nearly 250 square kilometres off the city, scattered with islands and edged on the mainland by a beach of pale sand that runs for about six kilometres along Tran Phu Street. The city beach is public and free, with a long seaside promenade, palm-shaded parks and a line of hotels, and it is at its calmest and clearest from about January to August. Boats leave Cau Da pier for the islands, most often Hon Mun, about 10 km offshore, at the heart of Vietnam's first marine protected area. Its reefs hold some 350 species of coral, seen from glass-bottomed boats, by snorkelling or on beginner dives, and other islands have quiet beaches and small fishing villages. From September to December the north-east monsoon brings rough seas and heavy rain, especially in October and November, and island trips are often cancelled. Mornings are the best time on the beach, before the wind picks up in the afternoon.
About six kilometres of sand.
Snorkelling over the reefs.
Parks and palms by the sea.
Tran Phu Street beach, central Nha Trang; island trips from Cau Da pier
Roughly January to August, when the sea is calmest and clearest; from September to December it is rough and rainy, especially in October and November.