Nha Trang: Arriving & Departing

By plane: The airport serving Nha Trang is a relatively new international airport in nearby Cam Ranh Bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_Ranh... ) which is approximately thirty minutes drive from Nha Trang. Other major international airports in the area are those in Hanoi and Saigon, but both of these are considerably far enough away from Nha Trang to make direct flight in to them more of a hassle than a convenience despite the fact that flights to these larger locations are often less expensive.
At the moment (April 2009) you have connections from Nha Trang to HCMC (Saigon), Da Nang and Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines. The cheaper "jetstar" might be an alternative, but does not operate on low season.

Upon arrival: Traveler who do opt to head to these bigger airports will likely wish to rent a car to get to Nha Trang. Travelers flying in to Cam Ranh Bay Airport will probably find that it is not necessary to get a car, as taxi to Nha Trang from Cam Ranh Bay fixed price: 380,000VND), depending on your bargaining skills.Outside the airport wait the green "Malinh Group" taxis which are more reliable than others, cos rip-offs onT the way from the airport have increased a lot.
Another alternative is the airport bus that you book at the desk next to baggage claim (inside the small airport arriving hall). It is around 35.000 VND (~2 USD) and brings you to the old airport inside Nha Trang, where you can change to a local taxi. (sounds first more complicated but besides saving some bucks, you avoid unfair rip-offs where tourists are asked to pay >30USD thanks to faked and adjusted taximeters: These stories happen mostly on the longer route from the airport)


By train: Travelers who are making Nha Trang one stop on a Vietnamese trip may find that the train is the most convenient method of getting to the area. Most commonly, these travelers come through Ho Chi Minh, taking an overnight train to Nha Trang. Length of the train journey and bus trip is comparably the same: around 8hours from HCMC (Saigon).

By bus: Travelers like those taking the train may find that the bus is better for them, if only because it is even less expensive than the train. Travelers can get in via Ho Chi Minh (coming from the South) or Hoi An / Da Nang (if coming from the North). The bus from HCMC to Nha Trang either goes via Dalat (mountains) or Mui Ne (beach) and has several small stops. Therefore the shedule of the bus is not always in time compared to the train (for example 10 or 11hours instead of planned 8 hours). Anyhow the bus stops in HCMC, Mui Ne, Nha Trang are always central in town and therefore you might save a bit of time on the way to your hotel compared to train. The bus also picks you up at your hotel in Nha Trang or Mui Ne.