Summer in Khánh Hòa: Swim at 'Rẽ Nước Đôi' Beach, Visit Dugongs

Nha Trang Bay is located in the central region of Khánh Hòa province. It is renowned as one of the most popular coastal cities in Vietnam, attracting numerous visitors. Nature has generously endowed this coastal city with beautiful landscapes, including beaches, islands, mountains, and a temperate climate.

From January to August, Nha Trang experiences its dry season with sunny weather and temperatures ranging from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius. However, during mid-June, the city often encounters sudden thunderstorms in the afternoon despite the warm sunshine in the morning. Visitors planning a full day of exploration should remember to bring raincoats and umbrellas.

Swim at the Unique Split-Water Islands

▸ Điệp Sơn Island

 

Điệp Sơn Island consists of three small islets (Đuốc, Giữa, and Bịp) in Van Phong Bay, Khánh Hòa, approximately 60 km from Nha Trang City. Unlike some other islands in the province, Điệp Sơn is famous for its stunning path through the sea, considered the most beautiful in Khánh Hòa.

The path, about 700 meters long, connects two of the small islands of Điệp Sơn. When the tide recedes, it reveals a strip of white sand standing out against the blue sea. Some visitors liken this destination to the sea path connecting Jindo and Modo islands in South Korea. However, the phenomenon of the sea splitting at Jindo occurs only about 2-3 times a year.

Around 2019, Điệp Sơn Island gained fame, attracting crowds of tourists eager to check in at this unique spot. Currently, the island sees fewer visitors, but the beach still retains its pristine natural beauty.

From the coastal city, tourists can take a bus to Van Gia port, then head to Van Gia fishing port to rent a canoe or boat to the island. The boat ride takes only about 20 minutes.

You can also reach Điệp Sơn from Tuy Hoa City in Phú Yên province, covering a distance of about 70 km.

The ideal time to explore the island is from May to August. However, the "one-of-a-kind" path is only visible when the tide recedes during the day. Therefore, visitors need to check the tide schedule to plan their visit accordingly.

Typically, from the 1st to the 15th of the lunar month, the tide recedes in the afternoon, and from the 15th to the end of the month, it recedes in the morning.

▸ Đảo Yến Double Beach

 

About 25 km from the mainland, Double Beach is located on Yến Island, Hòn Nội, in Nha Trang City. Similar to Điệp Sơn Island, the main attraction of this beach lies in the fine white sand path that divides the two beaches.

In addition to serving tourists, Double Beach is also home to a large population of swifts, with the largest concentration of island swifts in Vietnam.

A company specializing in swiftlet farming operates on the island, providing significant income for the local population. The island is managed by this company, so visitors cannot freely access it and must purchase a tour to visit.

Notably, the tour to explore the island is only available from March to September. This is also the best time of year to visit Double Beach and coincides with the swiftlet nest harvesting season. Visitors can enjoy the fresh air, fine white sand, and clear blue sea while watching workers collect and clean the swiftlet nests.

There are two means of transportation to the island: wooden boats and canoes. The wooden boat journey is longer, taking about one hour, with a ticket price of 500,000 VND per person. With a canoe, the trip takes only about 30 minutes, costing 800,000 VND per person, which is 300,000 VND more than the wooden boat.

Visit Museums 

▸ Institute of Oceanography
 

The Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography, located in Vĩnh Hòa ward, is renowned as the largest center for marine collection, preservation, and research in Southeast Asia.

Situated about 6 km from the center of Nha Trang, the institute attracts numerous visitors and locals who come to check out various marine species. Early this year, the institute began expanding its promotion through TikTok, drawing attention from people across the country. One highlight is the adorable dugong, which has captivated viewers.

Given its proximity to the city center, visitors can easily reach the institute by motorbike or car. From April 2 Square, head southeast towards Cầu Đá port and find address No. 01.

The museum has specific ticket prices for different categories:

• Adults: 40,000 VND/ticket
• Students: 20,000 VND/ticket
• Pupils: 10,000 VND/ticket

The institute is open from 6 AM to 6 PM daily, except on holidays and Tết.

▸ Alexandre Yersin Museum
 

This museum introduces visitors to the life and career of Alexandre Yersin, a scientist deeply connected to the land of Nha Trang for over half a century.
 

Located at 10 Tran Phu Street, the museum covers an area of approximately 100 m2, housing around 1,200 artifacts. These include books and personal items such as pens belonging to Dr. Alexandre Yersin, spanning his journey of over 50 years dedicated to research and the advancement of global medical science.

Experience Mat Weaving and Coracle Boat

Located approximately 3.9 km from the city center in Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Truong Son Craft Village is a hub comprising around 20 traditional craft villages.
 

Visitors can explore a cultural space enriched with hundreds of unique handicrafts or participate in weaving activities such as making coracle boats, fishing boats, and fishing nets.
Here, tourists can also admire 10 record-setting artworks in Vietnam, such as the largest watermelon gourd model in the country made from 542 small gourds, each inscribed with the entire text of Nguyen Du's epic poem "The Tale of Kieu," totaling 3,254 verses. Additionally, there are four handmade maps of Vietnam crafted from dried coconut, gourds, shells, combined with stones and large strands of rattan - the largest of their kind in Vietnam.

The visitor area is open from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with an entrance fee of approximately 40,000 VND per person.