Nha Trang Beach (Tran Phu Beach)

Bãi biển Trần Phú

Cross one road from your hotel and you're on 6 km of sand

Hours

Always open (check the lifeguard flags before swimming)

Tickets

Free (loungers and parasols extra)

Address

The whole Tran Phu seafront (about 6 km); the lotus-shaped Tram Huong Tower is the usual meeting point

A wall of hotels lines Tran Phu Street, and one crossing puts you under the palms on the sand. Go out around 5am and locals are already swimming and doing group exercises at the waterline. By mid-morning the parasol and sun-lounger rentals are set up; late afternoon the sky over the bay goes pink and the Vinpearl sign and cable-car lights on Hon Tre island switch on. The stretch by the Tram Huong Tower is the busiest; walk south and it thins out.