In short
Nha Trang is Vietnam's main beach resort: a long strand lined with a promenade and hotel towers, backed by mountains.
The Cham towers of Po Nagar, built between the eighth and eleventh centuries, stand above the river north of town. They are still an active place of worship.
What it really costs
The city is cheap even by Vietnamese standards, with a very large hotel supply born of mass Russian and then Chinese tourism.
The mud baths and hot springs at Tháp Bà are the cheapest and most distinctive local activity.
What nobody tells you
The rainy season here runs opposite to the rest of Vietnam: Nha Trang gets its rain from October to December, when Hanoi and Hội An are dry. February to June is the good window.
The central beach is urban and busy. The coves to the north — Bãi Dài, Dốc Lết — and the offshore islands are far quieter.
Many places display their menus in Russian or Chinese rather than English, a legacy of the dominant clientele. It disorients as much as it charms.