On day one, get a SIM registered with your original passport, have your accommodation declare your stay, and write down your visa end date. Spend the rest of the week on cash, emergency numbers, transport and a short stay before any lease.
These are the published prices the guides use, not a budget:
Item
Price
Viettel 5G80T tourist plan, 15 days
VND 80,000
Route 18 bus, airport to town
VND 50,000
4-seat airport taxi (Quoc Te)
VND 300,000
Taxi opening fare, first 2 km (February 2025)
VND 29,500
Inner-city bus trip
VND 7,000
Vietcombank ATM withdrawal, domestic debit card
VND 1,000
Stay declaration
No fee
Motorbike, 125cc, from one shop
From 130.000đ per day
Keep these on you
Your original passport, for the SIM and the bank.
Your visa or e-visa, for the bank file if you reside in Vietnam.
Some Vietnamese dong, since the airport tells passengers to confirm prices with the driver.
The number 112 in your phone.
If something goes wrong in week one
Khanh Hoa’s tourist support regulation covers help with lost or stolen passports, ID cards and flight tickets. The 24/24 tourist hotline is *2258. The Khanh Hoa Provincial Police portal gives its address as 80 Tran Phu Street.
For a medical problem, 115 is the medical emergency number. The airport clinic is open 24/7. Khanh Hoa General Hospital shows open 24 hours on all seven days.
For a taxi dispute, confirm the price before the ride. Grab shows an upfront fare before you book, except GrabTaxi.
Work out your stay length before you fly. Citizens of 12 named countries are visa-exempt for 45 days from entry, for any purpose. That exemption runs through 14 March 2028.
A separate list of 12 European countries is visa-exempt for 45 days, for tourism only. That exemption runs through 14 August 2028.
DL and EV visas, with HN visas, are valid for a maximum of 90 days. Note the date printed on your e-visa, not the date you applied.
Overstaying under 16 days is fined VND 500,000-2,000,000. Overstaying 16 to under 30 days is fined VND 5,000,000-10,000,000. The full ladder is in Overstay Fines in Nha Trang.
Cam Ranh International Airport is 35 km south of the centre of Nha Trang and 10 km north of Cam Ranh city. On arrival, follow the signs to the immigration area with your boarding pass and passport ready.
Before you leave the terminal, note what is inside:
An ATM in the international terminal, open 24/7.
A currency exchange service, by flight schedule.
A mobile SIM card service at several locations, by flight schedule.
Free Wi-Fi in all areas of the terminal.
A medical clinic open 24/7, hotline +84(0)852-400-001.
Cam Ranh International Airport Nguyen Tat Thanh, Bac Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)The terminal hall at Cam Ranh International Airport, from which airport buses, taxis and shuttles are found.
Ways into town
The airport lists these options for the ride to Nha Trang:
Option
Price
Time
Route 18 bus (Dat Moi)
VND 50,000 per person
50 to 60 minutes
4-seat Quoc Te taxi
VND 300,000
Not stated
4-seat GSM (Xanh SM) car, one way
VND 350,000
Not stated
Xanh SM puts the route 18 trip at about 60 minutes each way. The airport says fares may change and tells passengers to confirm the price with the driver before using the service.
Grab says its fares are upfront and fixed, so you know the price before booking, except GrabTaxi.
Plan for the first hour. The bus suits one traveller with light luggage, and a taxi suits two or three. The full comparison is in Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang.
Carry some dong for the ride. Declare to customs any foreign-currency cash above US$5,000, or Vietnamese-dong cash above VND 15,000,000.
The kerb outside arrivals at Cam Ranh International Airport, where cars and taxis pull up.
Day 1: a SIM or eSIM
A foreign national registering a SIM presents a passport still valid for use in Vietnam under their entry visa. Viettel needs the original physical passport, and digital copies or pictures are not accepted.
Viettel says you can buy and activate an eSIM at Vietnam’s international airports, usually in under 10 minutes. Its 5G80T plan gives 5GB per day for 15 days at VND 80,000.
Choose the type before you pay:
A data-only eSIM gives internet without a phone number.
An eSIM with a Vietnamese number supports one-time codes for banking, Grab, delivery apps and other Vietnam-based services.
The phone must be unlocked, meaning it is not restricted to a single carrier.
Viettel warns that unofficial SIM sellers inside airport terminals may sell SIMs already activated under someone else’s name. Such SIMs can be deactivated within days.
Dialling *#06# shows a 32-digit EID number on an eSIM-compatible phone. Check it before you buy.
Viettel Store at 193 Le Hong Phong is a branch in town. MobiFone charges VND 25,000 to swap or replace an eSIM. Details are in SIM Card in Nha Trang.
Viettel Store, 595 2/4 Street 595 D. 2/4, Bac Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Currency exchange and SIM counters in the terminal at Cam Ranh International Airport.A Viettel Store on 2/4 Street in Nha Trang, one of the carrier's own points.
Day 1: get your stay declared
A foreigner staying temporarily must have the stay declared through the person who runs the accommodation. The declaration goes to the ward police. The accommodation asks for your passport and residence papers first.
The person who files is the owner, its legal representative or someone authorised, not the guest. The declaration is made as soon as the foreigner arrives.
The procedure is a fully online public service. The declarer registers an account on the provincial immigration site or on a national portal. Processing is 24 hours or 07 days, with no fee. In Khanh Hoa the executing body is the commune-level police.
For a paper declaration, the accommodation delivers the form to the local police within 12 hours. A foreigner who does not show the passport or residence papers to the accommodation is covered by Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP.
So hand your passport over at check-in, then take it back after the declaration. The UK government says not to give your passport as a guarantee to landlords. See Temporary Residence Registration in Nha Trang.
An individual foreign client’s account file contains a passport. A foreigner residing in Vietnam also needs an entry visa, a visa-equivalent document or proof of visa exemption.
Vietcombank says its current account is open to foreigners who hold a valid visa and documents under Vietnam regulations. A BIDV card’s validity does not exceed the period of residence in Vietnam for foreigners.
Two branches in town:
BIDV Khanh Hoa Branch, 1292 2/4 Street, Van Thanh Ward.
A Vietcombank cash withdrawal at an ATM in its own system costs VND 1,000 on a domestic debit card. Vietcombank’s Khanh Hoa head office is at 17 Quang Trung Street.
BIDV Khanh Hoa Branch (BIDV Chi Nhanh Khanh Hoa) 1292 duong 2/4, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)The BIDV Khanh Hoa Branch building on 2/4 Street in Nha Trang.
Day 3: emergency numbers and a hospital
Calls to 112 are free of charge, and the system operates 24 hours on all days. The Khanh Hoa police portal describes 113 as the number for public security and order, 114 for fire, rescue and relief, and 115 for medical emergency.
Circular 27/2021/TT-BTTTT lists 113 as the police number and 115 as medical emergency. Save 112 in your phone today.
Khanh Hoa also runs a 24/24 hotline *2258 for tourists, including holidays and Tet. The support regulation covers help with lost or stolen passports, ID cards and flight tickets.
Two hospitals to know:
Khanh Hoa General Hospital is at 19 Yersin Street and shows open 24 hours on all seven days.
Vinmec Nha Trang, on Tran Phu Street, has an emergency and intensive care department available 24/24 every day.
A Pharmacity at 59 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street shows open 24 hours every day. The Khanh Hoa Provincial Police portal gives its address as 80 Tran Phu Street.
Khanh Hoa General Hospital (Bệnh viện Đa khoa tỉnh Khánh Hòa) 19 Yersin, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa 650000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)One of the treatment blocks at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, the provincial hospital in Nha Trang.Vinmec Nha Trang International Hospital 42A Tran Phu, To dan pho Tay Son, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa 650000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)The entrance of Vinmec Nha Trang International Hospital.
Day 3: getting around town
Xanh SM listed its Nha Trang taxi opening fare at VND 29,500 for the first 2 km, in February 2025. Its page says the service can be paid through the MoMo e-wallet.
VinWonders says Nha Trang has 6 inner-city bus routes run by Quyet Thang Khanh Hoa and 2 VinBus electric routes. It lists a reference fare of VND 7,000 per trip for the 6 inner-city routes.
For the intercity trip to Phan Rang, the FUTA City Bus route 11 one-way ticket is VND 15,000 to 65,000 depending on distance.
The guide says in high season (December-March) prices climb 20-30%. It gives its rate as 1 USD = about 26,000 VND.
The centre’s drawback is noise, especially at night. The guide calls the north quieter, cheaper and cleaner, with the essentials nearby.
Book a stay for 3-5 days and look around on the spot before locking in a long lease. A scooter rents for about US$50-80 a month, and living outside the centre without one is inconvenient.
Day five is for reading, not signing. A housing contract must be in writing with the items Article 163 lists. The landlord and tenant agree the term, the rent and how rent is paid.
The party ending a lease unilaterally gives at least 30 days’ notice, unless the parties agree otherwise. A lease does not have to be notarised unless the parties want it.
AffordWhere says a deposit is usually 1-2 months. If the lease is performed, the deposit is returned or deducted to pay what you owe. If you refuse to conclude or perform it, the receiver keeps it.
Where the tenant is a household, the landlord signs the electricity contract directly or authorises the tenant to sign it. Keep your passport when you pay a deposit.
A high-rise apartment building in central Nha Trang, the kind of block many rental listings describe.
Day 6: a motorbike and the licence rule
Operating a motor vehicle in road traffic without the driving licence the law requires is a prohibited act. A fine of VND 2,000,000-4,000,000 applies to a motorbike up to 125 cm3 without a valid licence.
A holder of an international driving permit from a Vienna Convention country carries both the permit and the national licence. A person aged 16 or over may drive a moped.
Rental prices from one shop’s website on 12/10/2026:
Bike
Price per day
SYM Priti automatic 50cc
From 150.000đ
Yamaha Grande 125cc
From 130.000đ
The shop’s page shows no currency beyond the symbol and no date. Like Bike’s rental contract needs the details of a foreign passport and an insurance deposit, returned when the bike is handed back.
Take ten minutes to check the visa end date you noted on day one. If you are on a 45-day exemption, count the days from entry. If you hold an e-visa, count to the printed date, which is at most 90 days.
A foreigner who wants to extend a stay has the inviting or sponsoring organisation or individual file the request. The fee is US$10.
The Khanh Hoa immigration office received applications in person at 47 Ly Tu Trong Street, in a notice of 27/06/2025. For the extension, the page says to file in person during office hours or through a national portal.
Immigration Management Division, Khanh Hoa Provincial Police (Phòng Quản lý Xuất nhập cảnh) 47 Ly Tu Trong, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa 650000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)The gate of the immigration office on Ly Tu Trong Street.
Your week-one checklist
Visa end date noted.
SIM registered with the original passport.
Stay declared by the accommodation.
Cash declaration limits known: US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000.
1Day 1: airport to your roomCam Ranh airport is 35 km from the centre; the airport lists route 18 at VND 50,000 and a 4-seat taxi at VND 300,000.
2Day 1: SIMRegister with your original passport; a digital copy is not accepted.
3Day 1: stay declarationThe accommodation declares your stay to the ward police after you show your passport.
4Day 1: visa end dateCheck whether your passport gets 45 days without a visa, or note the date on your e-visa.
5Day 2: cash and bankDeclare cash above US$5,000 or VND 15,000,000 at customs; a bank account file needs your passport.
6Day 3: emergency numbers and transport112 is free and runs 24 hours; a taxi opens at VND 29,500 and a bus trip is VND 7,000.
7Day 4 and 5: area and leaseBook a stay for 3-5 days before a long lease; a lease must be in writing.
8Day 6: motorbikeRide only with the licence the law requires.
9Day 7: reviewImmigration office: 47 Ly Tu Trong.
Not confirmed: Airport fares change over time: confirm the price with the driver before you ride. Rents come from one agent's guide, not from listings checked on the day: view flats in person before signing.
Common questions
What should I do first when I arrive in Nha Trang?
Register a SIM with your original passport, and make sure your accommodation declares your stay to the ward police. Write down the date your stay ends.
How far is Cam Ranh airport from Nha Trang?
The airport is 35 km south of the centre of Nha Trang. The airport lists the route 18 bus at VND 50,000 per person and a 4-seat taxi at VND 300,000.
Do I need a data-only eSIM or one with a number?
A data-only eSIM gives internet without a phone number. An eSIM with a Vietnamese number supports one-time codes for banking, Grab and delivery apps.
How do I declare my stay in Nha Trang?
The person who runs the accommodation declares it to the ward police after you show your passport. The procedure is a fully online public service with no fee.
Can I open a bank account in my first week?
The account file needs your passport, plus a visa or proof of visa exemption if you reside in Vietnam. Vietcombank says its current account is open to foreigners with a valid visa and documents.
What number do I call in an emergency in Nha Trang?
Calls to 112 are free of charge and the system operates 24 hours on all days. 113 is public security, 114 is fire and rescue, and 115 is medical emergency.
How much is a taxi or bus in town?
Xanh SM listed a Nha Trang taxi opening fare of VND 29,500 for the first 2 km in February 2025. VinWonders gives a reference bus fare of VND 7,000 per trip on the 6 inner-city routes.
Can I ride a motorbike in my first week?
Operating a motor vehicle without the driving licence the law requires is a prohibited act. A fine of VND 2,000,000-4,000,000 applies for a motorbike up to 125 cm3 without a licence.
How big is a deposit on a flat?
AffordWhere says a deposit is usually 1-2 months. If the lease is performed, the deposit is returned or deducted to pay what you owe.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
