A trip from Dalat to Nha Trang by road is definitely one of the most scenic road trips in Vietnam that you will take. Unfortunately, most of the Indian itineraries devoid the visitors from spending a couple of days in Dalat or enjoying one of the most beautiful coastline of Vietnam by visiting Nha Trang. Most of these itineraries are compact. And include only a trip to Ho Chi Minh City along with exploring Cu Chi Tunnel and maybe Mekong Delta. Followed by a quick trip to Hoi An or spending a few days in Da Nang. And then off to spending a couple of days in Hanoi along with a trip to Ha Long Bay. Since, I had a little more time at hand. And also I was planning my own trip to Vietnam. I was searching for some of the beautiful places to explore in Vietnam. And the pictures of both Dalat and Nha Trang blew up my mind. And thus these destinations got included onto my Vietnam trip itinerary.
First we traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat by road which was a trip of around 6 hours.
And then we spent a couple of days in Dalat. Taking relaxed strolls around the lake, enjoying the French architecture in the villas and cute cafes. And also enjoying some of the best things to do in Dalat. Post this, we started on a road trip from Dalat to Nha Trang. Which was around a 3 hours trip.
We booked this private transfer from Dalat to Nha Trang
Road conditions & Views while traveling Dalat to Nha Trang by road
A road trip from Đà Lạt to Nha Trang offers one of the most scenic journeys in southern Vietnam. The trip descends from the cool Central Highlands of Đà Lạt down to the sunny beaches of Nha Trang, crossing lush pine forests, winding mountain passes, and waterfalls. Most recommended is the route QL27C via Khanh Le Pass. For those who don’t know, Khanh Le Pass (Đèo Khánh Lê): One of the most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam; zigzags through misty forests with panoramic valley views. When you use this route, you can stop on the way at Da Sar and Da Chais Villages. These villages are home to ethnic minority hamlets of Vietnam. And the place is totally worth a stop for photos or a coffee break.
On the way, you may even spot roadside cascades like Yang Bay Waterfall as you descend. And come across beautiful valleys with rivers and lakes. Wherein you can take a pit stop. Also, the road condition is excellent all through the journey from Dalat to Nha Trang via road.
Pit stop on the way from Dalat to Nha Trang
While we started from Dalat in the morning around 7:00am. As we wanted to reach Nha Trang early. And start working from there. (Yes, I worked from Nha Trang for a couple of days from a sea view airbnb apartment !!More on that here). So, we stopped for a coffee break around 9:00am. And man, the place was so surreal. It was a beautiful cafe cum shop built along the bank of a river. With numerous instagrammable spots to take that perfect picture. It is built in a sustainable fashion with bamboo and wood.
With different smaller decks having few chairs and tables each – providing secluded space to each group stopping here for a coffee or snack.
Also, cobblestone pathways led all the way to the banks of the river. With the backdrop of the mountains, it instantly brought back memories of my similar experience staying at Tarangi Resort in Corbett National Park on my trip to Uttarakhand. Nevertheless, coming back to the cafe, along the riverside, there are cute sitting areas carved out of tree trunks.
And picture perfect spots hidden within huge animal figurines.
Also, the way the whole place is decorated with paper lanterns and string lights, I can only imagine how beautiful it must be turning as the night approaches. Alas, our driver had another trip to make after completing our trip from Dalat to Nha Trang by road. So, we could only stop here for a while. Otherwise, this shop-restaurant combo was nothing sort of a scenic destination in itself.
Landscape contrast from Dalat to Nha Trang
As you progress on your road trip from Dalat to Nha Trang, you transition from pine forests & misty highlands to humid climate and coastal plains. If you are from India, the experience is very similar to navigating through the western ghats as you drive from Bangalore to Goa. Transcending the western ghats on the way to reach the coastal plains. Or, you could also relate it closely to a road trip from Bangalore to Bekal via the coffee plantations and lush green mountains and hills of Coorg on the way. Nevertheless, instead of a sudden contrast of landscape like what you witness when traveling in Switzerland and crossing through it’s tunnels, it is a gradual transition from the mountains to the plains. And for most part of the journey it is the mountain terrains that you pass through.
It is only towards the last leg of the journey that you will reach the coastal plains as you enter the outskirts of the Nha Trang city.
Nha Trang is a beautiful city along the coast of Vietnam. The couple of days spent in Nha Trang were one of our best in the whole Vietnam trip. From enjoying the views of the deep blue ocean water, to enjoying a meal along the coastline. From visiting the temples and pagodas to hopping along different beaches. There are so many lovely things to do in Nha Trang. I highly recommend not missing Nha Trang on your trip to Vietnam.
Read : Our recommended 2 days Nha Trang Itinerary to add to your Vietnam Trip
Looking for a road trip from Dalat to Nha Trang or vice versa? Book this Dalat to Nha Trang transfer that we took.