Island hopping: fish farms, quiet coves and the cable car

A slow day drifting between the green islands of the bay, swimming off the boat, lunching on fish from a floating farm and coming home with salt in your hair.

Area

Islands & bay

Start from

Cau Da pier, Nha Trang

Distance

about 20–30 km of boat travel

Time needed

1 day

Best season

February – August

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Chartered boat or small-group tour

Tickets & rules

Island and reserve fees vary; check what your tour includes

Why go

Nha Trang Bay holds nineteen islands, give or take, and spending a day moving between a few of them is the simplest way to see why people fell in love with this coast. The water is warm, the islands are steep and green, and there are still coves where you can swim off the side of the boat with nobody else in sight.

The classic loop takes in Hon Tam, with its shady beach; Hon Mieu, the closest island, where fishing families live and an old-fashioned aquarium sits beside the shore; and the floating fish farms, where you can choose a fish or a lobster and have it cooked on the spot. Some boats also stop at Hon Mot, a small island with clear water for snorkelling.

The day has a lovely, unhurried rhythm: swim, eat, doze in the shade of the boat roof, swim again. Hire a boat with a few friends and you can set the pace yourself, skipping the noisy stops.

The story

Hon Mieu, sometimes called Tri Nguyen island after its village, has long been home to fishing families. Its small aquarium, built into a rocky hillside in the 1970s in the shape of a ship, is quirky and dated, but it remains a local landmark and a reminder of an earlier era of tourism.

The largest island in the bay is Hon Tre, which now hosts a huge resort and amusement park. Since the late 2000s it has been linked to the mainland by a cable car more than 3 km long that crosses the sea on tall towers; from the water at night its lights make a glittering line across the bay. You can ride it if you like the view, or simply watch the cabins pass overhead from your boat.

The floating farms are a way of life for many families in the bay. Wooden platforms are lashed together over net cages holding grouper, snapper and spiny lobster, with small houses, dogs and potted plants on the walkways. Some families have added simple restaurants, and eating lunch on a gently rocking platform is part of the island-hopping ritual.

The ‘party boat’ tours, with a floating bar and loud music, became famous in the 1990s and 2000s among backpackers. They still exist, so pick your boat carefully if you want peace.

Getting there

Boats leave from Cau Da pier and from smaller jetties at the southern end of town. Shared tours are cheap and include lunch; a chartered wooden boat with a captain costs more but lets you choose the islands and timing.

Agree the route, stops, lunch and total price in advance, ideally in writing or through your hotel.

A suggested plan

1. 8:30Boat from Cau Da; first stop at Hon Mieu and the fishing village.
2. 10:00Snorkel off Hon Mot or a quiet cove.
3. 12:00Lunch at a floating fish farm.
4. 1:30 pmBeach time at Hon Tam; swim and rest in the shade.
5. 4:00Back to the pier as the light turns gold over the bay.

Where to stay

Southern Nha Trang near Cau Da is most convenient, but any central hotel is fine. If you want a night on an island, some resorts on Hon Tre and Hon Tam take overnight guests.

Good to know

• Bring cash for island fees, drinks and tips for the crew.
• Pack a dry bag for your phone and a towel.
• Ask the captain to anchor away from other boats for swimming.
• If you are going to eat at a fish farm, agree the price by weight before the fish is killed.