Vietnam itinerary: 5 days in Nha Trang and Da Lat by bus and plane

## Why this Vietnam itinerary uses Cam Ranh and Lien Khuong

An open-jaw ticket into Cam Ranh and out of Lien Khuong is what makes this Vietnam itinerary fit into 5 days. Land at Cam Ranh (CXR), shuttle 45 minutes to Nha Trang for 50,000 VND, and stay 2 nights. The Futa bus covers Nha Trang to Da Lat in 4 hours for 250,000 VND, and you stay 2 nights in the highlands. Fly home from Lien Khuong Airport (DLI), a 30-minute taxi from Da Lat for 250,000 VND.

CXR serves Nha Trang and DLI serves Da Lat, so the two ends of the trip sit in different cities. A return ticket through Cam Ranh means retracing the coast road and paying the 50,000 VND shuttle a second time. The north-south railway does not pass through Da Lat, so trains cannot replace either flight. Compare open-jaw and return fares before you book; the open-jaw version gives back a full travel day.

Pacing is the second reason. The Day 3 bus is the only long transfer on the route, at 4 hours. Day 1 is the 45-minute shuttle from CXR, Day 2 stays inside Nha Trang with Po Nagar Cham Towers and Hon Chong, Day 4 stays inside Da Lat, and Day 5 is the 30-minute taxi to DLI. No other leg takes more than 45 minutes.

Two things can go wrong. Tet 2026 falls on February 17, and buses and flights sell out around it, so book the Futa seat and the DLI departure weeks ahead. Fares need verifying as well: many blogs still quote 2024 prices, so confirm 2026 numbers on Futabus and the official tourism sites. Whether a new Cam Ranh to Da Lat express bus starts in 2026 is still open, so ask locally on arrival. Entry paperwork comes first: the e-visa lasts 90 days, costs US$25 single-entry or US$50 multiple-entry, and needs 1-2 weeks to process.

## For this Vietnam itinerary: visa and bookings

For a 5-day Vietnam itinerary that starts at Cam Ranh (CXR) and ends at Lien Khuong (DLI), lock your e-visa and transport before you book hotels. The e-visa lasts 90 days and costs US$25 for single-entry or US$50 for multiple-entry. Apply 1-2 weeks ahead at evisa.gov.vn. If your passport name or travel dates are wrong, the application is rejected and you must reapply. The route has 2 nights in Nha Trang and 2 nights in Da Lat, so your visa dates and flight dates must match those stays.

Book open-jaw flights into CXR and out of DLI. That routing avoids backtracking and long north-south trains. Tet 2026 falls on February 17, when flights and buses sell out, so book early or pay more. Then reserve the Day 3 Futa bus from Nha Trang to Da Lat. Futa runs hourly from 06:00 to 16:00, takes 4 hours, and costs 250,000 VND. If you wait until the same day, popular morning departures can be full. Do not leave this leg until you arrive in Nha Trang.

After transport is confirmed, book 2 nights near Tran Phu in Nha Trang and 2 nights near Da Lat Market. Check cancellation policies because weather or transport delays can shift plans. On arrival, the CXR airport shuttle to Nha Trang takes 45 minutes and costs 50,000 VND. On Day 5, a taxi to DLI takes 30 minutes and costs 250,000 VND. This keeps the Futa bus as the only long transfer in the 5-day plan.

Prices change, so verify 2026 fares on Futabus and official tourism sites. Many blogs still quote older prices. Ask locally about a possible Cam Ranh-Da Lat express bus in 2026. If that route does not run, keep the Futa bus as your confirmed Day 3 plan.

Three legs connect this Vietnam itinerary: a 45-minute airport shuttle from Cam Ranh (CXR) into Nha Trang for 50,000 VND, a 4-hour Futa bus from Nha Trang to Da Lat for 250,000 VND, and a 30-minute taxi from Da Lat out to Lien Khuong airport (DLI) for 250,000 VND. Ground transport comes to 550,000 VND for the whole route, with no return leg and no long north-south train.

The Cam Ranh shuttle runs on the airport's schedule rather than a fixed timetable, so treat the 45 minutes and 50,000 VND as standard rather than guaranteed at 2am. Futa is the reliable option between Nha Trang and Da Lat: buses leave hourly from 06:00 to 16:00, take 4 hours, and cost 250,000 VND. The 16:00 departure puts you in Da Lat around 20:00, which is fine for check-in but leaves no daylight for Xuan Huong Lake on arrival day.

On Day 5 you need a taxi rather than a bus, because Lien Khuong sits outside Da Lat city. Budget 30 minutes and 250,000 VND, and add a buffer for the drive if your flight is early. Ask your hotel to book the car the night before; street-hailed taxis at 5am are less predictable than a pre-arranged pickup.

Fares move, and plenty of blogs still quote 2024 prices. Check current 2026 numbers on Futabus and the official tourism sites before you commit to a schedule, and book early if you are travelling near Tet on 17 February 2026, when buses and flights sell out. One open question: a new Cam Ranh to Da Lat express bus may launch in 2026, which would cut out the Nha Trang stopover entirely. Ask locally before booking the Futa leg.

Two nights in each city keeps this 5-day Vietnam itinerary to a single long transfer: the Day 3 bus. Fly into Cam Ranh (CXR) and take the 45-minute airport shuttle to Nha Trang for 50,000 VND, then check in near Tran Phu. Apply for the e-visa first: 90 days of validity, US$25 single-entry or US$50 multiple-entry through evisa.gov.vn, applied for 1-2 weeks ahead. Seafood dinner runs 100,000-200,000 VND.

Day 2 stays in Nha Trang. Po Nagar Cham Towers open 06:00-18:00 and cost 30,000 VND, Hon Chong is 30,000 VND, and mud baths run 300,000-500,000 VND. Leave the afternoon for the beach. Day 3 is the only long transfer of the trip. Futa buses leave Nha Trang hourly from 06:00 to 16:00, take 4 hours, and cost 250,000 VND. A morning departure gives you the afternoon around Xuan Huong Lake and Da Lat Market.

Day 4 covers Da Lat's sights: Crazy House (08:30-17:00, 60,000 VND), Datanla Falls (07:00-17:00, 50,000 VND plus 200,000 VND for the alpine coaster), and Linh Phuoc Pagoda (07:00-17:00). Meals: banh mi xiu mai 30,000 VND, avocado ice cream 20,000 VND. Day 5 is a 30-minute taxi to Lien Khuong (DLI), 250,000 VND, then a flight out. Booking it this way avoids backtracking and the long north-south train. Midrange travelers spend US$35-55 a day, backpackers US$25-35.

Nha Trang is dry from January to August; Da Lat is rainy from May to October. Tet 2026 falls on February 17, when buses and flights sell out, so book transport early. Check 2026 fares on Futabus and official tourism sites; many blogs still quote 2024 prices. Whether a new Cam Ranh to Da Lat express bus launches in 2026 is still open, so confirm locally before you rely on it.

Days 1 and 2 of this Vietnam itinerary are the coast half: land at Cam Ranh, settle in Nha Trang, and spend the second day on Cham towers, a coastal walk, mud baths and seafood. The airport shuttle to Nha Trang runs 45 minutes and costs 50,000 VND, and it drops along Tran Phu, so a hotel on or just off that street puts dinner within walking distance. Seafood restaurants along the strip charge 100,000-200,000 VND per person, and booking two nights here gives you a full day without a bag to carry.

Start Day 2 early at Po Nagar Cham Towers, open 6am-6pm with 30,000 VND entry. The site sits on a hill above the river, and going at opening avoids both the heat and the tour groups. From there, head north to Hon Chong, where entry is also 30,000 VND and the payoff is a granite outcrop with wide views back along the bay and out to the islands.

Mud baths are the afternoon option most people build the day around, and they cost 300,000-500,000 VND depending on the operator. Go late in the afternoon when the sun drops and the queues thin. If you would rather keep it simple, the beach along Tran Phu is free and takes up the rest of Day 2: loungers, swimming and a long promenade that runs the length of the waterfront.

Two caveats worth knowing before you book. Nha Trang's dry season runs January to August, so rain is unlikely in that window and heavy outside it. Prices for transport and attractions change, so confirm 2026 shuttle and bus fares on operator sites before you commit, since plenty of blogs still quote 2024 numbers.

Day 3 starts with the Futa bus from Nha Trang to Da Lat: 4 hours, 250,000 VND, hourly departures from 06:00 to 16:00, and the only long transfer on this 5-day Vietnam itinerary. Once you drop your bag, walk the edge of Xuan Huong Lake and cut through Da Lat Market, where vendors sell coffee and dried fruit. Both are free to enter and sit close to the two nights you have booked in town. Keep the afternoon free for this; the walking is gentle, and the highland air takes a little adjusting to if you have come straight from the coast.

Day 4 morning goes to the Crazy House, open 08:30-17:00 with entry at 60,000 VND. The building has concrete ramps and cave-like rooms connected by narrow bridges, so you climb through it. Arrive at opening to beat the tour buses that jam the passages by mid-morning, and wear shoes with grip because the outdoor stairways stay damp after rain.

South of town, Datanla Falls opens 07:00-17:00. Entry is 50,000 VND, and the alpine coaster down to the water costs another 200,000 VND; riders control their own speed on the rail. Linh Phuoc Pagoda keeps the same 07:00-17:00 hours and is covered in mosaics made from broken glass and pottery. There is no entry fee. For meals, banh mi xiu mai costs about 30,000 VND and avocado ice cream about 20,000 VND. Verify 2026 fares and hours locally before you go, since many blogs still quote 2024 prices.

Costs and practical tips for this Vietnam itinerary in 2026

Budget US$35 to US$55 per day for midrange travel on this Vietnam itinerary, or US$25 to US$35 per day if you travel backpacker style. That covers two nights in Nha Trang and two nights in Da Lat, with the Futa bus from Nha Trang to Da Lat at 250,000 VND for 4 hours. The bus runs hourly from 06:00 to 16:00. The Cam Ranh airport shuttle to Nha Trang costs 50,000 VND and takes 45 minutes. The e-visa lasts 90 days and costs US$25 for single-entry or US$50 for multiple-entry; apply 1-2 weeks ahead at evisa.gov.vn.

Verify 2026 fares on Futabus and official tourism sites before you book. Many blogs still quote older prices, so treat those figures as a warning, not a budget. Check locally for the possible Cam Ranh-Da Lat express bus; it is not confirmed for 2026. Book around Tet 2026 on February 17 because buses and flights sell out. Weather matters too: Nha Trang is dry from January to August, while Da Lat is rainy from May to October.

Fixed costs from the brief are easy to plan. Po Nagar Cham Towers and Hon Chong each charge 30,000 VND, mud baths run 300,000 to 500,000 VND, and a seafood dinner in Nha Trang costs 100,000 to 200,000 VND. In Da Lat, Crazy House charges 60,000 VND, Datanla Falls 50,000 VND plus 200,000 VND for the optional coaster, and Linh Phuoc Pagoda has no entry price in the brief. Meals are cheap: banh mi xiu mai is 30,000 VND and avocado ice cream is 20,000 VND.

Confirm opening hours and prices on official sites before you travel. Po Nagar opens 6am-6pm, Crazy House 8:30am-5pm, and Datanla Falls and Linh Phuoc Pagoda both open 7am-5pm. Keep the Futa bus on Day 3 as your only long transfer. If you are still deciding between a 4-day, 5-day, 7-day, 10-day, or 14-day Vietnam itinerary, this 5-day route works because it avoids backtracking to Cam Ranh or taking long north-south trains.