Nui Chua National Park

Nui Chua covers a block of mountains that drop straight into the sea north of Phan Rang, in the driest corner of Vietnam. The vegetation is thorn scrub and dry forest rather than jungle, and the coast is granite boulders, small coves and shallow reef. A coast road runs the length of the park with pull-ins above the water, passing Vinh Hy bay, a fishing inlet with rafts and glass-bottomed boats, and Hang Rai, a shelf of eroded rock where the sea spills across flat terraces. Green turtles nest on a protected beach through the summer, monitored by rangers, and access there is restricted and only by arrangement.

What you actually see

• The coast road - the cliff drive between Phan Rang and Vinh Hy with sea pull-ins.
• Hang Rai - the eroded rock shelf where waves spill across flat coral terraces.
• Vinh Hy bay - the fishing inlet with its rafts, boats and narrow beach.
• Dry forest slopes - thorn scrub and bare rock climbing from the shore to the ridge.

When to go

January to August is dry and mostly clear, though the heat from March to June is severe and there is very little shade anywhere. Wind is strong for much of the year, which suits kite sports but makes small boats unpleasant. Turtle nesting falls over the summer and is only seen on ranger-led visits arranged well in advance.

Honest expectations

There is little infrastructure: few places to eat, limited signage and almost no public transport, so your own vehicle is close to essential. The park is genuinely hot and arid, and midday on the coast road is punishing. Snorkelling depends heavily on wind and can be silty. Some stretches of shoreline have been taken over by resort building, and rubbish collects in the coves.

Nearby

Phan Rang and its Cham towers lie south, with Cam Ranh and its airport to the north.