Phan Rang Desert Tour from Nha Trang: Family Day Trip Guide
While VinWonders and Island Hopping tours are essential parts of a Nha Trang trip, don't you want to escape the city for a day and create special memories? For those who want to see a desert but are burdened by long travel times, we introduce the 'Phan Rang Desert Tour', which is much closer and more substantial than Mui Ne. In this post, I will share a vivid review of a private day trip tailored to the condition of children.
|
| Phan Rang Desert Tour |
Why We Chose Phan Rang (Phan Rang vs. Mui Ne)
Having been impressed by desert landscapes on a previous trip to Dubai, I wanted to show my children a desert as well. When looking for a suburban day trip near Nha Trang where we could see a desert, 'Phan Rang' and 'Mui Ne' were the two representative options.
- Mui Ne: Home to larger and more famous deserts like the White Sand Dunes and Red Sand Dunes. However, it takes more than 4-5 hours one way from Nha Trang, making it practically impossible for a day trip with young children due to the long travel time.
- Phan Rang: Although smaller in scale than Mui Ne, it is a place where you can see a 'desert', and it takes about 2 to 2.5 hours one way from Nha Trang, making it a reasonable choice for a day trip.
The purpose of the 'Desert Tour' was clear, and considering the children's stamina, we decided that Phan Rang was the optimal choice.
Phan Rang Tour Vendor Selection Process (Private Tour)
Platform vs. Local Travel Agency
Booking a tour from Nha Trang to Phan Rang is largely divided into platforms and local travel agencies (drivers).
- Platforms (Klook, KKday, etc.): Booking is convenient, but prices are often calculated per person. For our family of 5, the total cost was on the expensive side. Although there is the advantage of a Korean-speaking guide accompanying the tour, the fact that it is a join-in tour with other people could be a burden for the children.
- Local Travel Agency (Hoa Driver): This method involves contacting them directly via KakaoTalk or similar apps. It was reasonable for a large family as the price is calculated per vehicle. Also, it was convenient to coordinate various options such as course adjustments.
Please note that tour products and costs sold on platforms may vary depending on the travel season, so I recommend deciding after a careful comparison. Also, be careful as platforms may not offer refunds due to weather or schedule changes.
My Choice: Hoa Driver
We chose 'Hoa Driver', a local driver service, considering price and schedule flexibility.
Booking & Inquiry KakaoTalk ID: Drivernhatrang
- How to Book: After adding them as a friend on KakaoTalk (a popular messaging app), I inquired about the desired date and tour plan to make a reservation. You can inquire in English, and even if you inquire in Korean, the response is generally good. It felt like the agent was consulting using a translator.
- Payment: There is no deposit, and the method was to pay directly to the driver in Vietnamese Dong (VND) on-site after the tour was completely finished.
-
Course Selection
- Option 1: Coconut Rest Stop → Sheep Farm → Restaurant → Desert Tour → Po Klong Garai Towers
- Option 2: Rai Cave (Hang Rai) and Coastal Road Drive are added to Course 1.
Although they informed us of the basic start and estimated end times, they explained that they would not ask for extra charges even if we spent a long time at tourist spots and were delayed. The consultation was friendly, and all requirements were met, so we made a reservation. Since 5 people were planning to board, we reserved a 7-seater vehicle.
|
| Phan Rang Tour Route |
Note that you don't choose the course at the time of booking. On the day of the tour, after checking the children's condition, we asked the driver to proceed with Course 2 right before departure.
Hoa Driver Rates by Course
If you inquire via KakaoTalk, you can receive detailed tour program and rate information.
|
|
Hoa Driver Rates |
Phan Rang tour prices are based per vehicle, not per person, and the rates for each course are as shown in the table below. When booking, select a vehicle according to the actual number of passengers excluding the driver's seat. (e.g., Select a 7-seater vehicle for a family of 5)
| Course | Vehicle | Price (VND) | Price (USD approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | 4-seater (Sedan) | 1,600,000 VND | ~$64 USD |
| Course 1 | 7-seater (SUV/Van) | 1,900,000 VND | ~$76 USD |
| Course 1 | 16-seater (Van) | 2,700,000 VND | ~$108 USD |
| Course 2 | 4-seater (Sedan) | 1,900,000 VND | ~$76 USD |
| Course 2 | 7-seater (SUV/Van) | 2,200,000 VND | ~$88 USD |
| Course 2 | 16-seater (Van) | 3,000,000 VND | ~$120 USD |
Review of Private Tour with Children
Overall Advantages of Private Tour
We chose a private tour because we were traveling with children, and ultimately, it was a very comfortable schedule.
- Flexible Time: The biggest advantage is that there is no set timetable. We could look around each tourist spot enough at our family's pace and return to the car whenever we wanted.
- Psychological Comfort: If it were a join-in tour, we would have been self-conscious about inconveniencing other groups. Phan Rang is very hot, so children can easily get tired outdoors, but it was great to be able to return to the cool car immediately without any burden.
- Relaxed Schedule: The driver never rushed or pressured us about time, so we could enjoy the tour leisurely.
- Convenient Communication: Although the driver conducting the tour did not speak English fluently, there was no major difficulty communicating through a translator app. In fact, it was less burdensome as he only said what was necessary.
Entrance fees for each tourist destination are not included in the tour cost. You have to pay the entrance fee individually at each place you visit, but the costs were not expensive.
Hotel Pickup (7-Seater Kia Carnival)
On the morning of the tour, the driver came to pick us up at the hotel lobby at the promised time. We reserved a 7-seater vehicle because there were 5 of us, and the assigned vehicle was a Kia Carnival (Minivan).
Usually, if you book a 7-seater vehicle for a day tour or Grab in Nha Trang, an SUV with 3 rows of seats is often assigned, but luckily, a van-type Carnival was assigned. Thanks to that, the interior of the vehicle was spacious, the seats were comfortable, and the air conditioning worked coolly.
|
| On the way to Phan Rang Tour |
Due to the nature of the tour where you get on and off the car multiple times, the spacious vehicle made the journey comfortable throughout. It takes over 2 hours to get from Nha Trang to Phan Rang, and thanks to the good condition of the vehicle, both children and adults could travel pleasantly.
Coconut Rest Stop
We stopped by a rest area for a while on the way out of Nha Trang city to Phan Rang. This place is included in the tour course and was guided by the driver.
|
| Coconut Rest Stop |
We cooled off for a while drinking fresh coconuts (free) included in the tour service. The rest area was small, but it had a restroom and was managed relatively cleanly, so there was no inconvenience in using it.
They also sell various snacks and drinks, so if you haven't prepared snacks, it's a good idea to buy them here.
|
| Coconut Rest Stop |
Fairy Stream Sheep Farm
The next course was the sheep farm. The admission fee is 40,000 VND (approx. $1.60) per person, and you can experience feeding the sheep directly by receiving hay upon entry. If you are holding hay, the sheep actively approach people to eat. Thanks to this, the children had a great time touching the sheep and feeding them hay.
|
| Fairy Stream Sheep Farm |
Since the weather was clear that day, we were able to take many beautiful family photos with the blue sky and green pasture as a background. There is a shop on one side of the farm where you can buy cold drinks, snacks, souvenirs, etc., which was good for avoiding the heat for a while.
|
| Fairy Stream Sheep Farm |
Coastal Lookout
After leaving the sheep farm and moving along the coastal road, we stopped briefly at a lookout. It seemed to be a place mainly visited by locals rather than an official tourist attraction.
|
| Coastal Lookout |
From the observatory, we could see the wide-open sea of Phan Rang, which gave a feeling similar to scenic coastal drives like California's Highway 1 or the Great Ocean Road.
Rai Cave (Hang Rai)
Passing the coastal lookout, we arrived at Rai Cave (Hang Rai), one of the most impressive places in this course. The admission fee was 50,000 VND (approx. $2.00) per person, and children were free. Since there is some distance from the ticket booth to the entrance, we took a buggy (electric car).
|
| Rai Cave (Hang Rai) |
Rai Cave is a reef area made of coral over millions of years. The rocks here are made of coral fossils, not typical granite, so it was a completely different look from rocks commonly seen on other beaches.
The weather was good for sightseeing, and the sight of dead coral reefs washed up and piled on the shore was also an exotic landscape.
|
| Rai Cave (Hang Rai) |
Lunch (Four Seasons Restaurant Review)
After looking around Rai Cave, it was time for lunch. The driver told us that if we had a restaurant we wanted, he would take us there, but we asked him to take us to a place he recommended.
The driver guided us to 'Four Seasons Restaurant', saying it is a place where tour drivers usually eat. Before departure, I saw some negative reviews about this restaurant, so I was a little worried, but I visited out of consideration for the driver.
|
| Four Seasons Restaurant |
To start with the conclusion, it wasn't terrible. However, it was definitely expensive compared to local Vietnamese prices, though still affordable compared to Western prices. The taste of the food was ordinary, something you could eat anywhere in Vietnam, but since it was right in front of the beach, the location was good, so it felt like the seat price was included in the food price.
Around 1:30 PM, although lunch time had passed a bit, there were many customers. There were many staff, but they seemed unable to handle all the numerous customers, and the food came out sporadically, which was a bit inconvenient.
|
| Four Seasons Restaurant |
Overall, it wasn't too bad, but considering the price, there were some regrets. Other nearby restaurants might also be expensive because it is a tourist spot, but if I come to Phan Rang again next time, I plan to look for another restaurant with high ratings on Google Maps instead of here.
Phan Rang Desert Tour
After lunch, we finally headed to the desert, which we were most looking forward to.
This place was not the endlessly vast desert we usually imagine. It is a huge sand dune area formed on the coast, but the scale was quite large, and if you moved a little, you could see the sea and mountains together. The sand was fine like a desert.
The desert tour uses a 7-seater jeep, and we had to pay the 45-minute tour cost of 600,000 VND (approx. $24 USD) separately to the driver on site. For reference, there is also a 90-minute course, but since the Phan Rang tour is not just about enjoying the desert, 45 minutes is sufficient.
It wasn't a course with exciting driving on rough terrain like in Dubai, but the family, riding an open desert jeep for the first time, screamed constantly and enjoyed it.
We looked around the coast first and were about to climb the hill in earnest in the jeep, but suddenly the weather changed rapidly and strong winds blew. For safety, we decided to proceed with a short tour.
We went up the sand dune in the jeep, took pictures, and rode sleds. The jeep tour guide was very cheerful, so laughter never left the family even in the strong wind. However, the second child couldn't open their eyes properly because the wind was too strong. We looked around for about 30 minutes and withdrew, but even in this weather, the guide tried to show us at least one more thing.
|
| Phan Rang Sand Dunes |
After finishing the tour, there was a small tap at the starting point where we could shake off the sand from our feet, and we could also taste simple fruits prepared by the guide. If you have never been to a desert, this is a course that can be an exotic experience.
Po Klong Garai Towers (Cham Tower)
After finishing the desert tour, we moved to the Po Klong Garai Towers, the last course of the Phan Rang tour. This is a Hindu (Champa Kingdom) temple like the Po Nagar Cham Towers in downtown Nha Trang.
The admission fee was 30,000 VND (approx. $1.20) per person and 15,000 VND (approx. $0.60) for children.
|
| Po Klong Garai Towers |
The scale of the preserved ruins was slightly smaller than the Po Nagar Towers, but it was very quiet as there were almost no visitors. Thanks to that, it was good to leisurely look around the temple and take pictures with the children.
There is some distance from the entrance to the hill where the temple is located, but they operate a buggy (shuttle) so we could go up comfortably.
|
| Po Klong Garai Towers |
Nha Trang Phan Rang Tour Total Cost for Family of 5 (Incl. Tips, Meals)
This Phan Rang tour was conducted for a family of 5 (3 adults, 2 children). This is the total cost including private tour fee, driver tip, all entrance fees, and meals.
| Item | Cost (VND) |
|---|---|
| Hoa Driver (Private 7-seater) | 2,200,000 VND |
| Driver Tip (Optional) | 200,000 VND |
| Sheep Farm (Entry for 5) | 200,000 VND |
| Rai Cave (Entry for 5) | 150,000 VND |
| Lunch (Four Seasons) | 1,200,000 VND |
| Desert Jeep Tour (1 Car) | 600,000 VND |
| Po Klong Garai (Entry) | 120,000 VND |
- Total (VND): 4,670,000 VND
- Total (USD): Approx. $187 USD
- In addition, there was an additional expenditure of about 100,000 VND for ice cream, snacks, souvenirs, etc.
Preparation and Tips for Phan Rang Tour
If you are preparing for a Phan Rang day trip, it is good to bring the following items.
- Essentials (Sun Protection): Sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are essential. Phan Rang is much hotter and has stronger sunlight than Nha Trang, and there are many places without shade, especially in the desert and Rai Cave.
- Cash: Card payments are possible at Four Seasons restaurant, but there are reviews saying that card payments sometimes fail due to internet failures or power outages. It is better to prepare extra emergency funds and small denomination cash for snacks and entrance fees.
- Light Jacket (Windbreaker): Although the weather is hot, the wind can blow very strongly during the jeep tour in the desert. A thin windbreaker is useful for maintaining children's body temperature and blocking sandstorms.
- Kids' Snacks and Ice-Cold Water: Travel time is long and the weather is hot, so children can easily get tired. It is good to pack plenty of simple snacks and cool frozen water that can be eaten while moving in the vehicle.
Phan Rang Tour Review Summary
This Nha Trang Phan Rang Tour was not just a schedule to see the desert, but a chance to look around various attractions that could not be seen in Nha Trang city, such as the sheep farm, Rai Cave, and Cham temple together. We departed from the hotel at 9 AM and returned around 7 PM, making it a fulfilling schedule that filled the day.
My biggest concern before departure was the travel time of nearly 5 hours round trip. However, since the actual tour repeated the method of moving briefly and looking around tourist spots, the children did not get bored and the travel time did not feel as long as expected.
Above all, choosing a private tour was a good decision. Before departure, I debated with join-in tours like Klook, but the best thing was being able to move comfortably with the family in a pleasant vehicle (cool air conditioning) and adjust the schedule according to the children's condition. Considering both cost and convenience, the private tour using 'Hoa Driver' was a satisfying choice.
If you are looking for an exotic day trip destination with children during your trip to Nha Trang, I recommend the Nha Trang Phan Rang Desert Tour.
VinWonders Nha Trang Guide: Tickets, Hours & Must-Do Tips - GybeLife
Get the VinWonders Nha Trang guide. Find info on ticket discounts, opening hours, how to get there, and must-see attractions like the Tata Show.
en.gybelife.com
Nha Trang City Tour: A Perfect One-Day Itinerary - GybeLife
Discover the best of Nha Trang in one day. This city tour itinerary covers top attractions like Long Son Pagoda, Po Nagar Towers, and Nha Trang Beach.
en.gybelife.com
Best Time to Visit Nha Trang: An Essential Travel Guide - GybeLife
Planning a trip to Nha Trang? Discover the best time to visit, essential travel tips on weather, currency, transportation, and top attractions.
en.gybelife.com