Car Rental in Nha Trang: What It Really Costs and Where to Drive

Nha Trang is deceptive. The beach, the restaurants and Vinpearl are all a short taxi ride apart. But the best of it — Ba Ho waterfalls, the mountain road up to Da Lat, fishing villages to the north — begins exactly where the Grab map runs out. A single taxi from Cam Ranh airport costs a decent sum; three or four such trips in a week and a rental car is already the cheaper option.

Here is what we wish we had known before our first rental: prices, documents, the small print and routes that are actually worth the drive.

Do you even need a car in Nha Trang?

Honest answer: it depends on how you travel.

• Beach, seafront restaurants, nothing more — skip the car. Grab and taxis beat parking.
• Family with kids and luggage, and you like driving yourself — a car saves your nerves. Air-con, and stops where you want, not where the tour bus does.
• Staying a month or longer — the maths is clear, see below.
• Da Lat, Ninh Van, Yang Bay or Doc Let — a comfortable day by car, half a day on a tour bus.

Scooters are a different story; this guide is about cars only.

Craft villages, waterfalls and beaches outside the city sit off the usual taxi routes. That is exactly what a car is for.

How much does it cost: per day, per week, per month

Price depends on the class and, above all, on duration: the longer you rent, the cheaper each day gets. Indicative figures for our fleet (VND, before 8% VAT, protection plan and delivery):

• Economy (VinFast VF3, Kia Morning): 1 day — ~ 980–990k; 7 days (per day) — ~ 840–850k; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 390–410k; Full month — from 9.9–10.5M
• Sedan (Toyota Vios): 1 day — ~ 1.0M; 7 days (per day) — ~ 870k; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 420k; Full month — from 10.8M
• Comfort sedan (Mazda 3, Honda Civic): 1 day — ~ 1.25M; 7 days (per day) — ~ 1.1M; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 600k; Full month — from 15.3M
• 5-seat SUV (Hyundai Creta, Tucson): 1 day — ~ 1.3M; 7 days (per day) — ~ 1.14M; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 615k; Full month — from 15.6M
• 7-seat MPV (Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Veloz): 1 day — ~ 1.3M; 7 days (per day) — ~ 1.15M; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 610k; Full month — from 15.6M
• 7-seat SUV (Toyota Fortuner, VinFast Lux SA): 1 day — ~ 1.3–1.4M; 7 days (per day) — ~ 1.2M; 30+ days (per day) — ~ 750–770k; Full month — from 19.2M

These are guide figures. The calculator on each car's page shows the exact price for your dates; it varies with season and demand. Roughly 26,000 ₫ = $1, so 1M ₫ ≈ $38.

What it means in practice:

• For 1–3 days, budget from about 1M ₫ ($38) a day.
• A week is noticeably cheaper: roughly 850k–1.2M ₫ a day.
• A month costs almost half the daily rate. Staying long? Don't extend week by week — book the month. Long-term terms are on the monthly rental page.

What's not in the price (know it upfront)

We believe in transparency, so here is what gets added to the base price. You see the full total before you pay.

• Protection plan. Not included in the base price. Legally it is not insurance but a contractual limit on your liability (the car always carries the compulsory TNDS third-party cover). The base option has a 15M ₫ excess — the most you pay for covered damage. Plans with a lower excess exist; Premium (420k ₫/day) has a zero excess. If it's your first time driving in Vietnam, we'd take it. Tyres, glass and underbody are charged separately under any plan — it's in the terms, read them.
• VAT 8% (10% from 1 January 2027).
• Delivery. Pick-up from our Nha Trang office is free. Hotel delivery is 400k ₫, Cam Ranh airport 500k ₫.
• Hand-over outside office hours (08:00–20:00 daily) carries an extra fee. Plan your timing.
• Unlimited mileage. We don't count kilometres — which matters for trips like Da Lat.
• Late return. Up to 2 hours after the end time is free; after that each started 24 hours is charged as a full day.

Documents and deposit

You need:

• Passport.
• A category B driving licence in one of two forms: an International Driving Permit (IDP) under the 1968 Vienna Convention, or a licence issued in an ASEAN country.
• Which licences Vietnam recognises and how to get one is covered in our separate guide.
• Age and experience: the requirements for each car are shown at booking.

The deposit is refundable. It is taken at hand-over, online or in cash. The amount depends on the class: 5M, 10M or 20M ₫ (10M for most cars). Return the car in the condition you received it and you get it back.

Driving in Vietnam: seven rules that save your nerves

1. Traffic drives on the right, as in the US and Europe. But expect lots of scooters. Be predictable: hold a steady line, no sudden moves.
2. Scooters can appear from anywhere. Check your mirrors before every turn and lane change.
3. Honking is normal. It's not aggression; it means "I'm here". A short beep when overtaking is standard.
4. City speed limits are around 50 km/h and often lower.
5. Zero tolerance for alcohol. None at all. Vietnam is among the strictest.
6. Parking: use paid car parks in central Nha Trang. Kerbside parking isn't allowed everywhere.
7. Watch your speed — it's the most expensive mistake. Every car has GPS and a dashcam (you consent to this when renting). Contractual penalties: up to 10 km/h over — 1.5M ₫, 10–20 km/h — 3M, 20–35 km/h — 12M, over 35 — 18M; running a red light — 40M ₫. You also pay any state fines, even those that arrive after the return. And the contract covers Vietnam only: Cambodia and Laos are excluded.

Five road trips from Nha Trang

1. Cam Ranh airport → hotel (≈ 30 km, 35–40 min). Landing late? Take the car at the airport: we deliver it there for 500k ₫, and you skip the taxi haggling.

2. Ba Ho waterfalls (≈ 25 km north). Go in the morning, before the heat. Parking is close and the road is easy — a good first drive to get your bearings.

3. Yang Bay (≈ 50 km). An eco-park with waterfalls and lakes. A pretty road with little traffic. Good with kids.

4. Doc Let beach (≈ 50 km north). A long sandy beach without the crowds. Leave early, be back before dark.

5. Da Lat (≈ 135 km, 3.5–4 h). The most spectacular route: the Khanh Le pass, switchbacks, then mist and pine forest. You need to be confident on mountain roads; set off in the morning. We wrote a separate guide.

Which car to take

• Couple, 2–3 days, mostly city — VinFast VF3 or Kia Morning: compact and easy to park.
• Family with a child and suitcases — Hyundai Creta or Mitsubishi Xpander: boot space and ground clearance.
• Group of 5–7 — Toyota Fortuner or Kia Sedona.
• Da Lat and the mountains — an SUV: the pass is easier with power in reserve.

How to book

1. Pick your dates and car in the catalogue.
2. Choose pick-up: office, hotel or airport.
3. Choose a protection plan and extras.
4. Pay online or at pick-up.

Unsure about the class or the route? Message us in the chat — you'll get a human answer.

Prices as of October 2026. The calculator on each car's page shows the exact cost for your dates.