VinWonders Nha Trang is an amusement park that also has a water park as well as a spa. Here's the summary of VinWonders as their site is slow and terribly unfriendly to use. Finding the basics of attraction info, ride requirements and ticket prices is hard.
Getting there
From Nha Trang downtown
From the Sheraton Nha Trang downtown, it'll cost under US$4 (90K VND) to get to the cable car station.
The eight-minute, one-way cable car ride to VinWonders is included as part of a VinWonders ticket. Many of the VinWonders ticket packages even include a buffet lunch. If you're not going to VinWonders you can still buy a cable car ride ticket.
The first cable car ride begins at 8:30 AM, but since the attractions open at 9 AM, there is no need to arrive for the first departure. If the cable car is not operating, free speedboats are available. The cable car station is easy to reach by Grab (download) a popular ride-hailing super-app in SE Asia, or Xanh SM (download).
Xanh is cheaper than Grab, and its vehicles are 100% electric. You can pay by cash or ApplePay (without the 4% foreign payment fee that Grab charges). "Xanh" means green in Vietnamese, so don't be surprised the English app is called Green SM; you're at the right download page.
A cable car Fast Pass costs US$2 per person, and you can buy that on the spot if they did not run out of quota. On an October weekday, I encountered no line. From the length of the waiting area, it seems like it could easily be hours of wait without a Fast Pass during peak season.
The cable car station is a one-minute drive from the Institute of Oceanography, a popular attraction that opens at 6 a.m. Consider visiting that before VinWonders to see live regional marine life and specimens that are dry preserved or preserved in formaldehyde. Admission is VND 40,000 per adult and VND 10,000 per child - less than US$4 for a family which is incredible value. Our visit took about 45 minutes to see everything including taking pictures.
From Hanoi
Take a 2hr flight from Noi Bai airport (Hanoi) to Cam Ranh airport (Khanh Hoa). The cable card to Vin Wonders is around 30 mins from the airport and Nha Trang downtown another 12 mins or so depending on traffic.
Yes, of course you can also go via bus or train, but why subject yourself to 20+ hours of travel time, when the flight is reasonable?
My flight was under US$60/person one-way on Vietjet Air. On a Weds morning, check-in was a 1 minute wait and an efficient 6 mins for 3 people. Security checks took 10 mins, and it is a 2 minute walk to any domestic gate.
What's in the park?
Fairy Land Zone
| Attraction / Ride Name | Description | Min. Height Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Coaster | A 1,865-meter gravity-powered sled track winding through the hillside with individual speed controls. | 100 cm (must ride in a two-person sled with an adult until 140 cm), Max Weight 110kg. |
| Zipline | An 880-meter zipline reaching speeds up to 100 km/h over the bay. | 130 cm, Max Weight 110kg |
| Tata World River Adventure | A fairytale-themed dark boat ride floating past magical indoor sets and animatronics. | 105 cm |
| Tata Show & Musical Fountain Show | Nighttime multimedia production featuring 3D mapping, live actors, fire, and water jets in front of the castle. | None |
Festive Hill & Adventure Land
| Attraction / Ride Name | Description | Min. Height Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Mine Adventure | High-speed family roller coaster dashing through mountain tunnels and sharp turns. | 110 cm |
| Tilt of Thunder | Modern steel roller coaster featuring airtime bumps and steep banked turns. | 120 cm |
| Sky Drop | Vertical drop tower ride that lifts passengers up for views before dropping. | 120 cm |
| Swing Carousel & Flying Gliders | Classic high-flying giant swing rides and rotating family spinners. | 120 cm |
| Flying Cinema | Multi-sensory 4D/XD simulator ride with motion seats and environmental effects. | 100 cm |
Tropical Paradise (Water Park)
| Attraction / Ride Name | Description | Min. Height Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Person & Tube Water Slides (Tornado Surfing, Python Kombat, Cheetah Chase) | High-speed raft and tube slides with whirlpool funnels and steep drops. | 130 cm |
| Splash Bay | A massive 4,200 sq. meter floating inflatable obstacle course on the sea. | 120 cm (life jacket required) |
| Water Tribe Village & Wave Pool | Shallow splash fortress with mini slides, bucket dumps, water cannons, and a wave pool. | None |
| Extreme Water Slides | Vertical trap-door drops and extreme acceleration slides. | 140 cm, Max Age 50, Max Weight 100kg |
Sea World, King's Garden & World Garden
| Attraction / Ride Name | Description | Min. Height Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Sea World (Underwater World & Dolphin Bay) | Walk-through acrylic underwater tunnel, live fish feeding, Mermaid show, and Dolphin/Seal performance. | None |
| Sky Wheel | 120-meter tall Ferris wheel offering panoramic bay views inside air-conditioned cabins. | 80 cm |
| King’s Garden | Open-air zoo featuring white Bengal tigers, flamingos, hippos, and daily trained bird shows. | None |
| World Garden Botanical Domes | Temperature-controlled glass domes containing the Rose Kingdom, Cactus Land, and Japanese Koi Garden. | None |
Where to go in the park
We skipped the Tropical Paradise water park as the sun was too intense, and Sea World as we've seen that stuff elsewhere before. We primarily went there because of the Zipline and Alpine Coaster experiences which are differentiators from many other places/parks.
Thanks to Fast Pass, including the cable car rides, we covered what we wanted to in 4 hours. As it was a weekday with no lines, we covered Fairy Land Zone reasonably well. We did the Alpine Coaster, Zipline, Tata World River Adventure, Harry & the Lost Magician, and 2 other childrens' rides not listed in the table above + lunch + 1 other ride at Festive Hill and Adventure Land. Lunch was Lotteria for burgers and a drink at Starbucks.
You can do the Alpine Coaster and Zipline back-to-back if there's at least a 50 minute gap between your Fast Pass time slots.
Regular ticket prices
Prices are a bit quirky as it is based on height and age, and not the typical adult vs child based only on age. Visit their page if you don't believe me.
| Height | Regular Price | Price After 4pm |
|---|---|---|
| 140cm or higher | US$42 (1.05m VND) | US$28 (700K VND) |
| 100cm to 140cm | US$32 (800K VND) | US$22 (550K VND) |
| Age 60 or higher | US$32 (800K VND) | US$22 (550K VND) |
| Children under 100cm | Free | Free |
Fast Pass prices
As with most amusement parks, in addition to regular tickets there are also Fast Passes - sometimes labelled "Quick Passes" on the VinWonders website. This allows you to to skip the regular line for the cable car, or for certain rides and priority seating for shows. There are 1, 3, or 5 rides available online at Trip.com. Klook does not have the Fast Pass options I recommend. VinWonders' website is what I would recommend. Buying Fast Pass at the ticket counters inside VinWonders may also be an option if it's not busy.
Buy online at VinWonders for the best prices
Online, the minimum discount is 2% for signing up to become a VinPearl member, and there may be additional promo codes offering as much as 11% off certain packages.
There are an overwhelming number of packages available at VinWonders' site.
Unfortunately, there is no combo that includes the Zipline Fast Pass and the 3-pack Fast Pass
This is what I would recommend instead:
- If you know you want to Zipline, buy the package with Zipline online as the quota is 170 Zipline rides per day. Zipline is not included as part of the regular ticket. You can do a tandem Zipline ride with your friend/family member as long as the weight difference does not exceed 40kg. You're likely able to buy the 3-pack Fast Pass in-person at the Zipline counter for US$18/person (450K VND).
- If you don't want to Zipline, packages with the 3-pack Fast Pass is recommended, as you can save $10 buying everything online first vs buying a regular ticket online first, and then adding the 3-pack Fast Pass in-person.
- The 3-pack Fast Pass gets you priority access to Alpine Coaster, Tata World River Adventure and Harry & the Lost Magician show (aka Flying Cinema; the ride takes you to many locations around the world, similar to the popular Soaring Over the Horizon ride at Disney).
- The 3-pack Fast Pass online package costs US$4 less than buying in-person at the Zipline counter. At VinWonders' site, search for [Wonder Ngon] - VinWonders Nha Trang Ticket + Buggy + Fastpass 3 hot games | Free Food Voucher.
- Last minute Zipline and/or Fast Pass decision? At the Zipline counter, if there is availability left, you can buy the Zipline ticket for US$2 (50K VND) + Zipline Fast Pass for US$10 (250K VND/person). You can also buy the 3-pack Fast Pass for US$18 (450K VND/person).
Worth the Fast Pass?
Yes, even on a non-busy day. Spending US$30 per person saved me ~2.5 hours. I figure my time is worth more than US$12/hr, so the Fast Pass seems like a good deal to me. Factor in how hot it can be, reducing outdoor waiting time is essential!
Unlike other amusement parks, VinPearl does not alter the length/path of the regular lines to make it shorter based on the length of the line. Even when there are no guests, you could end up walking snaking around pointlessly for a line designed for a 90-minute wait.
In some rides you can climb over to save some time if you are agile.
My take on the value of each Fast Pass use.
- Cable car: In addition to a shorter line, Fast Pass also means you get your own private cable car. I only got privacy as the regular line was short anyway.
- Zipline: Easily one of the most popular attractions. You will save at least 1 hour (on a non-busy day at the park) with a Fast Pass and you can just show up instead of waiting with no idea how long it will take in high heat.
- Alpine Coaster: Another very popular attraction where you can save at least 1 hour even on a non-busy day.
- Flying Cinema (Harry & the Lost Magician show): 25 mins time saving on a non-busy day during lunch time.
Park Extras
You can get a video recording of you ride on the Alpine Coaster and Zipline via an Insta360-like device. Each recording for the ride is 250K VND (US$10). Photos are 100K each (US$4); you get a hardcopy print out as a souvenir and you can scan a QR code to download a soft copy up to 1 month after it was taken.
Not all rides accepted credit cards for the photos and videos.
I was able to pay for the Alpine Coaster video recording and photos by credit card, but the Zipline ones had to be in cash.
Overall experience
We had a great time there since it wasn't crowded. The rides were in great condition and we found the park clean. There were also lots of food and drink options. There were many more rides to take and shows to watch if we had more time. If you want to experience all VinPearl Nha Trang has to offer, a 2-day ticket package - or even 3-day package - should be considered. I think this is one of the best bang-for-the-buck amusement parks in all of Asia. High quality, variety and reasonable cost.
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