Nha Trang to Vung Tau By Private Car

Nha Trang to Vung Tau by private car covers a distance of 397 km (or 246 miles) with a travel time of approximately 5 hours and 7 minutes. Throughout this journey, Mui Ne Private Car is proud to provide you with a comfortable and flexible experience in our modern, well-air-conditioned fleet. Our dedicated drivers can communicate in basic English, ensuring a smooth and pleasant interaction all the way from your Nha Trang hotel to your destination in Vung Tau.
Other popular private car routes from Nha Trang:
Book via WhatsApp: +84 976 694 384
Website to Booking: www.muineprivatecar.net
Nha Trang to Vung Tau: Route Overview
1/ Is Vung Tau worth visiting?
Vung Tau is a peninsula city in Ba Ria–Vung Tau province, roughly 120 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It has been a beach getaway for Saigon residents for over a century — long enough that the city has developed its own distinct character: wide corniche roads lined with old French-era villas, a lighthouse you can hike to, a giant Christ the King statue visible from the sea, and beaches that, while not the clearest in Vietnam, are entirely functional for a few days of swimming and seafood.
The reason travelers come from Nha Trang specifically is often practical a work transfer, a family gathering in the south, or simply a decision to travel by land between two coasts rather than fly. For those who have the time, this drive gives you a cross-section of southern Vietnam that no domestic flight can match.
2/ How far is Nha Trang from Vung Tau
The journey takes you along the North-South Expressway, traveling from north to south. We understand there are many transport options available today, such as buses or trains; however, if you prioritize door-to-door from your Nha Trang hotel flexibility and ultimate comfort, our private car service is the optimal choice for you.
The total distance is 397 km (or 246 miles). With regards to this large distance, it takes about 5 hours 7 minutes to drive directly from one location to another. Moreover, a private vehicle is the fastest and most comfortable means of transportation for this journey.
Throughout the journey, our driver will introduce you to the landmarks as you pass by, such as Co Ma Pass, the Mui Ne Sand Dunes, and the ancient Champa Towers. Moreover, if you would like to pull over for lunch or a restroom break, our driver is more than happy to accommodate your needs.
Nha Trang to Vung Tau Private Car Transfer via North-South Expressway — 397 km
3/ What are the transport options from Nha Trang to Vung Tau?
This corridor has fewer transport options than more popular routes. Here is an honest comparison:
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Sleeper bus : a Nha Trang–Ho Chi Minh City bus exists, but no direct service to Vung Tau. You disembark in Saigon and then arrange a separate 2-hour transfer to the peninsula. Total journey time often exceeds 10–12 hours, and that is if connections work cleanly.
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Flight : flying out of Nha Trang means first traveling to Cam Ranh Airport, then connecting through Ho Chi Minh City, then arranging a bus or taxi to Vung Tau. Door-to-door this often takes the same total time as a private car and costs more per group once you add airport transfers on both ends.
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Train : no Vung Tau station. The train from Nha Trang goes to Saigon, and Vung Tau requires a ferry or separate road transfer from there. Not practical for most travelers.
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Private car : your Nha Trang hotel to your Vung Tau hotel or apartment, non-stop or with one chosen rest stop. This is the only option that delivers you to a specific address without breaking the journey into multiple legs.
On a route this long without good direct public transport, private car is the difference between a tiring day of connections and a single, comfortable ride that ends exactly where you need to be.
Below is a comparison table of various transportation modes to help you optimize your travel time.

4/ How to book your private car from Nha Trang to Vung Tau
Contact Our Travel Experts
At Mui Ne Private Car Service, booking is straightforward. Reach us via WhatsApp, Zalo, or Viber: +84 976 694 384 our team typically responds within minutes and confirms the right vehicle for your group size and luggage within the hour.
You can also book via our online form at muineprivatecar.net or send a booking inquiry by email. Tell us your pickup address in Nha Trang city (hotel name and street), your drop-off address in Vung Tau, the number of passengers, luggage count, and your preferred departure time.
Driver and vehicle details are sent via WhatsApp the evening before your departure. You will know the exact car, license plate, and driver name before the morning of your trip.
Which vehicle is right for this route?
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Sedan (up to 3 pax): Fine for 1–2 travelers with standard luggage. Over 6 hours, however, the extra space of an SUV starts to matter - especially if you plan a lunch stop and want room to stretch during the journey.
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SUV - large (up to 5 pax): The recommended choice for this distance. Higher seating position, better visibility of the coastal scenery, enough boot space for resort luggage, and noticeably more legroom on a journey that runs past six hours.
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MPV / Van 16 seats: For groups of 6 or more. Comfortable seating across the full 397 km, enough luggage space for a large family, and a practical solution when the SUV simply does not fit everyone.
Why Choose Mui Ne Private Car for the Nha Trang – Vung Tau Run?
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Drivers who have done this route many times: The expressway section is straightforward, but the final approach into Vung Tau - the Ba Ria bypass, the different beach zones - requires someone who knows the peninsula's layout and which entrance goes where.
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Pickup from your hotel lobby in Nha Trang city: No need to travel anywhere before the journey begins. Your driver comes to your hotel entrance at the agreed time - bags go in, air conditioning is already running, and you leave directly for Vung Tau.
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One fixed price before you depart: No meters, no surge pricing, no ambiguity at the toll gates. The quote you confirm includes fuel for all 397 km, expressway tolls, and parking.
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Flexible itinerary: Want to stop for lunch at a Ninh Chu seafood restaurant? Spend 30 minutes at Mui Ne dunes? Pull over for photos near Phan Rang? None of these require advance arrangement - just say so when it comes up.
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Baby and booster seats on request: Provided at no extra cost - just include your child's age when booking.
How the Day Unfolds: Nha Trang to Vung Tau
We will confirm all details with you in advance, including: full name, number of passengers, your pickup address in Nha Trang, drop-off location in Vung Tau, and departure time. Most travelers heading to Vung Tau prefer to depart between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. This schedule ensures you arrive by early afternoon, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the beach before sunset. Our drivers arrive 10 minutes early at your hotel and can communicate in basic English throughout the trip.
Departure - Your Nha Trang Hotel
Your driver arrives at your Nha Trang hotel entrance at the agreed time. The car is already cold inside, water is on the seats, and the first toll gate is already loaded into the GPS. Bags in the boot, and you pull onto the expressway heading south. Nha Trang's coastline - the long curve of Tran Phu Beach is visible briefly on the right before the road turns inland.
Khanh Hoa to Ninh Thuan - The Landscape Shift
The first 100 km down from Nha Trang is green - rice paddies, low hills, the occasional river crossing. Then somewhere around Ba Ngoi and the approach to Phan Rang, the landscape abruptly changes. Vegetation thins out. The soil turns a deep terracotta. Wind turbines appear on every ridge. You are now in Ninh Thuan, the driest province in Vietnam and it looks it. The road is still fast and smooth, but the scenery feels like a different country from what you left behind in Khanh Hoa.
This is also grape country - Ninh Thuan produces most of Vietnam's commercial wine grapes, and the flat-trained vines are visible from the road if you look for them. Not the kind of thing most tour itineraries mention, but worth noting if you notice the fields.
Rest Stop Phan Rang or Ninh Chu Beach Area (~2h from Nha Trang)
The most natural first stop on this route is the Phan Rang / Ninh Chu area around two hours from Nha Trang city center. If you are an early starter, this is a good point for coffee and a stretch. The Phan Rang seafood is genuinely worth it grilled crayfish, sea urchin, and fresh squid in a market setting that costs a fraction of what you would pay in Nha Trang. Your driver knows the right places.
Through Binh Thuan Mui Ne, Sand Dunes, and the Final Stretch
After Phan Rang the road enters Binh Thuan province. This section is among the most visually memorable of the whole journey the red and white sand dunes near Mui Ne are occasionally visible from the highway, and the coastal light in this stretch has a particular quality that photographers notice. The fishing villages below the expressway are still active; you can see the colorful round coracle boats beached in rows on the sand.
If you want a short detour into Mui Ne for the fairy stream, the dunes, or simply lunch at a proper beach restaurant this is the moment. The detour adds 30–45 minutes to the day, and it is easy to rejoin the expressway south from there.
En Route Highlights Worth Considering
These locations are optional stops; therefore, please notify our travel specialists in advance to confirm the pricing for each site when booking. This allows our transport team to arrange the most suitable itinerary for your journey.
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Ninh Chu Beach, Phan Rang (~2h from Nha Trang): A wide bay south of Phan Rang town with calm, clear water and significantly fewer visitors than Nha Trang. Good for a swim, lunch, or both. The kite surfers are here too Ninh Chu has become one of the better spots in southern Vietnam for the sport.
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Po Klong Garai Cham Towers, Phan Rang (~2h from Nha Trang): A set of 13th-century Cham temple towers sitting on a basalt hill above the road visible from the car, and a 20-minute stop if you want to walk the site. One of the best-preserved Cham complexes in Vietnam, and almost always quiet.
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Mui Ne Dunes and Fairy Stream (~3h 30m from Nha Trang): The white and red dunes northwest of Mui Ne are genuinely photogenic in the early morning, but even a quick afternoon stop is worthwhile. The fairy stream walk a shallow waterway through ochre cliffs takes 20 minutes and costs nothing. Mention this at booking if you want it included in the schedule.
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Long Hai Beach, Ba Ria–Vung Tau (~5h 30m from Nha Trang): About 30 minutes before Vung Tau, Long Hai is a quieter beach town that serves as an alternative base to the busier Front Beach and Back Beach areas. Worth mentioning if Vung Tau's weekend crowd is not what you came for.
Arrival Vung Tau
Your driver delivers you directly to your confirmed address in Vung Tau hotel lobby, apartment entrance, resort gate, or the ferry terminal if you are continuing to Con Dao by boat. Bags are out, everything checks out, and you are done. One car, one journey, no connections.
This schedule is a guide. You can shorten or lengthen any section. Beyond one-way transfers, we also arrange round-trip bookings and multi-city itineraries. A return transfer from Vung Tau to Nha Trang, or an onward journey to Ho Chi Minh City, can be booked together.
Things Worth Knowing Before You Travel
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Depart by 7:00–8:00 AM if you want the afternoon in Vung Tau: A 7 AM departure from your Nha Trang hotel puts you in Vung Tau around 1:30–2:00 PM, with time for the beach before sunset. A 9 AM departure is fine if the beach on arrival day is not the priority.
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The Phan Rang to Phan Thiet stretch is the most scenic and the most variable: This is where you will encounter the most dramatic changes in landscape, and also where weather can differ the most between the northern and southern ends of your journey. Ninh Thuan is almost always sunny; Vung Tau in the wet season (July–October) can be overcast and rainy by late afternoon.
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Vung Tau has multiple beach zones: Front Beach (Bãi Trước) faces the bay and is calmer but has more boat traffic. Back Beach (Bãi Sau) is longer, more open, and better for swimming. Pineapple Beach (Bãi Dứa) is the quietest. Tell us which zone and the exact hotel name — the city is larger than it looks on a map.
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Weekend traffic around Vung Tau can add time: Friday evenings and Saturday mornings see heavy outbound traffic from Ho Chi Minh City toward Vung Tau. If you are arriving on a Friday, expect slower traffic in the final 40 km. Build in 30–45 minutes of buffer if timing is tight.
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The expressway is well-maintained but has multiple toll stops: There are several toll gates on this corridor — all included in your quoted price. Your driver handles all payments. You will not be asked for anything extra at any gate.
Mui Ne Private Car Team (Sales and Customer Service)
Price List
|
Car Type |
Sedan |
SUV (Medium) |
SUV (Large) |
MPV |
Van 16 Seats |
Limousine 9 Seats |
|
Max Pax |
3 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
12 |
8 |
|
Price / Car |
$124 USD |
$136 USD |
$145 USD |
$180 USD |
$188 USD |
$260 USD |
Price is per car, not per person. Expressway tolls, fuel for all 397 km, and parking included. Prices may increase during Vietnamese public holidays. Contact us via WhatsApp to confirm pricing for your travel date.

Inclusion
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Door-to-door private car transfer, Nha Trang city to Vung Tau
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Experienced driver familiar with the North-South Expressway and Vung Tau peninsula road layout
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Bottled water and wet tissues for every passenger
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All expressway tolls, parking fees, and fuel for the full 397 km
Exclusion
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Personal expenses (meals, entrance fees at attractions)
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Driver gratuity (optional but appreciated)
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Detour costs if additional stops extend driving distance significantly
Children Policy
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Pricing is per vehicle, not per person — children travel at no additional seat cost.
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Children of all ages are welcome.
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Baby seats and booster seats are available on request — just provide your child's age at the time of booking.
Customer Reviews
★★★★★ We needed to get from Nha Trang to our villa in Vung Tau with two young kids and a ridiculous amount of luggage. Booked the large SUV and it was the right call — cool car, patient driver, stopped for exactly as long as we needed in Phan Rang for lunch. Arrived in good shape. Will book again for the return leg.
★★★★★ Honestly did not know what to expect from a six-hour private transfer but it was completely fine. The driver was on time at our hotel in Nha Trang, the car was clean and comfortable, and we made a spontaneous stop at the dunes near Mui Ne which was a nice bonus. Highly recommend over the bus option.

Feedback from our travelers using Mui Ne Private Car
Cancellation Policy
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Free cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled departure — full refund, no questions.
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50% cancellation fee: Cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled departure time.
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No refund: No-show on departure day without prior notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How long is the drive from Nha Trang to Vung Tau?
Around 6 hours and 7 minutes for the 397 km via the North-South Expressway. If you add a lunch stop in Phan Rang and a brief detour through Mui Ne, plan for a total of 7.5 to 8 hours door-to-door.
Q2: Is it possible to do Nha Trang to Vung Tau in one day?
Yes — and most travelers do. A 7:00–7:30 AM departure from your Nha Trang hotel gets you into Vung Tau by early afternoon with time left in the day.
Q3: Where exactly in Nha Trang will the driver pick us up?
Your driver comes directly to your hotel lobby or serviced apartment entrance in Nha Trang city — wherever you are staying. Just provide the hotel name and address when booking. No need to travel to any station or meeting point.
Q4: Can we stop at Mui Ne on the way?
Yes — Mui Ne falls naturally along this route. A stop for lunch, a stroll through the Fairy Stream, or a visit to the sand dunes can easily be built into your itinerary. Please contact our travel specialist to adjust the timing and pricing for the most suitable departure. Typically, a stop in Mui Ne adds about 45 minutes to the total journey time.
Q5: What is included in the price?
The quoted price covers the full 397 km, all expressway tolls, fuel, and parking. Nothing extra is charged at the toll gates. Meals, entrance fees, and gratuity are not included.
Q6: What if there is heavy traffic on the way into Vung Tau?
Friday evenings and weekends typically see heavier traffic on the final approach into Vung Tau from Ho Chi Minh City direction. If your arrival timing is critical, we recommend departing Nha Trang early in the morning to clear the Vung Tau area before the weekend crowd builds up.
Q7: Can I book a return transfer from Vung Tau back to Nha Trang?
Yes — round-trip bookings are available and recommended if you know your travel dates. Booking both legs together is convenient and may come with a combined rate. Ask at the time of your outbound booking.