The Po Nagar Towers in Nha Trang are open daily, entry costs about $1.20 (30,000 VND) per person, and a visit takes 30 to 60 minutes. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and shoes come off before you step inside the towers. I have lived in Vietnam and run tours here since 2023, so this is the order I would follow on a first visit.

Po Nagar is one stop in a city that has changed a lot, and what changed in Nha Trang and where to go now explains how.

What are the Po Nagar Towers and what is inside?

Po Nagar is a Cham Hindu temple complex on Cu Lao hill, about 2 km north of central Nha Trang, built between the 7th and 13th centuries and dedicated to the goddess Yan Po Nagar. Vietnamese visitors worship her as Thien Y Ana. Four of the original seven or eight towers survive on the upper terrace of a three-level complex.

Brick wall of a Cham tower with a stone-balustrade window and carved relief
Window with stone balusters on a Cham tower at My Son, the kind of detail to look for on the Po Nagar terrace

The main tower holds a stone statue of the goddess seated cross-legged with ten arms, and a relief of Durga sits above its entrance. A stela dated 781 already mentions a temple on this hill that had been sacked, so worship here is older than the surviving brickwork. Vietnamese took over the temple in the 17th century, and in January 2025 the Prime Minister gave it the status of a special national monument .

How much are Po Nagar tickets and what are the opening hours in 2026?

A ticket costs 30,000 VND per person, paid in cash at the ticket office by the entrance, and travel guides quote one price for all visitors. The grounds are open daily from about 6:00 to 18:00, and from October to December the gates close nearer 17:30. Sources disagree on the exact hours, and the mistake that costs people the visit is leaving Po Nagar as the last stop of the day, so I treat an hour before closing as the latest sensible arrival.

Carved stone pedestal standing against an old brick wall at a Cham temple
Carved stone base beside a brick wall at My Son; Po Nagar's main tower keeps its goddess statue inside

What should you wear to Po Nagar?

Cover your shoulders and knees. Tank tops, very short shorts, skirts above the knee and see-through fabric can get you turned away, and a 2026 Tuoi Tre report on heritage-site dress codes lists Po Nagar among the places that enforce it. Staff hand out free cover-ups at the entrance to visitors who arrive underdressed, so if you turn up in a beach outfit, a borrowed wrap gets you in. I still carry a light scarf of my own rather than rely on the loaner, because being stopped at the gate costs you the quiet start of the morning.

Shoes come off before you enter the tower interiors, because the temple is still used for worship. Wear sandals that slip off easily.

How do you get to Po Nagar from central Nha Trang?

Po Nagar sits about 2 km north of the centre, a 5 to 10 minute ride by Grab or a 20 to 25 minute walk along the Cai River. Book the ride in the app so the fare is shown before you get in, and skip the taxis waiting at the gate, which visitors report running inflated meters.

Aerial view of a palm-lined boardwalk and turquoise bay on the Nha Trang coast
The Nha Trang coast, a short Grab ride from the towers

The same Grab ride continues to the Thap Ba hot spring centre, about 1.5 km from the towers, which makes a mud bath the natural second stop of the morning.

How can you fit Po Nagar into a day in Nha Trang?

A morning at the towers and an early afternoon at the Thap Ba mud baths fit into one trip because the two sites are close. The trouble starts when Nha Trang is one stop on a longer coastal route: an arrival from Da Nang that eats the morning, a gate that closes near 17:30, and booking sites that reject a foreign card.

All of that can be handled with Grab, cash and a translator app. When I run a trip, the Nha Trang stop is built around opening hours, with the transfer and a guide arranged before you land, and you can look at my tours across Vietnam to see how that works. Send me your Nha Trang dates on Telegram and I will say what fits before your hotel is booked.

When is the best time to visit Po Nagar without the crowds?

Go between 6:00 and 9:00, when the terrace is quiet, or after 15:00 when the heat drops. Tour groups arrive from about 9:00, and the courtyard fills fast. Of the two windows I prefer the morning one, because after 15:00 you are racing a gate that can close near 17:30. Plan 30 to 60 minutes for the towers, plus 20 to 30 minutes if you stay for the Cham dance performance with live drum, violin and flute.

Close view of a Cham brick tower with a stone-framed window and carved niche
Upper part of a Cham tower at My Son; go early and the terrace at Po Nagar is just as quiet

The rainy season runs from September to December, and October and November are the wettest months in Nha Trang. The terrace is open-air, so a morning slot gives you the best chance of dry steps. My Nha Trang excursions guide lists what else to pair with it on a clear day.

Is there an evening show or a festival at Po Nagar?

On the 1st and 15th day of each lunar month the towers host an evening programme at 19:30 that lasts 45 to 60 minutes. The 1st-day show is called Sparkling Land of Agarwood and the 15th-day show Moonlight Shining on the Tower. Tickets cost the same as daytime entry and go on sale from 18:30.

The annual Po Nagar Festival ran on 5 to 11 May in 2026, which is the 19th to 25th day of the 3rd lunar month, with a palanquin procession and floating lanterns on the Cai River, according to the Khanh Hoa government . Lunar dates move every year, so check a lunar calendar before you plan around either event.

What should you choose: a dawn visit or the evening show?

For a first visit, arrive between 6:30 and 8:30 on any day and ride to Thap Ba for a mud bath after lunch. Choose the evening programme only if your dates fall on the 1st or 15th day of the lunar month. Ask your hotel about the closing time the evening before.

Po Nagar itself is easy to do alone with Grab and cash. But when the hotel, the transfer from the airport and the order of the morning are the parts that worry you, write to me on Telegram with the city you arrive from, and I will tell you which day of the route works best for Po Nagar.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ride a scooter to Po Nagar and where do I park?

Yes. According to travel guides, parking under the Tran Phu bridge costs about $0.15 for a motorbike and about $1.20 for a car. One source gives these prices, so treat them as a guide and confirm the rate with the attendant.

Can I see Po Nagar and Long Son Pagoda in one morning?

Yes. Po Nagar, Long Son Pagoda and the waterfront fit into one morning loop. The Buddha statue at Long Son is quietest early, so start at Po Nagar when it opens and go to the pagoda afterwards. The loop is described in the 3-day Nha Trang budget guide .

Is there a hop-on hop-off bus to Po Nagar?

Yes. One guide quotes about $9.60 for a 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket with a stop near the towers, so confirm the price and route with the operator. It suits a day that also covers the beach and the centre, since a single Grab ride to Po Nagar is cheaper.

Is the Po Nagar festival the same as the Cham Kate festival?

No. Kate is a separate Cham festival, held at a different time of year and at other Cham temples. The Po Nagar Festival belongs to this hill in Nha Trang and falls in the 3rd lunar month.