Nui Chua Mountain

1,039m (3,409 ft)

This trek takes 2 days and 1 night.

This is a physically demanding hike, with steep terrain further up the mountain. At the base of the mountain, it is sandy. The vegetation is mainly green grass with more trees dotted throughout as you get higher.

The trek starts early at the gate of Nui Chua National Park. There is a narrow paved road, surrounded by forest. You’ll pass a perennial lake, and by lunchtime, a creek. There are also some weeds and thorns on the sides of the road. By the end of the first day, hikers spend the night in a campsite surrounded by forest and another river.

Hikers embark on summitting the actual peak on the second day, there are some steep slopes but beautiful views. You will pass green fields and get to a section where there are more thorny shrubs. The top of the peak is rocky and has a 360 view of the ocean and landscape below.

Hikers descend the same route in the afternoon of the second day.

The weather in Nui Chua National Park is quite hot year-round. The highest temperatures are in May and June, of around 30°C (86°F) and the coolest temperatures are in December and January, ranging around 25°C (77°F).

The temperature on the mountain drops significantly at night, so be prepared with warm clothes and a sleeping bag. Especially if you are one of many other tourists who visit the mountain in the cooler parts of the year.

The rainy months are mainly between May and October, with 17 to 20 days of rain per month. The relatively drier months are between November and April, with 4 to 14 days of rain per month. On most occasions, showers only last about thirty minutes and do not necessarily make the trail more challenging

A good pair of hiking shoes with thick soles is required for this hike, plus the camping equipment you will need to spend the night up on the mountain.

There are no man-made facilities on this hike, but the terrain is not extreme. You can rest at any point. You will also need to take your own food and water, or your guides may prepare food for the trip, however, this will differ depending on your tour guide operator.

It is not difficult to find your way if you already know where to go, however, a guide is recommended for first-timers. A guide will also help you make arrangements with the National Park Management.

Nui Chua is located on the South-Central coast of Vietnam in Ninh Hai and Thuan Bac Districts, Ninh Thuan Province. This is 30km (19 miles) from Phan Rang City, the capital of Ninh Thuan Province.

To get to the starting point in Nui Chua National Park, you can take the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Rang City and then catch a taxi or rent a motorcycle from there to Nui Chua Park.

One can also take the train from Sai Gon Train Station in Nguyen Thong District to Thap Cham Train Station in Phan Rang Commune – this takes about 6.5 hours. To get to the park it is an additional 37 km (23 miles), which must also be travelled by taxi or motorcycle hire.

There have been no reports of safety concerns. However, it is a long trek, and it is safer to do it in a group, as if something goes wrong you will need someone who can help you or call for help.