Vietnam: Hiking and Swimming in Ba Ho (Three Pools), Nha Trang

Ba Ho is a must-visit destination for a day trip while in Nha Trang. Regardless of local or tourist, Ba Ho is a popular place to visit for a day out in nature. Highlights of this trip includes waterfalls, clear pools of water, rock climbing/scrambling, hiking, river cruising, campfire, and great photo opportunities!

What is the Entrance Fee?

Upon arriving at the parking lot, we first pass a booth with employees taking fees for entering Ba Ho. 

The cost is 50,000 VND per person (~$2.2 USD) which is well worth it, in my opinion. With the attention it is getting from tourist, I recommend going while price is still low. 

The River

Suoi Ba Ho (Three Pools River), the base of the hike, is easily accessible from a 10 minute walk in from parking. There, we see several stone tables and swings by a shallow river, safe for kids to play in. We set our camp here for all our food and bags to rest while we explore the park.

The trail doesn’t actually start at the river. Passing the large clearing, follow the dirt path on the left that will lead to Ba Ho (the Three Pools). You know you’re on the trail when you cross a small bridge that is shortly followed by large rocks.

The Hike to Ba Ho (Three Pools)

Five minutes into the trail, the Ba Ho climb instantly became one of my favorite hikes in Vietnam. Prepare to spend at least 2+ hours hiking to the top and back. The hike is incredibly fun and beautiful, navigating across large boulders. With so many possible paths to take, and no wrong paths, we could have explored the rocks for hours!

Hiking large boulders at Ba Ho

Feeling like we’re in an adult playground, we took our time playing with different paths to take.

The red arrows markers leads us to the best way through the three pools in case we encounter difficult paths or get lost. The arrows were clearly visible and easy to follow.

Follow red arrows on the hike!

We had so much fun through the hike that we didn’t even notice any tiredness (which settles in the next day), only excitement! Each pool is clearly marked with a big red “1,” “2,” and “3.” Once we passed the second pool, the hike became noticeably more difficult and dangerous for children to continue. It requires wall scaling and crossing watery rocks to get to the other side.

Is it Safe for Kids? 

This hike is a great time to let kids try out their ability to climb on real rocks. We brought children from 6 to 15-years-old along on our hike.

Making it through a tough hike to the waterfall with the children!

We are extremely careful while holding on to younger kids, but still allowing them to take the steps on their own. It is priceless to see the children’s excitement of taking the right paths on big rocks. 

Shorter children will need to be carried on to the next boulder from time to time, but should be be fine if progressing slowly.

Can we Bring Food? 

Absolutely. We brought in large bags of banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), boiled corn, fruits, ruou nep (rice wine), and other beverages.  

Other Notes

  • Prepared to see a lot of backpacker-style travelers seeking adventurous hikes. Luckily, unlike Yang Bay, we didn’t see hoards of tour groups to this site.
  • There are lots of photo opportunities! Be creative, and being there will bring out the kid in you!

 


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