From Boat Schedule To Buffet : Hon Tam Island Mud Bath Unique Review

EscapeWithAnnualLeave brings you detailed information about Hon Tam Island Resort Nha Trang Review including departure pier location, boat schedule, mud bath experience, pool experience, buffet lunch and all important information.

This blog post wants you to get the best out of your visit to Hon Tam with maximized value and minimized time & cost. My conclusion is that Hon Tam Island Resort (aka Merperle Hon Tam) is worth you maximum of a day trip.

Hon Tam Island Transportation Guide

This is the most important but confusing information that you cannot find ONLINE except here.

First, the departure pier is just near the Vinpearl cable car station as shown on the map below. The best way is to ask the Grab driver to drop you off at Vinpearl cable car station.

The building complex also provides check-in for the Marriot Hotel or ferry to the Nha Trang golf course. If in doubt, go to the inquiry counter at Vinpearl cable car station and they will guide you there.

There is another high-speed terminal within 1 km nearby. Sometimes the grab driver may drop you at the wrong spot. And the online information can be very confusing.

Hon Tam Island Boat Schedule

There are several daily speed boats from Mainland Nha Trang to Hon Tam Island and vice versa. You can refer to the boat schedule below. The earliest boat departs at 8 am from mainland Nha Trang followed by a 10 am departure.

The boat duration is around 15 minutes.

Most online travel agency recommends a 9 am check-in time on the island. But it is wrong, as it misleads you into thinking the departure time is at 9 am and you will need to wait for an hour at the pier lobby instead of enjoying the mud bath.

The Return Pier From Hon Tam Resort To Nha Trang Mainland

The return pier on the island is not the same as where you get off the boat in the first place. It is within the check-in area of the resort near the beach. Before getting on the boat it is best for you to first get the check-in bracelet deposit back from the entrance gate. Then, ask the staff to guide you to the return pier location.

There is no sign on the island, so it could again be hard to spot.

Hon Tam Resort Mud Bath

The Hon Tam island provides a single mud bathtub for each of the guests. A tube can accommodate individuals, couples, or even families. Once you are inside the tube, the staff will then turn on the waterpipe, for the mud water to fill in.

Unlike the Dead Sea mud spa in Israel or the volcanic mud spa in Iceland, the mud there is very diluted. It feels more like dirt water than a “spa” to be honest with you. I can hardly associate soaking into it with any medical benefit. And it is the same for all Nha Trang mud baths as well.

However, the mud bathtub is a good place for a photo. Plus, at least I have a tick on one of the must-dos in Nha Trang.

Pool & Jacurrzi Experience

Getting to the top of Area A of Hon Tam Island (on the left-hand side)  by walking along the stairs near the mud bath. You will find the Hon Tam Island signature swimming pool, a large rounded area with a nice island view, and benches for chilling. Although it is just a swimming pool with around 1 meter depth, it is a very good place for you to take photos.

Apart from the main pool and mud bath, there is also a Jacurrzi tunnel and water spring fountain nearby.

Hon Tam Island Buffet

A buffet is usually included in your day trip ticket or resort package for Hon Tam. The buffet area is near the top floor main pool at Area A with an entrance gate. There are two sessions for the buffet, one starts at 11 am to 12:30 pm and another starts at 12:45 pm to 14:00. If you are buying an Hon Tam + Vinwonders combo ticket from an online travel agency, you should go for the 11 am one to reserve more time for Vinwonders.

The buffet is surprisingly nice with drinks, Vietnamese dishes, and international cuisines. There are multiple seafood including prawns, squids, and calms. I highly recommend you also try their iced green bean soup there for dessert.

Apart from the food variety, it also has a stunning coastal view from the restaurant location.

Other Facilities On The Island

The resort island also includes multiple facilities to assist your journey. For example, one basic facility is the locker room, towel, and shower before the entrance gate of the mud bath session. The locker and towel are free of charge with a 100k VND refundable deposit required for each.

The sitemap or park map is also noticeable around the park below.

Of course, if you are staying at the resort island longer or overnight, there are other paid water activities for you to join. Or you can go to Area B to explore more swimming pools & beaches.

Is Hon Tam Island Resort Mud Bath Worth Going

Based on my experience, it is worth only a half-day trip. Or at best a whole day trip if you are more on the pace side.

If you only have limited time like me take the 8 am boat to the island and return at 12:30 pm. By doing so you would be back on the mainland at 12:45 pm and have the full afternoon and night for Vinpearl or Vinwonders.

If you are on a combo deal (i.e. Hon Tam Island + Vinwonders), by doing so you shall have a couple of hours more for Vinwonders. Especially, since some sessions like the waterpark in Vinwonders close at 17:30 pm, you may want to have more time there.

As for how to enter Vinwonders early with “only after 4 pm ticket”, check out our full guide on Vinwonders here.

Comparing Hon Tam Island Mud Bath To Other Mud Baths in Nha Trang

The other famous mud bath providers in Nha Trang include Thap Ba, I-resort, and Galina.

The scales of Hon Tam and Thap Ba are actually quite similar. While the Galina Hotel is closer to the city center and near the Nha Trang beach, it is a lot smaller. The I-resort is a mix of a mud spa and a water park which is ideal to spend there for a day.

As for mud bath quality, all are quite similar (feeling like dirt water and diluted). Staying in the mud bath for the whole day without any activity sounds very insane to me.

So Hon Tam is the best pair with an itinerary to Vinpearl or Vinwonders given its pier is just next to the cable car station. Plus, the resort offers a speed boat to go from the island to Vinpearl directly at 4 pm. After that if you can even hang out with the local at Nha Trang bars during the night after Vinpearl.

I hope my experience of Hon Tam Island Nha Trang can help your journey. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or share your experience as well.