During my research on what to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam, one of the most unique attractions that popped up was to enjoy a spa day in the hot mineral springs and mud bath. We usually do the 1.5-hour massages in Ho Chi Minh City but never a half a day at a resort. It sounded intriguing to visit this type of place, especially the mud bath.
My mom and I decided to spend our rainy day in Nha Trang at I-Resort (Suối Khoáng Nóng I-Resort in Vietnamese). Even though it was the beginning of our two weeks in South Vietnam travels, the relaxation time was much needed.
Other locations offer similar experiences – 100 Eggs Theme Park (Khu Du Lịch Trăm Trứng), Thap Ba Hot Spring (Tắm bùn Tháp Bà), and Merperle Hon Tam Resort on Hon Tam Island.
I-Resort is considered the most luxurious spa resort (yet reasonable with the price) out of the three locations and was also recommended by our city tour guide. According to their website, the mud bath has minerals, such as bromine, which help soften skin and makes it smoother. The claim piqued our interest so we had to try this rejuvenating skin treatment for ourselves.
In this post, we’re sharing our VIP experiences at I-Resort Hot Mineral Springs and also helpful tips when visiting this place. It’s well worth the experience to pamper your skin and relax for a few hours.
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How to Get to I-Resort
From the Nha Trang city center to I-Resort, it’s 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) away. The resort is up on the Nha Trang hills so it’s a bit secluded.
The best way to get there is to go by motorbike, taxi, or via Grab, the popular ride-hailing app that works similarly to Uber. It’ll take approximately 20 minutes to arrive here. Don’t forget to purchase a 4G SIM card at the Cam Ranh International Airport so you can use the app.
You can also get there via a half-day tour.
To return to the city, the resort has taxis available. Although the metered prices are higher than the official taxis (Mai Linh or Vinasun) in Nha Trang, you may have difficulties securing a Grab vehicle. They aren’t as readily available in the area.
I-Resort Prices & Packages
Once we arrived, we went straight to the main reception area to review the spa services. Since this place is popular with tourists there are various languages available to review the list of services from English, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese. Check out the updated pricing list here. Cash and credit cards are accepted for payment.
Save money with the spa packages at I-Resort here.
Reservations are not necessary, but it’s possible to do online.
It can get overwhelming to choose a service, so here are some things to consider:
- How many people do you have?
- Do you want to share the public amenities such as the hot mineral springs and the mud bath?
- Would you prefer privacy with your spa experience?
Many visitors opt to spend their time in the public mud bath which also provides you access to the hot mineral springs. There are two mineral spring pools for adults, three pools for children, and a large pool for those who prefer to lounge around. Plus, there are cascading man-made waterfalls. As a heads up, you’ll share the facilities with other guests so please be respectful of others. The starting price is 350,000 VND ($15 USD) for adults and 150,000 VND ($6.50 USD) for children.
If you prefer to have your own mud bath experience, there is a private tub option. The cost is higher with the private tub but can accommodate a large group.
Not interested in the mud bath? Choose the hot mineral springs option. The starting price is 170,000 VND ($7.30 USD) for adults and 80,000 VND ($3.50 USD) for children.
If you have children, they can also use the on-site water park (additional fee required and available from 8:00am to 5:00pm).
I-Resort also offers massages if you want to add that to your hot spring experience.
For all the services, you’ll receive a water bottle, towel, and locker to place your belongings.
I-Resort’s VIP Spa Package Experience
We opted to try the VIP package for the full pampering spa experience and for more mother-daughter time. The package consisted of the following:
- Soak in the mud bath – 30 minutes
- Swim in the hot mineral spring – 30 minutes
- Soak in the herbal bath – 30 minutes
- Get a massage – 45 minutes
- Lie in the Himalayan salt sauna – 30 minutes
- Eat dinner – 1 hour
We paid 3 million VND ($129 USD) for two people and we spent about 4 hours here. It’s well worth the cost as the 4 hours went by quickly.
After payment, a driver transported us in an electric vehicle from the main entrance to our bungalow. On our way, we passed by the public hot springs which looked incredible with the waterfalls and the open pool area. It’s a large facility so I can easily see myself getting lost.
The bungalow was quite impressive with a bedroom, bathroom, seating area, locker, towels, and a private outdoor tub. The wooden decor made the experience feel like we were in our own hut in the middle of the forest.
We were unprepared with our visit and didn’t bring any swimsuits. Our dedicated representative gave us free swimwear to borrow. It was a dark tank top and boy shorts. Luckily we fit into them as they seemed to be one size.
Highlights of the Experience
The highlights of the day were the famous mud bath and the hot mineral springs. After we changed into our swimwear, we went straight to our mud bath in our private tub. Mud has the pre-connotation of a thick goopy texture. Here, the warm and almond colored mud had a velvety and silky smooth texture similar to a coffee latte. It was fun to sit, chat with my mom, and slather the mud onto our skin.
Once we rinsed off, we went straight to the hot mineral spring swimming pool. It’s stated that the mineral water is natural to the area. The pool is shared with other guests in the VIP bungalows yet we had it all to ourselves for 15 minutes until three other guests arrived. The pool was hot yet so relaxing to swim in. The view overlooked the green hills of Nha Trang.
The herbal bath in our private tub and the massage were also great. The herbal bath had several herbal compress balls filled with lavender and other herbs. The massages took place inside of our bungalow. It was a mix of Thai and shiatsu with the stretching and pressure points. The massage was a bit painful for me as the massage therapist worked out the knots in my back. The bed is not the same experience as on the massage table with a hole for your face when lying face down so your face will get smashed.
Next stop was the sauna in the Himalayan sea salt room. The sauna room wasn’t nearby our bungalow so we needed to take the electric vehicle for transportation. The room was filled with Himilayan sea salt on the ground and the walls and was toasty at 52.5℃ (126.5℉). I’m surprised we lasted for 30 minutes or so as the sauna was HOT. Lying down in the extreme heat requires some hardcore meditation and staying still as we sweated profusely on our bamboo mats and towels.
To end the half-day spa experience, we had dinner in our bungalow. We chose our choice of appetizer, main entree, and drink during the herbal bath soak. There were plenty of Vietnamese, Western, and vegetarian options available on the menu.
The food was much better than anticipated. My mom had the seaweed soup as appetizer and ostrich stew for the main entree. I ordered the crab and asparagus soup and rice noodles with seafood and vegetables. For drinks, we had passion fruit juice and a fresh coconut to complement the meal. I enjoyed the flavors of both soups and noodle dish. The ostrich stew was a miss as it looked like beef stew and didn’t taste anything special.
Portions were huge so we didn’t need to have a second dinner or snack back in the Nha Trang city center. Normally, I like to finish my food but it was way too much.
It was pitch black after finished our dinner and washed up. Unfortunately, you cannot stay overnight at this place. We waited for our transportation before heading back to the city center via taxi.
Service at I-Resort
The service was top notch for our VIP experience. Our representative checked on us constantly and made sure we went to the right location for our schedule. Although our conversation was limited, she was friendly and even helped us take a photo of us when we sat in the mud bath. She also waited with us as we were shuttled from the bungalow to the front gate of the resort. We were satisfied with the quality of the service here.
Overall Thoughts on I-Resort
Was it worth it? Yes, it was! Everyone needs to spend some time for self-care during their Vietnam travels and a spa day is a perfect way to do so. Plus, when you’re traveling you need time to re-wind and de-stress after the constant movement between cities and sightseeing. Although we didn’t get a chance to explore the public areas, we highly recommend the VIP exclusive package if you decide to come here.
As a follow up on the skin treatment with the hot spring and mud bath, we did notice softer skin that lasted a few days afterward. Therefore, it does work.
Helpful Tips for I-Resort
- You can either come at the opening times or late afternoon to avoid the crowds. Many of the tour buses arrive around 9:00am so it can be noisy.
- Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit that you don’t mind getting dirty. You can also ask them for swimsuits in case you forget to bring them. (We would recommend borrowing swimsuits or bring your own dark-colored swimsuit as the mud can stain light-colored ones.)
- If you’re hanging out at the hot mineral springs, you may consider wearing sunscreen as you’ll be in the sun.
- Stay hydrated.
- If you’re hungry, stop by the on-site restaurant to choose from a variety of Vietnamese foods and Western-style foods and drinks.
I-Resort Facts
Address: Tổ 19, thôn Xuân Ngọc, Vĩnh Ngọc, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province
Opening Hours: 8:00am to 8:00pm
Official Website (English): https://www.i-resort.vn/main.html
Phone Number: +84 58 3838838 (From 7:00am to 8:00pm)
We hope you get the opportunity to try out Nha Trang’s I-Resort mud bath and hot springs when you visit Nha Trang. Go ahead and treat yourself to a spa day.
Planning a trip to Vietnam? Add these other destinations to your itinerary:
- Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Danang’s Central Coast
- Quy Nhon’s Beach City
- Con Dao Islands
- Day trips from Ho Chi Minh City
- Dalat’s Central Highlands
- Phu Quoc Islands
- Mui Ne’s Sand Dunes