Since March 2025, the neighborhood known as "Russian Street" in the coastal city of Nha Trang has gradually regained its vitality and become bustling. After nearly 3 years of absence due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russian tourists have returned to Nha Trang, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the streets that were once deserted and desolate.
Russian tourists at Nha Trang beach
PHOTO: BA DUY
Along Hung Vuong, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Biet Thu, Tran Quang Khai streets, etc., the Western quarter of Nha Trang City is crowded with foreign visitors, most of whom are Russians. Restaurants, hotels, many spa services, and dishes serving Russian tourists are bustling with activity.
Having worked in the field of tourism and travel for Russian guests for nearly 20 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa shared that a few years ago, he thought he wanted to change jobs, because after Covid-19, Nha Trang seemed to have no more Russian guests. "Before Covid-19 broke out, there were a lot of Russian guests coming to Nha Trang. They always accounted for the highest proportion of the total number of international guests coming to Khanh Hoa. It's been a few years since I've seen Russian guests return and be as vibrant as they are now," Mr. Hoa said.
Ms. Tran Thi Lan, owner of a fashion store on Tran Quang Khai Street, located in an area with many services for Russian customers such as restaurants, bars, spas, and souvenir shops with signs in both Vietnamese and Russian, confided: "I had to close my store for more than 2 years because there were no more Russian customers, but now Russian customers have returned and my store has revived."
Resumed direct flights from Russia have brought Russian tourists back to Nha Trang.
PHOTO: BA DUY
Not only shops and restaurants but also services that "follow" Russian tourists have "changed their lives". Mr. Le Trung Kien, a taxi driver in Nha Trang, said: "Since Russian tourists returned, my income has increased significantly. They often travel in groups and book cars all day to visit tourist attractions. I had to learn some basic Russian sentences to communicate with them". Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, owner of a small hotel in the "Russian street" area, said her hotel is currently fully booked until the end of June. Russian tourists often travel in groups of family or friends, preferring quiet, clean spaces and being close to the sea. Many have booked rooms for long stays of 10-15 nights.
According to the reporter, many local businesses have proactively improved the quality of service and learned more about Russian culture and language to better serve customers. Restaurants have added Russian menus, souvenir shops also list prices in Russian rubles and Vietnamese Dong.
Services that "follow" Russian customers are also in high demand.
PHOTO: BA DUY
Mr. Tran Van Dai, owner of a restaurant specializing in serving Russian guests on Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, said: "We have hired more Russian-speaking staff and adjusted the menu to suit Russian guests' tastes. They especially love fresh seafood and Vietnamese dishes adjusted to suit their tastes."
Nighttime entertainment services such as bars and nightclubs, which are popular destinations for Russian tourists, are also gradually becoming more vibrant again. DJ Alexey, a Russian artist working at a nightclub in Nha Trang, said he came to Vietnam at the beginning of this year when he heard that flights from Russia to Nha Trang had been restored. He plays electronic music, a genre of music that is very popular among young Russians. Every night, his club is packed with guests.
Although it has just recovered, positive signals from the "Russian street" are spreading to other areas of the city. According to preliminary statistics, from March to May 2025, 5 Russian airlines have opened direct flights to Khanh Hoa , including Azur Air, Aeroflot, IrAero Airlines, Ikar Airlines and most recently Red Wings. With increasing frequency, it is expected that by July there will be 90-100 flights/month bringing Russian tourists to Nha Trang.
Russian tourists often spend a lot on high-end services such as spas, cruises and cuisine. They also like to buy local products such as fish sauce, teas, handicrafts and especially bird's nest products - a famous specialty of Khanh Hoa. Ms. Valentina, a Russian tourist on vacation in Nha Trang, shared: "I have been to Nha Trang 4 times since 2015. I love the friendliness of the people, the beautiful beaches and the delicious food. The prices here are also very reasonable compared to other tourist destinations. I will introduce Nha Trang to my friends when I return to Russia".
Mr. Cung Quynh Anh, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "The return of Russian tourists has brought great motivation to Nha Trang's tourism and service industry. We are encouraging local businesses to improve service quality and diversify products to meet the increasing needs of tourists."
PHOTO: BA DUY
Mr. Cung Quynh Anh also said that the return of Russian tourists brings many opportunities because of their long stay and tendency to spend a lot on resort, spa, culinary and entertainment services. Khanh Hoa already has a system of hotels, resorts, restaurants and human resources that serve this market well. In addition, the 45-day visa exemption policy for Russian visitors makes entry more convenient. In the first 4 months of 2025, Khanh Hoa welcomed more than 80,000 Russian visitors, 2.5 times higher than the same period in 2024. According to the tourism development plan of Khanh Hoa province, in 2025, the locality aims to welcome 11.8 million tourists, including 5.2 million international visitors. With the current growth momentum, especially the strong return of Russian visitors, this goal is completely feasible.
From being deserted, "Russian Street" in Nha Trang has gradually regained its liveliness and bustle. Local people are excited about new business opportunities, while Russian tourists are also pleased to return to their favorite destination. This is a positive signal not only for "Russian Street" but also for the entire tourism industry of Khanh Hoa in the journey of recovery and development after the pandemic.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/pho-nga-hoi-sinh-18525061622580969.htm
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