On our last day in Nha Trang, we decided to try out the Thap Ba Mud Baths before the long overnight bus we were about to take. The Thap Ba Mud Baths was recommended to us by a few other travellers, and it’s a popular destination for relaxing and rejuvenating in natural mud baths.
Thap Ba Mud Bath offers a unique experience that you won’t find in many other places. The mud baths are said to have many health benefits, including improving skin health, reducing stress, and relieving muscle pain. Having just done two big hikes the day prior, we were in dire need for some TLC!
We reserved our tickets in advance, as there is a discount if you book online. We chose the Hot Mineral Mud Bath package, which included:
- Soak in hot mineral mud (20 mins).
- Soak in hot mineral water (30 mins).
- Use jacuzzi, hydrotherapy in private area .
- Use services of hot mineral swimming pool.
- Free : swimsuit, towel and 01 bottle of mineral water 350ml.
Each ticket cost 285,000 VND (12 USD).
Upon arrival, we were welcomed by the staff who provided us with towels and locker keys. We then changed into our swimsuits and headed towards the mud bath area. If you didn’t bring your own swim suit, or don’t want yours to get dirty, they do provide a pair for you.
The whole area is very well-maintained, and the environment was peaceful, with lush green trees all around. We were given a private bathtub, which was quite spacious and filled with warm, mineral-rich mud. We soaked in it for around 15-20 minutes. The sensation of the warm mud was quite relaxing, and more watery than we expected. We were in our total Shrek era.
After the mud bath, we were instructed to lay out on the day beds and “let the minerals soak into our skin”. After laying out for 5-10 minutes, we rinsed ourselves off in the outdoor shower before moving on to the Jacuzzi hydrotherapy session.
But first, you must make it through the dagger jets! A passage-way of shooting water, meant to exfoliate your skin and remove any excess mud. From the outside it looked pleasant, but in reality it felt like a thousand little knives trying to tear you apart.
Surviving the jets, we were rewarded with a big Jacuzzi. The water was nice & hot and the jets were going (at non-pain inducing level). We had gotten pretty chilly from laying out after the mud so it was nice to warm up in the hot tub. After about 15 minutes we were ushered onto the next stop – the mineral baths.
We again had our own private pool for the mineral bath, and were instructed to soak in it for 30 minutes. The mineral pool was refreshing, and we spent quite some time enjoying the warm water and the beautiful surroundings.
After the mineral pool, our official “experience” was over, but we were allowed to use the two giant swimming pools for as long as we wanted! We thought the pools would be cold, but to our surprise both massive swimming pools were kept at over 37 degrees C!
After already feeling super relaxed in the mud baths & Jacuzzi, just swimming in water that warm for 20 minutes really zapped the rest of our energy, so we got out, changed, and got ready to go. We spent about 3 hours total at the Thap Ba Mud Baths, and it was the perfect way to unwind before a long journey. We both slept so well on our overnight bus because we were so relaxed!
Overall, the experience felt really peaceful, and peace can be hard to come by in Vietnam! We felt refreshed and renewed after the mud bath. If you are planning a trip to Nha Trang, Vietnam, I would definitely recommend a visit to Thap Ba Mud Bath. It’s a great way to relax, and you get to experience feeling like a little piggy rolling around in the mud.
