Cam Ranh International Airport / Cam Ranh Air Base — Nha Trang/nha Trang aiurportCam Ranh, Vietnam

Cam Ranh's deep, sheltered bay made it a coveted military asset long before CXR became known for tourism, hosting French colonial forces, then a massive American air and naval base during the Vietnam War, and later Soviet naval operations for years afterward. That strategic legacy quietly shaped the airport's generous runway and infrastructure, assets that proved useful once Vietnam began promoting nearby Nha Trang as a beach resort destination in earnest. Passenger numbers climbed sharply over the past couple of decades as charter and scheduled flights brought visitors from South Korea, China, Russia, and elsewhere to Nha Trang's waterfront hotels and diving spots, prompting construction of a large new terminal building to handle the surge. CXR now functions primarily as a civilian international gateway, even though the adjoining Cam Ranh Air Base retains an active military role alongside the commercial operation, a dual identity reflected in the facility's layout and its continued strategic value along Vietnam's south-central coastline.