There are many reasons why Da Nang is called Vietnam’s “Most Lively City” and is worth visiting for its various attractions.
These include weather, beaches, resorts, city feel, food, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Golden Bridge, mysterious caves and some nightlife elements.
Best time to visit
Da Nang is the busiest tourist city in central Vietnam and is considered as a stepping stone to three world famous heritage sites – the ancient capital of Hue, My Son Sanctuary and the ancient city of Hoi An.
April to September is the peak tourist season in Da Nang. At this time, the weather is warm and the water temperature is pleasant at 25 degrees Celsius. People actively participate in various outdoor activities – walking on the beach and performing extreme sports.
This summer, Da Nang plans to escape two years of relative isolation caused by the Covid-19 outbreak with a series of events, from a street music festival to an international electronic music festival.
What to explore
Son Tra Peninsula
Covers more than 4,400 hectares (10,880 acres) and rises up to 700 meters above sea level, serving as a natural barrier to Da Nang.
From downtown Da Nang, a ride to Son Tra costs 120,000-150,000 VND ($5.17-6.47). Or you can rent a motorcycle for 100,000-170.000 VND / day drive along Hoang Sa coastal road.
The visual and spiritual highlight of the peninsula is the Lin Ung Pagoda with its 67m tall statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara standing on a lotus flower overlooking the sea, praying in one hand and holding a lion cub in the other.
According to legend, in the 19th century, a statue of Buddha floated downstream in this area, and in the 19th century, during the reign of King Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last ethnic group of Vietnam (Vietnamese), fell to the ground on the sandy beach. 1802-1945).
The local fishermen know this very well and build a small temple to worship the statue. .During the war, temples and Buddha statues were destroyed almost intact.
“I seem to find peace when I visit the temple on Son Tra Peninsula. It is very beautiful from here, you can see Buddha statues on the beach. Watch out for the monkeys because they can steal your stuff.” I said Chris from Australia visited Da Nang last April.
Lynxchan from Singapore said that the ride down the hill to the Buddha statue is very beautiful.
“A quiet place with a great view of Da Nang beach,” he said.
In addition to mental highs, you can reach physical highs by booking a paragliding tour with Da Nang Paragliding Club, flying over the famous Buddha statue and enjoying panoramic views of the city.
The price of a 15-minute paragliding trip is about 1.3 million VND/person.
Marble Mountains
From the Son Tra Peninsula, a 45-minute motorbike ride along Vo Nguyen Giap Road leads to Ngu Hanh Son, a system of caves, tunnels, towers and pagodas built by Mahayana Buddhists and kings of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Hidden in the Marmara Mountains are half a dozen large caves and many smaller ones that are rarely visited.
Most of the caves have cool interiors, with jungle trees and moss-covered walls, and even small temples dedicated to Buddhist deities and Taoist rituals.
The largest cave, Huyen Khong, is a must-see for Instagrammers. The crumbling ceiling lets beams of light enter the dark cavern, creating dramatic spots of light inside. It was once used as a secret base for Vietnamese revolutionaries and later as a field hospital. Its size is incredible, it is barely visible from the entrance, but it is large enough to accommodate a huge stone Buddha and two shrines.
A temple dedicated to male-female pairings and a popular place of worship for celibates.
Jolene from the US, who visited Da Nang earlier this month, said Ngu Hanh Son was an “attractive place”.
“We took the elevator upstairs to visit the cave. Each ticket is a one-way ticket, so be sure to bring enough cash to go back and forth. There are many vendors in front of the door, and the prices are very reasonable. If you want to buy drinks or souvenirs , ” he shared on TripAdvisor.
“The caves are definitely worth seeing. There are a lot of steps up the hill, but it’s ok. One of the caves is a bit of a climb, but the others are easy to get through.”
Entrance fee is VND 40,000 and the lift is VND 150.000 is impossible.
Golden Bridge
The Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills Resort in Truong Son mountain range is 150m long and 12.8m wide, it has become a famous tourist symbol and attracted the attention of international media few after the gate opened to welcome tourists in 2018.
The only way to reach the bridge is to take the cable car to the top of Sun World Ba Na Hills.
The journey takes about 20 minutes from the valley station to the top of the Ba Na hills and allows you to enjoy breathtaking views of the Danang coast and the surrounding mountains.
The image of the golden curved bridge supported by two stone lancets, made of fiberglass and wire mesh placed around the steel supports, is something to remember.
Many foreign tourists like to take the cable car and go to the bridge because the air is very cool and fresh.
My Khe Beach
In 2012, Australian newspaper The Sunday Herald Sun named its 10-kilometre stretch of beach, which stretches from the foothills of Son Tra Peninsula to Mount Marble, one of the ten best beaches in Asia.
The beach is always in a relaxed mood and with its sparkling blue waters and white sand, it’s the perfect place to unwind.
You can also enjoy activities like paragliding here, which costs VND 500,000 (US$22) for a 15-minute ride.
On the public beaches of the city you will find a large number of water sports operators offering banana boats, water skiing, windsurfing, paragliding, wakeboarding, windsurfing and snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking.
Nam O fishing village
The hotel is located in the Lien Chieu district, about 3 km from the Hai Van pass.
Nam O is one of the oldest and most famous fish sauce villages in Vietnam with a history of over 400 years.
There are more than 100 farms producing 50,000 liters of fish sauce each year, black anchovies are their main ingredient. One kilogram of fish yields half a liter of fish sauce.
Hai Van Crossing
The Australian travel magazine Lonely Planet chose Hai Van Pass as one of the seven best hikes in Vietnam.
It runs between Thua Thien Hue province and Da Nang city, and passes through the Bah Ma Mountains – part of the Truong Son Mountains that stretch along the coast. Its name, which literally means “sea of clouds,” refers to the fog that periodically rises from the ocean, reducing visibility.
Starting from Da Nang City, walk along Nguyen Tat Thanh Road to Nguyen Luong Bang Road, then cross the Nam O Bridge to the foot of Hai Van Pass.
From there the is about 10 more miles to the top of the hill.
Although the official terminus of the pass is Lan Co Bay below, most tourists will still drive on for an hour or so to reach the ancient capital of Hue.
One thing travelers should remember is to slow down if visibility drops to dangerous levels. “It was amazing to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the sea from the top of Hai Van Pass. We hired a motorbike and drove up the pass through the bumpy and winding roads… the panoramic view from the top was worth it,” he said to Sri Lanka Pig on TripAdvisor.
City Night Tour
Unlike Hanoi and HCMC, Vietnam’s two largest metropolitan areas, which have lively nightlife, Da Nang is less noisy and has little nightlife other than a cluster of bars and pubs.
Some addresses for those who want to liven up the night with music, flashing lights and applause are Brilliant Top Bar on Bach Dang Street, Chicland Lounge on Vo Nguyen Giap Street, The Craftsman Cocktail Bar on Phan Tu Street and Poolside Bar on Truong Sa Street and Sky36 on Bach Dang Street.
An evening cruise on the famous Han River is another option.
The boat takes guests from the tourist pier along the Han River, where lighting systems illuminate various bridges with colored lights at night.
A helicopter tour provided by Northern Helicopter Company departs from Nuoc Man Airport in Ngu Hanh Son District. It offers an aerial view of the Marble Mountains, Son Tra Peninsula, Linh Ung Pagoda, Dragon Bridge and Han River. The trip costs VND 3.1 million per person for a 15-minute ride and VND 25 million for a group of four for a 30-minute helicopter ride.
Alex Castaneda from the US said, “It was a great flight.” I was able to see Da Nang from new, higher vantage points. When I flew over the Linh Ung Pagoda, I felt like a fluttering butterfly,” he told VnExpress.
WHAT TO EAT
Mi Quang (Quang-style noodles), a dish originating in Quang Nam province bordering Da Nang, is served everywhere from street stalls to fine dining restaurants.
Large thick yellow rice noodles in a turmeric-red sauce served with pork, chicken, shrimp, quail eggs, mussels and chicken in a beef broth.
Other ingredients are added to enhance flavor and texture, such as Banh Trang (sesame rice crackers), scallions, basil, peanuts, cilantro, lettuce, and sliced banana blossoms.
Some of the addresses where you can try this dish are Shop counter at Tran Binh Trong, Ngoc Chi counter at Hoang Dieu Street, Ms. Sau shop at Pham Quang Anh Street..
A portion costs between VND 10,000 and VND 45,000 (USD 0.43 and USD 1.94).
Be thui (grilled veal) is as famous in Da Nang as Quang-style noodles, as this dish also originated from Cau Mong Bridge in Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province.
The sauce for this dish must be made from whole anchovies that have been decanted. Add sugar, crushed red pepper and garlic with some ginger and golden toasted sesame seeds.
The dish is also served with organic herbs and vegetables from the Tra Que village of Hoi An, such as perilla, lettuce, mustard, sliced banana, coriander, basil, cinnamon and bean sprouts.
Place a few slices of grilled veal in a rice sheet, wrap in vegetables and dip in a spicy fish sauce.
This delicacy can be purchased at the following locations: 100 Dien Bien Phu or 895 Ngo Quyen Street..
A portion costs between VND 70,000 and VND 110,000.
Residents of the former fishing village of Nam O use fresh herring to prepare a raw fish salad, an iconic dish that no tourist should miss.
Although the dish can be prepared with sardines or anchovies, the dish tastes best with firm-fleshed herring.
Flowers in the Nam O region are available all year round and are picked fresh daily. After catching herring, the fishermen clean the fish, remove the heads and cut the meat into small pieces.
This attractive dish is served with vegetables and a leaf of grilled rice. In addition to common vegetables such as lettuce, bean sprouts, and banana blossoms, Nam O villagers also use wild bananas, mangoes, cucumbers, and starfruit, which are thinly sliced.
The sauce consists of cooked fish juice, Nam O fish sauce, chili, tapioca starch and monosodium glutamate.
One portion costs about VND 80,000. This dish can be eaten Hyena’s booth on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Ms. Thanh Huong’s booth on Nguyen Luong Bang Street and Ms. Hong’s booth on Huynh Thuc Khang Street.
Another specialty of Da Nang are rice paper rolls with pork and various herbs.
One portion costs VND 40,000 (US$1).74) per person includes a plate of thin rice paper, medium chopped cooked pork chunks, and fresh raw vegetables including assorted lettuce, perilla, onion, cilantro, cucumber, and thinly sliced mango.
A small cup of mam nem (fermented seafood sauce) flavored with chili and garlic is the sauce.
This dish can be bought at Con Market, located at the intersection of Hung Vuong Street and Ong Ich Khiem Street.
Where to live
Luxury accommodations in Danang: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa, Pullman Hotels, Furama Danang Resort, Four Points Sheraton Danang, Novotel, Hilton, Fusion Suites Hotel and Golden Bay Hotel Danang for 1 VND. It ranges from 200,000 to 10 million per night.
For budget backpackers, Harmony Homestay, Phuc Thanh Luxury Hotel, Cani Beach House, Light House Hotel, Nguyen Gia Hotel, and The Leaf Boutique are good options at around VND 500,000 per night.
How to get there
Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have daily direct flights to Da Nang. The round-trip ticket costs approximately VND 1.4 million from HCMC and 1.6 million VND from Hanoi.
If you have the time, a scenic train ride along the coastal routes in central Vietnam is a rare experience, especially the section over Hai Van Pass (if you’re coming from the north).
One-way train tickets from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang cost between VND 600,000 and VND 1.1 million.
You can also book the Vietage train service, which has been operating since April after a long suspension due to Covid.
Train departs from Diu Tri station in Qui Nhon at 17:30. and arrives at Da Nang station at 23:00.on the same day.