Da Nang is an incredibly fascinating city in Central Vietnam that attracts many tourists. If you are one of them and now are planning your trip to Da Nang in Vietnam, this detailed Da Nang travel guide with travel tips will help you discover the resort city and its best things to do.
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Da Nang (sometimes written Danang) is a city located 776 km south of Hanoi and 961 km north of Ho Chi Minh City. Due to the city’s prime location, this resort city is the center as well as the gateway of Central Vietnam that is extremely important in terms of tourism.
Da Nang is surrounded by three world-famous heritage sites, such as Hue Imperial Capital, My Son Sanctuary, and Hoi An Ancient Town. The city and its surroundings are captivating visitors with many beautiful landscapes such as Ba Na Hills, Son Tra Peninsula, and Marble Mountains making the city an ideal destination for your trip.
Things to do in Da Nang
The most important tourist attractions in Da Nang that should not be missed are listed below.
My Khe Beach
My Khe Beach is ranked as one of the 20 most beautiful beaches on the planet. My Khe Beach attracts many tourists with its pristine beauty, fine white sand, and gentle waves in ta very cool and fresh atmosphere.
My Khe Beach is also a popular area to stay in the city, as there are plenty of accommodations offering spectacular sea views. To find the best ones, explore the list of the best My Khe Beach hotels and resorts.
Marble Mountains
Marble Mountains, also known as Non Nuoc Mountains, consist of 5 picturesque limestone mountains on the coastal sand. At the foot of the mountain, there is the Non Nuoc stone carving village. It produces marble handicrafts famous throughout the country. You can book a hotel in Ngu Hanh Son District to conveniently visit this place.
Marble Mountains can be easily visited on this Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains, and Am Phu Cave Tour.
Ba Na Hills
Ba Na Hills is a majestic entertainment area located at an altitude of 1,487 m above sea level, where the climate is cool all year round. It can be said that Ba Na Hills is a miniature Europe right at the top of the mountain. Highlights of Ba Na Hills are the Golden Bridge held by giant hands, the romantic French Village, Fantasy Park, Debay Cellar, Wax Museum, and Flower Garden. You need to take a cable car up to the top of Ba Na Mountain for exploring all these sights.
While you can visit this popular tourist attraction independently by getting your Ba Na Hills tickets and private or shared transfer, the most convenient way for visiting Ba Na Hills is joining a Golden Bridge Ba Na Hills Tour.
Son Tra Peninsula
Son Tra Peninsula is considered the giant green lung of the city because of the rich nature, covering an area of more than 4,400 hectares. This is also the home of many species of animals, with even 22 rare species listed in the red book. Son Tra Peninsula is also famous for being home to Linh Ung Pagoda with the largest statue of Guan Yin Buddha in the country. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is the only hotel located in this area.
Han River Bridge, Da Nang
Han River Bridge is a symbol of the city and also the first rotating bridge in Vietnam. Every day, the middle of the bridge rotates 90 degrees around the axis at 0:30 to pave the way for large ships to pass, and returns to the same way at 3:30.
Dragon Bridge, Da Nang
Dragon Bridge is shaped like a golden dragon facing the East Sea, connecting the road from the airport to My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches. The "dragon" on the bridge has the ability to spit fire and spray water at 21:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
The most important bridges of the city can be visited during the Half-Day Museums and Bridges Tour.
Hai Van Pass
Hai Van Pass is a natural boundary between the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang. Hai Van Quan reaches an altitude of 500 m above sea level and from there you can see the majestic natural scenery of mountains, clouds and oceans.
To fully enjoy the ride via Hai Van Pass, get on the Hai Van Pass Private Guided Tour by Motorbike.
My Son Sanctuary
My Son was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1999 and is a major tourist attraction in the region. My Son is the Hindu holy place of the Kingdom of Champa.
You can visit this historical site by simply getting your My Son Sanctuary tickets and arranging transportation. However, it's much easier and often more cost-effective to simply join one of the many tours that can bring you to visit this place. This My Son Sanctuary Day Tour brings you to explore not only the greatest archaeological sites of My Son but also the ancient town of Hoi An.
Hoi An Ancient Town
Although not in the territory of Da Nang city, Hoi An is still one of the top destinations to visit when coming to the area. Hoi An is very different from a vibrant and busy Da Nang. The town is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and even French influences, so it is a unique and beautiful place.
Hoi An is famous for its brightly colored yellow buildings, colorful lanterns, historical sites, and good traditional food. This town is even more beautiful and magical when it gets darker, as the streets light up with colorful lanterns everywhere.
Other Da Nang attractions
Nui Than Tai Hot Springs Park: The park covers 60 hectares of majestic forest, cool streams, and various mineral-rich hot springs.
Museum of Cham Sculpture: The museum preserving relics of the ancient Kingdom of Champa.
Da Nang Downtown (former Asia Park): The largest entertainment area in the city. The park is divided into 3 main areas, including the Asian amusement park, the Sun Wheel, and the cultural park.
Linh Ung Pagoda: The city has 3 pagodas of the same name, Linh Ung, located in 3 sacred places, such as Son Tra Peninsula, Marble Mountains, and Ba Na Hills.
Thuan Phuoc Bridge: Vietnam’s longest hammock bridge, which is 1,850 meters long.
Pham Van Dong Beach: The public beach, which is a place to attract locals and tourists for swimming, picnics, and snorkeling.
Bac My An Beach: The beach in Ngu Hanh Son District with fine white sand and clear blue water.
Non Nuoc Beach: A 5 km long beach located nearby Marble Mountains, attracting tourists with a gently sloping white sand beach and smooth waves ideal for swimming.
Cu Lao Cham: Also known as Cham Islands, which is a group of 8 small islands with the peaceful beauty of nature.
Discover more tourist attractions in the city with detailed information and updated ticket prices here: Top Tourist Attractions in Da Nang.
Tasting Local Food in Da Nang
Besides the beautiful scenery, the city also has a lot of delicious and famous dishes that are waiting for you to discover. When coming here, you definitely have to try the following dishes:
Seafood: Fresh seafood, such as squid, assorted snails, shrimp, crabs, and others, is a popular food in the city, and there are many restaurants serving it.
Mi Quang: The famous rice noodle dish from central Vietnam in Quang Nam province. The traditional one is Quang noodles with shrimp, chicken, egg, or pork served with grilled rice paper and roasted peanuts.
Rice paper roll: This is a dish with a unique combination of boiled meat served with vegetables and fish sauce.
Banh Xeo: Vietnamese yellow crispy crepe filled with shrimp and crispy bean sprouts.
Shopping for souvenirs in Da Nang
If you want to buy local specialties to bring as gifts for your family and friends, you can easily find lots of them at supermarkets, Han Market, or Con Market. The most popular souvenirs from Da Nang are as follows:
- My Khe Seaweed
- Nam O Fish Sauce
- Da Bo Cha (city's beef rolls)
- Dried Squids
- Fine arts made of stone from Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village
Where to stay in Da Nang
Whether you are traveling for relaxing, exploring, or experiencing, there are many types of accommodations for you to choose from during your trip to discover the beautiful resort city.
One of the hardest parts about traveling is choosing where to stay, so checking our guide to Da Nang's best areas before booking the room might save you time.
The best value for money Da Nang hotels in different price ranges are listed below.
Budget Hotels
Bella Boutique Villa Apartment
Mid-Range Hotels
Luxury Hotels
If your trip budget allows, consider staying at one of the best luxury hotels in Da Nang to have a memorable vacation in this beautiful coastal city.
For the most exceptional experience, choose to stay at one of Da Nang's villas with a private pool.
How to get to Da Nang
Da Nang is a transportation hub of the central coast of Vietnam so reaching the city by plane, train or bus is extremely convenient.
Flights to Da Nang
Flying is the most popular and time-saving way to get to the city. Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is located within the city, around 3 km from the city center.
There are frequent flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Daily domestic flights are also operated between Da Nang and Dalat, Haiphong, and Nha Trang by domestic airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar and VietJetAir. International flights are available from Guangzhou, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei, and Tokyo.
Flying is now relatively cheap (except holidays). During the high season, ticket prices are rising quite fast, so if you plan to travel to Da Nang, you should book your flight tickets early to get the best price. For the flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, ticket prices normally range from 400,000 VND to 2,000,000 VND, depending on the airline. It takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the resort city.
Flight tickets on the most popular routes can be booked online here:
Flights from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang
After arriving at DAD Airport, you can continue your trip to the city by bus, motorbike, or taxi. The most convenient way to get from the airport to your hotel is to use a private transfer to Da Nang hotels or Hoi An City.
Train to Da Nang
Da Nang has a train station right in the city center, and you will find express trains running here from everywhere in Vietnam, so traveling by train is very convenient. Especially if you are carsick, this is a great means of transportation. When traveling by train, you get a chance to enjoy the scenery on the way, and you can admire magnificent views of mountains and ocean when passing through Hai Van Pass.
Train tickets are also reasonably priced, but you should book train tickets in advance to get the best price and your desired seats. Train ticket prices for a trip from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City range from 300,000 VND to 1,200,000 VND, depending on the train type and seat type. The main downside of traveling by train is the length of the journey as it takes about 15-16 hours to travel from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
The current train departure schedule can be found, and train tickets can be booked online here:
Train from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang
Bus to Da Nang
Da Nang Bus Station is located about 2 kilometers from the city center, so traveling by bus is also convenient. You will likely arrive at this station if you are traveling on a sleeper bus from cities further away like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Nha Trang.
The trip by bus from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City takes about 16-19 hours, which is longer than traveling by other means of transportation, but it is the most economical way, as the bus fare for such a trip is only from 250,000 VND to 500,000 VND.
The current bus departure schedule for the most popular routes can be found, and bus tickets can be booked online here:
Bus from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang
By Motorbike
You can travel to Da Nang by motorbike from neighboring provinces, like Hue. However, you should pay big attention to safety when traveling this way, as road accidents are not uncommon in Vietnam.
Traveling from Da Nang to Other Cities
Da Nang is the largest transportation hub in Central Vietnam, so flying there and traveling to other cities in the surrounding provinces is a really popular way to explore this region.
Da Nang to Hue
There are many transportation options for getting to Hue, so you just need to choose the way that is the most suitable to your needs. Various ways of traveling between the cities are briefly described here: How to get from Da Nang to Hue
Da Nang to Hoi An
Hoi An is located not far away, so you can reach the ancient town within 30-40 minutes. Various transportation options for getting to Hoi An are detailed here: How to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.
Other transportation options
More transportation options for a trip can be found, and transport tickets can be booked by this search form.
Transportation within Da Nang
The city and its surroundings can be explored by joining one of the city tours or using different means of transportation, including the affordable public bus.
By Tour
If you are visiting the city alone or in a small group with elderly people or kids, taking a tour to visit the main sights is a worthwhile option to consider. Traveling with a tour saves you money and time. The tour normally provides you everything you need for the trip, like a shuttle bus, a guide, entrance tickets at all tourist attractions, and lunch. There are many interesting tours that are reasonably priced, such as this Da Nang City & My Khe Beach Private Day Tour. Tours are especially convenient if you are looking to explore not only the city itself but also its surroundings.
By Private Transfer
When taking a private transfer, you don’t need to worry about transportation and have more time for exploring all the attractions around Da Nang. Pre-booked private transfer can be significantly cheaper than taking a random taxi. However, you need to book it in advance for the specific time, which makes everything a bit more complicated.
You can pre-book a private car charter and create your own itinerary to explore the city and its surroundings.
By Taxi
Taxi is an appropriate option for short-distance traveling in groups. You just let the driver know your destination, and they will take you there. However, Da Nang taxi fare seems to be about 1.5 times higher than in other provinces. There are many taxi companies, and some of the most reliable are Mai Linh, Vinasun, and Tien Sa.
By Public Bus
Traveling by Da Nang bus is possible since there are many bus routes in the city. Traveling around the city by public bus is not a very convenient option if you want to go to destinations far from main routes. Another inconvenience is that buses in the area stop operating relatively early.
By Shuttle Bus
Another convenient option for solo travelers and small groups who want to save money is using shuttle bus services. Shuttle buses connect the airport and other attractions, such as Ba Na Hills, with Da Nang City hotels.
Ba Na Hills shuttle bus can be booked online here: Shuttle Bus to Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge.
My Son shuttle bus can be booked online here: Shuttle Bus Transfer to My Son.
By Motorbike
A motorbike is the easiest and most affordable means of transportation for moving around the city. Motorbike rental prices range from 80,000 VND to 15,000 VND per day, depending on the type of motorbike and the rental period (multi-day rentals will be even cheaper). Normally you can rent a motorbike right at the hotel, homestay, or hostel you are staying at.
Weather in Da Nang
Da Nang is a region with a typical tropical monsoon climate and relatively high temperature. The average temperature here is about 28-30 degrees Celsius. The region has 2 distinct seasons: the rainy season (August - December) and the dry season (January - July).
The period from February to August is considered to be the best time to travel to Da Nang because the weather is pleasant, temperatures are not too high, and less rain is expected. This time of the year offers favorable conditions for fun activities and sightseeing. However, this is the time of the year when the resort city gets crowded, so you need to plan your trip and make your bookings in advance. The low season in Da Nang is from September to the end of March, as it is raining quite often, so fewer tourists are seen around.
