A Travel Guide to Da Nang
Situated on a white-sand bay, flanked by mountains on all sides, it’s not hard to see why Da Nang is a popular beach getaway for both locals and tourists in Vietnam. My love for Da Nang comes from not only its situation within nature but also the youthful energy that this modern city exudes. For many, Da Nang is used as a stepping-stone to the nearby ancient cities of Hue and Hoi An but I hope you can see that the city is worth exploring in its own right. This travel guide to Da Nang will help you to plan your trip and, hopefully, you come away loving it as much as I do.
Da Nang at a glance
Da Nang is one of Vietnams largest cities, but with the beach and the mountains, it feels a million miles away from the hectic atmosphere of Saigon and Hanoi. Serviced with an international airport, the city acts as the gateway to central Vietnam. Historically it was a major port town, followed by playing an important role in the Vietnam-US war as the busiest airbase. Nowadays Da Nang is a laid back beach city, with much of the cities business coming from tourism.
How long to stay – I recommend 2 days, or more if you wish to relax by the beach.
Best time of year – Feb to Oct is the dry season with temps from mid-high 30°C, while Oct to Dec is monsoon season so you can expect some rain and cloudy skies.
Things to see in Da Nang
While a trip to Da Nang is not complete without time spent relaxing at the beach, the city also boasts several attractions. Check out this post for more of the best things to see and do in Da Nang.
Drive the Hai Van Pass
One of the most iconic roads in Vietnam lies just outside Da Nang, the Hai Van Pass. If you’re lucky to catch a clear day, you’ll be rewarded with views of turquoise bays, white sand beaches and winding mountain roads to take your breathe away. This drive lives up to the hype. If you can’t motorbike yourself consider doing an easy rider day trip to experience it.
Lady Buddha
Located on the Son Tra peninsula, the Lady Buddha acts as a protector of the bay. She stands at a staggering height of 67m tall, crowning her the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam. There are a few other temples to explore in the complex.
💰 free
Lady Buddha📍Chùa Linh Ứng, Hoàng Sa, Thọ Quang, Sơn Trà
Marble Mountain
A short drive south of the city lies another great vantage point; Marble Mountain. Marble Mountain is a series of marble and limestone hills within which you will find caves and pagodas a-plenty. Climb to the top for stunning views, head back down into a cave through the hidden tunnel.
💰40k
⏰ 7am – 5:30pm
Marble Mountain📍 52 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Hoà Hải, Ngũ Hành Sơn
See the Dragon Bridge
Claiming its place as the largest bridge in Vietnam, the Dragon Bridge also serves as an emblem of the youthful innovation of Da Nang. If you’re visiting over the weekend make sure to get a view of the Dragon Bridge at 9pm to watch it come alive, spraying both fire and water out of its mouth. I’ve heard it’s quite a spectacle.
⏰ 9pm Fri-Sun, for the fire and water display
Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng Đà Nẵng)📍 550000 Đà Nẵng, Sơn Trà, An Hải Tây, An Hả
How to get to Da Nang
As the gateway to central Vietnam, getting to Da Nang is easy peasy. If you are travelling from Hue to Da Nang, I highly recommend booking an easy rider motorbike transfer so you can experience the Hai Van Pass. I’ve found the easiest way to book transport in advance is through Baolau*, a search engine that compares all travel options to find the best one for you.
The bus is one of the cheapest options for travelling to Da Nang. The two nearest destinations to travel into Da Nang from are Hue in the north and Hoi An in the south. If travelling from further afield, such as Nha Trang, I recommend flying.
From Hue
⏰ ~3hrs
💰150-250k
From Hoi An
⏰ 1hr
💰100k
Getting around Da Nang
The city is well serviced by Grab and local taxis which makes navigating easy. If you can drive a motorbike then renting one is a great way to explore as many of the attractions are found outside the city (see my guide to exploring Da Nang by motorbike). Your accommodation* should be able to help set you up with a rental, but if not you can rent one independently.
Xethuedanang📍39 Đào Duy Anh, Đà Nẵng
Tan Hoa Motorbike Rental📍184, Huỳnh Tấn Phát, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng
The Motorbike Station📍196/41 Tran Cao Van, Da Nang
Mango Motorbike Rentals📍 163 Lê Quang Đạo, Bắc Mỹ Phú, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng
Da Nang is a large city and as such it has typical Vietnamese traffic, though not as overwhelming as driving in Saigon or Hanoi. I don’t recommend motorbiking here for novices and advise caution for all
What to eat in Da Nang
The region around Da Nang, Quang Nam province, is well-known for a few local dishes. Two of the most popular from this region are Mi Quang and Banh Xeo which you should try while you’re here.
Mi Quang
One of the most famous noodle dishes from central Vietnam is Mi Quang, a dry noodle dish, topped with meat, veggies, herbs, peanuts and crispy rice crackers. Normally there is a small amount of fragrant broth added.
Banh Xeo
Another local street eat you need to try in central Vietnam is Banh Xeo. These are crispy savoury pancakes, filled with shrimp, pork and beansprouts. They’re normally eaten with a selection of salad leaves and dipped into nuoc mam – fish sauce with chilli and garlic.
The youthful innovation in Da Nang seeps into the food scene too, with quirky coffeeshops and hipster, fusion restaurants popping up all the time.
Where to eat in Da Nang
📍 Burger Republic (fusion burgers)
📍 Waterfront (European dining)
📍 Cabanon Cafe Danang (hipster sandwich spot)
Where to Drink in Da Nang
📍 Sky 36 (fancy rooftop club)
📍 Head to My An (the main expat area) for some lowkey bars. The rusty Compass has a few suggestions.
Where to stay in Da Nang
Da Nang is a large city with many different neighbourhoods to stay in, the most popular being My Khe beachfront. Here you’ll find lots of tourist-geared infrastructure like hotels, bars and shops selling essential holiday items like sunglasses and suncream. I’ve also stayed in the city centre and thoroughly enjoyed having regular everyday scenes and street food easily accessible. For future trips though I think I will continue to stay within walking distance of the beach.
I always book my accommodation with Booking.com* as their genius membership gets you deals with selected hotels in each destination. It seems that the majority of the places I’ve stayed have since closed down but these are some spots I’m keen to check out next time:
• King’s Finger Luxury Hotel* (I stayed here with my sisters and the rooftop pool was great)
• Container House Da Nang* (good location)
• The Vietnam Hostel* (great looking vibe)
Daily Budget
As with every destination in Vietnam, Da Nang can be kept to a tight budget if you stick to hostels and street eats, especially as many of the tourist attractions are free or cheap.
🚗 <$45
If you follow my recommendation of taking an Easy Rider motorbike transfer along the Hai Van Pass, then you’re looking at around $45 to get to Da Nang. Both flights and buses from elsewhere in Vietnam will come in cheaper than this. Book transport here*.
🛏 ~$6-10
Da Nang is a very versatile city with accommodation for every budget. Dorm beds start from as little as $3 and privates from $10. Browse all accommodation options here*.
🍜 ~$15
Street food can be found easily for less than 50k ($2). For a meal in restaurant expect ~150k ($6.50).
📸 <$50
Da Nang can be done for next-to-nothing if you stick to visiting the pagodas and lounging on the beach. Most attractions that you do pay for are cheap, but some things like visiting Ba Na Hills can add up.
Marble Mountains 💰 40k ($1.75)
Ba Na Hills 💰 750k ($33)
Daily budget: $80*
* Assuming you include an Easy Rider Hai Van Pass tour and visit the Ba Na Hills amusement park.
22 Bach Dang street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City, Vietnam.