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Da Nang

Da Nang

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.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, all marked with * Booking through these links generates a small commission for me at no extra cost to you.

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

da nang travel guide

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.

By Bus

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

By Train

Da Nang train station is serviced with lines from Quy Nhon in the south and Hue in the north.

From Quy Nhon

The nearest train station to Quy Nhon is Dieu Tri which is a 20 min drive outside Quy Nhon (easy to take a taxi to).

⏰ 6 hrs
💰 250k

From Hue

⏰ ~3hrs
💰 70-100k

By Motorbike

From Hue to Da Nang

Motorbike is one of the most popular ways to travel from Hue to Da Nang as the route takes you on one of Vietnam’s most iconic roads; The Hai Van Pass. For more information and the driving route, see my guide to motorbiking the Hai Van Pass.

Easy Rider from Hue to Da Nang

Even if you aren’t motorbiking or don’t know how to drive a motorbike, I still recommend doing the Hai Van Pass drive when travelling from Hue to Da Nang, and vice versa. The roads are flanked by beautiful views (mountains on one side and the ocean on the other) and it is worth getting onto the back of a bike to enjoy. You can book Easy Rider trips where you sit on the back of a bike, with an experienced driver so you can still experience the thrill of the roads! I did my last Easy Rider trip with my sisters with Hue to go Tours and our guides were simply exceptional.

💰 1 mil ($45)

From Hoi An

The drive from Hoi An is a straight shot along the coast. The roads are in great condition but are heavily used by buses and transfers taking tourists to and from Hoi An, so take caution when driving and try to avoid rush hour.

⏰ 1hr.

✍️ For more information on motorbiking in Vietnam, check out my Complete Guide to Motorbiking in Vietnam.

By Plane

Da Nang International Airport is the gateway to central Vietnam and as such is serviced with both domestic and international flights. The airport is located within Da Nang city which makes getting to and from the airport extremely easy and cheap. You can book an airport shuttle bus to get into the city centre, but I have always just ordered a Grab for efficiency.

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.

What to eat in Da Nang mi quang Vietnam

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.

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Meet Frances; Scottish lass turned Vietnam expat, and creator of this space. She can be found sippin’ ice tea’s and writing about her adventures from her sunny base of Saigon, Vietnam’s southern metropolis. All with a healthy side of researching her next road trip. With 5 years of living, travelling and scooting around Asia under her belt – let Frances be your guide to travelling the region.

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