Tours in Da Nang City and Its Surroundings
Da Nang is located in central Vietnam on the coast. It is the third largest city in Vietnam by population, and one of the main port cities in the region. The city is located about 30 km northwest of another attractive city: Hoi An, which you can read about in my article: Tours in Hoi An City and Its Surroundings
Da Nang has several destinations worth spending time on, either on the way to/from the airport or after one of the tours in the area such as Ba Na Hills or the My Son ruins.
♦ Recommended tours in Da Nang city and its surroundings (for booking from Viator):
Also suitable for cruise ship passengers with port pickup.
Recommended Accommodation in Da Nang:
Vinpearl Condotel Riverfront Da Nang
A luxurious and high-quality 5-star hotel in a central location in the city on the riverbank. The hotel features a swimming pool, 4 restaurants, a spa, and a gym.
A 5-star beachfront resort with spacious suites offering city or sea views. The hotel features a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, gym, and spa.
A 5-star resort on the beach with a swimming pool, tennis courts, spa, and gym. Every room has a balcony overlooking the garden, pool, or sea. The hotel features a high-quality restaurant.
A 4-star hotel in an excellent location in the city center. The hotel features a swimming pool, spa, gym, restaurant, and bar.
A 4-star rated boutique hotel in a central location in the city. The hotel offers attractive prices and features two swimming pools (one indoor), a gym, spa, restaurant, and bar.
Lovers' Promenade
A nice place to visit is the Lovers' Promenade, decorated with hearts and featuring a large white marble statue of a fish with a dragon head named Ca Chep Hoa Rong. It is 7.5 meters tall with a fountain spouting from its mouth (reminiscent of Singapore's Merlion statue, which is shaped like a fish with a lion's head). The promenade overlooks the massive Dragon Bridge, which is illuminated in a variety of changing colorful lights.
Sun Wheel Ferris Wheel
A great vantage point in Da Nang is from the Sun Wheel (which is also illuminated in colorful lights). This ferris wheel is part of another amusement park by the "Sun World" chain: Asia Park - Sun World Da Nang Wonders.
Han Market in Da Nang
For fans of colorful markets, it is recommended to visit a local market in Da Nang. Da Nang has several large markets where you can buy everything. The main markets are: Han Market,
Cồn Market, Bac My An Market. For those who are hungry, this is also an opportunity to choose a good restaurant or food stall and enjoy local food, especially at the Bac My An market.
The impressive Da Nang Cathedral, whose pink color highlights its uniqueness and beauty, was built in 1923 by a French priest.
A short video about Da Nang city:
Trip to Ba Na Hills
Sun World's Ba Na Hills site is located in the mountains about twenty kilometers west of Da Nang city.
This site is a complex of amusement, entertainment, viewpoints, restaurants, and hotels by Sun World, considered one of the best resorts in Vietnam.
Thanks to the site's elevation, 1487 meters above sea level, it features pleasant and relatively cool climatic conditions compared to sea level weather in this region, as well as beautiful mountain views.
To reach the high site quickly and efficiently, Sun World built 5 cable cars to transport thousands of visitors to the site and back. The site is still expanding, adding new hotels and attractions. Open daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Attractions at Ba Na Hills:
The Golden Observation Bridge:
Inaugurated in 2018 and selected by Times magazine as one of the ten best destinations in the world for that year. This golden bridge is essentially a huge observation deck over the mountain views surrounding the site, and what makes it unique are two giant hands holding it up.
The French Village:
A classic French village-style district was built here, complete with a square, church, antique-style buildings, and hotels.
Flower Garden:
Near the observation bridge is a large and beautiful landscaped flower garden with statues.
Entertainment:
The site features an indoor play area rich in attractions for the whole family, alpine coasters, a dinosaur park, and a wax museum. Dance and singing performances with colorful costumes and parades are held here.
Ruins:
The site contains remnants of structures from the period of French rule. The French, who suffered from the heat and humidity in Vietnam, found refuge from the heat in this cool mountain region.
Restaurants:
There are several dining areas with dozens of restaurants serving both Asian and European cuisine. There are buffet restaurants and a la carte menus, as well as a variety of stalls.
A short video about the Ba Na Hills site:
Half-Day Tour to Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary and Ancient Ruins:
This is actually a complex of Hindu temples located about 70 km southwest of Danang city. The site features numerous temples built in a valley approximately 2 kilometers wide, surrounded by two mountain ranges. The combination of green mountains and red temples creates an unforgettable scene. In the past, the temples served as a site for religious ceremonies and burial grounds for royalty and national heroes.
In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, severe damage was caused to the site, and to this day there are still mines, huge craters carved out by bombs, and other remnants from the battles.
In 1999, UNESCO declared My Son a World Cultural Heritage site.
Cruise Ships:
Some of the cruise ships in Asia dock near Da Nang at Chan May Port, north of Da Nang. Cruise passengers go on tours in and around Da Nang, including to the Mỹ Sơn ruins and the Marble Mountains described below. A detailed article about such a cruise is available on my website: Cruise from Shanghai to Singapore via Vietnam, Okinawa and Hong Kong.
♦ Recommended tours from Da Nang to the Marble Mountains, Hoi An, and My Son ruins (for booking from Viator):
Tour to The Marble Mountains:
The Marble Mountains surround the city of Da Nang from the south. It is recommended to take the elevator to the top of one of the mountains and explore a variety of walking trails among pagodas, temples, and caves, as well as enjoy scenic views of the city and its long, sandy beaches.
It is especially worthwhile to visit "Marble Craft Village Street," which features a wide variety of art shops selling mostly marble sculptures. You can observe the sculptors at work in the workshops adjacent to the stores.
Visit to Chua Linh Ung Temple
On a peninsula in the northern part of Da Nang Bay, on a hill overlooking the city, sits the Chua Linh Ung Temple, featuring a giant statue of Lady Buddha, a temple, and beautiful sculptures.
Man Thai Fishing Village
On the way from the temple to Da Nang city, you pass along the coast through Man Thai fishing village. You can stop on the beach to see the numerous boats near the shore, the round bamboo basket boats, and the variety of fish in baskets for sale (especially in the early morning).
Hoi An City
As mentioned, Hoi An is located only about thirty kilometers southeast of Da Nang city, and it is recommended to tour it as well. Details about it are in my article: Tours in Hoi An City and Its Surroundings