Heading to Da Nang and wondering what activities you shouldn't miss?
Beaches and swimming
Da Nang is by the sea and for a big city, the adjacent beaches are really beautiful and clean. That's why many Vietnamese people also come to Da Nang for seaside holidays. However, you can also spend just one day relaxing on the beach here before you start travelling again.
Da Nang is also famous as a location in Vietnam with unbeatably cheap multi-star resorts right on the beach. So if you want to enjoy a little luxury, Da Nang is the perfect place.
The most popular beaches in Da Nang include:
- Da Nang Beach - The most ordinary beach, but also the closest to the city centre, you can even walk here.
- My Khe Beach - The laid-back My Khe Beach is a wide stretch of golden sand to the south of Da Nang Beach and is one of the most popular beaches in town.
- Non Nuoc Beach - One of the most beautiful beaches in all of Vietnam is a little out of the centre of the action, surrounded by a number of luxury resorts and hotels.
- Man Thai Beach - This long beach slowly follows the Son Tra Peninsula and offers breathtaking views of the peninsula and the city.
- Bai Xep - A beautiful natural beach on the Son Tra Peninsula, suitable for those who are tired of the high-rise buildings at their backs.
For beautiful beaches, you can also head a little further south to the Hoi An area.
Natural beauty
While Da Nang itself is not exactly the ideal place to enjoy the beautiful countryside, and will be appreciated more by those who love urban fun, there are a number of interesting natural beauties in the immediate vicinity of the city.
Most of the countryside is not accessible by public transport, so ideally rent a scooter or car to explore the beautiful places on your own.
The most interesting natural beauties of the area include:
- Son Tra Peninsula - The striking peninsula can be seen from just about every spot in Da Nang, and a hike up "Monkey Mountain" is an unforgettable experience.
- Hai Van Pass - Spectacular views await you on your way to Hai Van Pass, either by road or train.
- Ba Na Hills Cable Car - If you go to the Ba Na Hills entertainment complex, the views of the surrounding mountains from the cable car are truly unique.
Immerse yourself in local life
While Da Nang is a fairly touristy town, you're more likely to meet local tourists here. Compared to neighbouring Hoi An and Hue, Da Nang is a very authentic example of modern Vietnamese life. If you leave the main tourist spots, you will easily come across local businesses and restaurants.
In the evening, be sure to join the thousands of Vietnamese on the popular waterfront by the Han River. Go to the Son Tra night market, where local Vietnamese grill seafood, or stroll along the promenade for sports.
Under the Cau Song Han Bridge, you'll find small stalls with plaster figurines towards the evening. Join the locals, buy an inexpensive figurine and paint your own on the miniature chairs.
Our personal recommendation is also the very cheap and excellent university restaurant Cuon 4g 1st.
Temples and monuments
Da Nang may be more of a modern city, but you'll still find a few sights here. If you're interested in history, we recommend the old imperial city of Hue to the north of Da Nang.
In Da Nang we recommend visiting the following places:
- Marble Mountains - Distinctive limestone mountains, one of which is the site of many cave temples, pagodas and shrines.
- Lady Buddha - The large Buddhist complex is dominated by a giant white statue of Lady Buddha.
- Linh Ung Pagoda in Ba Na Hills - A pagoda in the hills west of Da Nang, it forms part of the Ba Na Hills complex.
- Cham Kingdom Sculpture Museum - A large museum filled with Hindu art, especially sculptures, from the Cham Kingdom era.
- Chua Nam Tho Temple - A traditional Chinese temple near the beach that is hardly visited by tourists.
Tourist attractions
Da Nang is also a city where a number of different places have been created purely for tourist purposes. The biggest local attraction is of course the Ba Na Hills entertainment complex.
When visiting this place in the mountains, you can walk through a replica of a French medieval village, ride a roller coaster or admire several themed gardens. The main destination for most tourists, however, is the Golden Bridge, which looks like it is held by two giant hands.
The Dragon Bridge is also a big attraction in the city centre, and becomes even more interesting in the evening when the giant dragon starts spouting fire and water.
Taste the local gastronomy
The cuisine of central Vietnam is very tasty and diverse. In addition, you can taste completely different dishes in this area than in Hanoi, for example. It's definitely worth a trip to the local soup kitchens to enjoy the specialties.
Due to the local fishing tradition, many of the dishes here contain fish and seafood. A variety of herbs and tropical fruits are also popular.
What are the local specialties you should definitely try?
- Rice cakes (Banh Bot Loc, Banh Nam) - Boiled rice flour cakes that are filled with a mixture of herbs, pork and shrimp.
- Banh Trang Cuon - Finely sliced pork is usually served with rice paper, herbs and vegetables. Customers wrap the individual rolls themselves and dip them in the sauce.
- Nam Tra - This specialty is a fermented pork roll and is not usually met with much enthusiasm by foreigners, yet it is a very interesting delicacy.
