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12
Aug
2019

List of 8 unmissable things to do in Da Nang with detailed guide

Posted By : Threeland Travel / Da Nang -Travel Tips

Da Nang is located on the poetic Han River - a city in Central Vietnam, ranked 15th in the list of top 52 destinations in the world in 2019 that the prestigious US newspaper - New York Times voted. The young city is in strong development, attracting millions of tourists to visit every year. Not only is the favorite destination of domestic and foreign tourists, but Da Nang also has many magnificent works and architecture honored by the world. One or two day tour in Da Nang is not enough to fully experience all of Da Nang from sceneries, history, culture to cuisine. To name some hereby is a list of top unmissable things to do in Da Nang in day and night: 

1.     Head to Ba Na Hills

When it comes to attractions in the city, Ba Na Hills is probably the most fascinating destination. 
 25 km to the southwest of Da Nang at an altitude of 1,487m, Ba Na Hills are considered as “One temperate place in the tropical forest” thanks to its pleasant climate all the year-round and you can enjoy four seasons within a single day. Once a resort in the French period, Ba Na Hill has now become a high-class hotel-resort and entertainment complex. 

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                                                    Ba Na Hills cable cars - Da Nang attractions

From the foot of Ba Na Hills, you have to board on the cable cars to reach the hilltop. Ba Na cable cars hold two Guinness World Records: the world’s longest single cable car system (5,042.62 m long) and the world highest gap between its departure and arrival station (1,291.81 m high).  

bana_hill_at_night

What to explore Ba Na Hills: 

-      Golden Bridge (aka Giant Hand Bridge)
-      D’Amor Flower Gardens
-      The French Wine Cellar
-      The French Village
-      Fantasy Park 

Address: An Son Hamlet – Hoa Ninh Commune – Hoa Vang District.
Entrance fee: 700,000 VND / person (30 US dollars)

See more in details:

  1. Guide to visiting Ba Na Hills with Golden Bridge site
  2. Full day tour to Ba Na Hills

2.     Visit Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham)

Once inhabited by Cham people, these eight small island populations bring relaxation away from the thriving urban areas. This is a great destination if you desire to get out of the center of Da Nang to search for other amazing experiences. 

cham island

                                                                          Cham island - Photo @johnhiguera10

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                                                                                     Camping on Cham island

To get to the island, take a taxi to Hoi An and stop at Cua Dai Beach, from where you can take a speedboat or a ferry in 15 minutes. The price for a round-trip ticket by canoe is 250,000 – 450,000 VND / person. From the center of Da Nang, the total amount of time is about 45 minutes to arrive at Cham Island. 

Things to do in Cham Island:

-      Take a motorcycle and enjoy as you cross the temples, rice fields. 
-      Stroll around Bai Chong beach or Bai Huong fishing village and explore the forest around the deserted beach, where the waves hit the rocks, or swim to En Cave, home to countless swallows. 
-      It is worth experiencing scuba diving or snorkeling to take pleasure in the beauty of the coral reefs.

See more: 

  1. Boat trip to Cu Lao Cham
  2. Tips to discover Cu Lao Cham (Cham island) with Vietnam holidays

3.     Check out the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang

Museum-of-Cham-Sculpture-in-Da-Nang

                                                               Cham Sculpture Museum in Da Nang

Museum-of-Cham-Sculpture-in-Da-Nang---things-to-do

                                                   Cham Sculpture Museum - Place to visit in Da Nang

Those who are passionate about art and history will not be able to ignore the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture which recreates the era of the Champa kingdom (from the 7th to 19th century). The museum has a unique collection of terracotta and sandstone artworks, mostly collected from ruins scattered throughout Central Vietnam. On a visit here, you can learn more about the development of Champa art, with images of girls dancing and worshiping with mythical beasts.

Address: No. 02, September 2 road, Binh Hien, Hai Chau, Da Nang
Entrance fee: 40,000 VND / person
Open time: 7h00 – 17h30 everyday

 4.     Relax at My Khe Beach

My Khe beach is located along with Da Nang city and about 3 km east of Da Nang center. Enrolled in the top 6 most stunning beaches on the planet, My Khe Beach always makes visitors coming here to be enchanted and overwhelmed by its natural beauty. My Khe beach has a smooth white sand coastline, moderate waves with warm and clear blue water all year round with. It is very suitable for you to participate in sport games, swimming or some other activities at this beautiful beach. 

my-khe-beach-in-da-nang

                                                         My Khe Beach in Da Nang, Vietnam 

Head to My Khe Beach in the early morning to see the beautiful sunrise or stroll along the coastline for sunset will leave you an extraordinary moment of your Vietnam tour.

5.     Hiking the Marble Mountains

On a visit to Da Nang, one of the most unmissable destinations is the Marble Mountains, which considered as the symbol of this land. The Marble Mountains (name in the Vietnamese language as Ngu Hanh Son which means “Five Elements Mountains”) are a cluster of marble and limestone hills just 7km from the city. 

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                                                          Cave in Marble Mountain - Da Nang attractions

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                                             Marble Mountain from top view - Da Nang attractions

The mountains are full of caves, tunnels and Buddhist shrines just waiting to be explored. Each Mount in Ngu Hanh Son represents one of the five natural elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The biggest, most famous mountain open to visitors is Thuy Son (water). You can choose to go by elevator or climb steep steps. Either way, the final reward for you when you reach the summit of the mountain will be the beautiful panoramic view of the city and the beach.

Address: No.52 Huyen Tran Cong Chua street, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang
Entrance fee: 40,000 VND / person
Tips: You’d better join a guided day tour of Da Nang to learn more about the history and legends of the Marble Mountains.

6.      Do a coral diving in Son Tra Peninsula 

Son Tra Peninsula not only owns pristine beaches with white sand, spectacular views embracing Da Nang; this place also contains a treasure of great value. That is the world of colorful aquariums that you need to put on a diving suit to open that treasure door. 

Son-Tra-Peninsula-in-Da-Nang

Imagine glittering silver fishes, like jewels, swimming in front of your eyes, or colorful coral reefs with fancy shapes such as countertops, deer horn are appearing at your sight. Without the noises of the engine, only you are immersing in the vast blue underwater world.

coral-diving-in-Son-Tra-Peninsula

                                          Coral viewing in Son Tra Peninsula - Things to do in Da Nang

Springs or summer (February to September) are a good time to swim or have scuba diving there since the sea is calm, blue with crystal clear water. Enjoying the spectacular view of the city from far away and the beautiful view of the sandy bank running around the peninsula is an excellent choice for a day. The best time to watch coral is from 10h00 – 12h00. 

The beach part near Bai Nam, Bai U or Hon Sup area has the colorful coral reefs which are worth to have your snorkeling or scuba diving. Those who cannot swim will be instructed by the skillful supervisor. 

7.     Visit Obama Rock Area

What a weird name “Obama”! Is there anything relating to the 44th President of the United States? I was curious about the name also at first. However, it’s simply a fun name that the local named for this area besides its original name of “Bai Da” (Bayan Rock area – because the area is near to the 1000-year old giant tree in Son Tra peninsula).

Obama_Rock

Located in Son Tra peninsula, Da Nang city, Obama rock is listed among the pristine places to visit in Da Nang that barely known by tourists. Obama rock area is bestowed with a pretty wild and beautiful rocky beach. Unlike other Da Nang tourist destinations that are always crowded and bustling, Obama rock retains the inherent peace and quiet, extremely suitable for those who prefer to find their way to pure nature. The unique thing that makes people come here must be infatuated is the crystal blue water. The seawater there is almost blue all year round, sometimes you can see the bottom of the coral reefs hidden under deep water, looking unique and wild!

obama_rock_area

                                                                 Obama rock - Photo Tiin.vn

Besides, you can unleash a lot of exciting and thrilling sports activities like water motor, towing canoe or sailing boat watching coral...

Direction: Follow along the Hoang Sa street to the Son Tra resort crossroads, you’ll see a signboard guiding you the way to the rock area.

8.      Enjoy a spectacular view of Da Nang at night

When the sun goes down, Da Nang city seems to become more dynamic and bustling with a wide range of nightlife activities and shows:

Swanky rooftop bar:

Located on the top of the tallest building in Da Nang, SKY36 Bar is an ideal destination that you cannot miss in the journey to discover Da Nang. It brings the guests a memorable experience while admiring Da Nang city at night.

You will be overwhelmed by the view of the whole city at night from above. Zooming out of the distance, you can see the vast sea, poetic Han river, majestic mountains. You will get the best view when using a modern glass elevator system.

sky-bar-36-da-nang-things-to-do

The latest sound and lighting system along with modern elevator glass create an impressive impression in Da Nang Sky Bar system. The harmonious combination of the outdoor bar, sofa bed, and inner VIP lounge area with a total area of ​​nearly 2,000m2, accommodating up to 600 guests to create a modern level. Here, visitors can enjoy romantic moments with good music and delicious beverage! 

Address: Novotel Danang Premier Han River, No.36 Bach Dang street, Thach Thang, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Check out the dragon breathes fire at the Dragon Bridge:

Besides the famous Golden Bridge (or Giant Hand Bridge) of Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, this city also owns other bridges with a unique design. The Dragon Bridge is one of the best known Da Nang attractions thanks to its unique design and exciting light show.

dragon_bridge_in_Da_Nang

                                                             The Dragon Bridge - Da Nang things to do at night

Make sure your visit to be a weekend because at 9 pm every Saturday and Sunday they turn the lights on and the dragon breathes actual fire.

Add: Nguyen Van Linh Street, Phuoc Ninh, Danang City.

Helio night market – The biggest night food paradise in Danang:

Helio-night-market-da-nang

This is one of the best places for food lovers with a wide selection of local food. There is also a lot of shopping stuff, combining with lots of music performances. Festive events with themes are every month. Helio night market captivates thousands of visitors each night, giving you the best experience when you come to this beautiful coastal city. This is absolutely a must thing to do in Da Nang nightlife to feast your eyes and stomach.

Time: 17:00 to 22:30 (from Monday to Sunday)
Location: Located at Helio Center, 2-9 street, Hoa Cuong Bac Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang city.

Charming Da Nang show:

Charming_Da_Nang_show_Da_Nang_things_to_do

                                               Charming Da Nang Show - Da Nang things to do at night

Charming_Da_Nang_show

Charming Da Nang show is a 1-hour colorful journey that brings you through all the significant culture of Vietnam with Ao dai, Non la (conical hat), lotus flower, Champa culture… You live in dances and songs full of Vietnamese spirits, to get to know more about the culture, history, and customs of Vietnam, especially of the central Vietnam region where Da Nang is located in. 

Address: 02 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City
Open time: 19h30 – 20h40 Everyday
 
Da Nang is an excellent place for you to explore the wild beauty of Eastern Vietnam and is considered as “The most worth-living city in Vietnam.”  Once a provincial city, Da Nang is growing with many magnificent hotels and shopping centers. It is also famous for the delicious food sold on every street corner. I hope you now have your favorite things to do in Da Nang, Vietnam. Have a great trip! 

SEE MORE:

  1. Guide to visiting Golden Bridge (Hand Bridge) in Ba Na Hills
  2. Full day tour to Ba Na Hills
  3. Vietnam - The oriental inspiration tour from Hanoi to Da Nang