Da Nang city guide

Things To Do In Da Nang

A fast-growing beach city with a long stretch of sand, marble mountains full of cave pagodas, a dragon bridge that breathes fire, and Hoi An thirty minutes away.

Where to stay What it costs

Hostels in the city

8.0

Average, from 6,434 reviews

10 min

Airport to centre

30–45 min

To Hoi An

Weekends

Dragon Bridge fire

The beach city

Da Nang is Vietnam's third city and the flight hub for the centre of the country, with a long beach, My Khe, running beside a modern skyline.

It has its own sights, from the cave temples of the Marble Mountains to the Son Tra peninsula and the Golden Bridge in Ba Na Hills, and Hoi An is thirty to forty-five minutes away.

Two or three days is right.

Where to stay

My Khe beach, on the east side of the river, has hotels and hostels a short walk from the sand. The city centre, on the west bank of the Han River, is better for food, cafés and nightlife, and is ten minutes from the airport.

My Khe

First-timers

The beach, with hostels a short walk from the sand.

City centre

Nightlife

Food, cafés and bars along the west bank of the Han River.

Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 12 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Things to do

Things to do in Da Nang

My Khe beach, a long, wide stretch of sand, runs along the city's east side and is good for swimming from roughly April to August, when the sea is calm. Surfing is possible in the autumn swells.

Dragon Bridge, across the Han River, is shaped like a dragon, and on Saturday and Sunday evenings at nine it breathes fire and then water; arrive early for a spot on the riverbank.

The Marble Mountains, five limestone hills south of the city, are full of caves and pagodas, with steps and an elevator to the top. On the Son Tra peninsula, the 67-metre Lady Buddha at Linh Ung Pagoda looks over the bay, and the forest is home to red-shanked douc langurs.

Ba Na Hills, about an hour away, is a hilltop resort reached by a long cable car, with the Golden Bridge held up by two giant stone hands; it is expensive and very crowded, so go early. The Hai Van Pass, north of the city, is the famous coast road to Hue.

Free things

Free things to do in Da Nang

My Khe beach is free, and so is the Dragon Bridge fire show on weekend evenings.

The Son Tra peninsula, with the Lady Buddha and its viewpoints, is free to visit by scooter, and the Han River promenades are a free evening walk. Han Market, in the centre, is free to wander.

Food and drink

Eating and drinking in Da Nang

Da Nang's signature dish is mi Quang, wide yellow rice noodles with a little rich broth, shrimp, pork, herbs and toasted rice crackers. Banh xeo, crispy pancakes wrapped in rice paper with greens, and banh trang cuon thit heo, pork rolls with herbs, are local favourites.

Seafood restaurants along the beach road cook the catch to order by weight; agree the price first.

The centre has excellent cafés, including coconut coffee. A meal is €1.50 to €6.

Nightlife

Going out in Da Nang

Da Nang's nightlife is spread out: bars and pubs in the centre along the river, rooftop bars with views of the bridges, and beach bars along My Khe.

Weekend evenings start at the Dragon Bridge show, and the night market by the Love Bridge is lively.

A beer is €1 to €3.

Getting around

Getting around Da Nang

Da Nang Airport is about ten minutes from the centre by Grab or taxi.

Grab is cheap and the easiest way to get around; the city is spread out, so walking is limited to the beach front or the centre. Scooters can be rented for Son Tra and the Marble Mountains.

The railway station is on the main line: trains go north to Hue through the Hai Van Pass, about two and a half hours, and south towards Nha Trang. Hoi An is 30 to 45 minutes by Grab or bus.

Costs

What Da Nang costs

Da Nang is cheap to mid-priced. Dorms start around €6 and a careful day is €20 to €30.

The Marble Mountains charge a few euros, and Ba Na Hills is the big expense, with a cable car ticket of several tens of euros. Grab rides across the city are €1 to €3.

The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND); prices here are euro equivalents, at roughly 30,000 VND to the euro. Cards work widely; ATMs are everywhere.

Safety

Staying safe in Da Nang

Da Nang is safe. On My Khe beach, the sea can be rough from September to December, with strong currents; swim between the flags where lifeguards are on duty.

The central coast is in the path of typhoons from September to November; check the forecast.

At seafood restaurants, agree prices by weight before ordering.

Emergency: 113 police, 115 ambulance, 114 fire.

Day trips from Da Nang

The lantern town, the hilltop bridge and marble caves.

Hoi An

30–45 minutes · Car or bus

The lantern-lit trading town.

Ba Na Hills

About 1 hour · Car and cable car

The Golden Bridge held by giant stone hands. Go early.

Marble Mountains

About 20 minutes · Grab

Caves and pagodas inside limestone hills.

What's on

What is on while you are there

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival lights up the river.

1–31 October

Halloween Festival

Ba Na Hills transforms into a pumpkin-filled wonderland each October, with over 40 tons of pumpkins creating whimsical landscapes like the Magic Village and…

25 October

Lantern Festival

On each full moon night, Hoi An's ancient streets close to traffic and glow under thousands of lanterns, their reflections shimmering across the Thu…

2–4 October

Son Tra Innovation Fest

Son Tra Innovation Fest brings major tech players like Google, Intel, Apple, Tesla, and Samsung to Da Nang's waterfront for three days of hands-on…

2 October

GBA Oktoberfest

For over three decades, GBA Oktoberfest has brought Bavarian traditions and German-Vietnamese friendship to Vietnam, making it the largest celebration of its kind in…

7 October

Miss Heritage Global: Grand Final

More than forty national representatives compete in this heritage-themed pageant, now arriving in Asia for the first time after launching in South Africa in…

4 Jul – 27 Dec

R&B & Hip-Hop

A laid-back Saturday night awaits at The Craftsman Danang, where the resident DJ spins wavy hip-hop and R&B to set a mellow, feel-good mood.…

17 Jul – 26 Dec

Hat Jazz Band

Friday nights bring live jazz to The Craftsman, where the Hat Jazz Band fills the space with romantic melodies. Settle in with friends or…

19 Jul – 27 Dec

Sunday Jam

The Sunday Jam at LOCO Jungle is a weekly live music gathering held every Sunday at 6:00 p.m. in LOCO Jungle, located in Da…

All events in Da Nang

Hostels

Where to stay in Da Nang

The top-rated places to stay in Da Nang right now, live from Hostelworld.

9.2 182

When to go

February to August. September to December is the rainy season.

25°

Jan

Cool

26°

Feb

Tet

28°

Mar

Dry

30°

Apr

Excellent

33°

May

Hot

34°

Jun

Hot

34°

Jul

Hot

34°

Aug

Hot

32°

Sep

Rains begin

29°

Oct

Floods

27°

Nov

Floods

24°

Dec

Rainy

Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets: quiet busy peak

Average highs.

What your trip will cost

Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.

Prices are in dong locally; these are euro equivalents.

Nights 3

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Beds—
Food and drink—
Getting around—
Doing things—

Da Nang travel questions

The ones we get asked most.

When does the Dragon Bridge breathe fire?

On Saturday and Sunday evenings at 9pm, for a few minutes of fire and then water. Arrive early for a riverside spot.

Is Ba Na Hills worth it?

For the Golden Bridge and the views, many people think so, but it is expensive and very crowded. Go when it opens.

Should I stay in Da Nang or Hoi An?

Da Nang for beach, a city and nightlife; Hoi An for atmosphere. They are 30 to 45 minutes apart, so it is easy to do both.

How far is the airport?

About ten minutes from the centre by Grab.

How many days do you need?

Two or three: one for the beach and Son Tra, one for the Marble Mountains, and one for Ba Na Hills.

When is the best time to visit?

February to August, when the sea is calm. Autumn brings rain and typhoon risk.

What should I eat?

Mi Quang, banh xeo and fresh seafood.

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