Let me start off by saying Da Nang aka central Vietnam feels a bit overrated. I recently stayed for 4 days here and don't get me wrong there are nice places but 2,5 days would have been enough too.
Here is my itinerary:
Downside to it is that you won't be able to argue about the prices the are dynamic & set through the apps algorithm but for me it's worth it based on the safety aspect.
Now, hopefully this doesn't apply to you but I fell and ended up going to the Vinmec International Hospital in Da Nang to get my foot checked out. If you're wondering where to get help as a foreigner, you're at the right address there. I got checked on quickly and the are used to English speaking visors. The consultation and X-rays were 78€ and luckily my foot was just swollen, not broken. But having said that a few upcoming activities were a bit more challenging.
If you want to a quicker and easier way, please know there are several good tours offered via GetYourGuide but as I knew I would be slower due to my angle, I opted to go on my own account. From Da Nang city center to the Ba Na Hills it was about 20km for which I used a Grab taxi (cost: 12€).
Here is my itinerary:
Days 1: Arrival
When you get here by plane do yourself a favour and just order a taxi through Grab (the Asian cousin to the western Uber). The ride to Da Nang costs around 2-2,50€. Just be aware of scams - I purely booked over the app for my own safety since I read a lot of bad stories prior to my trip.Downside to it is that you won't be able to argue about the prices the are dynamic & set through the apps algorithm but for me it's worth it based on the safety aspect.
Now, hopefully this doesn't apply to you but I fell and ended up going to the Vinmec International Hospital in Da Nang to get my foot checked out. If you're wondering where to get help as a foreigner, you're at the right address there. I got checked on quickly and the are used to English speaking visors. The consultation and X-rays were 78€ and luckily my foot was just swollen, not broken. But having said that a few upcoming activities were a bit more challenging.
Day 2: Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge & Lady Buddha statue
If you do the same you basically get dropped off by the arrival area, buy your ticket there (it's 950,000 VDN = 31€) and then hop onto the free shuttle bus which takes you to the main cable car area. If you already booked a ticket, you can also process directly to the cable car drop-off area if you like or use the shuttle service. It takes about 5min to get there from the counter to the cable car station.
If you take a tour bus, I have seen people being dropped off at either but most likely you will start at the closest stop.Once you get to the cable car you have 4 choices:
If you take a tour bus, I have seen people being dropped off at either but most likely you will start at the closest stop.Once you get to the cable car you have 4 choices:
- Go directly to the Golden Bridge and back down
- Go directly to the Golden Bridge, then head to the other platform with food and other attractions (if you book lunch this is where you will go) and back down
- Start off first with the other platform and head to the Golden Bridge after and back down
- Start off with the other platform, go to the Golden Bridge, head back to the other platform and then back down
As it was still foggy, I opted for option #3 which also meant avoiding the main line. The ride itself was about 20min one-way and from there you can walk around and either look at the other attractions or grab a bite to eat. Whenever you're ready, head to the second cable car taking you up to the Golden Bridge (this ride will be less than 5 minutes).
Bare in mind that this attraction is HEAVILY frequented by bus groups and there are lots of people there. If you want to have the view with less tourists, get there when they open (8am at the moment) but bare in mind that it might be foggier than later during the day.
I got there around 9.30am and patiently waited for both the first groups & the fog to pass. It didn't clear entirely but good enough to see both hands (for a split second) and one of the hands well. It was sunny in Da Nang itself but since you are up so much higher, chances are the weather might be slidely different.
Due to my injury, it took longer than usual but you can expect to spend several hours if not even a full there if you want to see everything.
The entry fee might be pricy for Vietnam but it's definitely worth a visit.
After coming back down to the exit gates, I took a taxi back (price-wise the same as when I got there) into the city to grab some food & rest a little and then ordered another Grab taxi to the Lady Buddha statue (Tuong Quan The Am Bo Tát).
Bare in mind that this attraction is HEAVILY frequented by bus groups and there are lots of people there. If you want to have the view with less tourists, get there when they open (8am at the moment) but bare in mind that it might be foggier than later during the day.
I got there around 9.30am and patiently waited for both the first groups & the fog to pass. It didn't clear entirely but good enough to see both hands (for a split second) and one of the hands well. It was sunny in Da Nang itself but since you are up so much higher, chances are the weather might be slidely different.
Due to my injury, it took longer than usual but you can expect to spend several hours if not even a full there if you want to see everything.
The entry fee might be pricy for Vietnam but it's definitely worth a visit.
After coming back down to the exit gates, I took a taxi back (price-wise the same as when I got there) into the city to grab some food & rest a little and then ordered another Grab taxi to the Lady Buddha statue (Tuong Quan The Am Bo Tát).
It took about 15 minutes but since the distance was a little it was about 8€ of a taxi ride. You don't have to pay an entry fee there are a few more sight-seeings within walking distance in the same area: The buddist temple Toung Phat Di Lac, another called Chúa Linh Úng and an art museum (Dong Dinh Museum). There are several monkey in the area but as always be careful with your belongs as they might take your bag, drink food or phone.
In my opinion the best part of it was the view to Da Nang during sunset but once it gets dark the stray dogs and bats around there take over and I felt uncomfortably.
To be honest, it is a sightseeing and people gush about it but I don't see the appeal and if you don't have the time on hand to visit, feel free to skip it.#
In my opinion the best part of it was the view to Da Nang during sunset but once it gets dark the stray dogs and bats around there take over and I felt uncomfortably.
To be honest, it is a sightseeing and people gush about it but I don't see the appeal and if you don't have the time on hand to visit, feel free to skip it.#
Day 3: Marble Mountains & Hoi An & Dragon Bridge
Another day, another Grab taxi! I first went to the Marble Mountains which is about 20 minutes away frorm Da Nang (price: around 8€). Now there are 2 different attractions next to each other:- The Am Phu Cave
- The Marble Mountains
If you're in perfect health & fit, the area does have a few things to offer including the most famous cave: the Hoa Nghiem Cave. There are lots of hidden paths and people go to pray and offer items to the gods.
After this, another Grab taxi took us to Hoi An. It was another 20 minutes and about 10€ to get there.
Hoi An is a city with an ancient town center (Old Town) and recognized as UNESCO world heritage site. A few weeks ago (October 2025) Hoi An experienced one of the worst floods in their history and while tourists don't see any sight of this anymore, the people living there are still dealing with this in their home (imagine your apartment or house had water going up +1 meter and your couch or fridge has to be replaced).
When you arrive there, you have to buy an entrance ticket (140,000 VDN = €) which helps the town to maintain its charm. It also allows you entrance to 5 sights of your choice (out of 25) including the famous bridge most of us will know. Ticket offices are on most entrances (streets & bridges alike) but you can also ask where the next one is when you get to the individual sites. The tickets will be checked at each site based on their QR code but you have to keep track on how many you have seen.
Below is a map showing all the different places they deemed as interesting. if you are interested to see more, you can buy an extension to your ticket. On the day I went ticket controls were made until shortly after 5pm. After this, some of the places closed their doors but a few temples remained open and you could see them for free - this included the bridge too.
Hoi An has tons of small shops next to one another - be prepared to go on a shopping spree! It also got pretty famous for their small tailor shops recently. If you're looking for a tailor-made suit/ dress/ jacket etc. this place (and generally Vietnam to be honest), is a good address.
Now I have to say while I liked Hoi An, it felt suuuuuuper touristic and overcrowded. The Old Town has a party vibe character and tons of hostels. If you're looking for peace and quietness you won't be too happy but if you like a busy environment, you'll be fine. I was happy that I decided not to stay there just because of the amounts of people but to be fair it feels like you can do more in Hoi An than in Da Nang itself.
Once it gets darker the city turns into a beautiful sea of lanterns. Honestly Vietnam is prettiest once it gets dark and I never felt scared or followed as you usually do as woman once the sun goes down… I read that every month around the 14th is a light festival there (cross-check this info for when you go though!) and the internet was right about it so I spent a bit of time watching the boats go by and people lighting up candles. If you have the chance, I can only recommend doing the same!
After that I ordered the last taxi of the day going back to Da Nang. The trip took about 40 minutes and while a local said it shouldn't be more than 250,000 VDN, I ended up spending 38,000 VDN which was still fine for me.
Back in Da Nang, the last stop of the day was the Dragon Bridge. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9pm there is a fire show aka the dragon spitting fire for about 5 minutes and then a water show (careful - if you're on the wrong side of the street which of course I was you will get WET! It was raining anyways and I was wearing my rain poncho but if you're to the left of the dragons head just know that a rain coat is not enough). After that it was time to head back to the accommodation.
Day 4: Breakfast, Da Nang beach and off to the airport
If you're in Da Nang during the rain season you'll quickly find out there is not much to see in this city apart from a few museums I truly wasn't interested in.However as the rain didn't stop, I opted for having a late breakfast across the river and walking down the beach. Now during sunny and warm days this is perfect for relaxing but when it rains it's just a normal beach sidewalk and I ended up sitting in a cafe, watching the fishermen taking out their net (10 people working on it - it was quite interesting to see) and others simply fishing right by the beach. After that it was time to walk back to the hotel and head to the airport.
Short facts
Itinerary:
Short facts
Itinerary:Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge & Lady Buddha statue (in and around Da Nang)
Day 3: Marble Mountains & Hoi An & Dragon Bridge
Day 4: Breakfast, Da Nang beach and off to the airport
Day 2: Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge & Lady Buddha statue (in and around Da Nang)
Day 3: Marble Mountains & Hoi An & Dragon Bridge
Day 4: Breakfast, Da Nang beach and off to the airport
Where I stayed:
Happy Days Hotel (The location was good but the manager was the only knowledgeable person and they didn't have a restaurant and lots of amenities were missing = wouldn't recommend it to be honest). We booked over Booking.com but it's common in Asia that they "want to make you a better price" when you get to the hotels. Be careful as this also means that your reservation is no longer protected.
Happy Days Hotel (The location was good but the manager was the only knowledgeable person and they didn't have a restaurant and lots of amenities were missing = wouldn't recommend it to be honest). We booked over Booking.com but it's common in Asia that they "want to make you a better price" when you get to the hotels. Be careful as this also means that your reservation is no longer protected.
Best places to eat:
Da Nang is (unfortunately) one the areas Westerners are most prone to get food poisoning... Every place you review you get one or 2 people saying they go it from that place. It took a lot of research and since my days also started off early to head to the attractions, eating was mostly on the go. That being said, those are the places I recommend.
Da Nang is (unfortunately) one the areas Westerners are most prone to get food poisoning... Every place you review you get one or 2 people saying they go it from that place. It took a lot of research and since my days also started off early to head to the attractions, eating was mostly on the go. That being said, those are the places I recommend.
> Breakfast:
- Danasol - Eatery & Cafe & Workspace - this was probably my favorite breakfast place during the whole trip! Good portions, affordable prices, quick service. I will definitely go there again if I'm in the area!
- Bikini Bottom Express Pink Church - Cute menu with lots of choices & I can defi recommend the smoothies!
> Lunch/ Dinner:
- Limoncello (Da Nang) - It's an italian restaurant (the owner is Italian too) which has a good selection of pizzas, pastas & other italian dishes. Compared to the average this restaurant is definitely more expensive but well worth it!
- Gordon's New York Pizza - The servers were the most adorable!! If you're looking for American food, I would recommend it
Best way to get around:
- Grab taxi
- Walking
My learnings:
- Credit cards can be used almost everywhere in Central Vietnam
- It's best to either have a general base or just stay in one place a day to experience the environment
- Traffic is crazy and you have to be brave to cross the streets. Watch and learn from the locals - it gets easy pretty quickly!
- Food poison is a thing here!! As a vegetarian I already avoid most of it (especially undercooked or mishandled meat) but know that you should always look for places with sinks... It's very common that all dishes & glasses are being watched in a bucket THE WHOLE DAY. Imagine the plate you eat from was washed with the same water a chicken was washed with previously (before cooking).
- Only drink bottled water & be cautious with ice cubes in drinks - if they are made from tap water, chances are they will upset your stomach
- Using toilet paper is not as common in Asian countries - don't expect to have it in all bathrooms & for the ones which do, the toilet paper has to be thrown in the bin (not flushed!) as the pipes are not meant them. I can recommend to always have a pack of tissues with you or alternatively get/ make yourself a Kula Cloth
Budget breakdown:
This
breakdown is based on an 8 day trip and as we were two people, the
prices for the activities & accommodation are per person - the
flight cost is based on flights from Bangkok to HCMC & Da Nang
(including a penalty fee as the last flight had to be changed due to
weather conditions).
Bare in mind that I didn't go to food stalls (only restaurants) otherwise food expenses would be way cheaper.
Hopefully
your trip won't end up the emergency room (though while I was there
most others were there due to food poisoning) - that's the main portion
of "Other" cost in Da Nang.
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