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Da Nang (Đà Nẵng) is Vietnam's fifth largest city. It's in Central Vietnam on the South China Sea coast, midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
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Bà Nà
Ba Na is 1,487 m above sea level in the Truong Son Mountains. In the 1920s, it was a French resort that boasted 200 villas, restaurants, and clubs. It is known as the second Dalat or Sa Pa in central Vietnam. Its temperate climate, unspoiled forest, and spectacular views over the South China Sea and the Lao mountains made Ba Na a popular retreat for both the French and the wealthy Vietnamese. Today the area still attracts locals and tourists alike thanks to a cable car system that was opened in 2009 and set two Guinness World Records for its height and length. Great view from the top but it's really useless to stay overnight since the accommodation options are shabby and overpriced (US$80-150 per night).
A 150m long pedestrian bridge, used as viewpoint. A notable feature is the hands sculpture that support the bridge.
Cầu Rồng
A 2013 bridge built in the shape of a dragon, breathing fire and water each Saturday and Sunday night at 21:00.
The beauty of the Han River has inspired poets and composers throughout Da Nang's history, and any local will probably be able to sing you a few lines of Sông Hàn Tình Yêu Của Tôi (Han River, My Love) as they stroll the edge of the water. The promenade on the western bank of the river is well built up, stretching from the Dragon Bridge in the south to the city port in the north. The promenade passes underneath the famous Han River Bridge, a swing bridge built in the late-1990s, one of four bridges across the Han you can glimpse from here (the others are the Thuan Phuoc, Dragon, and Tran Thi Ly bridges). All of the bridges light up with colorful patterns at night, making a walk by the river a delightful (and certainly romantic) escapade. Locals often gather here in the evenings to watch the water, play hacky-sack, or bring their children for a run. During the Tet season, the promenade is festooned with sculptures and art. The annual Fireworks Festival is also based here, but you're better off seeing the show from afar, as it tends to get quite crowded.
Chùa Linh Ứng
Located on Son Tra Mountain and clearly visible from My Khe Beach, this temple has stunning views of the sea, the sky, and a 67-m tall statue of "Quan The Am" (Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy) facing the ocean. The pagoda was built in 2010.
Ngu Hanh Son
The group includes Kim Son (Mountain of Metal), Moc Son (Mountain of Wood), Thuy Son (Mountain of Water), Hoa Son (Mountain of Fire), and Tho Son (Mountain of Earth). Several Buddhist temples have been built into the caves and grottoes, and it's a popular pilgrimage site. The real fun, though, is at the Am Phu cave, where you can make the steep climb up toward the light and a view from the top of the mountain, surrounded by approving sacred images; or head in the opposite direction, physically and spiritually, down to the crude Hieronymous Bosch-esque statues of sinners getting their due in the caverns below, with appropriately eerie lighting. Either way, wear walking or climbing shoes. Open-tour buses will stop here, but you'll be rushed along; any motorbike taxi in Da Nang or Hoi An will be happy to take you and let you set the schedule. Guides are available. Watch out for the rapacious statue-sellers outside.
Bảo Tàng Chăm
Founded in 1915 by the École Française d'Extrême Orient, it houses a collection of stone sculptures from the Hindu-practicing Cham civilization, which occupied much of central Vietnam in the first millennium CE to about the 14th century. The museum can be toured in about an hour. The sculptures are nearly all made of sandstone, and some have weathered badly over the centuries, but you can still appreciate the delightful artistic quality of the figures, which include shiva, garudas, nagas, lions, monkeys, and elephants. The collection also includes striking examples of the ancient Hindu icons of fertility: lingam altars decorated around the sides with rows of breasts. The sculptures were mostly removed from the facades or interiors of Cham ruins (which would have been looted otherwise.) The ruins themselves, such as nearby My Son, now tend to be crumbling piles of bricks and somewhat disappointing, giving little sense of the spectacular artwork produced by the Cham civilization. Any visit to My Son should be paired with a visit to the Cham Museum. The collection is also interesting to compare with Balinese sculpture and the early, Hindu phase of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The museum was given a makeover in 2019, but post-COVID the souvenir shop, cafe, interactive displays, and even the air-con has been switched off. Arrive early to beat the heat, and beware of the awkward 2.5-hour siesta during the middle of the day.
Bãi biển Mỹ Khê
Across the Han River from the city centre, My Khe Beach is a wide, sandy beach long known for its beauty. Locals will often gather here as early in the morning as 05:00 to enjoy the surf while the sun rises over the ocean. Tourists often arrive later on, when the locals have already started their day; you'll probably find that by 09:00 or 10:00 the beach is mostly deserted. An even larger local crowd gathers in the late afternoon, with folks wading, picnicking and strolling along the beach well into the night. The beach isn't steep, meaning that you can swim far out and still feel your feet touch the bottom. During busy times, lifeguards float around in coracle boats, whistling at those who venture too far out. While access to the beach itself is free, the public showers charge a token 2000 dong/person for entry (motorbike parking extra) and the beachfront cafes rent out beach chairs with a shade for around 40,000 dong.
Son Tra Mountain
If you feel like a ride with an amazing view, rent a motorbike and make your way up the side of Monkey Mountain (aka Son Tra Mountain), where an American army base used to be. Although access to the base is closed off, you can still follow Hoang Sa Rd. for a good distance and enjoy getting lost in the beautiful scenery on this road that hugs the mountainside while offering an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean. You can also stop off at Linh Ung Temple along the way, both to pay your respects to Quan The Am and to enjoy the wonderful view.
Hai Van Pass
The Hai Van Pass is a great day trip from Da Nang (or Hoi An). The road was called "a deserted ribbon of perfection—one of the best coast roads in the world" in the BBC show Top Gear. Since the tunnel opened, most heavy traffic has diverted from the pass, making the ride much safer, and you'll only meet a few trucks ferrying live animals or dangerous goods, plus quite a few motorbikers coming to enjoy the views. Make sure you ride down the north side of the pass all the way to Lang Co and enjoy the view of the lagoon set against a background of mountains. Make sure you fill up your tank before hitting the pass (there's a petrol station a few kilometres before the road starts climbing) as you won't find petrol there.
Bun cha, banh xeo and the fried rice are nice. Huge portions and good staff with customer service. Nice ambient sidestreet seating and many drink choices.
Budget Japanese restaurant. The dishes are diverse. Most of the staff are students.
Typical basic Vietnamese restaurant. The chicken rice that the locals also enjoy is nice. Both the roast chicken and thinly steamed chicken rice are tasty. The chicken soup served first is also tasty.
One of the most famous sandwich carts in the city. Try their bánh mì que which is a string baguette filled with a pork pâté.
Mi Quang 1A is one of the best known mì quảng restaurants in the area. While still good it has lost a bit of its luster over the years. Prices are higher than most places at 30,000 to 45,000 dong (Jan 2018). Make sure you are in Mi Quang 1A as there is a "copycat" place next door. Before going in grab a fresh sugarcane juice from the cart in the front.
Bún mắm is an extremely pungent noodle dish made with a fermented fish sauce called mắm nêm. Mắm nêm can best be described as "smells like hell, tastes like heaven." Bún Mắm Vân is in what is called "Bún Mắm Alley" where a few bún mắm shops have congregated. You can smell this alley from a block away. Try the bún mắm thịt quay or bún mắm with roasted pork. If you are put off by the smell of strong fish sauce this is not the place for you. If you like bún mắm this place is heaven.
Hot pho. Very good food. They offer a vegetarian version of bun (cold vermicelli noodles) on request. The lemongrass and chilli tofu is nice. Amazingly friendly service. Warm people. Nice cozy environment.
Recommended is the Bo ne Viet Nam steak. Bahn mi is good. The setting is quite tranquil with open spaces in a natural setting away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The staff are nice people.
Small taco restaurant. The tacos are nice (recommended is the BBQ pork), as are the fresh fries and the tortilla chips. If you're expecting them to open a pack of Doritos and put it on the plate, you're wrong. They fry the tortilla chips to order so they come warm and full of flavour. The owner is enthusiastic and always smiling. It's no stress and has a curbside street food vibe.
Local restaurant. Nice Pho. Still there's rice, so if you don't like pho, you can enjoy it. The menu is diverse. The owners are friendly.
Delicious food, true to the homemade style, suitable for the North. The set menu is full of meat, fish, soup, vegetables, peanuts and eggs. If you are craving something local, they don't disappoint. Great experience to grill your own meat at the table. The service might be a bit slow though.
Real Vietnamese cuisine. Good food. Nice pho. Many traditional Vietnamese street food dishes done in a more comfortable setting. The location is little bit hidden. Very friendly staff.
Hai Còi is a local restaurant. There are 3 locations with the same boss. Still, the original house seems to be the best one. The stir-fried noodles are good. The chicken wings are very good, seasoned and grilled over charcoal fire.
Good for brunch. The pancakes are delicious. And the yogurt and fruit menu is very good. A lot of Vietnamese people come here to eat. Excellent service, quality and kindness.
Great local place. Casual restaurant. The Bun Mam is good. The rice crackers are recommended. From afar, you can already smell the fish sauce. If you are a foreign tourist this is a good choice.
Traditional street food establishment frequented mostly by locals for breakfast, on a quiet side road. While Ms Thảo serves Mì Quảng or [Province of] Quảng style noodles, she's known for her bún bò or beef noodle soup. Some like to add a baguette for an additional 5,000 dong.
Well known for their mì quảng cá lóc, the best known noodle dish of Đà Nẵng, served with broad rice noodles, fresh greens, a broth seasoned with turmeric, shallots and garlic topped and with peanuts. It is served in a shallow and pungent pool of broth unlike its better known cousin phở, which is milder and fills the bowl. Cá lóc is snakehead fish; when prepared correctly, which this place is known for, has a mild flavour and very light texture. Take some of the fresh greens and stir them into the broth to give them a bit of warmth and flavour making this dish half salad and half soup. Menu with prices are on the wall. As the restaurant faces west, if you go around sunset, you'll have a pleasant view. Plenty of parking. The cleanliness of Quán Dung Mỳ Quảng is to Western restaurant standards.
An expat-run Western restaurant. The food is nice, always delicious with generous portions. The staff are good. Prices are above average by Vietnamese standards, but not too expensive for the quality of food and service received.
Seafood. Busy and crowded with locals.
Tasty food, friendly people.
Great Restaurant. Good location, superb service and very tasteful food.
Italian food. The pizza dough is excellent.
Cơm niêu is a type of rice that's baked in a clay pot and served with any number of sides — beef, chicken, fish, hot pot — but it's the way it's served that catches your attention. Waiters come out of the kitchen bearing hot clay pots straight out of the oven, pull out hammers, smash them at your table, and fling the crusty, baked rice inside back and forth across the room. Otherwise, the food is what you'd get at a normal restaurant, but it's fun to see the show. There are many of these restaurants on Nguyen Tri Phuong St, but this one is a favourite.
Quiet location, good food wine selection. Australian steak grilled to order. International, French and local foods, run by a French couple. A good place for a quiet meal with friends.
Great Italian food with homemade limoncello.
Quite possibly the most expensive place to go for coffee in Da Nang. The high-end Memory Lounge overlooks the river — in fact, it was built directly on top, jutting out onto the river and accessible from the promenade. Built by the wife of a former president of South Vietnam, it's quite a fancy affair — with foreign chefs blending Asian and European cuisines and using organic and sustainable ingredients to create an impressive menu.
A typical but tasty live seafood neon emporium, with the motto "there is no seafood that is not available", as a glance at the nightmare fuel giant isopod tank will confirm. Fear not, they also have everything else from shrimp to imported Alaskan king crab, plus a wide variety of local molluscs, hotpot, and more.
Da Nang Pineapple and Jasmine Tea
Whether you're a tea lover or just looking to try something new, Da Nang Pineapple and Jasmine Tea is a must-try beverage that will leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied. So, come to Da Nang and indulge in this delicious and unique tea experience.
Popular haunt for expats. Bamboo 2's owner speaks excellent English, there are always foreigners there.
The newest disco and the only one on the My Khe Beach side of the river. It's part of a complex with a restaurant and karaoke rooms. If you buy the staff a drink here (a normal thing to do in this kind of disco-night club) they can be very aggressive about drinking it fast and running up a big bill for you.
This is a popular bar opposite Memory Lounge on the river side. Open till 04:00 or last customer, they play music on request from customers. Lots of regulars here and a casual vibe.
One of relatively few bars open past the witching hour and most expats drop in there for either an early evening or late night drink. The view is excellent with an outdoor terrace and 2 big pool tables inside. The prices are very reasonable. Food is available until 22:00.
New Phuong Dong has a resident Ghanaian DJ and many visiting singers from Saigon and Hanoi.
A real late night place. ("Late night" is more flexible in Da Nang than in Hanoi. Most of the time discos and places like Red Hot, an approximations of a Thai girlie-bar, close at 01:00 or 01:30, but if the police decide to crack down, they may unexpectedly close at midnight or 00:30).
A inexpensive and comfortable little café.
Ca Fe 49 is a simple, family-run, outdoor cafe serving excellent coffee at a good price. Enjoy a "cà phê sữa đá Đà Nẵng" while enjoying a quiet view. The husband and wife owners are friendly. Recommend if you are out in Sơn Trà.
Crazy popular cà phê cóc-style coffee shop in Da Nang that serves and sells its own brand of coffee—not the best, according to some, but very popular with locals. It's always busy, noisy and smoky, but that's part of the atmosphere. Go there with a local friend to shoot the breeze and enjoy a quintessential Vietnamese experience.
Comfortable, typical coffee shop that plays soft music and plays HBO movies on mute. Upper floor is air-conditioned.
Known as the "Rock Coffee Shop", where you can enjoy coffee and listen to rock music at the same time. You can request songs. Usually, they play ballads and soft rock in the daytime and hard rock and metal in the evening (very loudly).
Hangout for coffee-drinking Chinese chess enthusiasts.
Pleasant garden-style café. Food is a little expensive; worth it mainly for the décor. Tends to be busy.
Cheap, clean and spacious hostel. Breakfast included, free playing billiards, free beer every night, fast Wi-Fi. Comfy beds, A/C, hot shower. English speaking staff 24/7.
Air-con, comfortable beds, fast Wi-Fi, hot showers, refrigerator and international cable TV. Staff speak English.
Modern hostel with comfy beds, big lockers, good Wi-Fi and friendly English speaking staff. Breakfast on the rooftop, with some nice views, is included and the hostel offers a free daily shuttle to Hoi An and airport dropoff.
Sister hostel to the Funtastic [City] Hostel on Hai Phong and very similar except it's a three minute walk to the beach. Excellent staff most of which speak English. Ask them about their local restaurant suggestions and their food tour.
Nha Nghi 278
Cheap, but nice guesthouse with Wi-Fi, hot water, air-con. Possibly closed. Call first.
An OK option, although services are far from superior.
Complimentary breakfast consisting of specialities, sausage, bacon, ham, fresh fruits, eggs any style, bread and homemade jam every morning. High security standard of key card access, free wifi in all area, big lockers, free luggage storage on check out day and quick laundry service.Front desk is always available,
The Sea Wonder is similar to other basic hotels in the area. The great advantage is that it's on a beautiful and quiet street very near the beach, cafes, taxis and street food. The rooms are clean and the staff friendly. A taxi into the city can be found one street over and costs less than US$2.
Conical Hats Homestay is a family-run, budget, long-term homestay also available for weekly rentals. Located in a new building it's situated in a quiet neighborhood and only a five minute walk to the beach. While lacking some amenities it offers a pleasant change to staying in a hotel or hostel offering a kitchen on the first floor. Lots of great street food and coffee right out the door. The staff is helpful, friendly and speak some English. Email them for details.
Unique hostel offering private rooms and dorms in... shipping containers! Pool as well is made out of a container. Rooftop terrace. Common room with board games and table football. Library. Free WiFi accessible from the whole property. All rooms feature AC, lockers, reading lamps, power sockets. On site bar. Working space. Very clean, modern & eco-friendly hostel. Very friendly staff members who speak excellent English.
A friendly old hotel. The owner is involved with charity. You can visit "the Northwind Broom Workshop" and "Bo Mung Orphanage".
These old-school low-rise hotels, both under the same management, are comfortable and very reasonably priced especially given that they are just the other side of the beach road from My Khe Beach, but still only a five minute or less moto ride from downtown. My Khe 1 is older, has smaller rooms, but the electricity does not go off in the room when you leave; My Khe 2 has very large rooms, caters more to groups of Saigon tourists (My Khe gets lots of Vietnamese business and government travellers, plus some tourists and some Lao visitors, business or government). Staff at both places are friendly and pleasant, with adequate English. The only downside is no in-room Internet access.
Opened early 2015. Large Samsung TV with lots of good reception cable TV channels. Free breakfast included. Nice quiet location but a little out of town. Their free bicycles more than makes up for that.
All rooms are equipped with LCD TV with cable channels, balcony/lanai/terrace, Air conditioning, complimentary breakfast, private toilet, and bath. Restaurant, spa, swimming pool, Pearl Island tour and water sports facilities.
The Sanouva Danang Hotel is a city hotel at the center of Danang.
Spacious and cosy rooms, all equipped with air conditioning, TV with cable channels, and mini-bar. Facilities include business centre, restaurant, and bar.
One of the first five-star resorts built in Da Nang, and thus unusually spacious. 198 rooms and suites. The resort has its own dive centre, spa, and health centre. Club Tourane opens daily from 20:00-02:00 with a Filipino Band. Hai Van Lounge serves cocktails and light snacks. Many restaurants.
The hotel includes 189 rooms with 22 floors. It offers 2 conference rooms, restaurant with Asia and Western food. Its facilities include spa and swimming pool, tennis court, fitness room/gym, bar, and café.
200 comfortable rooms and 27 ocean-view villas.
This might be the finest hotel in the city. It's where US President Trump, Russian President Putin and other world officials stayed during the 2017 APEC conference. Located in a very secluded area and has a private beach.
formerly Lifestyle Resort
Opened 2022, this skinny high-rise across the road from the beach typifies the latest wave of hotels in Da Nang. The regular rooms are nothing special, but the spacious corner suites with wraparound balconies have amazing views across the bay and are available in both 2 and 4 person configurations. Solid breakfast buffet and more great views from the rooftop pool/bar on the 21st floor.
Resort with pool villas, offering complimentary wellness classes.
Chợ Đêm Sơn Trà
Riverside location near the Dragon Bridge, with about 150 stalls. Touristy but convenient.
Chợ đêm Helio
Located near the Danang Sports Hall, Helio is the largest and flashiest night market in town. Often has live music.
A typical Vietnamese market, with vendors selling everything from shoes to silk and souvenirs, candles to coffee, and candied plums. The upper part of the building is mainly dedicated to clothing, accessories and silk, while the lower part is mainly dedicated to foodstuffs. There's an extensive fruit and vegetable market on the side that's closest to the river, from which you can access the Han River promenade. Be prepared to haggle for prices, like at any neighbourhood market.
Large supermarket complex with a mall beneath it and food court above. There is also a CGV cinema on the top level. The Western-style supermarket is on the third floor. The parking entrance is on Ông Ích Khiêm.
Large shopping complex with a cinema on the top level.
Huge supermarket, formerly known as Metro, sells most of the things you'd expect to find in Western supermarkets: a variety of groceries (including fresh, fully refrigerated meat, if you're squeamish about buying meat at the open market), clothes, home and office supplies, electronics, and more. It's a little far from the city centre, but it's easily accessible by taxi, so you can stock up and carry all your bags home easily.
There are several outlets now with good value fixed prices. Sells a lot of health food items not often found in other markets such as Kefir and Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, blue cheese, sourdough bread, matcha power, blueberries, frozen berries, dates, various nuts, kombucha health drinks, quality dark chocolate. Daily specials for near sell by date items, and cheap 0.9L beer.
Blue Ocean [Market]
A small shop that specializes in Western goods, featuring things that are hard to find elsewhere, whether at Big C or Metro: spices, oatmeal, Nutella and baking supplies. If they don't have it, there's a good chance they can order it. Fixed (though expensive) prices for everything. Indispensable if you're spending any length of time in Da Nang.
Tiem Qua Cua Lan
The place for travelers to buy gifts in Da Nang City, Viet Nam. All gifts are special and reasonable price. Service for local customers also, not only for travelers.
By train
Many taxis are available outside of the station, but it's best to avoid the motorbike taxis as many times they are the same price or more than regular taxi.
By car
Da Nang is in the middle of the country, roughly speaking equidistant from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
By bus
For public buses to and from Hoi An see Hoi An#By bus.
By taxi
A Grab from and to Hoi An is about 300–400,000 dong (as of April 2024).
By taxi
Taxi rates are very reasonable in Da Nang, and scams are less common than in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, but you're better off going with a reputable company to avoid any hassle.
By bus
There are 19 local bus lines. Buses are new and all of them are air-conditioned. Ticket are usually a flat 8,000 VND inside city limits.
By motorbike
You can rent your own motorbike in many places, especially around the backpacker area (Tran Cao Van) in District Thanh Khe. 110,000 dong should get you a decent 100-110 cc bike.
By electric bicycle
Electric bicycles are now common in Da Nang and offer an excellent alternative to gasoline powered motorbikes.
By pedal bicycle
Not many places around to rent traditional bicycles unlike Hoi An but it's a still nice way to explore. City Hostel do rent bicycles from 30k dong per day.
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Da Nang · International · DAD
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