I’ve been to Vietnam once, and that was before the pandemic. I only went to Hanoi so I missed out on a lot of things. There’s so much more to explore in the country. Last year one of my friends based himself for a couple of months in Da Nang— a place I’ve never heard of before, and he absolutely loved it. I did some research. It’s a major city, though not as populated as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh so it’s not as chaotic as those two cities. Also, it’s right by the beach. It seemed like a place I’d like, so I thought of checking it out.
The airport is only about 2-3 miles from the city center, so the most convenient option is to book a ride using Grab (Southeast Asia’s version of Uber). It only costs about VND 60,000 – 80,000 (just USD 2-3!). If you’re on a really really really really tight budget, you can take a public bus for only VND 8,000 (about 30 US cents). The public bus doesn’t stop directly at the airport, you need to walk to Nguyen Van Linh Street for about 10 minutes. Wait for either bus number 6 (which runs from 5:45 AM – 6:00 PM daily) or bus number 12 (which runs from 5:30 AM- 7:00 PM daily). These buses take you to Pham Hung Bus Station. Make sure you have small bills, buses usually don’t have change for big bills. This can be a problem if you’re flying from another country—- ATMs at the airport don’t dispense small bills, you need to exchange money at those currency exchange kiosks at the airport. Also, take note of the bus route. From the bus stop, you may need to transfer to another bus or book a Grab Car to reach your hotel or hostel. Depending on the location of your accommodation, it might be cheaper to just book a Grab Car from the airport. Also, if you’re arriving after 7 PM these buses would not be running anyway.
My advice? It costs less than 3 bucks on the average to get downtown. Even if you’re on a really tight budget, surely you can spare 3 bucks. Just book a Grab. This way, you also don’t have to worry about getting cash because you can pay with your credit card.
If you need cash, as I’ve mentioned above there are ATMs and currency exchange kiosks at the airport. Since the currency exchange counters do not offer the best rates, and since the ATMs at the airport charge fees, I’d suggest exchanging/ withdrawing only a small amount. Once you’re downtown, look for a VP Bank ATM. These do not charge fees (though your bank still might). To exchange money, look for gold and jewelry shops. These usually offer the best exchange rates.
Vietnam is still as cheap as I remember. From food, to accommodations, to transportation— everything is real cheap. You could get a room in a 4 star hotel for 40 bucks a night. As for food? Look for places where the locals eat, you can get a meal for about a dollar. A bowl of pho only costs VND 30,000 where locals eat. If you don’t want to risk it, head to a fancy or touristy restaurant, a bowl of pho costs about VND 90,000— that’s still cheap. That’s only about $3.50!
Da Nang may not be as huge as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, but it still has a number of notable attractions. First up is the Marble Mountains, known locally as Ngũ Hành Sơn. These are five mountains named after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thủy (water), Mộc (wood), Hỏa (fire) and Thổ (earth). Thủy is the only mountain that’s accessible to tourists. It contains a number of caves as well as many Buddhist grottoes and shrines. It’s open from 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM daily. To head up, first you must pay VND 40,000 (about USD 1.50). If you wish to take the elevator instead of climbing up the stairs, that’s an additional VND 15,000 each way (about 50 US cents). Keep in mind that this does not take you all the way up— it only reaches maybe a third of the way. you still have to climb a lot of stairs, many without railings. I saw a number of old people struggling. You’d still see some beautiful shrines near the elevator, but you may miss out on a lot if you have mobility issues. Among the caves, Huyen Khong is the most impressive. There are clear signs on the pathways so it’s difficulty to get lost.
If you want to visit Am Phu Cave, tickets are sold separately for VND 20,000 (about 75 US cents). The entrance is at ground level, so you don’t have to climb up— you climb down instead. Inside is a recreation of Buddhist hell, so climbing down is fitting. The stairs also have no railings and some areas are slippery, so people who have mobility problems may find this difficult.
The next notable attraction is the Linh Ung Pagoda in the Son Tra Peninsula. That giant Lady Buddha statue can be seen from Da Nang Beach, you can’t miss it. Actually it’s not really a buddha, so it’s weird how many people call it that… even Google Maps and Grab call it “Lady Buddha“. 😆 It’s actually Quan Am, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. She was built to watch over the city and fishermen pray to her for safe voyage. There’s no direct public transport to this place, but a Grab car only costs around VND 150,000 (about USD 6). I’d say it’s worth visiting, especially since it’s free to enter. heh.
The Dragon Bridge is worth checking out on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. At exactly 9 PM on those nights, you’ll see a little spectacle. The dragon breathes fire for about 2 minutes, then it’s gonna spray some water. IMO the best view isn’t on the bridge, it’s down below. Though yeah, some people get a kick out of feeling the warmth of the flames up close, then getting wet right after. A few steps away is the Son Tra Night Market. I’d suggest heading here before or after the show for lots of cheap eats. There’s lots of cheap clothes and souvenirs too if you wanna go shopping.
Sun World Ba Na Hills is another popular attraction. This where you’ll see that bridge being held by two gigantic hands that’s all over social media. I skipped this one though. Why? Because this is a theme park, and I’m not into theme parks. It’s a theme park that’s made to look like an old town in Europe— heck if I want to see an old town in Europe, I’d head to Europe and not Vietnam. I understand the appeal if you’re a local… but if you’re a tourist? And that bridge? It’s not some historic monument, it’s a theme park attraction that was only built in 2018. It also costs a whopping VND 1,000,000 to enter (about USD 40), which includes the round trip cable car ride. Okay, sure that’s not much for a theme park entrance ticket, but I’d rather spend that money on something else. If you really want to take a picture of that bridge, head there early because it gets really, really crowded. Practically everyone heading there wants a picture of that 8 year old bridge. There’s no public transport to Ba Na Hills. If you’re gonna book a Grab it’s gonna cost about VND 400,000 each way (about USD 15). A cheaper option is to book a shuttle from Da Nang. It’s just about USD 4.50 each way on Klook. You can also buy entrance tickets on Klook for convenience.
I’ve already mentioned the Son Tra Night Market. If you’re planning to buy cheap food, clothes, and souvenirs, other popular markets are the Han Market and the Con Market. Unlike the Son Tra Night Market, these ones are open during the day time (until 7PM). Con Market is where locals buy their daily necessities so you’d get a more authentic local experience. If you’re looking for readily packed souvenirs to bring home, Han Market is the better option. At the Han Market, you could also have tailor made clothes made on the second floor. My friend had a suit made there and he swears by its quality. Keep in mind that there are lots of counterfeit branded items at these markets, so stick to local items when you shop at these places unless you’re specifically looking for counterfeit ones heh. If you wanna buy legit branded imported items, there are several shopping malls in the city. Vincom Plaza is the largest one, though it’s still relatively small. Keep in mind that selections are quite limited. See, Da Nang isn’t a huge city so there’s not much demand from locals. If you plan to go shopping in Vietnam, you should head to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. There’s a WinMart grocery store inside Vincom Plaza, which is also a good place to buy food and souvenirs if the local markets aren’t your thing. The crowd in these local markets can indeed get overwhelming.
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is only about 12.5 miles south of Da Nang. Since it’s real close (40-60 minutes on Grab), many tourists in Da Nang head there for a day trip. Hoi An used to be a trading port, and here you’ll see lots of Japanese and Chinese architecture, as well as French colonial ones. The cheapest way to get there is via public bus. Just head to the central bus station (Bến Xe Trung Tâm) and look for buses heading to Hoi An. A single journey ticket only costs around VND 30,000 (a little more than a Dollar). There are several bus stops along the way, but a lot of travelers find it difficult to find them. Some even say the bus didn’t stop at these bus stops… i dunno maybe they change routes depending on how bad the traffic is. So the easiest way to find this bus is to head to where it starts— at the central bus station. Keep it mind that public buses aren’t allowed inside the Old Town in Hoi An, so you still have to walk about a mile. To head back to Da Nang, wait for the same bus in front of Almanity Hoi An Resort and Spa— this will be on the opposite side of where you got off. Take note that the last bus leaves at 6 PM. This won’t be an option during a day trip if you want to see or join the lantern boat rides— this activity starts at around 6 PM. If you want to participate in this activity and you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to spend a night in Hoi An and just head back to Da Nang the following day.
If you’re not on a really tight budget, taking a Grab isn’t too expensive especially if you can split the cost with 3 other people. A one way journey only costs around VND 300,000 (about USD 11). If you’re taking a Grab, you could head to the Coconut Village first and ride one of those coconut boats. It’s a fun activity that you can do. Although it’s very touristy, it offers a glimpse of local culture. You have to pay VND 30,000 (just a buck) to enter the village, and then VND 150,000 per boat (less than USD 6) which can accommodate 2 passengers. If you want to experience spinning the boat, that’s an additional VND 100,000 (about USD 4). I skipped that one. I didn’t want to get dizzy heh.
Hoi An is incredibly crowded and touristy, especially during the day time. The architecture is amazing, it’s definitely not overrated. I’d definitely recommend doing a day trip, but I wouldn’t spend a night here… we all have our preferences. I love history, but I’m not fond of incredibly crowded places. That’s the dealbreaker for me.
As I’ve mentioned above, once the sun has set, a very popular activity is to ride a boat and release a lantern in the river. It is a symbolic ritual to honor ancestors, to release negative energy, and to wish for happiness, luck, and prosperity. It costs VND 180,000 per boat (about USD 7), and a lantern only costs VND 10,000 (about 40 US cents). Only buy tickets at the official ticket booths, you can easily spot these by the river because there would be long lines starting at around 5 PM. There’s a common scam wherein a local would approach you offering a private tour away from the crowds. They’ll take you away from the crowds alright, then they’re gonna scam you. These are usually motorboats, they’ll take you out for a quick photo, then bring you back immediately. You’d actually be lucky if they bring you back. Other tourists were just left at some random spot! If you really wanna do this activity, don’t mind the long lines and just stick to the legitimate ticket booths.
I’m not gonna lie, it’s chaotic. There’s just so many boats on the river. But Hoi an is really beautiful at night with all the colorful lights by the river lit up, reflecting on the water’s surface. All the lanterns floating in the river looked beautiful too, but then I started to wonder… who’s gonna clean all this up? I’ve been told they use biodegradable paper, bamboo frames, and beeswax— but these don’t disintegrate quickly, do they? Apparently there’s a river clean up activity every Saturday at 8 AM (anyone can volunteer!)… but they can’t really clean up all that waste, can they? If you care about the environment, I’d suggest just taking a boat ride and enjoy the scenery. If you’re a local or a Buddhist doing this as part of your traditions, fine. But as a tourist? I think it’s irresponsible partaking in an activity that definitely harms the environment.
There are lots of tours to Hoi An from Da Nang and these include all the activities I’ve mentioned including the coconut village. These also include dinner and cost around USD 35. Either ask your hotel to refer you to a local travel agency or book using international apps like GetYourGuide (which are usually more expensive). If you want to take it easy, these seem like a good deal for 35 bucks. And with a tour guide, not only will you learn more about the things you’re seeing, you’ll also be shielded from scammers. I mean let’s face it— it may not be as bad as northern African countries, but Vietnam does have a lot of scammers preying upon unsuspecting tourists.
Another popular destination for a day trip is Hue, the former imperial capital. It’s a must visit if you want to learn more about the country’s history. It’s much farther than Hoi An from Da Nang— about 2 hours away. You can take a public bus from the central bus station for VND 80,000 each way (about USD 3). You could also take the train. The trains pass through the scenic Hai Van Pass, so it’s a great way to travel to Hue. You can click on the link below for the train schedule and prices.
Some travelers rent motorbikes and head to Hue on their own through the Hai Van Pass. Only opt for this option if you’re used to riding a motorcycle along mountain roads. There are sharp turns and blind switchbacks so it could get dangerous. As always, there are tours from Da Nang for convenience. Check the inclusions. Tours to Hue with all entrance fees included go for about USD 50. The cheaper ones that go for around 30 bucks don’t include the entrance tickets. You could choose these options if you’re not interested in going inside all of the stops and just pay for the ones you’re interested in.
Once you’ve seen all these attractions, what’s left for you to do in Da Nang? Chill on the beach of course! Da Nang‘s coastline is about 18 miles long, so you can easily find a spot somewhere to chill. My Khe Beach is where most of the action is. There are lots of cafes, restaurants, and bars by the beach. There a lots of spas too if you want a massage while relaxing. If you want to learn to surf, there are surfboards for rent and some parts are ideal for beginners. If you need to workout, there are workout stations by the beach. If you wanna avoid the crowds, avoid the beach early in the morning and late in the afternoon. It’s funny how the beach is really crowded at 5 AM and it’s mostly locals and other Asians. Apparently most Asians do not want to get tanned so they avoid the sun. Head to the beach at around 9AM and the huge crowd will be gone and you’ll mostly see westerners. 😆
There’s a growing number of expats and digital nomads, so lots of establishments are sprouting up that cater to this foreign community. There are lots of international restaurants. Fancy gyms are sprouting up for the wellness crowd. There are lots of bars and some clubs if you’re looking for nightlife. One drawback of an expanding expat community is the inevitable increase in the cost of living for everyone. Thankfully this has not really happened yet in Da Nang, even in the touristy areas.
I really liked Da Nang. It’s an inexpensive destination right by the beach, so what’s not to like? If you’re a digital nomad, it’s an ideal place to base yourself especially if you’re a beach person. It’s not chaotic, it’s beautiful, and it’s inexpensive. It’s a modern city with pretty much everything you’d need. With its right balance of urban living and natural beauty, I can say that Da Nang is one of those places that I could easily see myself living in.
no roads to follow 