Fast changing and evolving Da Nang is never the first choice for first timers planning a trip to this gorgeous land to Vietnam. But we had a 4 day long weekend and we did not want to hit the hustle bustle of Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi and wanted a relatively calm weekend, near the ocean. So this Central Vietnam city was the perfect choice. The entire beach strip in Da Nang is packed with hotels and resorts so there are a plethora of options to stay.
We had stayed in Hyatt Regency, bang next to the beach & waking up to the East Vietnam Sea everyday and it was a dream. Trust me if you want to forget the outside world and all your worries, Da Nang is the place. There's tons to do here for a long weekend. If you're staying in a beach resort try being an early bird, I literally woke up everyday early just to go for a run at the beach (Absolutely amazing!) and yes we took 2 spa sessions at the resort as well which was the cherry on the cake.
Other than the resort where we spent tons of time just lazing at the beach, reading and snoozing on hammocks we did visit the below in this beautiful city as well. Da Nang won my in a lot of ways especially the simplicity of it, its a place where people truly want the city to grow yet remain attached to its roots.
So we visited some of the places below and travelled in the months of end Sept. It wasn't too rainy but there were a few hours of serious downpour when we went to Hoi An. Being a coastal country, Vietnam has a longer rainy season which one should avoid when traveling there as it does dampen plans especially if you are on a short trip.
Marble Mountains
81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Hoà Hải, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng
These are a cluster of 5 limestone mountains in and around the city with caves, temples, towers and many hidden stories. Each peak is named after the 5 elements- Fire, Earth, Water, Wood and Metal.
The peaks are a great climb and a true mystery with small Buddhist temples, pagodas & shrines, bullet marks, hideouts and amazing greenery which keep you cooled enough if it's a hot day. The views on top are amazing and primarily we could see the My Khe beach, the city below and the East Vietnam Sea.
Tips-
Entrance fee: VND 40,000 (approx. INR 125 / USD 2).
Timings- 7 am to 5:30 pm.
This will be a bit of a climb so start early to avoid the noon to afternoon sun. Make sure to wear climbing shoes, comfortable clothing you use for hiking and enough water.
Dragon Bridge
Đà Nẵng, Sơn Trà, An Hải Tây, An Hải
Right on the Han River, is this funky, eye-catching yellow dragon stretched over both ends of the bridge. Lit up at nights it offers excellent view at night time. If you're there over the weekend do watch it breathing fire in the evenings at 9:00 PM.
Tips-
Crowds get heavy to watching the fire breathing especially if its vacation season, so make sure that you get a good spot for a pic.
Cham Museum of Sculpture
Số 02 Đ. 2 Tháng 9, Bình Hiên, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000
Vietnam's indigenous people lived an Indian way of life in both culture and language. The Cham Museum in Danang is dedicated to the Champa existence which was predominantly in the coastal areas of Vietnam. Displaying numerous pieces across multiple rooms which include lingas (for Shiv representations), garudas (mythical eagle like sun birds), apsaras (nymphs), Ganesha and images of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, all dating from the 5th to 15th centuries.
Tips-
Crowds are lean here and pieces are quite good if you're interested in historical artifacts. It has beautiful cafe as well with alot of trees around so perfect to relax after a tour inside. Timings- 7:30 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee- VND 40,000 (approx. INR 125 / USD 2)
Chua Linh Ung- Son Tra
Hoàng Sa, Thọ Quang, Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng
Chua Linh Ung is located atop the Son Tra peninsula has the largest temple in Danang. Beautiful architecturally the highlight is the 67 metre high statue of the Goddess of Mercy. We were lucky to arrive at a time that the evening prayer was going on in the pagoda. Be mindful to notice how people are entering and exiting from the pagoda to not disrespect the ceremony.
The views of the Danang beach strips and the city are absolutely staggering from the height.
Tips-
Entry Fee: The entrance is free. There are donation boxes scattered around the complex.
Timings: 6am to 7 pm every day.
Ensure you're appropriately dressed keeping a temple surrounding in mind to not wear bikini's or shorts.
Overall Itinerary-
Day 1 (Thursday evening)- Landed late afternoon (just chilled at the hotel)
Day 2 (Hoi An) - Morning 8:30 AM departed -returned night 11:00 PM
Day 3 - Morning 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM : Marble Mountains & Evening- Spa at Hotel
Day 4 - Morning 9:30 AM- 12:30 PM : Museum of Cham Sculpture
12:30 - 3:00 PM : City Walks for lunch, shopping and walking around
Evening 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM : Chua Linh Ung
Return 9:00 PM : Dinner and visit to Dragon Bridge and back to Hotel
Day 5 - Morning 8:00 AM flight back
Places to see & Things to do around Đà Nẵng
Hoi An (UNESCO- Heritage town)
Drive time from Danang- 1 hour
Reserve a day to this lovely, lantern-lined streets of Hoi An’s ancient town. A UNESCO heritage site, the town is a mix of Japanese, Chinese and French-colonial architectural styles, due to it's history of being a port. Wander the Japanese covered bridge, visit traditional home to marvel the architecture within and enjoy all manner of local curiosities alongside the river. The evenings are extremely romantic next to the river that runs through the town with alight lanterns strung between the buildings this is when the town is at its most enchanting.
Taste the amazing Vietnamese Drip Coffee
A strong and dark blend of local coffee served over ice, with a scoop of sweetened condensed milk, and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Absolutely refreshing at any time of the day, I usually had these at least twice a day, you can pick these up from anywhere especially awesome ones were at Hoi An Roastery.
Vietnamese Cuisine Binge
Vietnamese food is an equal delight, the freshness, crunch, savory and sweet textures from com tam (broken rice with chicken), the depth of flavor in your bowl of pho, the mouthfuls of texture in a banh mi (sandwich baguette), white rose dumplings, rice cakes with meat. Each bite has so much to offer, just like this amazing country.
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