Da Nang is one of the most magical places I have been to. It has everything from beaches to river adventures and theme parks – there’s definitely an activity for everyone! Coffee is also good and you get to enjoy it with an overlooking view of the river. I would say that Da Nang is a very underrated tourist destination that deserves more attention!

Photos are by Theo Paolo Amora Lim

Go to Da Nang if you want to:

1. Go to a French-themed theme park in the mountains. You will ride a cable car to get there!
2. Drink coffee with an overlooking view of a river
3. Ride a coconut-shaped boat & even spin while riding the boat
4. Eat cheap but very good seafood

Top Unique Experiences in Da Nang:

• Sunworld Ba Na Hills – French theme park in the mountains. It has the very famous gold hand bridge and alphine coaster! Since it’s also high up, the temperature drops compared to the rest of Da Nang
• Coconut Boat – Ride a coconut shaped boat that will tour you through the mangroves & rivers. There is an optional ride where your tour guide will spin you around in circles! Tbh I got dizzy but it was a good experience!
• Hoi An Night Market – Charming night market by the river with food, cafes and bars. You can also ride a boat to release a candle in the river!
• Coffee Everywhere – By the sidewalk, river, beach and even the sea! Vietnamese like their coffee and the coffee shops are

How to get around?

Da Nang has bus stations but no trains. It’s not straightforward to navigate through public transportation (unlike Japan & Taiwan) so I would recommend to use grab instead. Grab is relatively affordable in Da Nang and a safer option. There will be some drivers that will offer you a ride with the same price as Grab (probably to avoid the fees in Grab) — I tried riding those and was able to get by safely. If you choose this, make sure to take care & don’t sleep during the cab ride for safety purposes.

Where to stay?

Since you will be taking the Grab everywhere, it’s important to stay in a hotel near to everything. Luckily the hotels in Da Nang are relatively affordable (1k pesos per night for a hotel room) so it’s also good for budget travelers like me! Stay near the My Khe beach since this has several night hawkers selling sea food, cafes and convenience stores around the area.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Explore My Khe Beach & Dragon Bridge

Time	What to Do
Morning	Breakfast – Get some Coffee & Bahn Mi and stroll around My Khe Beach
Lunch	Pineapple Rice
Afternoon	Go to the Dragon Bridge and stroll by the boardwalk. When you’re tired, go to one of the cafes with overlooking view of the river
Evening	Go back to My Khe Beach area and order some seafood from the hawkers

My Khe Beach

This beach has a long shore with vendors selling some snacks. There are also nearby restaurants with beach views. You can definitely swim as long as weather permits (if the waves are too strong, you can’t).

Dragon Bridge & Boardwalk

Coffee shops are everywhere in Da Nang! You can see them in the sidewalks and even in the 2nd floor of buildings with overlooking view of the river. You can go here to cool down in the afternoon & drink some nice coffee!

Seafood in My Khe Beach

Seafood is pretty cheap in Da Nang and honestly, the best I ever had! You can pick out your live seafood and choose the flavor/cooking style and they will serve it to you!

Day 2: Hoi An

Time	What to Do
Morning	Get light breakfast before going out. Ride the Coconut Boat in Hoi An
Afternoon	Explore Hoi An Old Town
Evening	Go to Hoi An Night Market & ride the Hoi An Boat Ride Lantern

Coconut Boat

There are tours available in Klook for this but I recommend going to Coconut Village in Da Nang instead then pick a store that provides this service. You will be asked to ride a boat (coconut shaped) and travel thru the Coconut River. There is also a coconut boat dance where they will spin the boat around while the boatman dances to the songs. This isn’t required but I highly recommend doing it if you don’t get dizzy easily!

Hoi An Old Town & Night Market

This is a long river where you can buy a lantern & let it go in the river while making a wish. You can also ride a boat that tours you around the river. There are also restaurants & cafes overlooking the river and highly recommend staying for dinner while enjoying the nice view! You can take a grab from the coconut river going here since it’s near.

Day 3: Sunworld Ba Na Hills

Time	What to Do
Morning	Breakfast – Get breakfast before heading out because the food in Ba Na Hills is expensive Go to Bana Hills via Grab then ride the cable car going up Ride the Alphine first!
Lunch	Get some lunch in Lotte inside Ba Na Hills
Afternoon	Take pictures & if you’re up for it, go to the theme park Late Afternoon – Gold Hand Bridge DO NOT GO HOME YET
Evening	Stay for some super nice photos & grab a drink before going home

Sunworld Bana Hills

Honestly my favorite place and found it very interesting on how they built the entire place on top of a mountain! This is a very big area so I recommend going here very early (before the tours start) to get ahead of the cable car and ride the alpine ride. There are rides & several photo spots here (including the bridge with a hand). It’s best to come here during the cold season since the fog adds mystery & romatic vibe.

Day 4: Santorini Cafe & Sun Wheel Asia Park

Time	What to Do
Morning	Go to Santorini Cafe
Afternoon – Evening	Sun Wheel Asia Park

Santorini Cafe

Very laid back cafe & restaurant that follows the santorini vibe. There a nice view of the dock & boats around the area.

Sun Wheel Asia Park

If you still have time, you can go to this theme park! If I were to choose between this and Ba Na Hills, I would prioritize Ba Na Hills — but if you have time, why not!