Da Nang Activities: Beaches to Bridges
Da Nang is a long coastal city with city beaches, limestone caves, a mountaintop theme park and a river crossed by lit-up bridges. Most visitors fit the main sights into two or three days and then use the city as a base for Hoi An, My Son and Hue. All prices below are in Vietnamese dong (VND) and approximate, so check them before you go.
Caves, temples and stone carving
The Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) are five rocky hills named after metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Thuy Son, the Water Mountain, is the one open to visitors. General entry is about 40,000 VND and the one-way elevator about 15,000 VND. Huyen Khong Cave lets daylight fall through gaps in its roof onto a Buddha altar, and Am Phu Cave winds through darker passages lined with Buddhist scenes of the afterlife. Its ticket is quoted anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 VND, so confirm the price locally. At the base of the hills, the Non Nuoc stone carving village is roughly 300 years old, and its sculptors now work with imported marble and stone.
Bridges and the Han River
Dragon Bridge is 666 metres long and shaped like a golden dragon. On Saturdays and Sundays at 21:00, traffic is stopped and the dragon breathes fire and then a burst of water vapour. Viewing is free from Tran Hung Dao street, and anyone standing under the head gets wet. A 45-minute evening cruise from Bach Dang Pier costs about 150,000 to 250,000 VND per person.
Beaches and the sea
My Khe, Non Nuoc and Man Thai beaches are free to use. March to August is the hot, sunny stretch when the water is calm and swimming is at its best. From September to December storms bring heavy surf and rip currents, and lifeguards raise red flags along My Khe that mean no swimming. Surf lessons and board rental run mainly from September to March, and a 90-minute lesson with a board costs about 650,000 to 850,000 VND.
Son Tra Peninsula
Chua Linh Ung at Bai But is free to enter and is home to the 67-metre white Lady Buddha. The forest around it is the home of wild red-shanked douc langurs, best looked for between 6:00 and 8:00 in the morning. Automatic scooters are banned on the steep roads beyond the Linh Ung checkpoint. Riders there need a manual or semi-automatic bike used in low gear, or they can book a 4x4 jeep tour or take a taxi.
Ba Na Hills
Sun World Ba Na Hills sits at 1,487 metres, about 45 minutes west of the city. The all-inclusive adult ticket is about 1,000,000 VND and covers the cable cars, Golden Bridge, French Village and Fantasy Park. Heavy rain can pause the cable cars, so look at the forecast first.
Food and getting around
Mi Quang, flat turmeric noodles with pork, shrimp, herbs and peanuts, is the local dish to try, at about 35,000 to 60,000 VND a bowl. Bun cha ca (fish cake noodle soup) and banh xeo (crisp turmeric pancakes) are close behind. Grab is the easiest way to move around, with short city rides at about 30,000 to 60,000 VND. Motorbike rental runs about 120,000 to 180,000 VND a day, and traffic police expect a valid International Driving Permit and a helmet.
Read more: the attraction tours guide lists entry fees and guided options, and the day trips guide covers Hoi An, My Son and Hue. For ticketed outings, browse Da Nang tours on GetYourGuide . The city tourism board lists current events at Danang FantastiCity , and Sun World posts ticket details at sunworld.vn .