Da Nang Sightseeing: Caves, Bridges, Museums
Da Nang’s main sights spread out in four directions from the Han River: museums and bridges in the centre, caves and stone carvers to the south, a forested peninsula to the northeast and a theme park in the mountains to the west. Grouping them by direction saves a lot of backtracking. Prices are in Vietnamese dong (VND), approximate, and worth checking before you go.
City centre: Cham art and the bridges
The Museum of Cham Sculpture, founded in 1915 by the French School of the Far East at the corner of Bach Dang and 2 Thang 9 streets, shows temple carvings from the Champa kingdom made between the 7th and 13th centuries. Entry is about 60,000 VND. Nearby, the Han River Swing Bridge was Vietnam’s first swing bridge, and on weekends it turns 90 degrees at around 23:00 so cargo ships can pass, though the schedule can change.
Dragon Bridge stretches 666 metres and is modelled on the dragon emblem of the Ly Dynasty. Its fire and water show runs on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:00 and is free to watch, with the best views from Tran Hung Dao street or from a river cruise boat.
South: Marble Mountains and Non Nuoc
The five Marble Mountains are named for the elements, and Thuy Son is the one with visitor caves and pagodas. General entry is about 40,000 VND, the elevator about 15,000 VND one way, and Am Phu Cave is quoted at 20,000 to 40,000 VND depending on bundling, so confirm at the gate. Huyen Khong Cave, with daylight falling through openings in its roof, is the best-known chamber. Dress modestly and keep voices low around the shrines.
At the foot of the hills, Non Nuoc village has been carving stone for roughly 300 years. Quarrying on the mountain is now banned, so artisans work imported marble and stone, and you can watch statues take shape in the workshops.
Northeast: Son Tra Peninsula
Chua Linh Ung at Bai But is free and holds the 67-metre white Lady Buddha, looking out over the bay. Further up, Ban Co Peak, at around 700 metres, has wide views of the curved Da Nang shoreline and a statue of the Taoist deity Tien Ong seated at a stone chessboard. The forest is home to wild red-shanked douc langurs, seen most often between 6:00 and 8:00 in the morning. Automatic scooters are banned on the roads beyond the Linh Ung checkpoint because of fatal brake failures on the descent. A manual or semi-automatic bike, a 4x4 jeep tour or a taxi are the ways up.
West: Sun World Ba Na Hills
Ba Na Hills is a modern resort at 1,487 metres, about 45 minutes from the city, famous for the Golden Bridge held up by giant stone-textured hands. The all-inclusive adult ticket is about 1,000,000 VND. It is a theme park rather than a historic site, so go for the views and the cable cars, and avoid it in heavy rain or fog.
Sightseeing tips
- Plan the south and the centre for one day and Son Tra for another early morning.
- From September to December, storms can close the Marble Mountains elevator and pause the Ba Na Hills cable cars.
- Grab short rides cost about 30,000 to 60,000 VND.
Read more: the walking tours guide covers the riverfront on foot, and the attraction tours guide lists guided options. See Da Nang sightseeing tours on GetYourGuide . City event dates are posted at Danang FantastiCity .