Da Nang
Attractions and distractions
Attractions and distractions
Made famous by the American war (and the TV show), China Beach (or Non Nuoc as it is known in Vietnam) first rose to fame when its close proximity to Da Nang led to it being used as an R&R destination for American soldiers. Though subsequent decades left it with a tranquil vibe of abandonment, the crowds have returned once again, so though Non Nuoc initially avoided the over-development that ... Read more about Non Nuoc (China Beach) .
The Cham Museum is the main attraction of Da Nang and is worth the trip, even if you’re coming all the way from Hoi An for it alone. This old sandstone building houses the world’s largest collection of Cham art and sculpture, and was established in 1919 by the Ecole Francais d’Extreme-Orient (EFEO). Da Nang was chosen as the location due to its proximity to the former kingdom of Champa, My Son ... Read more about Cham Museum .
The Marble Mountains have been extensively developed and promoted as a tourist attraction, but the haunting beauty of the spot makes it easy to forget you’re part of a crowd. ... Read more about Marble Mountains .
A side trip to the Marble Mountains located midway between Hoi An and Da Nang is on its own merits an awesome experience, but there is a lesser travelled path that is consistently overlooked when going to see the main big one. Marble Mountain has four little sisters, all within a five-minute walk and included in the 15,000 VND entrance fee, which offer some smaller but equally impressive caves ... Read more about The other Marble Mountains .
Of all the architectural advancement of the city over the past decade, the people of Da Nang are most proud of their bridges – all nine of them to date. Pre-1997 there were only two bridges on the outskirts of the city, the first built during French rule and the second the 2013-renovated Nguyen Van Troi bridge, which was originally constructed during the war by the Americans, and now serves ... Read more about Da Nang's bridges .
Although not nearly as impressive as the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi, if you’re not heading further north it’s worth taking a look at the small three-room display of photographs and text about the life of the nationally loved ‘Uncle Ho’, complete with small replica of his stilted house in Hanoi with pond. Otherwise pay your 20,000 VND entry and bypass it to head straight to the adjoining ... Read more about Ho Chi Minh and the Fifth Military Zone Museum .
Despite Da Nang’s wide boulevards and seemingly straightforward geography, it takes a good serving of local knowledge and a motorbike to discover the best places to pull up a stool, and if your plan is just to spend a day or two in the city of bridges, your best strategy is to sign up for a food ... Read more about Da Nang Digested food tour .
The towering 70-metre, Gothic-styled cathedral was constructed by priest Louis Vallet in 1923 and was the only church built in Da Nang by French colonialists. Locals call it con ga (rooster church) due to the weathercock sitting on the top of its steeple. It’s not a standout attraction, but as the city’s skyline gives way to more modern, highrise architecture it makes for an interesting look ... Read more about Da Nang Cathedral .
Cho Han is located in the heart of Da Nang city and offers 28,000 square metres of noisy shopping opportunities. Though Han Market is easily accessible, it’s not for the fainthearted or those looking for olfactory pleasure — it’s a bit ... Read more about Han Market .
Located in a busy neighbourhood in central Da Nang, the local Cao Dai temple is worth a quick visit, though it’s not nearly as spectacular as the temple at the sect’s headquarters in Tay Ninh. It’s simple from the outside, and an inattentive passerby could easily miss it. Try to take a peek inside though. The most colourful time to visit is when noon prayer is taking place, but do be ... Read more about Cao Dai Temple .
Though it hosted Vietnam’s first surfing competition, the waves along Non Nuoc aren’t great. You may get some decent catches near Hoa’s Place or My An beach, where you can rent good quality long and short boards at Gunnar and Thom’s (just back from the Indochine Da Nang hotel) from US$3-4 per hour or nearby Tam’s Surf Pub where board hire can be arranged for $5 a day. November through to ... Read more about Surfing .
Over the years the scenic Son Tra Peninsula has undergone many guises. So enraptured were the French during their occupancy in the 19th century that they gave it the title Tien Sa – Angels’ Landing, which is now the name of the main seaport. American soldiers tagged the 13.5 kilometre-long mountain pass Monkey Mountain. Son Tra was recognised in 1997 as a natural reserve and the habitat of ... Read more about Daytrip: Son Tra Peninsula .
The Hai Van Pass: 19 kilometres of roadway that winds up and over a fortress of mountains, connecting Da Nang with the town of Lang Co in Hue province. Popularised by the BBC TV programme Top Gear, travellers armed with selfie sticks now come in droves to tackle the route and soak in breathtaking views of the mountain and coast. ... Read more about The Hai Van Pass .
Located about 45 kilometres west of Da Nang, Ba Na Mountain was used during the French colonial period as a summer retreat. In the old days, the French colonials used to be borne up the winding, 16-kilometre road to the top on palanquins. Nowadays, the road is well paved, but still very steep. At the top are the remains of some French villas -- there isn’t much left of them, but the ones ... Read more about Daytrip: Ba Na Mountain .
At the base of Ba Na Mountain, about 30 kilometres west of Da Nang, Suoi Mo is another attraction worth a visit, typically in combination with a trek up the mountain. There’s a well-marked road heading north; you’ll be asked to pay 5,000 VND at the gate, and the spring is two kilometres further up the road. You’ll have to get out and walk the last couple of hundred metres when you reach the ... Read more about Daytrip: Suoi Mo .
Nam O beach borders on the Bay of Da Nang, about 17 kilometres northwest of Da Nang city, north of the Son Tra peninsula -- you can get a good view of it from Monkey Mountain. At high tide it resembles most of the coastline that runs between Da Nang and Hoi An, but at low tide a large area of rock and white sandy shoreline is exposed, other than a few wooden stilted restaurants that serve ... Read more about Daytrip: Nam O Beach .
One of the lesser known natural wonders around Da Nang and an easy road trip from Hoi An is Luong Duong Springs, also known as Turtle Springs, a jungle-clad, natural waterfall surrounded by emerald spring ... Read more about Daytrip: Luong Duong springs .
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