Looking for advice on what to do with your one day in Da Nang? Read on! There is a surprising amount to do in the area, so don’t dismiss Da Nang as just a transit stop in central Vietnam. From beaches to dragon bridges, lady buddhas and brilliant food options, I would recommend 2-3 days in Da Nang if you can accommodate it. This one day guide to Da Nang is a great starter itinerary for a longer stay, or to help maximise your time on a short visit.
Da Nang was a surprise to me. A modern city, with a booming beach resort economy, is not somewhere we would usually rush to. But there was some sightseeing in the area we wanted to do, and we had the luxury of time, so we decided to spend 3 days in Da Nang and really enjoyed the vibe, the food, and the sightseeing.
Things to do in Da Nang, Vietnam
Linh Ung Pagoda & Lady Buddha
Linh Ung Pagoda sits on the Son Tra Peninsula, overlooking Da Nang from above the coastline, and the gigantic Lady Buddha statue dominates the skyline. At 67 metres tall, it’s the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam and you can see it like a beacon across the water. Once you are standing underneath her, the scale is mesmerising!
The pagoda complex itself is a lovely place to wander – with sea views, manicured gardens, and traditional temple buildings. The topiary is incredible, street dogs sleep in the shade of trees, statues line the intricate gardens, and the views back to Da Nang are stunning.
We heard you could see monkeys here sometimes (the property is on the slopes of Monkey Mountain after all), but we didn’t see any. I think if you find a quiet spot in some of the back gardens, you’d have a good chance of spotting some.
We took a Grab (the Uber of Southeast Asia) for around 5€ one-way. Drivers will often stay and you can pay cash to return with them, however ours got another job and disappeared on us. Luckily, you’ll find that drivers hang about waiting for jobs, so we were easily able to order a return on the app.
If you’ve got time, or have hired a scooter for the day, take a drive around the peninsula and over Monkey Pass, where you get amazing views of Da Nang, and lots of monkey-spotting opportunities.
Alternative: Marble Mountains – Located just south of Da Nang, this cluster of limestone and marble hills is known for its caves, pagodas, and panoramic viewpoints.
If you only have one day in Da Nang, you may have to pick and choose which activities you’d prefer to do. You can do both, but I have put Marble Mountains as an alternative as it is a paid activity and involves a walk up the hill (or paid elevator).
Lunch at Bánh Xeo Bà Duõng
We fell in love with Banh Xeo early on our Vietnam trip – a crispy rice flour and turmeric pancake, filled with shrimp and mung bean sprouts – usually served with lettuce and aromatic herbs and folded into rice paper.
Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng is known for its bánh xèo – although we found the place quite by accident. Their rich peanut dipping sauce elevates the dish beautifully, and their beef with betel leaves was the absolute best I tried the whole trip. It is a meal that I can’t stop thinking about.
Central Da Nang & Pink Church
Da Nang is full of new construction, but the older part of town, on the west side of the Han River is worth a wander. We found lots of alleyways with nail salons and massage places (paying around 15€ for nail extensions and 10€ for an hour long massage), cute street food places, and shopping. It doesn’t have the same charm as old town Hanoi, but you can get great deals on food and shopping.
One of the area’s most photographed landmarks is Da Nang Cathedral, referred to as the Pink Church thanks to its pastel façade. Built during the French colonial period, it stands out from its surroundings and is a quick, easy stop while exploring the city on foot. We arrived during Mass, so didn’t get to go inside, but enjoyed the candy floss pink exterior!
Drinks at My Khe Beach
Da Nang’s beaches are legendary, and we had heard that the vibe on the beach was very chill and like a sub-culture of the city. So, we headed to My Khe beach for a walk on the beach.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite walking or swimming, head to East West Brewing for some craft beer and bar snacks. And work your way down the myriad of beach-front bars between Phước Mỹ and My Khe Beaches. Most have happy hour specials that run for many hours at a time.
Eat Eat Eat
Central Vietnam has some of the best food in the country – unique takes on national dishes, area specialities and a huge variety of cuisines for those looking for something familiar. Therefore, one thing I recommend during your one day in Da Nang is to eat eat eat!
Dishes, aside from Bánh Xèo, we had while in Da Nang include: Nem Lui (pork wrapped around lemongrass and grilled), Mi Quong (chewy turmeric noodles), Com Tam (broken rice) and Bun Bo Hué (a spicy soup from Hué).
If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll appreciate the gastronomy in Vietnam – it is exceptional!
Boat Trip to Dragon Bridge
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights Da Nang’s famous Dragon Bridge breathes fire. Yes, the head of the dragon actually breathes fire. And there are a few places to watch the spectacle.
- East Dragon Bridge Park – the park along the east side of the bridge offers great views of the head of the dragon and the fiery show.
- From a rooftop bar – we enjoyed the show from our hotel rooftop bar (Courtyard by Marriott – Sky 45). While it was quite a distance away, it was fun watching the colourful boats congregate along the river to watch the show.
- Take a boat trip – Arguable the best way to view the fire breathing bridge, is by boat. Not only do you get a relaxing tour along the river to enjoy the lights of the city, you get to see the show from the water. As you can see from the photo below, the boats have a fantastic view, without the crowds on land!
Things to do if you have Two Days in Da Nang
If you have two days in Da Nang or more, then don’t miss a trip up to Sun World Ba Na Hills – a surreal theme park at the top of a mountain outside Da Nang. It is definitely one of the more bizarre places I have ever visited, but it was surprisingly fun and very well executed.
If nothing else, to get to it, you have to go up the longest single-wire cable car in the world (5,771.61 meters) – a spectacular 20 minute gondola ride up into the hills. And then you get to visit Golden Bridge, the famous hand bridge you’ve probably seen in instagram stories about the area. It is as beautiful as the photos show.
But don’t miss the rest of the park – there are alpine coasters, shows, 4D theatres, a French village (which was surreal and funny given we live in an actual French village), fairground rides and lots of food options.
We weren’t expecting much from the food offerings, but ended up having one of the best Banh Mi of the whole trip up here.
Don’t miss some time in the ancient city of Hoi An too, but more on that in another blog post!
More Southeast Asia content coming soon!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.
