Ba Na Hills
Drive for about 45 minutes off the coastal city of Danang to reach Ba Na theme park, one of the newest attractions of central Vietnam, perfect for a family day out.
Famous for being the home of the world’s longest and highest cable car rides, Ba Na theme park’s claim to fame is the insta famous hand bridge. From April to September, you will be rewarded with a sunny postcard perfect weather from the Golden bridge. Winter in Vietnam may bring fog and drizzle, making visibility a big challenge from a place as high as the Golden Bridge.
Golden Bridge is a unique engineering marvel in contemporary Vietnam. You have probably seen glimpses of these giant stone hands covered in moss lifting a delicate gilded bridge with a spectacular view of Da Nang city. Flying a drone is allowed at the Hand bridge. It is best to set foot on the bridge as early as possible.
The Cable car, one of the longest of its kind, will take you to the Linh Ung Pagoda, Loc Uyen Garden, and Quan Am Pavilion. The next stop is Debay Station, the starting point for all the amusement rides followed by a visit to the Monkey Garden and finally to the highest peak named God Mountain. Standing at the edge of the highest point of Ba Na Hills, you can view a panoramic surrounding of the central highlands of Vietnam.
Many argue Ba Na Hills is a Disney Park without as many rides, However, the Alpine Roller Coaster makes up for that with speed going up to 40 km/hour. Look out for the wax figurines of many celebrities, Medieval Castle, French Village which is a delight to stroll through. Vietnam’s centuries-old tea culture is well known. If this is your beverage of choice, stop at the Tru Vu Tra Quan Tea House for a fresh cuppa.
The Golden Bridge
The Golden Bridge, or Cau Vang, is located in the Ba Na Hills of Da Nang. Take a fairly long cable car ride up from a station called Hoi An Station to Marseille Station. Ba Na Hills Cable Car ticket: 750,000VND per adult and 600,000VND per child for a round-trip ticket. Tickets can be bought directly at the counter at Bana Hills or bought online to avoid a long queue line. It has eight arches and is one hundred and fifty meters long. A stroll through the hands of the God of Mountain while passing the Golden Bridge is like walking on clouds. It has been a host to many famous international events and is a renowned spot for wedding photo shoots.
Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge is the newest bridge among six bridges crossing over the Han River in Danang, Vietnam. On weekend nights, the dragon comes to life in quite a strange manner: the bridge is shut to traffic, and the massive dragon head on the east end of the bridge releases bursts of flames and water in a spectacular night show. It turns into a real dragon with 15.000 LED lights. Dragon Bridge attracts many visitors with several events and performances at night. When the show starts, vehicles are not allowed to pass the bridge. Since then, you can enjoy the performance right on the bridge. Restaurants arrange special seating areas that overlook the majestic bridge. Enjoy drinks at many sidewalk bars along the street.
My Khe Beach
My Khe Beach is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful beaches, almost 3 kilometres southeast of Da Nang City Centre. My Khe Beach Da Nang is well-known for its clear blue sky, smooth white sand, and gentle slope. It has all-year-round clear and warm water, and beautiful areas surrounded by coconut trees. You can swim under the clear water or sunbathe on the beach to enjoy the warm sunlight. The best time to visit My Khe beach is from January to August. Here you will easily find resorts, luxury hotels, and villas with international standards. Here you can relax under the shade of an umbrella on your rented sun lounger and enjoy the wonderful views of the bay. You can try water skiing and scuba diving. Here you can find some restaurants or cafes to try famous local cuisines around the beach like – Roastery Café (famous for coffee), Panorama Restaurant (Barbecue, Asian, Gluten-free options, Vegan options and also Korean cuisine), Phi BBQ (octopus bbq, seafood bbq, pork belly bbq).
Marble Mountains
Located just outside the city of Da-Nang, these mountains are a cluster of five marble and limestone hills. See the scores of magnificent marble carvings of lions, Buddha, and other statues. Of the five mountains, you can only visit Mt. Thuy. You can choose to go up by elevator, which costs an extra fee of 15,000 VND/person/trip. If you choose the stairs to climb, be very careful as the marble steps tend to be slippery. Situated on the eastern side of Water Mountain, Linh Ung Pagoda is an unmissable destination when visiting the Marble Mountains. The pagoda attracts a lot of visitors who worship Buddha or want to ease their minds. Huyen Khong Cave is one of the largest caves in the Marble Mountains. There are two small temples outside the cave: Chua Tien Temple and Thuong Ngan Temple where visitors come to pray for health and wealth. Complete with tours, shopping, and an easy-access glass elevator to take you up the 43-metre ascent. It remains an intriguing place to visit in central Vietnam with its gorgeous views and impressive caves.
Hai Van Pass
The Hai Van Pass is a 20-kilometre strip of road that joins the cities of Da Nang and Lang Co in Hue Province. The death curve, together with zigzag roads, will create a challenging trek for backpackers. There is a certain joy in walking alone in the desolate dense forest. The farther you go, the more you will be awed by the breath-taking natural scenery. One of the most popular ways to experience the road is on a Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour with a local travel company. You can opt to ride the motorbike yourself, or you can choose to ride on the back of a bike whilst an experienced driver handles the wheels. Motorbike tours are quite reasonable and start at around USD 50 per person for a one-way tour. You can also opt for a Hai Van Pass Jeep Tour. The maximum number of passengers in one jeep is five. Jeep tours start at USD 84 per person.
Lantern Making Class
Join the Lantern Making Class Tour at lantern-making workshops to make lanterns yourself. You can choose between an advanced class that prepares bamboo spokes for you and a full class that lets you experience making lanterns from scratch. Create lanterns shaped like lotuses, triangles, garlic, or diamonds and choose your desired silk style and colour. You can create folded lanterns for easy carrying. An experienced English-speaking instructor will be guiding you every step of the way. The artisan’s dedicated, hands-on instruction will help you quickly become familiar with each stage of lantern making. From sharpening bamboo spokes and choosing fabrics to gluing and decorating lanterns. It only takes 4 days of hard work from making the spokes to the completion of gluing the lanterns.
Han River Cruise
At night, Da Nang is sparkling with the unique bridges, and light reflection on the Han River. Experience the beauty on a scenic cruise along the tranquil Han River. Witness famous city sights like the Sunworld Wheel, Dragon Bridge, and Love Lock Bridge as you go. Enjoy mysterious ChamPa dances performed by beautiful and professional dancers. Some Han River cruises organize music exchange programs with famous singers. You will enjoy very romantic guitar, Piano, and Saxophone melodies and participate in singing, dancing, and singing exchanges. Enjoy dinner and refreshing coffee also. When taking a Han River cruise, you have the full right to choose your favourite seats under the guidance of the staff.
Surfing
The best time of the year to surf in Da Nang is from September to March. The mellow beach breaks make Da Nang the perfect destination for beginners. The best surf spots in Da Nang are Nam O Point, Nuoc Beach and Khe Beach. Vietnam has warm tropical waters that don’t require wetsuits. You can comfortably surf in swimwear with rash guards. With various surf schools and surf instructors, you can learn how to surf and have fun riding waves. You can take a surfboard on rent. There is also a buying option from different stores. Vietnam Surf Camping offers rentals and onsite accommodation for surfers in cute cabins or beach tents.
Lady Buddha
Lady Buddha of Da Nang is located at Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang. It isn’t your typical male Buddha effigy—this structure depicts a woman. Lady Buddha is not only a statue, it is a temple. Each of its 17 floors houses twenty-seven Buddha statues for worship. On the first and 15th days of every lunar month, locals come here to pray and seek peace of mind. Book a round-trip ride in advance, as the pagoda is a bit over six miles (10 kilometres) from downtown. Not too far from the Lady Buddha, this private museum, Dong Dinh Museum houses artefacts, photos and landscaped gardens. Whether you are standing in any place in the city, you can also easily see the Lady Buddha statue. It leans on the mountain, facing the sea. Linh Ung Bai But pagoda
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