Da Nang City: Vietnam’s Most Livable City

By huynhtuyen | Posted in Da Nang | May 29, 2024

Da Nang City is a worthwhile city in Vietnam. This city has many famous attractions, delectable local foods, and friendly local people that will leave unforgettable memories during your trip to Vietnam. Therefore, this article will provide some important information that will make your trip to Da Nang City more interesting.

About Da Nang City

Location

Da Nang City is one of the centrally run cities in Vietnam, located in the South Central Coast region. This city has an area of about 1285.4 km2. Da Nang City is 766 km north of the capital Hanoi and 961 km south of Ho Chi Minh City. The west and north border of Da Nang is Thua Thien Hue province. The south’s borders are Quang Nam province.

The best time to visit Da Nang City

January – March: This is the time when the wet season ends. The weather at this time will be a bit chilly and drizzly. That is why there are not many tourists in Da Nang city during this time. So if you don’t like crowds and don’t mind drizzle, this is also the ideal time for you.

April – August: This is the best time for you to visit and discover this city. These months will be sunny, mild, and without rain. These months will be suitable for outside and discovery activities in Da Nang City. However, this is also the peak tourism season in this city; there will be crowded and busy during this time. Additionally, the prices of hotels will be higher in these months.

best time to visit Da Nang city — Da Nang City on a beautiful sunny day

September – December: This is the wet season in Da Nang city. Rain and wind are the main weather during this time. Furthermore, there will be storms or floods during these months. Therefore, if you want to go to Da Nang city at this time, you should consider and check the weather forecast regularly.

The famous attractions in Da Nang City

Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is considered one of the most beautiful passes in the world. With its magnificent and majestic beauty, this pass is a challenging spot for many tourists who are passionate about exploring. The closer you get to the top of Hai Van Pass, the more overwhelmed you will be by the beautiful natural scenery here.

The sound of the mountains and forests, the chill of the wind, and the mist blowing on you will make you feel interesting and unforgettable. Additionally, you will see the modern, bustling city of Da Nang City, Tien Sa Port, Cu Lao Cham, and Son Tra Peninsula from this wonderful pass.

Son Tra Peninsula

Son Tra Peninsula has an area of about 60 km2, with three sides facing the sea and one side facing the mainland. This peninsula is known as the precious gem of Da Nang City. Son Tra Peninsula attracts tourists with beautiful large and small beaches. Moreover, the shady forests and a rich and diverse natural forest ecosystem are also the unique attractions.

When you come to this place, you can visit Linh Ung Pagoda or swim, lie on the sand, or participate in fun activities such as coral diving, fishing, squid fishing, kayaking, parasailing… on the beaches such as Bai But, Bai Nam,…

Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge

This attraction is located about 20 km from Da Nang city center. Ba Na Hills is known as a “fairyland.” This destination possesses a perfect climate and wonderful natural landscapes for tourists to admire. When you come to Ba Na Hills, you can explore Fantasy Park, Golden Bridge, French Village, Linh Ung Pagoda,…

Golden Bridge is always the iconic architectural landmark of Ba Na Hills. The bridge is designed like a strip of silk, embraced by two mossy hands reaching out from Ba Na Mountain. This unique design helps Golden Bridge become a tourist attraction that attracts large tourists all over the world to come and discover this unique bridge.

Moreover, when you come to this famous bridge, you can not only admire the unique architecture but also the breathtaking landscape surroundings.

Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills — Panoramic view of the Golden Bridge

Dragon Bridge – the emblem of Da Nang City

This bridge is always a symbol of Da Nang City. Dragon Bridge is designed with a total length of 666 m and a width of 37.5 m, with 6 vehicle lanes and 2 pedestrian lanes. Dragon Bridge has a unique steel span structure, simulating the shape of a large dragon 568 m long. With its golden dragon architecture, this bridge is always outstanding and attracts many tourists to explore when they come to Da Nang City. Every week, the bridge will breathe fire and water; this will be a must-see experience for you.

Marble Mountain

This attraction is about 8 km southeast of Da Nang city center. Marble Mountains are a cluster of five limestone hills. Each limestone hill represents one of the five elements: metal, water, wood, fire, or earth. These mountains are renowned for their natural caves, Buddhist pagodas, and breathtaking viewpoints.

Additionally, you can visit Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village when you come to this wonderful mountain. You can witness local artisans at work and learn more about the daily lives of local people here.

My Khe Beach – a beautiful beach in Da Nang City

My Khe Beach in Da Nang City is considered one of the most attractive beaches on the planet. The beach is located right on Vo Nguyen Giap Street, about 3 km southeast of Da Nang city center.This wonderful beach has 3 beaches about 900 m long. With a blue sea, long stretches of white sand, and very well-developed tourism services, this beach is always attracting tourists who come and relax almost all year round. Furthermore, you can try some delicious local seafood delicacies at affordable prices on this beach.

Linh Ung Pagoda

Linh Ung Pagoda is one of the ideal spiritual tourism destinations in Da Nang City, and considered the most sacred place here. This pagoda is always a place where local people can come and pray for a peaceful and happy life. When you come to these pagodas, you can admire the peaceful and quite atmosphere. Nowaday, Da Nang has 3 Linh Ung Pagodas at Son Tra Peninsula, Marble Mountain and Ba Na Hills – Chua Mountain with beautiful natural scenery for tourists to freely explore.

Han Market – one of the oldest markets in Da Nang City

Han Market is one of the oldest traditional markets in Da Dang City and to this day still attracts a lot of tourists to visit, take souvenir photos, and shop. This market has an area of up to 28,000 m2, divided into 576 booths and 36 kiosks for small businesses to rent and trade.

Han Market has 2 floors; specifically, the 1st floor area includes dry goods, snacks, fresh seafood, and handicrafts. The second-floor space includes fabrics, clothes, shoes, and bags. You can also taste many kinds of local food here. Furthermore, you can learn more about the daily activities of local people in this market.

Han Market in Da Nang — inside Han Market

Da Nang Cathedral

Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Church) is a must-visit attraction when you come to Da Nang City. This attraction was designed by the famous Vallet priest. Although only built in a very short period of time, the church still has the magnificent and wonderful beauty of a castle in Europe. You will be surprised about the historical and unique architecture of this attraction.

When tourists come to this attraction, they will certainly be extremely impressed with the gray chicken located on the roof of the church. The chicken is made of alloy, so it is quite light, and the outside is an extremely beautiful coating. The chicken symbol is located on the lightning rod overhead, so it is designed to rotate in the direction of the wind to avoid breakage. That’s why the chicken is used as an object to determine the direction of the wind. The meaning of the chicken on the roof of the church is also very special. According to the Bible, the chicken is a symbol of awakening and repentance. So, that is why this attraction has a different name: Chicken Church.

Museum of Cham Sculpture

The museum of Cham sculpture has officially opened to the public since 1919. Thousands of tourists come here every year to rediscover the imprint of the once prosperous Cham kingdom, with its cultural and historical value, history, and quintessence of unique sculptural art. The museum is currently the largest repository of Champa cultural artifacts in Vietnam. With a total area of up to 6,673 square meters, of which 2,000 m2 is used to display ancient relics and the collection of pictures and documents about Cham culture.

What to eat in Da Nang City

Quang Noodles (Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles)

The first dish to try when you come to Da Nang is Quang Noodles. This is one of the famous specialties of Da Nang. This dish will be turmeric-infused in noodles to have a beautiful yellow color. You will taste this featured dish with succulent meats and shrimp. Furthermore, Mi Quang has many kinds of flavors, such as seafood or vegetarian options, for you to try.

Quang Noodles in Da Nang city — Quang Noodles

Trang Kitchen:

Address: 441 Ong Ich Khiem Street, Nam Duong, Hai Chau, Da Nanng

Opening hours: 7:00 – 22:00

Ba Mua restaurant:

Address: 19 Tran Binh Trong Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 6:30 – 22:00

Sliced Pork In Rice Paper Rolls

Sliced pork in rice paper rolls is an interesting dish that allows you to make your own rice paper rolls with rice paper, vermicelli, grilled pork slices, herbs, and vegetables. The combination of flavors and fresh ingredients in this dish will make you fall in love from the first bite. There will be many local restaurants that have this dish, so you can easily find it.

Dai Loc Restaurant:

Address: 97 Trung Nu Vuong Street, Binh Hien, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 6:30 – 20:30

Huong Restaurant:

Address: 4 Le Duan Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 9:00 – 22:00

Bun Mam Nem (Vermicelli Salad with Pork and Anchovy Sauce)

Bun Mam Nem is a popular noodle dish in Da Nang. This noodle dish will show you the special and diversified Da Nang cuisine. This dish is a combination of vermicelli noodles, pork, fresh vegetables, and pungent anchovy sauce.

Before eating, you need to mix all the ingredients together. The tasty flavor and fresh ingredients will meet your taste at the first bite. Because of reasonable prices and delectability, this dish is one of the favorite dishes of local people.

Bun Mam Nem Di Lien:

Address: 52 Tran Dinh Trong Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 14:00 – 22:30

Bun Mam Nem Be Ha:

Address: 130 Bui Huu Nghia Street, Son Tra, Da Nang

Opening hours: 8:00 – 19:00

Banh Xeo (Crispy Savory Pancakes)

These yellow cakes are filled with ingredients like shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and herbs. All the ingredients in this dish will create a feeling of excitement right from the first bite. Banh xeo will be wrapped in cabbage leaves, lettuce leaves, or rice paper.

After that, you will dip it with diluted sweet and sour fish sauce and enjoy. The crispiness and freshness of the ingredients make this dish a must-try when you come to Da Nang city.

Ba Duong Restaurant:

Address: K280 / 23 Hoang Dieu Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 09:30 – 21:30

Banh Xeo Ba Trinh:

Address: K280/14 Hoang Dieu Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 10:00 – 21:00

Nam O Raw Fish Salad

Nam O raw fish salad is made from completely raw herring ingredients. This dish is named after the land that “birthed” this dish, which is Nam O village, Hoa Hiep ward, Da Nang City.

This is a small fishing village, where people live mainly by fishing. Because Nam O fishing village is the place where herring is caught and used to make salad, the fish salad eaten in Nam O will be fresher and sweeter. Nam O fish salad is attractive because of the fresh, sweet fish slices, combined with many clean ingredients and typical spices. So, don’t forget to try this unique dish whenever you come to Da Nang City.

Thanh Huong Restaurant

Address: 1029 Nguyen Luong Bang, Lien Chieu, Da Nang

Opening hours: 10:00 – 22:00

Ba My Restaurant

Address: 11 Mai Lao Bang, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Opening hours: 10:00 – 21:00

How to get to Da Nang City

Airplane: Da Nang city has an international airport, so there will be many domestic and foreign flights. There are many airlines with many different prices that you can choose to fly to Da Nang. Da Nang International Airport only takes about 10 minutes to get to the city center; visitors can fully explore this city after landing. Book Da Nang Airport to City Center by car here.

Train: Da Nang train station is located approximately five kilometers from the city center. Therefore, if you stay in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Hue, you can take a train to this city. You can easily check the prices and book a ticket on the website.

Bus: This is always a popular and affordable option for tourists. Buses in Vietnam are generally comfortable and equipped with air conditioning, which will make them a convenient mode of transportation for longer distances. However, this option will not stop at any destination.

Private Car: If you want to have a comfortable and interesting route, a private car will be the best choice for you. You can choose Hue to Da Nang by car; a driver will pick you up at your hotel in Hue. Moreover, you can stop at some attractions along the way to relax or have lunch before dropping you off at your hotel in Da Nang City.

Motorbike: If you seek an adventurous experience, renting a motorbike is an excellent choice. With this option, you’ll admire breathtaking views and have the freedom to explore the attractions at your own pace. However, you should consider this option if you stay far from Da Nang City, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, etc., because this will be the long route.

Which destinations near Da Nang City are must-visit?

Hue Imperial City

Hue is the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam in the Nguyen Dynasty. This city is always known for its peace and ancient. With its historical architecture, serene pagodas, and delectable local cuisine, this city will have many interesting things for you to discover. So, this will be the destination must-visit for tourists when they come to Vietnam.

Quang Nam

Quang Nam is located about 70 km from Da Nang City center. With its own beauty of culture and nature, this city always brings unforgettable impressions to tourists. When you come to Quang Nam, Hoi An Ancient Town is always a must-visit destination. You can stroll around and admire the historical houses, lanterns, Hoai River,… Moreover, you can also taste many kinds of local foods at reasonable prices in Hoi An night market.

Quang Binh

Quang Binh is always famous for its breathtaking natural beauty. Every year, this city attracts many visitors coming to interesting landscapes such as Phong Nha Cave, Son Doong Cave, primitive forest in Phong Nha – Ke Bang reserve, Nhat Le, Da Nhay beaches, Bang Mineral Hot Spring, etc. Among them, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park has been recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.

Da Lat

Da Lat is the capital city of Lam Dong Province. The beauty of Da Lat is praised and attracts tourists by hundreds and thousands of unique flower species. When traveling to this place, you will admire the beauty of flower varieties produced specifically on this land and flower varieties brought from many places. Therefore, don’t forget to visit this beautiful city after discovering Da Nang City.

Tips when traveling to Da Nang City

Carefully prepare important documents such as passports and tourist visas before traveling to Da Nang.

Before traveling, you should look up necessary information about your destination or weather forecast in Da Nang during that time.

If you plan to come to Da Nang city during the peak season, you should book hotels, tours, cars,… in advance.

You should read reviews, seek recommendations, and compare prices before choosing a private car, hotel, or tour before booking.

If you don’t know what to eat or buy in Hoi An, you can ask the driver or local people for help.

Conclusion

Da Nang City is always a must-visit destination for tourists when they come to Vietnam. From famous attractions to beautiful beaches to delectable local foods, there will be many things for tourists to discover in this wonderful city. Therefore, let’s create unforgettable memories in Da Nang City right away!

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