Situated on a white-sand bay, flanked by mountains on all sides, it’s not hard to see why Da Nang was on my top list to visit when in Vietnam. And my love for Da Nang got stronger only to see how this modern city exudes youthful energy combined with nature.
Beginning to explore this beach side city to the mountaintop, on the very first day I decided to soak in the relaxed vibes by the pristine sandy beaches and yes there are plenty to choose from. One of the closest to Da Nang city center is My Khe Beach. Swimming in the clearest waters, enjoying by the shack yes you almost forget the city vibes in a minute.
After dark, Da Nang buzzes as the cafes fill up, neons burst into colour and skyscrapers become gigantic displays, sometimes advertisements, sometimes the national flag. We simply keep staring at this improbable, impressively modern vista.
Having soaked in the relaxed vibes next day was set for the famous adventure, yes, Ba Na Hills is probably the reason even you would want to come to Da Nang!
It’s where you’ll find the poster picture for Da Nang, the famous giant hands holding a bridge. And the best timing to be here would only be post 4pm when all the tourist tours have vanished and made way for maginicent views just for you.
Originally built by the French as a mountain retreat, Ba Na Hills is a hill station located west of Da Nang city center (around 45 minutes away).
Even the journey to this beautiful hill top is exciting since you get to experience the longest cable car ride in the world which is something to talk about! It houses the famous Golden Bridge, an amusement park, and a European-inspired town you can walk around.
And yes a plethora of insta-worthy sights you just cant get over with. With the weather changing here every hour we experienced all the seasons in just a day!
Yes this castle is nestled here too! And the way to this was by taking a super fun train ride as well.
The French town however steals the show with its vibe and so many cafe around to just grab a quick bite or coffee.
It gets cooler with magnificent views around and the best experience here was the alphine roller coaster ride. With turns and roads swirling the heights of Bana Hills it offered breathtaking views which one can soak in at their own pace on this ride.
The Marble Mountains(Ngu Hanh Son or “Five Elements Mountains) is another one of those things you must do on your trip to Da Nang. It’s a popular religious site in Da Nang including a series of limestone rock formations with temples and shrines hidden inside caves.
Over the centuries the Marble Mountains were used as a safe haven for soldiers and a place of worship for Buddhists. Today these mountains are full of caves, tunnels and Buddhist shrines just waiting to be explored!Some of the climb to make it to the top was a bit scary and needed some rappling experience too!
From there we made our way to the most awaited spot in Da Nang that too on a Full Moon night was the City of Lanterns.
Hoi An is not the kind of place I imagine people would go to in order to see some iconic attraction. The attraction is the town itself and not some specific monument.
Every bylane had such cute cosy cafes and shop it was hard to make a choice for the next stop.
However, there are plenty of “smaller” attractions that make you go wow.
Especially on the Full Moon night, the river was flowing with colourful wish lanterns and it was a sight you just cant forget.
It was like Floating Wishes by Lantern Kisses.
On the way back, we got our driver to drop us off at the famous Dragon Bridge. It is 666m in length and is the longest bridge of its kind in all of Vietnam.
It’s a rather beautiful sight to see especially at night when the lights are all up. Every Fri-Sat-Sun there is a beautiful Fire and water show put up by the dragon at 9pm, and yes we timed our stay in Da Nang over the weekend to witness it.
The spectacle lasts about 15 minutes but boy, does it draw in the crowds. It was absolute chaos initially but so worth if you get the front row views.
All in all, Da Nang is blessed with not only beautiful beaches but also much stunning scenery, and buzzing citylife. You’ll easily find yourself being lost in a myriad of things to do and want to spend a few days exploring everything the city offers.
The nighttime cityscape is positively futuristic, a completely new perspective on Vietnam, a spectacular and dazzling skyline which speaks of a bold, progressive city.
Cannot Miss:
- Spending the day by the beach
- A day trip to Bana hills and experience the Alphine Roller Coaster Ride
- Exploring Marble Mountains
- Catch the Fire/Water show at the Dragon Bridge on weekends
- Experience Full Moon night at the Lantern City of Hot An
GlobeTrotting365Days: DA NANG, October 28th 2024.
