Welcome and Xin Cao, this is your complete list of the best things to do in Da Nang, Vietnam.
We have collected and vetted all the places by ourselves.
It’s a list of cool activities, unique places to visit and fun things to do in Da Nang – for all types of travelers.
You’ll find everything from the famous Instagramable Ba Nha Hils and Dragon bridge, to hidden gems and coffee places to temples and sights that will make an impression on you.
We have been spending more than 6 months in Vietnam and 3 months alone in Da Nang. It’s packed with great stuff, and it comes with a kind of Barcelona vibe.
Read:
- best hostels in Da Nang
- best hostels in Hue
- best hostels in Hoi An
- best hostels in Vietnam – with full map
Whether you are in Da Nang as a traveler or actually living in Da Nang, this list has cool activities for all kinds of travelers.
List of best things to do in Da Nang
Let’s kick start this list with the famous sights.
- Dragon Bridge
- Marble Mountain
- Night Market near Dragon Bridge
- Admire the Coffee Culture
- Visit the Fishermen
- Tet Holiday
- Walk the Love Bridge
- Best Beaches
- Our Secret Beaches
- Monkey Mountain Beach
- Beach Clean-Up
- Lady Buddha
- Paint Night and Quiz Night
- Infinity Pool with a View
- Sun world Asia Park
- Craft Beer at a Roof Top
- Sunrise Yoga
- Or Only the Sunrise
- Roof Top Bar
- Live Music Venues
- Bowling
- Ping Pong and Billiard Pool
- Arcade Games
- Tattoo Shop and Hipster Café
- Bargaining
- Diving at Cu Lao Cham Island
- Spa Retreat
- Cooking class in Hoi An
- My Son Day Trip
- Day trip to Hoi An
- Son Tra Peninsula
- Son Tra Peak: Ban Co Peak
- Hai Van Pass and Military Bunker
- 1-Day or 2-Days Trip to Hue
- Map
1. See Dragon Bridge spitfire and water
The most iconic sight of Da Nang is its Dragon bridge.
Both day and night, this bridge is impressive. The bridge is shaped like a dragon with a head and tail. On the weekends the dragon spits fire and water. Although it is not exactly a “Game of Thrones” Drama, it is pretty cool and worth it to see.
Make sure you check always the up to date schedule for it. The best would be to ask at your accommodation or hostel. They should know. The usual schedule would be
- Saturday at 9 pm (21:00)
- Sunday at 9 pm (21:00)
The fire show lasts about 3-5 minutes max. It would be awesome if the city would add some fireworks and/ or background music. But, nevertheless, pretty epic and unique!
The best spots to see the dragon? There is a view, you will see them right away. My favorite part for the best view of the Dragon Bridge is the 7 Bridges Roof Top Bar.
My best tip: Do you like draft beer and want to enjoy the fire show? Then visit the rooftop terrace of the 7 Bridges Brewery (scroll down for more info). You can even reserve your table there with the best spot. Just send them an email via Facebook and let them know how many people are coming.
2. Half-Day trip to Marble Mountain
Next on the list is yet another unique thing to do in Hoi An and Da Nang.
On the beach road from Da Nang to Hanoi, you will drive-by the famous Marble Mountain. You cannot miss it actually.
It is literally a cluster of five marble and limestone hills. The five mountains are named after the five elements:
- Kim (metal)
- Thuy (water)
- Moc (wood)
- Hoa (fire) and
- Tho (earth).
The (main) Marble Mountain is a complex of several caves, and temples. You will spend here at least 3 hours since it is quite big. From the city center, it takes you around 30 minutes to get here.
There are two entrances and two entrance fees.
First, there is the so-called water mountain. Here you visit several caves and temples that are connected with each other. You will take endless photos, no doubt.
You can also climb up to the peak of the marble mountain. From here you have a gorgeous view over the beach, the ocean over to Da Nang.
Below you find a photo so you get an idea.
Although there were quite some steps to climb, it was worth it. Check the weather before you go, and make sure it is whether pouring nor super hot.
The second, and for us, the most impressive part is the actual main temple of Marble Mountain, the Am Phu Cave.
This is where you can find a huge altar. On the right to it, you should dare to climb down the hell. Literally, they illustrated how hell could look like with people torturing each other, a snake eating humans and more.
Pretty tough – yet not too graphic. Still would not recommend that part for children.
Parking: As always when it’s near a sight, locals will try to lure you into parking your bike with them. They ask for anything from 2000 Dong to 10.000 Dong.
We never pay to park, but instead make a deal: “if I buy something from you, is the parking for free?” The answer was always yes. So instead of paying 5.000 for parking, I paid 10.000 for a bottle of water.
Ticket: Go to the official ticket booth. They are clearly marked. Get your tickets only there. No need to buy anything beforehand.
3. Night Market near Dragon Bridge
Not sure what to do in Da Nang after the Dragon spitfire?
Right in front, you have a night market with food, drinks, and a few fun games. Give it a go!
4. Admire the Coffee Culture
It is no secret anymore that Vietnam is a paradise for coffee-lovers. Da Nang is dotted with hundreds of coffee shops. From traditional street cafés to ultimate high-end coffee shops.
You can pay anything from 10.000 Dong to 65.000 Dong.
We prepared a huge guide to the best coffee shops in Da Nang. We also put all the cafés on a map, so you can easily find them.
Read: 14 best coffee shops in Da Nang
In a nutshell, our favorite places to get a coffee in Da Nang are:
- Golem Coffee Shop
- Joy Box (former 85 Design Cafe)
- Hide Out Café (Anna’s favorite!)
- Memory Hostel Café
- 43 Factory (Matt’s favorite!)
- Bookaholic Hostel and Café
- Cloud Garden
Good to know: There are offers for coffee tastings in Da Nang. You can find them on Airbnb Experience.
5. Become a fisherman and BBQ your fish
Historically, Da Nang was and still is a big fishermen’s town. In fact, they have their own celebration of fishermen, and it is about the same size as the TET Holiday.
Memory Hostel offers fishermen tours with BBQ.
6. Tet Holiday in Da Nang
Tet Holiday is a huge deal in Vietnam all over. Tet Holiday lasts for around one week. Restaurants, bars, hotels, supermarkets and more are closed. On the bright side, the villages are beautifully decorated and people are so excited to go home to see their family.
It is really special to visit Vietnam during the Tet Holiday.
Tet Holiday in Da Nang is still easy to “survive” in the sense of you will find accommodation and restaurants open. Our favorite restaurants and cafés were closed for a week.
If a restaurant or bar/ cafe remains open, there is usually an extra Tet-Fee of anything between 20% and 50% more on the regular price.
Fair enough!
So what is there to see during Tet in Da Nang?
The main road to visit is Bạch Đằng Street. The street is decorated with flowers, tiny monuments, and other decór. Locals love them to wear traditional dresses and to take numerous photos here.
7. Walk the Love Bridge
Nicknamed “love bridge”, this tiny pier is one of the most Instagrammed places in Da Nang.
The pier is just 100 meters from the Dragon Bridge. Locals and visitors follow the love-lock tradition and lock their love for eternity on that pier. You can even buy (overpriced) love locks at the store in front of the bridge.
At night, the hearty-lamps lighten up. For us, this makes an even better photo.
Anyways, this love-locks tradition can be quite annoying, and even destroying bridges. Read the article about Love Locks by The Guardian.
8. Hit the beaches
Da Nang has many beaches and they are beautiful! Yes, Da Nang is a beach destination. It is one of the many reasons we love this city.
You can just wander around, have a drink at a beach bar, get a hammock and relax. Make sure you check the currents as we’ve been told they can be very strong at some points at the beach.
Here are the 10 best beaches in Da Nang:
- My Khe Beach
- Non-Nuoc Beach
- Bac My An Beach
- Thanh Binh Beach (Biển Thanh Bình)
- Xuan Thieu Beach
My Khe Beach is Da Nangs main beach with all the action from swimming areas, paragliding, jet-ski, banana boats and more. This white sand beach stretches approximately 6 km, dotted with beach bars and coconut vendors. A fresh coconut sets you back around 30.000 Dong.
In the South, you will find numerous beach resorts.
9. Hit the Secret Beaches
Here is our 3 favorite, more hidden beaches:
- So Tra Peninsula Beaches
- and Tien Sa
- Lang Co Beach
The beach Bai Bac or Bai Bien is one of the few sunset beaches we have found. You will find this beach as well on the Son Tr Peninsula. Check our map for the exact address. The beach is part of the Tiên Sa Resort, and there is a catch.
There is an entrance fee of 30.000 Dong.
On the bright side, Tiên Sa Resort offers as well super cool activities like banana-boats, snorkeling, diving, and water jumping castles (all at extra cost).
Good to know: You can also actually stay at the resort, but except for the direct beach access, the reviews are not really convincing. Better stay downtown.
Read: 3 best hostels in Da Nang, Vietnam – complete guide
10. Monkey Mountain Beach
We’ve covered already beaches, right?! Well, not entirely.
We were quite excited to see that there are some stunning beaches around the Monkey Mountain. You know, the one with Lady Buddha on it (check the following thing to do in Da Nang).
Just keep driving and pass Lady Buddha. On the right-hand side, you will see some parking spots. Pay the parking (usually 5000 Vietnamese Dong) and walk down the stairs to the beach. There are several beach bars.
Have a drink, thank us later!
11. Beach Clean Up
Wanna help the beaches in Da Nang clean? Join the Precious Plastic Da Nang.
Precious Plastic Da Nang is a community of people working towards a solution to plastic pollution in Vietnam.
This problem is quite big, and you will see this as soon as you arrive in Vietnam. You can actually help reducing plastic and waster in general. For instance, when ordering a drink, always let the waiter know to not put a plastic straw in your drink. A simple way to reduce unnecessary waste.
Find all dates for beach clean-ups with Precious Plastic on their Facebook page.
12. Lady Buddha
And yes, the Lady Buddha on the Monkey Mountain is also worth it a visit. You can actually see the statue from the rooftop terrace from Memory Hostel. At night, the statue is lightened up.
Anyway, the Lady Buddha is a must-do in Da Nang.
Come here, take some photos, visit the Pagoda next door – and then head to the mentioned beach above.
13. N Pub: Paint Night and Quiz Night
How about a great fun night out? Join the Paint Nights and Quiz nights at N Pub, near May An and the beach.
14. Relax at an Infinity Pool
One of our favorite top things to do in Da Nang is jumping in an infinity pool.
Most ex-pats and travelers actually do not know this, but you can visit many rooftop bars of hotels free of charge. You only need to consume a drink or eat. At some hotels, you will even get a towel.
Our favorite rooftop swimming pool is from Cicilia Hotel.
It is perfect for sunset and you can see even the sun wheel and the dragon bridge.
15. Sun world Asia Park and its Sun Wheel
Maybe the cheapest amusement park you will ever visit!
There is usually not a lot of people and the entrance is less than $10. Yet, you can spend here a full day with fun rides, roller-coasters, and arcade games.
There are even a free-fall tower and one incredibly fast roller-coaster.
No kidding!
When it was our turn, the guys leaving the roller-coaster was dizzy and told us “fast….fast!”…
We did the Barney-Standson and were like “yaaaaaahhh, right…!”
Oh boy… that thing was so fast, every one of us got a bit dizzy. Super super super fun for sure! But I could not have handled two rides in a row.
Sun World Asia Park is located in the city center. You cannot miss it.
https://youtu.be/ghq5vc-AA9A
16. Enjoy Quality Craft Beer at 7 Bridges Roof Top Bar
It may sound a bit “posh”, but Vietnamese beer is not exactly the best in the world. (Sorry, if this offends anyone!)
If you want a fantastic beer in Da Nang, then go with 7 Bridges Brewery Company.
They server fantastic beers from Blonde Ale to Wheat beer. Of course, it is more expensive than the regular la Rue beer or Bia Hoi, but it’s worth it. At least we like to think that!
7 Bridges is located at the Han River, next to the head of the Dragon Bridge – right across the river from the old Memory Hostel actually!)
They have a long bar on the ground floor, a billiard pool to play on the 1st floor, and the 3rd floor is the super cool rooftop terrace.
We especially love it here when it’s dark and Da Nang is lightened up by its bridges and the lights on all the buildings.
Good to know: From the rooftop terrace you can see the fire and water show of the Dragon Bridge. You can reserve your table, just send them a message on Facebook.
17. Sunrise Yoga
What is better than Yoga? Sunrise Yoga!
There are several resorts, yoga teachers and events on facebook for sunrise yoga. Just hop over to Facebook and check the events.
The yoga usually takes place anywhere along My Khe Beach.
18. Talking about Sunrise: Watch the Sunrise at the beach
Since Da Nang is facing the ocean to the East, you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the ocean.
Check the time for the sunrise, so you don’t miss it obviously.
19. Sky 36 Roof Top Bar
How about partying like a pro? Sky36 Club is the highest rooftop bar in Da Nang City Centre.
Come here to party in style and get the famous Ho Chi Minh City feeling. It is quite a posh place where locals, ex-pats, and travelers celebrate the night.
20. Nightlife: Live Music Venues all over
Another way to spend a great night out; live music! There are soooo many places all around the city. Here’s a selection of our favorite places in Da Nang with live music:
- The 1920’s Lounge
- Crazy Cat ‘s Bar
- On The Radio Bar
- Rock Garden
- Dirty Fingers Danang
- Waves Rooftop Bar
- The Dawn
Always check their official Facebook page to see the events.
21. Bowling
Okay, this might not exactly be something you are looking for when traveling, but still fun.
On the last floor of Lotte Market, you find a Cinema, arcade games and a good quality bowling alley. Go for it! One round of bowling costs around $2 per person.
You will get bowling shoes and even can purchase socks for using them with your bowling shoes. Just in case you are traveling in flip-flops only.
22. Ping Pong and Billiard Pool
Spending more time in Da Nang? We love to play ping pong and billiard pool.
You find billiard pools in many bars like the Simple Man. The Simple Man has also a foosball table, one of the few we have found in Da Nang.
As for Ping Pong, we only found one place to play. The place is called ”
23. Play endless Games at the Arcades (Helio Recreation Center)
This amusement center is massive! You find anything on things to do for families and adults. There are also many events taking place like concerts and night markets.
Just keep an eye on it. Unfortunately, I could not find any official schedule. Da Nang Fantastic City lists all their games and stuff to do.
One of my highlights was the bowling area, next to the cinema. There is also a huge Arcade. Yet, some of the games are not well maintained. Still, fun and cheap!
24. Tattoo Shop and Hipster Café
Sure, Da Nang offers thousands of nice cafés. But, there are quite a few standing out.
Read our guide on the best cafés in Da Nang.
The coolest and best tattoo shop in Da Nang is Lament Tattoo, right above Phong Coffee. Both Matt and the manager of Memory Hostel actually got their ankle tattoos here.
Check out all the beautiful tattoos of Lament Tattoo.
25. Bargain and Negotiate
Especially when coming from the Western world, Vietnam will for sure teach you one lesson: Bargaining!
Bargaining is almost a game for many vendors. At least, it is expected. You can try to luck in any market.
Remember to stay calm, keep smiling. If you lose your cool when bargaining you lost. Plus, again, it’s part of the game when buying something on a local market. Do not take it too seriously.
26. Diving at Cu Lao Cham Island
Did you know there are a few islands dotted around Da Nang and Hoi An?
Cu Lao Cham Island is one of the most-known islands, best for diving and snorkeling.
You can also stay overnight at Cu Lao Cham Island. Hammock Homestay is our first choice.
Good to know: Book your tour at least 1 day before. And book your accommodation as soon as you can, due to the limited choice on the island.
Good to know as well: Bring cash with you to the island. There is no ATM.
27. Splurge: Get a Spa Retreat
You will find endless spas all around the city. Massages and retreats are very affordable in Vietnam in general. We asked our local friends about the best spas in Da Nang, and here you go:
- Cham Spa & massage
- Salem Spa
- Sense Spa
Sense Spa is directly in the center and the most affordable one. It’s better to call them beforehand for an appointment.
28. Cooking class in Hoi An
Vietnamese Cuisine is one of my favorites! And what better way to take some knowledge home with you: Enjoy a cooking class in Hoi An!
Just a 30 minutes ride away in Hoi An, you can join so many cooking classes. It can be overwhelming.
Here are a few cooking classes to choose from:
Here you can find more cooking classes.
29. Day Trip to My Son
Have you ever heard of My Son? If you checked out things to do in hoi an, for sure you will have come across the day trip to My Son.
Basically, it is a Vietnamese version of Angkor Wat. Just, much smaller.
During the American War, the Viet Cong was hiding in that area. So the American Army bombed this sanctuary. Today you can still the bomb craters.
My Son is seriously great. Personally, I did not expect a lot, since I found it in all guides and expected it to be super touristy. Truth the bold: It was moderate touristy and lovely local people taking care of you.
Even the restaurants outside are super lovely, fairly priced.
You can buy the entrance fee right at the entrance. No need to buy a ticket online beforehand.
A nice extra: The bike ride from Da Nang to My Son took us along beautiful villages, rice fields, and even a cemetery of Viet Cong fighters. Absolutely worth seeing.
My Son s around 45km away from Da Nang center. With a motorbike, it takes you around 1 hour. We think the ride by bicycle would be quite a hassle due to the lack of bike-able streets. Better book a half-day trip there or rent a motorbike to get there.
30. Day trip to Hoi An
Obviously, you already thought it…right?!
Hoi An is amazing and certainly one of the most beautiful villages in all Vietnam. With all that beauty, comes a lot of tourism. We personally think it is too packed, so we rather spend our time in Da Nang and hop over to Hoi An for a day trip.
Hoi An is known for the beautiful village, so get lost in here.
It is also known for its tailors and silk, so if you are still looking for a wedding dress to wear or a suite for your brother’s wedding, this is the place to be.
The nightlife is not famous here. You can either stay at a fun hostel in Hoi An or come back to Da Nang for nightlife.
Read 3 best hostels in Hoi An – a complete guide and a few things no-one tells you.
31. Day trip to Son Tra Peninsula
It’s not often that you can just ride for 10 minutes and stand next to a jungle.
But, again, Da Nang offers so many things. The Son Tra Peninsula can be seen from all the beaches. Come here with your motorbike and pack sometimes. That area is wonderful to explore.
There is a lot of abandoned resorts. You can just walk in all the way to the beach and hang out there. There are sometimes locals selling coconuts too.
Also, there are a few spots with restaurants and bars along the beach-side. We consider these spots hidden gems in Da Nang.
They are not exactly cheap, but also not pricey at all.
On Son Tra Peninsula you also find Langur Monkeys. When you try to climb your way up to the peak of Sơn Trà Mountain and its board-game-playing statue, you increase the chance of seeing monkeys in the wild.
We were lucky enough to see a huge, white Langur Monkey; it was beautiful and climbed away when it spotted us.
Besides nature and the resorts, you should also visit the Lady Buddha statue, a 67-meter tall marble statue of Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of mercy. The pagoda next to Lady Buddha is worth to visit too. This pagoda is the biggest one in Central Vietnam. It takes you around 30 minutes to walk around and take photos. Then move on and hit the road again.
32. Son Tra Peak: Ban Co Peak
Already mentioned it before, yet again we want to emphasize this one. The “Ban Co Peak” is one of the unique things to do in Da Nang.
How often can you stand inside a cloud? Literally inside a cloud?
The Son Tra Peak is located around 600meters above sea level. When looking from Da Nang to Son Tra Peninsula it is likely you have seen already the clouds climbing around the peaks of the peninsula.
This is exactly where you will stand!
How to get to Son Tra Peak?
There are two ways; at least. One to the right, the other one to the left. Thanks for Google Maps it is actually easy.
33. Day Trip to Hai Van Pass and Military Bunker
Coming from Hue, you can take the tunnel or drive along the magical Hai Van Pass.
Take the Hai Van Pass!
The journey takes you along a breath-taking landscape. You will stop several times just to take photos of the coast, the ocean, the mountain.
The Hai Van Pass is the mountain path between Hue and Da Nang. It takes you up the mountain and on the top, you can visit a former US military bunker.
Wander around the bunkers and take a few photos here.
Back in 2017, you were still allowed to climb the bunker. Now, there are signs to not climb there anymore. A pity, but understandable.
This street was considered one of the most dangerous routes in South-East Asia. Today it is one of the most popular streets you can ride. We haven’t seen at any place more tourist-bikers than here. Either way, do not let that stop you. It is an awesome experience.
Many people take this street on their journey from Da Nang / Hoi An to Hué or reverse.
If you do not want to ride a motorbike, no worries! There are many companies that offer the easy rider. That means, an experienced driver will drive and you will sit on the back, enjoying the views and the path.
34. 1-Day or 2-Days Trip to Hue (motorbike or train)
We already mentioned the Hai Van pass. It is seriously one of the most beautiful bike rides AND train rides between Hue and Da Nang. But, there is more between these two well-known cities.
By motorbike: We visited as well the Elephant Springs and got lost in the little villages near the beach. A few spots we totally felt in love with are marked on the map below.
These spots are:
- Lap An Lagoon
- Vinh Hiền Beach
- Elephant Springs
- Thuy Tien lake Abandoned Water Park (in Hue already)
- Lang Dong Khanh (in Hue already)
- Tu Duc Tomb (in Hue already)
- Imperial City (in Hue already)
The distance from Hue to Da Nang is roughly 100km. If you have the time, I recommend staying for 1 night in Hue and make it a 2-days trip.
The coolest place to stay in Hue is:
- SMLXL – neat hostel/ homestay inside a café – perfect for couples
By Train: The train ride only costs around $3-$4 and the duration is roughly 3 hours. The journey takes you along the coastline. This is for sure one of the most scenic train rides in Vietnam.
Try to book your train seat one day before leaving. Here’s a video showing how to take a train from Hue to Da Nang.
Extra: 35. Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills.
For sure you have been waiting for me to list the Golden Bridge as the best things to do in Da Nang.
And yes, it is beautiful and unique. However, I feel the entrance fee is quite high. You can join a day trip from Da Nang or on your own. The best way to get here would be by motorbike, there is no public transport.
Personally, I think the photos are much more impressive and beautiful than the place itself.
The Ba Na Hills is actually a theme park. You can spend the whole day here, take photos and ride roller coasters.
Extra: 36. New Restaurant and Café
When visiting Da Nang, there is a restaurant café that you must go to. Le Quang Dao 100, Ngon Thi Hoa, Da Nang. You can savor traditional Vietnamese cuisine, sip your morning coffee, or simply work quietly in the restaurant space.
They created an open area adjacent to nature with lots of trees, aquariums, and fresh air to promote total relaxation.
We added this new place to the map below as well.
Complete Map
You do want to save this map; it will help you to plan your activities and get a better idea of the city.
In this map, we highlight all the best hostels Da Nang has for you as well as Day Trips, activities, things to do.
We also included our favorite best places to eat in Da Nang, including local food, Indian food, Western Food like Pizza.
(Deactivate and activate different layers in the left sidebar. Open the map in a new tab here.)
A few more photos from Da Nang
Last but not least, here are a few more photos from Da Nang. We took them during our time in Da Nang, after all, we had the incredible opportunity to live here for 3 months.
Summary
I sincerely hope you are not here anymore and enjoying Da Nang already.
I gave my best recommendation on this list. And again, I can only hope you will enjoy the city as much as I do. After all, for me it the Vietnamese Barcelona.
If you are still here, then make sure you also read my guide on
- 14 best cafés in Da Nang
- best things to do in Vietnam + with a map and itinerary
- my travel photos from Vietnam – North to South
Do you have any questions? Then please please leave us a comment. We would be thrilled to help you.
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