I moved to Da Nang from the USA in 2018 — my first major step into international travel. There isn’t a city in Southeast Asia that I’m more familiar with now, and everything I’ve learned since then has been consolidated into this travel guide.
There are a lot of great reasons to visit Da Nang — My Khe Beach and the other beaches, Son Tra Mountain (with the monkeys), the Han River views, non-existent traffic, affordability, the proximity to Hoi An and Hue, and so on. I still go on multi-hour-long motorbike rides through the city in search of new viewpoints, coffee shops, local eateries, or other new discoveries.
This is a long guide with many details and personal tips. If you have any questions about visiting Da Nang or Hoi An, ask me in my Da Nang and Hoi An travel planning group, where I’ll personally answer them.
If you’re headed elsewhere in Vietnam, don’t forget my Ho Chi Minh City travel guide.
Intro to Da Nang
Da Nang is home to a little over one million people, placing it in the top five of Vietnam’s most populated cities. However, for travelers, it’s one of Vietnam’s big three tourist destinations, along with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Most of Da Nang’s appeal is My Khe Beach and its close proximity to neighboring cities, Hoi An and Hue, both home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Here’s a video I filmed on My Khe Beach.
I visit Hoi An regularly, mainly for coffee and to explore the rice fields outside of town. Hue was the former capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 during the Nguyen dynasty, and it’s about a two-hour drive north of Da Nang.
Da Nang’s experienced a lot of growth around tourism in the last few years, especially in the areas near My Khe Beach and the My An area (also sometimes called the An Thuong area because of its eponymous streets).
This entire area is now much more tourist-friendly and convenient for first-timers than it was when I first visited in 2018. There are tons of restaurants (big and small) and countless cafes. Several hotels (big and small) have also sprung up in the area and along the beach. I’ve covered my favorite places to eat and hotel recommendations in the relevant sections below.
Tips for First-Time Visitors to Da Nang
- The easiest way to get from the Da Nang airport to your hotel is to pre-book an airport transfer or use the Grab app. I personally use the Grab app — it’s the Uber of Vietnam. This is also the best way to get around the city once you’re settled. See the other best apps to download here.
- The best areas to stay in Da Nang are either along the river in Hai Chau or near My Khe Beach in Ngu Hanh Son or Son Tra. See my other guides on hotels and beach resorts in Da Nang. Three great hotels are the Sala Danang Beach Hotel, the Risemount Premier Resort, and the riverside budget hotel, the Fivitel Danang.
- The most common scams to look out for are taxi scams (inflated prices), overcharging at markets/for street food, receiving incorrect change back from cashiers, and padded bills at sketchy bars. There’s more info in my guide to safety in Vietnam for tourists.
- The airport is the worst place to exchange money. Look for gold or jewelry stores in the city. You can also exchange inside banks. Here’s a jewelry store near Han Market. Here’s one near the beach and another on the beach side near the river. Check and compare rates.
- Learn how to use your ATM card’s mobile app to lock and unlock your card. Unlock it when using an ATM, then lock it when you’re done. This will prevent a major headache in the event your card gets skimmed, lost, or stolen.
- Tipping is not required anywhere in Da Nang. But you can tip if you’d like. My advice is to make sure the intended recipient knows the tip is for them to keep. Oftentimes, they’ll hand the tip to the manager, who’ll keep it.
- If possible, try to avoid visiting Da Nang during Tet (Lunar New Year). Celebrations start a few days before Tet and can last a few days after it’s over. What this means for travelers is that a lot of businesses are closed or limited. Read more about Tet here.
- The rainy season in Da Nang usually starts in September and goes into December and sometimes January. October is the worst month to visit Da Nang. Here is a climate chart for Da Nang. I’ve also written a detailed guide on the best time to visit Da Nang.
Buying and Using SIM Cards & eSIMs
When you land at the Da Nang airport and clear immigration, you’ll see a long row of different SIM card vendors on the left-hand side. They’ll all be trying to get the attention of passing travelers, so it’s not exactly easy to know which vendor to choose. Here’s my complete SIM card guide.
The two easiest options are to set up an eSIM through Airalo or pre-order a physical SIM card through Klook.
eSIM: Check if your phone is eSIM-compatible with this Airalo article. You can double-check this article here. Your phone will also need to be carrier-unlocked. You can find out if yours is here.
If your phone can use an eSIM, I recommend Airalo. I have used Airalo many times, and their app walks you through the entire setup process with very simple instructions. Before your trip, and before you even fly to Vietnam, you can purchase the eSIM, download the Airalo app, and set it up. This way, once you land, you’re all set.
SIM card: If your phone can’t use an eSIM or you want a physical SIM card, I recommend two options. The first and easiest is to pre-order a SIM card ahead of time and pick it up at one of the airport kiosks. This way, you’ll know what you’re paying ahead of time — without any surprises.
If you want to wait a little while and not deal with the SIM card hassle upon arrival, you can get an eSIM or SIM card at provider locations in Da Nang. Vietnam’s three main service providers are Viettel, MobiFone, and Vinaphone.
I have been using Vinaphone since 2018, and I’ve had no issues with the service or signal. I bought my most recent Vinaphone plan at an electronics store called Thế Giới Di Động. They have several locations in Da Nang. Here’s one near the beach. This one’s in the city.
Here’s a Viettel store on the beach side.
If you go this route, you must bring your passport to sign up.
Getting from Da Nang Airport to My Khe Beach
Da Nang’s airport is conveniently located right in the city. The My Khe Beach area is the most popular destination in Da Nang, but my advice applies to getting to Hai Chau (a district on the city side of Da Nang) and Hoi An, too. These guides cover getting around and where to stay in Hoi An if you’re headed there.
The best way to get from Da Nang’s airport to your hotel is to use the Grab app or pre-book an airport transfer. I personally use the Grab app (download it here).
The Grab app. I strongly recommend downloading the Grab app for your trip to Vietnam. I use it daily to order food (very convenient). It’s also the easiest and most convenient way to get around Da Nang. The app is easy to use, and you can pay with a card or cash. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying before any ride — no inflated prices, surprises, or scams.
Here are some sample Grab trips I just simulated. The trip on the left goes from Da Nang’s airport to TMS Hotel (Agoda / Booking) on My Khe Beach. The trip on the right goes from Da Nang’s airport to La Siesta Hoi An Resort (Agoda / Booking) just outside the Old Town.
Using the Grab app, a ride from the airport to a hotel on My Khe Beach will often be around 90.000 to 125.000 VND. Prices fluctuate depending on demand.
However, to download and use the Grab app, you’ll need a phone or internet signal. You can get an Airalo eSIM plan or pre-order a physical SIM card here. With the latter, you’ll order it and pick it up inside the Da Nang airport when you land.
If you use Grab, always double-check the driver’s details (license plate, picture) in the app after booking. There are drivers who approach tourists pretending to be their Grab driver. They’ll ask to see your phone, cancel your actual booking, and then have you ride with them instead.
Airport transfer. This service costs slightly more than using the Grab app to book a ride. But it’s also more convenient. If you’re tired after your flight, you won’t have to then mess with the Grab app before going to find your driver outside in the parking area.
With a pre-booked transfer, the driver will be waiting outside the arrival area, usually holding a sign with your name. You’ll receive clear instructions from the company beforehand.
I’d use this third option as a last resort: metered taxis.
Metered taxi. If you just want a regular, metered taxi, you want to look for either Mai Linh (green) or Vinasun (white). These two companies have the best reputations.
A scam to look out for is a driver trying to negotiate a price with you before the trip (in lieu of running the meter). You can do this if you want but know the costs beforehand. See my screenshots above for ideas of trip costs.
Where to Stay in Da Nang
The two best areas to stay are either near My Khe Beach or on Bach Dang or Tran Phu streets in Hai Chau (the city). I’ll lightly cover the areas below, but you can find all the details in my guide to where to stay in Da Nang.
My Khe Beach
My Khe Beach stretches along the coast, so you’ll want to stay in an area called My An or further north along the coast in Son Tra. My An has been built up a lot in recent years and is much more convenient and touristy since I first lived there in 2018. The entire My An area is walkable.
The M Hotel Da Nang (Agoda / Booking) and the TMS Hotel Da Nang Beach (Agoda / Booking) are right across from My Khe Beach.
North of My An is Son Tra. The further north you go along Da Nang’s beach side and into Son Tra, the less touristy (but less convenient) it gets.
For a good blend, stay north of Nguyen Van Thoai Street. This is where it becomes Son Tra. South of this area is convenient and touristy, and north of it is where it slowly starts becoming less so the further you go.
A great hotel in Son Tra is the Sala Danang Beach Hotel (Agoda / Booking). The Monarque Hotel Danang (Agoda / Booking) is a good choice, too.
I wouldn’t go further north than Pham Van Dong Street or even one major road further, Vuong Thua Vu Street — but that’s it. Any further north and you’re beachside but without the on-foot conveniences of areas more south.
If you want to stay in a beach resort, see the Pullman Danang Beach Resort (Agoda / Booking). For more choices, see my guide to Da Nang’s beach resorts.
Hai Chau District
If you want to stay somewhere in the city, choose Hai Chau. You’ll want to stay somewhere riverside on Bach Dang Street or one street inland, Tran Phu Street. Anywhere around the vicinity of Han Market is a good choice. I would personally go somewhere along the river there.
The HAIAN Riverfront (Agoda / Booking) is a good choice along the Han River. The Vanda Hotel (Agoda / Booking) is in a great location at the tail of the Dragon Bridge. Both of these hotels have excellent views.
I also have a separate guide on my favorite hotels in Da Nang.
Getting Around Da Nang
I strongly recommend downloading and using the Grab app to get around Da Nang. It’s a ride-hailing app similar to Uber. Most of Da Nang’s individual areas are walkable, but since the city is very spread out, you’ll need a better way to get around.
Grab offers moto-taxis (GrabBike), private cars (GrabCar), and regular taxis but with a pre-set fare (GrabTaxi). You can also order food (GrabFood) deliveries to your hotel or rental. I use it every day.
Renting a scooter is another popular way to get around Da Nang. This will give you a lot more freedom to visit the attractions, check out the Hai Van Pass, and take day trips to Hoi An.
Depending on the motorbike, a rental can cost anywhere from 100.000 to 300.000 VND per day. You get better rates if you rent monthly. I paid 2.6 million VND per month to rent my 2022 Yamaha NVX 155, and now pay 3 million VND per month for my Honda PCX 150. I’ve also rented newer Air Blade 125s for 1 to 2 million VND per month.
The good news about riding a scooter in Da Nang is that it’s a great place to learn. There’s hardly any traffic at all. The city is wide open and spread out, and there are quiet parts you can go to practice. I learned to ride a motorbike in Da Nang.
If you want to rent a scooter in Da Nang, I recommend contacting Quang Nga Motorbikes Rental in the My An area. Here is their location on Google Maps.
For more details, see my guide to getting around Da Nang.
Top Things to Do in Da Nang
Da Nang’s attractions are spread throughout the city, plus there are several day trips outside the city that are fun, too. I’ll only cover the highlights below. For more ideas, see my guide to the best things to do in Da Nang.
The biggest draw to Da Nang is My Khe Beach, though the Dragon Bridge is the most noticeable landmark for first-time visitors. The beach starts in the popular My An area and runs north along the coast into Son Tra toward the Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain).
A well-maintained stone and cement path runs along My Khe Beach, which is popular for walking and exercising. There are roped-off swimming areas and lounge chairs for rent. There are also lots of beachside places to grab a bite or a drink.
The Dragon Bridge has raised sidewalks on both sides, so you can safely walk across and admire the views up and down the Han River. The dragon breathes fire on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 PM.
North of My Khe Beach is the Son Tra Peninsula, home to the Lady Buddha statue (which you’ll see from My Khe Beach). This is a free activity. See my guide to visiting Lady Buddha.
South of My Khe Beach and the My An area are the Marble Mountains and Am Phu Cave. This is one of the more popular tourist attractions in Da Nang. The cave and the mountains are in the same location but require separate tickets. These activities won’t be enjoyed if you have mobility issues. There are a lot of steps, especially on the mountains, if you want to fully enjoy it. Here’s my guide to the Marble Mountains and Am Phu Cave.
I don’t know anyone who’s visited Da Nang without also visiting Hoi An. The trip is about 30 to 40 minutes. See how to get from Da Nang to Hoi An here. The Old Town area of Hoi An is very walkable. It has village vibes and is nicely situated along the Thu Bon River.
If you’re interested in spending a few days in Hoi An, see my guide on where to stay in Hoi An — I recommend in or around the Old Town. If you’re debating which city to base your vacation in, here’s my article comparing Da Nang and Hoi An.
The My Son Sanctuary is another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. It’s south of Da Nang, and it takes about one hour to get there. Here is My Son’s location. This is a low-key activity. There is a walking loop that takes you around the sanctuary and ruins. I find it to be a pleasant experience.
Electric carts chauffeur guests between the entrance and the sanctuary’s ruins. Here’s a video of my shuttle ride from the ruins back to the entrance.
You can visit the sanctuary on your own by booking a Grab taxi. It is a popular attraction, so there’ll be taxis outside when you’re finished if you want to book another Grab back to Da Nang or Hoi An. Otherwise, you can join one of the My Son Sanctuary tours, which I cover next.
Best Da Nang Tours
There are tons of great tours and day trips in/from Da Nang. The most popular destinations are the Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hills with the Golden Bridge (the two big hands), Lady Buddha, and Hoi An.
Here’s a half-day tour of Lady Buddha, Monkey Mountain, the Marble Mountains, and Am Phu Cave. This private tour visits the same places.
For Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge, here’s a full-day small group tour.
This is a private day tour of Hoi An and Coconut Forest.
If you’re interested in visiting all of these places, you’ll need to split it up over at least two days. The Ba Na Hills are outside the city, about an hour’s drive each way — you can then spend a few hours there.
The Marble Mountains and Lady Buddha are in Da Nang, so these can easily be combined into one day. Hoi An is about 40 minutes south, and you can easily spend a few hours walking around the Old Town exploring.
Two days would be possible but tight. Three days would give you enough leeway.
There’s also the My Son Sanctuary, which is usually done as a day trip from Hoi An. Here’s a popular My Son Sanctuary tour. You can join this tour from Da Nang, but you’ll have to pay a small extra charge to be picked up, or you can get down to Hoi An yourself by using the Grab app.
Where to Eat in Da Nang
Da Nang doesn’t quite have the same street food scene as Ho Chi Minh City, but there are tons of great local and international options available. I’m constantly trying new restaurants in Da Nang’s city side and by the beach. You can also use the Grab app to order GrabFood to your hotel — it’s easy and very convenient, and there are endless options.
Food
This growing article details some of my favorite places to eat in Da Nang.
When I want local food (at local prices), I usually go to My An Market. My go-to’s are usually a bowl of bun bo Hue and some kind of fresh juice, either guava or orange. I’ve been eating the bun bo from the same family-owned stand since 2018. It’s 25.000 VND per bowl.
When I’m craving Indian food, I usually go to Lazeez Indian Restaurant in Son Tra. This restaurant is a five-minute walk from the beach. They also run a budget hotel upstairs, the Mai Boutique Villa (Agoda / Booking).
I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, but I find myself eating at KURUMI a few times per month. The food always tastes fresh, and the staff are all friendly. They are very active on Facebook.
I’m a big fan of Bikini Bottom Express when I’m craving hearty Western food. IRINI, in the My An area, has great Greek food. I usually get the chicken gyros plate and sometimes add a bowl of their homemade yogurt.
For brunch, check out SIX ON SIX in My An or An’s Cafe in Son Tra, which has a limited menu but lower prices.
For juice, smoothies, and local desserts (like chè), I’ve been going to this family-owned place since 2018. They’re very nice. They have outdoor seating along the busy street. It’s a great spot to get a juice or dessert and watch the traffic go by.
Coffee
Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the world, so there’s no shortage of coffee shops in Da Nang. The quality of the actual coffee is consistently high from shop to shop, but what varies is the shop’s style, layout, and portion sizes.
Regarding portions, I advise being open to the experience of Vietnam’s coffee culture and not feeling like you’ve been ripped off when, after two sips, your coffee is finished. After all, when the coffee costs as little as 20.000 to 40.000 VND, you can always order another!
There are Vietnamese-style open-air coffee shops with minimalistic seating inside and lots of small chairs out on the sidewalk, like Ut Tich Cafe on Bach Dang Street or this one on Tran Phu Street, both in Hai Chau. On the beach side, there’s this one and this one, plus lots of others. This is the most common style of coffee shop in Vietnam.
There are quiet and cozy places, easily overlooked when passing by, like this coffee shop near the beach in Son Tra. The busy My An area has tons of shops, like the popular 43 Factory Coffee Roaster and Puna Coffee and Cake.
For a coffee shop with one of the most unique and detailed interiors I’ve seen, check out NAM House Cafe (Google Maps) in Hai Chau (Da Nang’s city side). Nearby NAM House is Reply 1988 Cafe.
For remote work on your laptop, I find that chain coffee shops are usually the best places. Their interiors are generally more comfortable, and their chairs and tables are more practical for using laptops. Some of the chains to look for in Da Nang are Highlands Coffee, The Cups Coffee, Phuc Long, and Starbucks.
However, there are lots of one-off coffee shops that are good for laptop work, too. Look at Login Coffee on Nguyen Van Thoai, where I’m actually writing this article now, Lighthouse in Son Tra, or a coworking space like ACE in My An.
Coffee shops with good remote-work capability and coworking spaces tend to be crowded sometimes. It’s a good idea to have some of the above chain coffee shops in the back of your mind to fall back on, just in case. When one of my go-to shops is full and I’m looking to do work, I usually go to the nearest Highlands Coffee.
Where to Shop in Da Nang
Where to shop will depend on what you’re looking for. There is only one decent shopping mall in the city, and that’s Vincom Plaza on Da Nang’s beach side near the river. You’ll find the biggest collection of name brands here.
The Melia Vinpearl Danang Riverfront (Agoda / Booking) is a great hotel with awesome river views right behind Vincom Plaza.
If you’re looking for cheap clothes and knockoffs, head to Han Market, but be prepared to haggle a bit. This is similar to Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City. You can also check out Con Market, which is further in the city (in Hai Chau).
If you’re looking for something specific, like a piece of electronic equipment, you’ll have to source it from individual stores. When I need something for my laptop, I usually check Phi Long Technology first, as it’s easy to access and they have a big selection. When they don’t have what I need, I go to Mega Computer around the corner. This entire street, Ham Nghi, has several computer accessory and repair shops.
Shopee and Lazada are online marketplaces like Amazon, though not nearly as sophisticated, and you can order delivery to your hotel or rental. You can download the Shopee app here. You can place orders and pay in cash (COD). If Shopee doesn’t have what you’re looking for, check Lazada (Apple / Android). These are two of my go-to apps for traveling in Vietnam.
Supermarkets and Convenience Stores
There are a few good supermarkets in Da Nang where you can do all of your routine grocery shopping. I’ll touch on my favorites just briefly, but you can find more details in my article on Da Nang’s supermarkets.
My personal favorite supermarket is Mega Market, over the river in Cam Le. It is set up like a big warehouse, and a lot of items are purchasable in bulk. A major positive of this store is that it’s a seamless experience during the day, as it’s hardly ever crowded. The downside is it’s a bit further from the beach.
Another great supermarket is Lotte Mart, over the river in Hai Chau. I remember doing my first round of shopping here in 2018, and it’s hardly changed since. The supermarket occupies two floors inside a mini-mall.
A similar store is GO! in Thanh Khe District (further into the city), which used to be a Big C (still a popular hypermarket in Thailand). I only recommend coming to this supermarket if it’s near your hotel or rental. Otherwise, it has a similar selection as Lotte Mart but is far more crowded.
On Da Nang’s beach side, there are some smaller choices, like Co.opmart in Son Tra, which has a smaller selection but is very easy to get in and out of.
There are plenty of convenience stores scattered around the beach side, especially in the My An area, as well as in the city. Getting things like extra water bottles, toothbrushes, soap, etc., is very easy. Wherever you end up staying, I suggest popping open Google Maps and typing in “convenience store.”
For pharmacies, Pharmacity is a popular chain with locations all over Da Nang (and Vietnam). You can get your medications and vitamins here, as well as water, toothbrushes, soap, etc.
Gyms with Day Passes in Da Nang
Travelers often ask me about gyms with short-term (day or weekly) passes in Da Nang, so I wanted to include this section. Lots of gyms have sprung up in Da Nang recently, so there’s a good selection on both sides of the city.
The gyms near the beach (in and around the My An area) tend to be smaller and a bit cramped, so for a bigger training space, you’ll have to head outside this area.
Below are a few gyms that offer short-term passes. For more choices, see my guide to gyms in Da Nang.
Son Tra. Tam Body Fitness Center (Google Maps)
- Day pass: 40.000 VND (great price)
- Description: Four floors of weights, machines, cardio equipment, and open space to do functional training, core training, or calisthenics.
Cam Le. MINH TRI Fitness Center (Google Maps)
- Day pass: 100.000 VND
- Description: Clean, with a good amount of machines. The second floor is reserved for personal training clients only. Usually quiet during the day.
Son Tra. Hoc Vien Fitness 199 (Google Maps)
- Day pass: 150.000 VND
- Weekly pass: 300.000 VND
- Description: Expensive for a day pass but has two floors and a good amount of equipment. Also convenient to access from Da Nang’s beach side.
Hai Chau. Mega Fitness (Google Maps)
- Day pass: 100.000 VND
- Description: Large, open-air gym with a good amount of equipment. This gym is newer and is pretty well maintained so far.
Planning Your Da Nang Itinerary
I hope you have more than one day in Da Nang so you can fully experience the city and its surroundings. But if you’ve only got 24 hours, you’ll, of course, have to see My Khe Beach and the Dragon Bridge. These can be done at any point during the day but are obvious inclusions to your itinerary.
If you stay at a hotel right on My Khe Beach, like the HAIAN Beach Hotel (Agoda / Booking), you’ll have ample opportunities to visit the beach in the morning, afternoon, or evening. This would be very convenient.
The other two attractions I’d recommend for one day are the Marble Mountains and Lady Buddha. The Marble Mountains will take the most effort because of the hiking, so I would actually start here in the morning. Plan to spend around two hours here.
Afterward, you can check out My Khe Beach on your way north along the coast to Lady Buddha. Plan to spend at least one hour here. The Dragon Bridge is central and easy to access, with raised sidewalks on both sides. At any point, you can stop here briefly.
In the evening, you can have dinner in Da Nang or, if you’ve got the energy, take a 40-minute taxi ride down to Hoi An.
Two days in Da Nang would give you a bit more breathing room. If you’re interested in the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, you can add this to the first or second day. As I mentioned in the tours section above, it will take up a lot of time because it’s at least one hour each way.
You’ll also have time to visit Da Nang’s city side. I recommend checking out the area around Han Market, Tran Phu Street, and walking on the promenade along Han River on Bach Dang Street. This is all one area.
With three days in Da Nang, you’ll have plenty of time for the above attractions, time to check out Hoi An, and time for a trip to My Son Sanctuary, which is a half-day trip south of Da Nang and west of Hoi An.
