Da Nang Travel Guide | What to do in Da Nang, Vietnam

by Jia Shin Lee - April 02, 2017

Hi loves,

I just came back from my Da Nang and I am really excited to share the about the trip. It is my first time to Vietnam and I was really excited about it because I have been trying to convince my husband to visit Vietnam this year and my dream came true! I was sent for a training in Da Nang, Vietnam.

If you're looking for a relaxing trip with slower pace, this is it, there are plenty of beaches to relax on and sight seeing to be done in Da Nang. The only challenge was communication but thanks to technology, there's google translate.

Mobile Data
Got my simcard at the airport, it's 180,000VND, comes with unlimited data for 5 days.

Transportation
Grab car and taxi were my mode transportation for the trip, taxi is double the price of grab car hence grab car will be a better choice but some drivers might not be able to find certain locations and it's quite difficult because they can't speak english. To make things easy, I asked the grab driver to be with me the entire trip and I'll pay a little bit more.

Hotel
Stayed at Hotel Grand Mercure for 5 days and 4 nights. The hotel was wonderful, service was really accommodating and the staffs were really attentive, the rooms were 2,000,000VND per night with breakfast included. My room was facing Han river and Trần Thị Lý Bridge and the view was incredible at night when the lights are turned on.

1. Cham Museum of Danang

The museum collects a small fee of 40,000VND upon visit. Although it was small but it was definitely worth the visit. The museum contains the relics collected from My Son, a abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century AD by the kings of Champa to worship god Shiva. It was a great place for someone who appreciates history and desire to understand culture.

2. Han Market

Han market is a great spot to shop for souvenirs, there are 3 sections, the wet market, the dry market and on the first floor you'll get to purchase clothing and fabrics and in the middle there was a little food court. Most of my shopping were made here, the souvenirs were actually cheaper than Hoi An, got myself a good bargain for purchasing cashew nuts 1kg 280,000VND, lotus seeds 500g 190,000VND, dried mangoes 500g 160,000VND and coconut biscuits 25,000VND. Do remember to do some haggling because the price given are usually marked up plus they will give you a great discount if you purchase in bulk.

3. Da Nang Pink Cathedral

Located just down the road from Han Market, you can easily spot the one and only church in Da Nang. The cathedral was built by French priest Louis Vallet in 1923, with a pink-painted edifice that earns its reputation as one of the most unique catholic churches in Vietnam.

4. Linh Ung Pagoda

This my favorite and it's something you must not miss when you are in Da Nang, the pagoda is located on a hill of Son Tra Peninsula, halfway up the moutain, facing the sea. It was a 15 minutes drive from the city, made it up with a grab car for 120,000VND. The pagoda opens till 7pm for visitors to enjoy the stunning views and romantic sunsets.

5. Lady Buddha

The tall white statue of Goddess of Mercy (67m high, 35m lotus diameter, equivalent to a 30-storey building) watches over the local fishermen at sea, they believe she protects them by giving them strength to fight the waves and winds. There are 17 floors in the statue lap, each floor has an altar with 21 Buddha statues which have different shapes, facial expression and posture.

6. Hoi An

Hoi An is located just 45 minutes from Da Nang. It is a historic district, once a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century, its buildings and street plan reflecting a unique blend of There is also the fine wooden Japanese bridge, with a pagoda on it, dating from the 18th century. I was told by the tour guide that the bridge was built to subdue a world-spanning ‘mamazu’ dragon monster, whose head was in India and tail in Japan. The tail was said to cause earthquakes in Japan. Vietnam is located in the area of the mamazu’s back so the bridge was built to pin the mamazu down preventing earthquakes.

Hoi An Roastery is a famous coffee shop located inside the Ancient Town and famous for its coffee beans and their coffee. After much walking in town I was too tired to walk anymore while waiting for my tour guide to arrive I stayed there and had tea. The coffee was great but I still preferred the ones by the road, those were much stronger but the carrot cake was delicious, it was light and moist and most of all it was not too sweet.

I also stumbled upon this art gallery and I love it. Ha Ha - Art in everything is located right beside the Japanese Bridge so it is easy to spot. The artist, Ha, has a amazing portfolio, his work was unique and beautiful and it is also priced very reasonably. I got myself two fridge magnets for 50,000VND each.