A Complete Guide to Visiting the City of Da Nang, Vietnam
Surrounded by sandy beaches and located near the Buddhist pagodas and caves of the Marble Mountains, the once small town of Da Nang is a growing, bustling port city lying halfway between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south. As the third largest city in Vietnam, Da Nang is a great place to visit in its own right and not just as a stopping point to nearby attractions such as Hue Imperial City, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Despite its large urban population, Da Nang life runs at a slightly slower tempo than frenetic Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Perhaps it’s the isolated beaches that invite quiet meditation, the friendly people, or the lighter traffic on the streets; whatever it is that makes Da Nang so enjoyable, you should plan a few days to explore the delights this city has to offer. History of Da Nang, Vietnam da nang a travel guide Da Nang lies within the former kingdom of Champa, a culture heavily influenced by Hinduism brought from India. Even today, the Cham culture’s exhibited in the architecture, food, and Chamic languages still spoken throughout the region. In the 10th century, the Dai Viet (cultural Vietnamese) began an inexorable sweep from Northern Vietnam south into the Da Nang area and beyond, eventually conquering the Champa leaders and taking over their territories. While a small village existed on the site beginning in the 14th century, Da Nang wasn’t settled as a seaport until the 17th century, when it began attracting traders from Europe and Asia. Despite its trade and the area’s beauty, it was still a backwater town until Napolean III annexed it for the French Empire in 1862, and in 1889, the French colonial government renamed the seaport Tourane (or Turon). As French influence and power grew in Vietnam, the seaport also expanded and grew until it became one of the five major cities of French Indochina, included among Hanoi, Saigon, Hai Phong, and Hue. French colonial architecture, food, and fashions layered atop the Cham and Dai Viet influences already present in the city and surrounding area. When the French left Vietnam in 1954, the country declared independence as a nation. Da Nang was the scene of many battles Da Nang was the scene of many battles during the Vietnam War (the Vietnamese call this war the American War). It was the first landing site of American troops in March, 1965, and the scene of many bloody conflicts throughout the ten years of the war. Despite the conflicts and setbacks suffered by the city and its people, Da Nang has flourished in the years after the war. Industry and manufacturing play a major part in its growth, and tourism is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the city. Best Time to Visit The weather is ideal from April through September, with the ocean regulating and cooling the city during the hottest summer months. Winter, from the end of September through January, is still mild in temperature, but rain showers are an almost daily occurrence during this monsoon season, along with occasional fierce storms coming off the South China Sea. If you plan on visiting Da Nang in winter, be sure to pack an umbrella. About Da Nang Da Nang is situated at the mouth of the Han River that exits from the East Vietnam Sea. On the north, Da Nang hugs the Da Nang Bay, while the long waterfronts of the east and south border the Han River and the Song Cam Le River. In Da Nang, you’ll find gorgeous white sand beaches, superb vistas, a wide range of restaurants and eateries, plenty of shopping, and tons of culture and special sites to visit. Within the city and the surrounding area, you’ll recognize the Cham, Da Viet, French Colonial, and modern Vietnamese and global influences that have helped shape this seaport into a city that is friendly towards visitors while successfully preserving its own heritage. City authorities have launched a multi-year campaign designed to make Da Nang the most modern city in Vietnam by the year 2030. It’s an exciting time to visit! From the iconic Dragon Bridge to the wild beauty of Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang will make you glad you came. Attractions near Da Nang Marble Mountains Each of the five craggy peaks that make up the Marble Mountains, located nine kilometers (5.5 miles) south of Da Nang and near the China Beach coastal road, is named after the element it is said to most closely resemble: water (Thuy Son), wood (Moc Son), fire, (Hoa Son), metal or gold (Kim Son), and earth (Tho Son). Though each peak is topped with a pagoda, only the largest mountain, Thuy Son is open to visitors. Within Thuy Son lies a series of caves, tunnels, and sanctuaries originally dedicated to Hindu gods and later turned into Buddhist temples and sanctuaries. Visitors can enter the cave system and traverse a series of tunnels, stairs, and paths as they wind through the various caverns up to the summit of the mountain. The caverns and grottoes are filled with religious carvings on the marble walls as well as numerous statues of Buddha. At the base of the mountains lie villages whose residents specialize in marble carvings and statues. Until recently, the marble they used actually came from the Marble Mountains, but marble is now shipped in from nearby provinces in order to preserve the integrity of the mountains. You can get to the Marble Mountains by bus or taxi from Da Nang for a very reasonable price. The entry fee to the caves is around 18,000 Vietnamese dong (VND), or less than one U.S. dollar. An elevator is available for those who have difficulty walking up hills or climbing stairs, but be prepared for a workout if you want to get to the summit. Son Tra Mountain (Monkey Mountain) Escape the
Private Tours: Hue and Hoi An
Xuan Tu is a company comprised of knowledgeable, well-experienced local tour guides, namely Hai and Lam. You would definitely be in good hands if you choose Xuan Tu private touring. Our first expedition took place in the imperial city of Hue with Hai, who was very personable, friendly and passionate about his country. The tour exhibited by Hai provided us a new prism to look through Hue – a city we found to be rooted in rich, vibrant history. You will definitely get a new perspective and appreciation for the royal, dignified city of Hue. The Hue tour also consisted of several pit stops at scenic mountains, beaches and important historical sites that are engrained in the ostentatious fabric of Vietnam. Though, the food recommendation was truly the key highlight for us in this tour. We had an amazing, eclectic feast for a very reasonable price at a majestic venue, located outside of the forbidden city. Overall, the Hue private tour was a fruitful excursion, one that we found to be educational and eye opening. The second tour took place in the ancient city of Hoi An and its neighboring Cam Kim village, on a leisurely stroll with our tour guide Lam, who is also personable, friendly and mostly, accommodating to your needs. Within the village, the tour provided us an authentic snapshot of the islet’s landscape and also its local artisans, who still participate in centuries-old carpentry, rice paper making, and mat weaving that are passed down from generation to generation. This is a unique hands-on experience for those who are interested in immersing themselves in Vietnamese traditional crafts. When returning to the second phase of the 10-hours tour, back to Hoi An, we got to go on a customized food adventure that was highly anticipated. We snaked around the city’s diminutive alleys to try various hidden food gems that only the locals would know. In addition, we also tried a plethora of recommended food stalls and restaurants. The banh mi, chicken and rice, an spring rolls were exceptionally delicious. Hoi An is definitely a gastronomic culture. Our trip concluded with a nighttime array of brilliant, decorative lanterns and a memorable meal with Lam. It was a sight to be seen and could only be aptly described as “Ichi-go ichi-e”. — Traveller: hughthele from Tripadvisor
Fantastic day in Da Nang and Hoi An
I booked the tour with Xuan Tu based on the reviews she had on Trip Advisor. The 4 of us were to be in Da Nang for a day stop while on the Diamond Princess trip from Singapore to Tokyo. The day with her was the highlight of the cruise. She is a very dynamic and cheerful woman who has a great depth of knowledge about the area from both a historical and social point of view. She was able to provide us with an objective and somewhat positive opinion regarding her country. Her English is excellent and her command of idioms is very good. We covered a lot of territory and ate well. We have had many guides on several trips in Europe and South America. I would say that we enjoyed the day with her more than with any other guide. She deserves every star that Trip Advisor will allow! — Traveller: HMCS10 from Tripadvisor
a great bicycle tour with Hai
my wife and i booked a bicycle day tour before we visited Hoi An, the tour guide Hai is a young guy who arrived on time that day. after carefully checking the bikes we borrowed from the hotel, he lead us cycling around the city to a couple of places, like a fisherman ship construction site, a wood crafting shop, an ancestral hall and two local families to learn the people’s life there. he knows the city so well and explained everything in details. he is good in english which make no difficulty in communication. Hoi An is a good place to travel by bicycle, try this out and you will have lots of fun. — Traveller: KYleY72 from Tripadvisor
Tour from cruise port
What an amazing day! We were picked up by Lam and his driver from the cruise port north of Danang for a 7 hour tour visiting Marble Mountain, Hoi An, Lady Buddha and much more. We were presented with sun hats on arrival at our first stop which were very much appreciated. Lam’s knowledge and impecable English and great sense of humour made the tour the best of our holiday and would definitely recommend him to anyone visiting this area. — Traveller: Patricia P from Tripadvisor