Itinerary · Da Nang · Vietnam
2 days in Da Nang
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Da Nang, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Viethavvh at vi.wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
2 days covers the main sights, though 4 lets you slow down. Day 1: Dragon Bridge and Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue. Day 2: Marble Mountains and Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha. Base yourself in Hai Chau riverfront.
Key facts
- Days
- 2
- Sights covered
- 9
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Hai Chau riverfront
- Book ahead
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Day by day
Day 1: Dragon Bridge and Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue
Dragon Bridge, Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue, Son Tra Night Market and My Khe Beach, then Han River night cruise in the evening.
Morning
Dragon Bridge
On weekend evenings the dragon's head breathes fire and then sprays water, drawing big crowds to the riverbanks.
Late morning
Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue
It is a favourite evening stroll and photo spot.
Lunch
Lunch: Quang-style noodles
Specialist mì Quảng shops throughout Hai Chau, mostly from breakfast to lunch.
Afternoon
Son Tra Night Market
An evening market near the eastern end of the Dragon Bridge with stalls of grilled seafood, skewers, snails, desserts and inexpensive clothes and souvenirs, with plastic tables for eating.
Late afternoon
My Khe Beach
The sea is usually calm from about April to August, while waves and currents build in the autumn and winter.
Evening
Han River night cruise
Choose a weekend cruise timed to pass the Dragon Bridge when it breathes fire.
Day 2: Marble Mountains and Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha
Marble Mountains, Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha, Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge and Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak, then An Thuong in the evening.
Morning
Marble Mountains
The largest, Thuy Son, is riddled with caves containing Buddhist and Hindu shrines, pagodas and viewpoints, and a lift saves the first climb. Stone-carving workshops line the road below in Non Nuoc village.
Late morning
Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha
The gardens hold rows of stone arhat figures and bonsai trees.
Lunch
Lunch: Pork in rice paper with fermented anchovy sauce
Restaurants that specialise in this dish across the city, often busy with local families at lunch.
Afternoon
Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Temperatures are several degrees cooler than the coast.
Late afternoon
Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak
Motorbike and jeep tours loop around the peninsula.
Evening
An Thuong
Craft-beer bars, pubs and cocktail bars in the streets behind My Khe Beach.
Before you go
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge: Weekends and Vietnamese holidays are very busy; buy tickets in advance and avoid public holidays if possible.
If it rains
- Swap in Museum of Cham Sculpture (Hai Chau riverfront): Visit before a trip to My Son to see the finest carvings that once stood there.
- Swap in Han Market (Hai Chau riverfront): Buy dried squid, coffee and local snacks here to take home; agree prices before buying.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, budget and shopping
Hai Chau riverfront
City-centre hotels along the Han River near Han Market and the cathedral
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–24 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.2 hours in December to 13.1 hours in June.
Getting between stops: Ride-hailing. Grab, Be and Xanh SM offer cars and motorbike taxis at fixed fares across the city, to the Marble Mountains and to Hoi An.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is 2 days enough in Da Nang?
2 days covers the main sights, though 4 lets you slow down. How many days Da Nang needs.
+What should I book before visiting Da Nang?
Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge.