Things to do · Da Nang · Vietnam
14 best things to do in Da Nang
14 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Viethavvh at vi.wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
The essential sights in Da Nang are Dragon Bridge, My Khe Beach and Marble Mountains. Of the 14 picks below, 9 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Dragon Bridge
- Free sights
- 9
- Good on a rainy day
- Museum of Cham Sculpture
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Bridge | An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge) | 1 hour | Free |
| My Khe Beach | My Khe beachfront | Half a day | Free |
| Marble Mountains | Non Nuoc and the southern resort strip | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha | Son Tra Peninsula | 1 hour | Free |
| Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge | Ba Na Hills (about 25 km west) | Full day | Expensive |
| Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak | Son Tra Peninsula | Half a day | Free |
| Museum of Cham Sculpture | Hai Chau riverfront | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Han Market | Hai Chau riverfront | 1 hour | Free |
| Con Market | Hai Chau riverfront | 1 hour | Free |
| Da Nang Cathedral | Hai Chau riverfront | 20 minutes | Free |
| Han River night cruise | Hai Chau riverfront | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue | An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge) | 30 minutes | Free |
| Man Thai fishing village | Son Tra Peninsula | 1 hour | Free |
| Son Tra Night Market | An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge) | 1 hour | Low cost |
The 14 best things to do
Landmark · An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge)
1.Dragon Bridge
Opened in 2013, this 666-metre bridge across the Han River is shaped like a golden dragon and lit with changing colours at night. On weekend evenings the dragon's head breathes fire and then sprays water, drawing big crowds to the riverbanks.
Stand on the east bank near the head for the fire show, but expect to get splashed during the water section.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- Photo spot
Beach · My Khe beachfront
2.My Khe Beach
A long, wide sandy beach running south from the Son Tra Peninsula, with lifeguard towers, showers, beach chairs and seafood restaurants across the road. The sea is usually calm from about April to August, while waves and currents build in the autumn and winter.
Swim early in the morning with the locals, between the lifeguard flags, before the sun gets fierce.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Nature · Non Nuoc and the southern resort strip
3.Marble Mountains
Five limestone and marble outcrops, named after the five elements, rise from the plain about 9 km south of the centre. 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.
Go early, take the lift up and walk down, and allow extra time for Huyen Khong Cave, where light shafts fall through the roof.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Kids
- Active
Religious site · Son Tra Peninsula
4.Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha
On the Son Tra Peninsula's southern slopes, the Linh Ung Pagoda is watched over by a white statue of the Bodhisattva Quan Am about 67 metres tall, looking out over the bay and the city. The gardens hold rows of stone arhat figures and bonsai trees.
Visit late afternoon for the light on the statue and views of the city; dress modestly.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
Theme park · Ba Na Hills (about 25 km west)
5.Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
A former French hill station at about 1,400 metres, reached by a very long cable car, now developed into a resort park with a replica French village, gardens, an indoor amusement park and the Golden Bridge, a 150-metre walkway held up by two giant stone-look hands. Temperatures are several degrees cooler than the coast.
Arrive at opening and go to the Golden Bridge first; by late morning it is packed and cloud often rolls in.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Weekends and Vietnamese holidays are very busy; buy tickets in advance and avoid public holidays if possible.
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Photo spot
Nature · Son Tra Peninsula
6.Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak
A forested nature reserve rising to about 700 metres, with winding roads to viewpoints such as Ban Co Peak, quiet coves and a population of endangered red-shanked douc langurs. Motorbike and jeep tours loop around the peninsula.
Go early in the morning for the best chance of seeing langurs in the trees by the road; carry water, as there are few shops.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
- Active
Museum · Hai Chau riverfront
7.Museum of Cham Sculpture
Founded in 1915 by French scholars, this museum displays sandstone sculptures from the Champa kingdoms that ruled central Vietnam for over a thousand years: dancing apsaras, Shiva lingas, Ganesh figures and temple pedestals from sites such as My Son and Tra Kieu.
Visit before a trip to My Son to see the finest carvings that once stood there.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Market · Hai Chau riverfront
8.Han Market
The central market by the river sells fabrics, ready-made clothes, dried seafood, coffee, fish sauce and snacks, with food stalls downstairs. Tailors in and around the market can make simple clothes quickly.
Buy dried squid, coffee and local snacks here to take home; agree prices before buying.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Rainy day
Market · Hai Chau riverfront
1.Con Market
Da Nang's largest market is more local than Han Market and best known for its maze of food stalls serving bánh xèo, bún mắm, chè sweet soups and fresh juices at local prices.
Go hungry and graze around the food section in the afternoon; point at what others are eating.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
Religious site · Hai Chau riverfront
2.Da Nang Cathedral
The pink Gothic Revival church built in 1923 during French rule is known locally as the Rooster Church after the weathervane on its spire. It is still an active parish and a popular photo stop on Tran Phu Street.
The best view of the facade is from across Tran Phu Street; the interior is usually open only around services.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Experience · Hai Chau riverfront
3.Han River night cruise
Boats leave from the Bach Dang riverfront in the evening for an hour on the Han River, passing under the illuminated Dragon Bridge, the Han River swing bridge and the cable-stayed Tran Thi Ly Bridge.
Choose a weekend cruise timed to pass the Dragon Bridge when it breathes fire.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
Waterfront · An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge)
4.Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue
Just south of the Dragon Bridge on the east bank, a short pier hung with heart-shaped lanterns and love locks leads towards a statue of a carp turning into a dragon, which sprays water into the river. It is a favourite evening stroll and photo spot.
Combine it with the Dragon Bridge show and the Son Tra Night Market on the same evening.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- After dark
- Photo spot
Experience · Son Tra Peninsula
5.Man Thai fishing village
On the beach at the northern end of My Khe, near the Son Tra Peninsula, fishermen still use thúng chai, round woven basket boats, and land their catch at dawn. Some offer short basket-boat rides.
Go at sunrise, when the boats come in and the beach market is busiest.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Market · An Hai (east bank by Dragon Bridge)
6.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.
Head here for dinner after the Dragon Bridge show; compare seafood prices before ordering.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Shopping
- Kids
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Museum of Cham Sculpture |
| History | Museum of Cham Sculpture |
| Views | Marble Mountains, Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha, Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak and Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge |
| Outdoors and nature | My Khe Beach, Marble Mountains and Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak |
| Food and markets | Han Market, Con Market and Son Tra Night Market |
| After dark | Dragon Bridge, Han River night cruise, Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue and Son Tra Night Market |
| With children | Dragon Bridge, My Khe Beach, Marble Mountains and Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge |
| On a rainy day | Museum of Cham Sculpture and Han Market |
What to book ahead
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge: Weekends and Vietnamese holidays are very busy; buy tickets in advance and avoid public holidays if possible.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Da Nang?
Dragon Bridge. Opened in 2013, this 666-metre bridge across the Han River is shaped like a golden dragon and lit with changing colours at night.
+What can you do for free in Da Nang?
Dragon Bridge, My Khe Beach, Linh Ung Pagoda and the Lady Buddha, Son Tra Peninsula and Ban Co Peak and Han Market. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Da Nang when it rains?
Head indoors to Museum of Cham Sculpture and Han Market.
+What is there to do in Da Nang at night?
Dragon Bridge, Han River night cruise, Love Bridge and Carp-Dragon statue and Son Tra Night Market are best after dark.