ULTIMATE ONE DAY ITINERARY DA NANG
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Seeing the highlights of a city in one day is always challenging. The good news: Da Nang does not have a huge number of famous sights so a one-day itinerary is a lot more feasible than say in Rome!
That’s not to say Da Nang doesn’t deserve a longer stay. I spent four weeks there, had a wonderful time, and never got bored (well, the full week of rain was a bit challenging). I absolutely encourage you to stay longer in this wonderfully vibrant yet relaxed beach city if you can.
But if you only have a single day my itinerary will show you the city’s highlights: temples, nature, beach, food, and town!
Your Perfect Day in Da Nang
Morning: Take a tour of Marble Mountain and Lady Buddha
You will see many different temples, shrines, and towers at Marble Mountain
To optimize your time in Da Nang I would start with an organized tour that includes Marble Mountain, Am Phu Cave, and Lady Buddha like this one.
I generally recommend independent travel due to the increased flexibility and lower cost. And you can easily visit both Lady Buddha and Marble Mountain on your own. But if you only have half a day for both, a tour will get you there and show you the highlights in the most efficient way. If you are travelling solo, the cost won’t be that much higher than getting Grabs between these attractions. And let’s face it, with such a tight timeframe you won’t need that much flexibility for lingering anyway.
So what can you expect to see on such a tour?
1. Marble Mountain
The Marble Mountains have a very unique look
“Marble Mountains” refers to five limestone/marble crags that rise suddenly out of the ground at the southern end of Da Nang. These interesting formations are named after the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth). The most popular one, Water Mountain, has been developed for tourism and is full of temples, pagodas, statues, and caves.
2. Am Phu Cave
Not a great picture but the cave itself is awe-inspiring
Phu An Cave is right at the bottom of Marble Mountain but does require a separate entrance fee. It is a stunning high cave and should not be missed. So make sure it is included in your tour!
Yes, there are plenty of steps at Marble Mountain!
Variation: While I recommend both Marble Mountain and Linh Ung Pagoda, Marble Mountain can be exhausting and challenging. If your mobility is impaired, I would recommend skipping the tour/Marble Mountain and instead just taking a Grab to spend more time at the much gentler Linh Ung Pagoda.
3. Lady Buddha
The huge buddha statue isn’t the only thing that makes Linh Ung special
Linh Ung Pagoda (also called Lady Buddha) is located much farther north at the beginning of the Son Tra peninsula. It is a huge temple with the famous 67 m high buddha statue (you can see it from the main beach in Da Nang) as well as a beautiful tower.
In my opinion this is a true highlight of Da Nang – the views of city and sea are outstanding, the gardens and landscaping stunning, and the area felt truly spiritual. Make sure to check out my Linh Ung post if you decide to visit independently!
Tip: Make sure to wear sturdy, comfortable, non-slip shoes for your exploration and dress respectfully for entrance to temples (basically covered shoulders and knees).
Lunch and early afternoon
After your tour, make your way back to Da Nang’s beach. I recommend you start your time there at the southern end of My Khe Beach. If taking a Grab there, the Yarra Ocean Suites Danang is a good starting point.
If your tour did not include lunch you will finde plenty of choices here. There are many restaurants with both local and international cuisine in the adjacent streets. Alternatively, there are various trucks, beach bars, and seafood restaurants all along this stretch of beach.
The southern part of My Khe has more of an expat/backpacker vibe and is slightly reminiscent of bustly Spanish beach towns. The vibe changes as you walk further north and the last stretch closer to Son Tra peninsula is a lot more unkempt/natural. My favorite stretch of beach is from your starting point to East Sea Park, a good 30 minutes walk.
Late Afternoon: Discover Da Nang’s Town
Da Nang’s Cathedral looks like a picture on a candy box
While you can walk from beach to town I recommend taking Grab if you have only one day (or if it is hot). Grabs are incredibly convenient and inexpensive in Da Nang so this will be fast, easy, and cheap.
You can buy clothes, souvenirs, snacks, food and more at Han Market
A good location to start your exploration of Da Nang’s riverside area is the Catholic Cathedral. It is a pink confection of a church and worth a quick look-see (and a photo). Just a block or two further on is Cho Han Market. This local market is perfect if you want to buy some local souvenirs!
Then stroll along the streets and enjoy this modern, upscale area of Da Nang. Make sure to get a coffee at one of the many coffee shops – a must in Vietnam.
There are long promenades on both sides of the river, ideal for a leisurely stroll
If you still have energy you can stroll along the riverside. But if you are running out of steam you will find plenty of benches along the promenade to take a break.
I recommend you get dinner at one of the Vietnamese restaurants that cater largely to tourists on either side of the river. To me these are the sweet spot: local food but not too intimidating. I personally liked both Nha Bep Cho Han and Nha Go Viet. The most popular restaurant in the area is probably the Michelin recommended An Thoi. I never made it here as there is usually a waiting list but maybe you have more patience than me.
Evening: Enjoy Riverside and Dragon Bridge
I apologize for the picture quality. Believe me it is stunning in real life!
By this time it is probably dark – the ideal time to admire the Dragon Bridge. You have of course already seen Cau Rong during your riverside walk earlier but it looks even more stunning at night.
Take the time to walk across while it is all lighted up to get to the Eastern side of the river. Here you will find a small night market. It is rather busy and crowded, especially on the weekends. If you decided against eating at a restaurant earlier you can find food here. Otherwise it is the ideal place for a drink or a small nighttime snack.
And there you have it – an itinerary for the perfect day in Da Nang!
Don’t bother to put Dragon Bridge on your itinerary – you will be sure to see it in any case
What if you have two days instead?
Personally, I would not add on too much with two days but instead spread out the activities a bit more. While my one day itinerary is doable and covers the highlights of Da Nang it is rather busy and does not leave much time to linger. Having two days will fix this problem!
Day One
Morning: Tour Marble Mountain and Lady Buddha according to the one day itinerary.
Afternoon: Spend your afternoon relaxing at the beach
Evening: Eat dinner nearby or explore the local street food on a tour
The serene atmosphere of Nam Son is definitely worth a detour
Day Two
Morning: Visit Nam Son Pagoda
Afternoon: Tour Da Nang’s cathedral, Han Market, and the riverside promenade
Evening: Enjoy the Dragon Bridge at night
The two days (or even half-days) are interchangeable so you can adjust your days according to the weather and what you feel like. Aside of the tour to Marble Mountain/Lady Buddha you stay completely flexible.
And what about a three day itinerary?
If you have three days for Da Nang, I would use one day to explore a bit further outside town. There are several good options but I recommend this:
Do not miss Hoi An while in Central Vietnam
If Hoi An is not an additional stop on your itinerary
If you are not planning a separate stay in Hoi An, this jewel of a town would be my top recommendation for your third day!
You can just get a Grab (or book a transfer) on your own – that’s what I did. The ride took about 50 minutes and cost a bit over 300 baht one way. Hoi An has plenty to keep you busy for longer than a day (I took a three day mini-vacation there).
Alternatively, you can book an excursion that will show you the highlights and arrange transport for you. This tour includes a coconut boat ride as well as Hoi An’s Old Town.
Hoi An is prettiest in the evening when all the lantern and lights are on. So I recommend you stay there until after dark (whether going on your own or with a tour).
Hoi An’s Old Town has many, many beautiful sights
If Hoi An IS an additional stop on your itinerary
If you are planning on visiting Hoi An either before or after your Da Nang stay there are several other popular excursions from Da Nang.
I never made it to Ba Na Hills so this poster is the best I can do
Ba Na Hills Excursion
This is probably the most famous nearby attraction. All the iconic photos of the bridge with the huge hands you see of Da Nang are actually from Ba Na Hills. Basically, it is a Disney-style attraction/amusement area on a mountain. The biggest highlights are cable car rides and photo opportunities.
I did not manage to get to Ba Na Hills as my entertainment budget was pretty much used up after my Hoi An trip. However, I had this full-day Ba Na Hills tour in my shopping cart as it has great reviews and seems to cover all the bases.
My Son Sanctuary is another do-not-miss cultural sight
Tour to My Son Sanctuary
This is an old Hindi temple complex with various ruins in a jungle/mountain area. It is very interesting and I highly recommend a visit. Due to the rather remote location and the nature of the site I would recommend a tour to get the most out of this visit.
I visited My Son from Hoi An as it is much closer and cheaper. But if it works better for your itinerary you can book a tour there from Da Nang. I
Quan Am is one of several lesser known Da Nang temples you could visit
If you would rather stay in town you can check out my post about Da Nang’s best temples. There are also several museums in town, a decent mall, and of course the beach isn’t just a one day attraction!
Da Nang – the perfect vacation Mix
While Da Nang does not have as many top rated attraction as some other cities (just think of Chiang Mai’s never-ending temples!) it does make a great vacation destination. It offers a perfect mix of a relaxed, chill beach vibe (think Mexican beach town) and a lively, vibrant city.
I can honestly say that I adored my four weeks in Da Nang and hope you will come to like the city just as much as I did!
