The Ultimate 3-Day Weekend in Danang, Vietnam

Located halfway along Vietnam’s S-shaped, 3260km-long coastline, delightful Danang has long been on savvy travelers’ radars. Blessed with mountains, a long city beach, fresh seafood and a laid-back vibe, the charming city, about halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is one of my favorite places to go for a beach getaway. Throw in three UNESCO sites an easy drive away – the mystical tombs and temples of Hue to the north, the thousand-year-old Cham temple-towers at My Son to the west and the atmospheric ancient town of Hoi An to the south – and you’ve got yourself a winning combination indeed.

• When to arrive: Since the best beach days begin early, arrive in time for a good night’s sleep and a prompt start.

• How to get from the airport: Danang International Airport is just 3km from downtown. Taxis and rideshares are cheap and plentiful with the average ride costing between 60,000 Vietnamese dong and 130,000d.

• Getting around town: Download the Grab app and link your credit card, and you’ll be good to get around by motorbike or rideshare taxi. While the main sights are easy enough to get to on your own, for a local’s perspective, contact Nghia (WhatsApp +84 899 887 304) for custom tours. Born and raised in Danang, this young guide, who speaks excellent English, can take solo travelers on his bike or arrange transportation for larger groups.

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• Where to stay: Danang is known as the “City of Bridges” – and one of the best places for panoramic views over the Han River and its many spans is the 37-floor Novotel Danang Premier Han River. For a vacation within a vacation, escape to the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which has its own gorgeous stretch of private beach on the forested Son Tra Peninsula. For the kid at heart, the Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills is currently the only hotel at the Sun World Ba Na Hills theme park; guests enjoy early access to the park’s picture-perfect Golden Bridge.

• What to pack: You’ll want to live in comfortable beach attire during the day. Bring along a snazzy outfit to sport at Danang’s lively nighttime spots.

Friday

Morning

Start the day with a steaming bowl of regional specialty mi quang, a wonderful hodgepodge of rice noodles in a rich broth, topped with shrimp, pork and quail eggs – all for less than a US dollar. The recipe at 75 Chau Thi Vinh Te is said to come from the village of Phu Chiem, where mi quang originated. Expect a local experience, with plastic tables and very low stools set up on the side of the street.

How to Spend the Day

Danang’s top attraction is Sun World Ba Na Hills, a wonderfully wacky theme park that recreates and remixes the monuments of Europe. (The founders envisioned it as an entertainment park to delight Vietnamese unable to travel abroad.) Here, you’ll find a French village complete with a mini Notre-Dame Cathedral and Louvre-like glass pyramid, along with castles, waterfalls and rides. We recommend leaning in to the kitsch – so lift your mug of craft beer and enjoy daily Oktoberfest shows and other fun performances around the grounds. The 20-minute cable car ride up to the park is a ride in itself, as you pass over beautiful forests to the site of a former hill station once used by French colonists.

Planning tip: If you stay at the Mercure, you’ll can enjoy the park in relative quiet, after all the tour groups leave late afternoon. You’ll also get access to the first few cable cars to the Golden Bridge starting at 6am, before the park opens to the public.

Dinner

Those staying overnight at the park will find numerous buffet and à la carte restaurants at very reasonable prices. Otherwise, descend back down to Danang to enjoy a plate of sizzling crepes stuffed with shrimp and pork at Banh Xeo Ba Duong, at the end of an alley lined with other restaurants selling the same dish. Order up the crispy pancakes with a side of grilled pork skewers, all to be wrapped in a lettuce leaf along with some fresh herbs and dipped in thick, savory sauce.

After Dark

One of Danang’s most recognizable landmarks is the undulating bright yellow Dragon Bridge – and every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night at 9pm, it breathes fire and sprays water in short, dramatic bursts. One of the best places to view the spectacle is just by the Son Tra Night Market. Plan to arrive at around 7pm and sample the many snacks and seafood dishes on offer. Then, just before 9pm, join the locals lining the foot of the bridge. (Just be careful of standing too close, as the water the dragon spews smells like fuel.) Alternatively, watch the show from the tail end of the dragon, at the less-crowded, cafe-lined Bach Dang Walking Street.

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Saturday

Morning

Many of Vietnam’s best-known dishes – including an assortment of steamed rice-flour cakes – got their start in imperial Hue, 2 hours north of Danang. But you don’t need to drive all day to get a taste: 291 Nguyen Chi Thanh serves three kinds of cakes, including banh loc (chewy dumplings filled with shrimp and pork and steamed in a banana leaf) and banh beo (individually steamed rice flour cakes topped with wet pork gravy or dry shredded shrimp). Point to what you want to eat as you go, and the restaurant will tally up your empty dishes at the end. Six little dishes will set you back about one US dollar.

How to Spend the Day

Spend a leisurely hour wandering the excellent Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture. The ancient Cham civilization once ruled over central Vietnam, and their legacy includes exquisite, Angkor Wat–esque temple-towers along the central coast, most notably at the UNESCO-listed My Son Sanctuary, 40km from Danang. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of Cham sculptures, some intricately carved and beautifully preserved.

Then make your way to the Son Tra Peninsula, where you’ll find the Linh Ung Pagoda, home to a 67m-high Lady Buddha statue said to protect the people from storms and bad weather. After taking in panoramic views of the bay, explore the peninsula’s hidden beaches. Viewpoints line the road heading up the mountain, some with unofficial dirt paths leading down to the wild beaches below. (There are no facilities here, so bring whatever you might need with you.) You can then continue up to the peak known as Dinh Ban Co (Chess Board Peak), so named thanks to a life-sized statue of a wizened fairy contemplating a Chinese chess board. The truly adventurous can even go paragliding off the top of the mountain.

Planning tip: You’ll need a manual motorbike to get to the top of Dinh Ban Co, as automatic bikes are not allowed.

Dinner

Stay on the Son Tra Peninsula for a deluxe dinner at the Michelin-starred La Maison 1888, an Indochinese-inspired mansion located within the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. The five- or eight-course set menus get rave reviews for their modern spins on classic flavors. Come prepared to pay for the privilege.

Sunday

Morning

Rise early to get to the the Man Thai fish market at 6am. Set on a stretch of beach shared with swimmers and stand-up paddleboarders (most Vietnamese use the boards as kayaks), this small but bustling market features just-caught seafood hauled in by the circular boats you’ll see pulled up on the sand. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, the lively atmosphere makes for great photos.

You can also do what young locals do: bring packets of instant noodles and a portable camping stove to cook up bowls of sea-to-picnic-blanket seafood noodles right on the beach. For something less fussy but just as fresh, head to 137 Ha Dac, famous for thick, udon-like noodle soup with fish or squid. If you buy fresh seafood at the market, they can even cook up the catch for you.

How to Spend the Day

Danang is blessed with a nearly 10km-long city beach. My Khe is the downtown stretch, and it’s lined with cafes and restaurants, free freshwater showers, and chairs for rent. The Vietnamese swim early to avoid the sun and heat, so if you come after 8am, you’ll practically have the beach to yourself.

Once you’ve had your fill of sun, drive 8km southeast to the Marble Mountains, five limestone hills named after the five elements in traditional Vietnamese philosophy (metal, water, wood, fire and earth). Stroll along smooth paths and climb up steps carved into the stone to visit cave shrines, pagodas and scenic viewpoints. On the way back, you’ll see a few sculpture factories showcasing objects made from stone, from souvenir bracelets to full sets of carved tables and chairs and everything in between.

Back in town, stop for an afternoon snack at the Con Market, a less touristy alternative to the better-known Han Market. The food court features specialties of the region, including a wide range of wraps and rolls. Aim to come between 3pm and 6pm, when even more food vendors spill into the walkways.

Dinner

When at the beach, a seafood feast is a must. Bypass the more expensive seafood restaurants in the city center and head a couple kilometers north to Be Man Seafood Restaurant, where you’ll get beach views and fresh seafood at more wallet-friendly prices. Select from the many kinds of live fish, shrimp, crab and other tasty creatures stocked in tanks; prices per kilogram are clearly marked. You can then have your picks cooked to just your liking, whether that’s stir-fried with garlic, steamed in beer or wok-fried with tamarind.

After Dark

On your final night in Danang, look heavenward to SKY36, Danang’s highest rooftop nightclub. From a vantage point 36 stories up, you can see the whole city, the river and sea beyond. Open to all ages, the music and live performances are always lively here – though the scantily clad pole dancers might be a bit too risqué for kids.

Planning tip: If you’re in town from May to July, check out the annual Danang International Fireworks Festival, when teams from around the world compete to put on spectacular fireworks displays set to heart-stirring music. You can buy seats in the stands to watch the show just across the river, or splurge and buy a ticket at SKY36. The launch area is located right next door, putting you almost within touching distance of the show.

James Pham traveled to Danang on the invitation of Sun Group. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage