5 TIPS FOR DA NANG TRAVEL

Da Nang now becomes one of the most attractive destinations for domestic and foreign tourists in Vietnam. This lovely city is not only famous for its appealing sceneries but also renowned for its various culinary traditions. It is also a well- known city in central Vietnam with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Da Nang is even named the most livable city in Vietnam where attracting millions of visitors each year. Being invested in tourism development, Da Nang is increasingly growing and becoming a spearhead city of the central region. This article will provide you a completed travel guide to Da Nang.

1. How to get Da Nang

Located right in the middle of the long and narrow country, Da Nang is 766 km away in the south of Ha Noi and 961 km to the north of Ho Chi Minh city, you can either go to Da Nang by flight, train or bus depending on your budget. 

How to get Da Nang

• Train

If your plan is not strict in time, taking the train is the perfect transportation. Leaning on the windows and enjoy the beautiful views along the way are the interesting things that you should experience. The train tickets can be booked online, so you do not need to spend time buying tickets in person at the train station. There are 2 types of seats: soft and hard ones. The soft seats are more expensive than the hard ones but recommended for long journeys.

• Air

This option is for those who want to get Da Nang as soon as possible. However, Da Nang airport - the international airport at the center of the city is quite small that seems overloaded. So it may take you a long time to queue for check-in or visa procedure. About airlines flying to Da Nang, you can choose VietJet Air, Jetstar or Vietnam Airlines for domestic flights or Beijing (China Eastern), Hong Kong (Dragonair; Hong Kong Express), Kunming (China Eastern) Macau (Air Macau), Tokyo (Vietnam Airlines),  Singapore (Silkair; Jetstar), Seoul (Korean Air), Siem Reap (Silkair, Vietnam Airlines) for international flights.

• Bus

In addition to airlines and trains, you can get Da Nang by bus which is the cheapest. Buying a ticket, showing it to the driver and settling down at your seat until you get there is the simplest transport process. The reputable and quality bus branches like Phuong Trang, Camel, Cam Van, Phuc Thuan Thao, etc. are highly recommended. 

2. Best time for Da Nang travel

Da Nang has tropical monsoon climate typical divided into 2 distinct seasons with the annual average temperature is stable and quite high: the dry season is from January to July and the rainy one is from September to December.  

Best time to travel

• The peak season for Da Nang travel is from May to September when the weather is during the summer months. At this time, the weather is very beautiful with lots of sunshine, little rain, and no storm. It is an ideal condition for outdoor activities namely swimming, trekking, or sightseeing, etc. What is more interesting than immerse yourself in the cool and clear ocean after a long day traveling around? 
• From September to December, the weather is in winter with heavy rain and big wave that is the worst time to visit here. Therefore, not many travelers come here in this season which makes the prices of hotels or restaurants go down.

3. Transportation in Da Nang

• Motorbike rental service

If you know how to drive motorbikes, renting yourself one to travel around Da Nang is the perfect option for you. It can help you get anywhere you want in an active way. The price for this type of service is way cheaper than any others range from VND 100,000 to VND 150,000 depending on the type of motorbike you rent and where you rent it. 

• Transfer service

This service usually offers to take visitors to any destinations in Da Nang. You are better to book this service for yourself if you want to get around Da Nang with a large group. The fees are quite high compared to other provinces and it is about 15,000/km for 4-seat cars and 16,000/km for 7-seat cars. 

• Grab taxi - Grab a bike

Another option for transporting in Da Nang is using Grab’s service. For those who are accustomed to this application, it is more convenient to grab a bike for moving short distances. 

4. Things to do in Da Nang

You may face a little bit challenged when making an itinerary for Da Nang travel because there are so many wonderful places and things that you can not decide which one to go to. Da Nang is one of a few cities that have mountains, seas, peninsulas, islands, etc at the same time. So lists of where to go and things to do in Da Nang just go on and on, but first, let’s explore the top 5 activities must be put in your itinerary:

• Dragon bridge

Referred to the city of bridges, Da Nang is very famous for its beautiful sparkling bridges like Dragon Bridge, Han River Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Thuan Phuoc Bridge, and Nguyen Van Troi Bridge. And among those bridges, Dragon Bridge seems like the most well-known one thanks to its unique architectural artworks. Designed with the Golden Dragon shape curled up on the waves, facing the East Sea, the Dragon Bridge represents Danang's desire to grow and develop.

• Marble Mountains 

Marble Mountains that is also known as Ngu Hanh Son is nearly the most fantastic attractions in Da Nang with historical, cultural and spiritual values.  It is actually the common name of a group of 5 limestone and marble mountains that located behind a coastal sandy beach, covering an area of ​​about 2,000 km2. There are several tunnels and caves along with Buddhist pagodas and shrines inside it. Walking up the hills and checking out Da Nang’s best views are amazing experiences that should not be missed out. For those reasons, Ngu Hanh Son is a destination that is attracted by both domestic and foreign tourists. 

• Ba Na Hills

Ba Na Hills located 35 km away Southeast from Da Nang and 1,489 meters high on Nui Chua mountain is a must-visit destination for travelers. It is renowned by its cool and fresh vibes with lots of both stunning natural and artificial landscapes such as the French village, Golden bridge, Linh Ung pagoda, and many other entertainment areas. Thanks for its weather that makes us feel the 4 distinctive seasons in the same day. Taking a deep breath in the early morning is a perfect way to sense the spring from the misty mist. The climate is sunny with full of sunshine in the afternoon and turns to be cool in the evening. And night, it is cold like winter is coming to town. This is a unique feature that will make you love this place even more. 

Ba Na Hill

• My Khe Beach 

One of the main reasons that attract you to this dynamic city is My Khe beach voted for the list of top beautiful beaches in the world by Forbes. Located 3 km from Da Nang, this beach will really make you fall in love with its white sand, warm and clear water all year round. Moreover, My Khe is also a favorite beach of most visitors for its good and quality services.

• Son Tra Peninsula 

Son Tra Peninsula is located 10 km away from the center of Da Nang city known as a primeval forest with fascinating natural scenes and cool year-round climate. What set this peninsula apart from other impressive landscapes in Da Nang is it's peaceful without noise or bustle like cities. It is an ideal place to escape the city for relaxing or organizing recreational activities. 

5. What to eat

Welcome to the culinary paradise! Let’s complete your trip by enjoying thousands of specialties in Da Nang after many hours of sightseeing! 

• Mi Quang

Mi Quang is the most popular dish not only in Da Nang but also in the entire country. It is a type of noodle dish that is different from Pho or Bun Bo Hue. The noodle is a little bit thick but soft made from rice flour go with sliced pork, roasted peanuts, fresh vegetables, pieces of dry pancakes and turmeric broth. The combination of all ingredients makes this dish unforgettable to any travelers. 

• Sizzling Pancakes (Bánh Xèo)

What should be next on the list of specialties in Da Nang? It must be Banh Xeo - the type of pancake that is famous throughout the world. The main ingredients are flour blended into water added in some turmeric powder. This mixture is put into a round pan and is fried till being crispy. What makes Banh Xeo special is other ingredients like bean sprouts, shrimp and pork filled in the middle. Now the right way to enjoy it is wrapping all ingredients with rice paper and dipping it into its specific fish sauce and feeling like heaven. 

• Sliced pork rolled with rice paper

Basically, this dish is the same with Banh Xeo in the way to eat but different in the ingredients. Boiled belly pork is used as the main ingredients instead of Banh Xeo. But the sauce of this dish is even more special when it is made from anchovies.  Even though this sauce is salty and smelly than fish sauce, the anchovy sauce is more tasty and delicious. Variations of this dish will be found throughout Vietnam, but this dish is even more unique in Da Nang.

Da Nang foody

One does not simply visit Vietnam and not stop by Da Nang city. Let’s make the most out of your trip to Vietnam. Are you ready for the best experiences you can get in Vietnam? What are you waiting for? Let’s pack your stuff and head to Da Nang as soon as possible!