The third-largest city in Vietnam, Da Nang is equidistant between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Its attraction lies in its deep-rooted history and beautiful surrounding area.
It is an ancient Hindu Dynasty which was headquartered here as long as 3,000 years ago, so there’s plenty of history on tap. The Cham Museum is the best place to begin exploring these ancient roots.
After you’ve seen the museum, head for My Son Sanctuary. This UNESCO site hosts tower-shaped temples from the Champa Dynasty. The oldest sites here are more than 1,500 years old and represent an unexpected flurry of Hindu activity in a largely Buddhist region.
The reason most travelers don’t make it to Da Nang is that the city was openly hostile to Westerners until as recently as the 1990s. UNESCO nomination helped highlight the importance of tourism, and the local paradigm quickly changed. Today locals welcome tourists and have gone to great lengths to improve local infrastructure and encourage Vietnam’s visitors to put Da Nang on their itinerary.
Da Nang is also a launching ground for treks in the Marble Mountains. The forests here are full of caves, the most popular of which is Am Phu Cavern. It’s etched with ancient Buddhist and Hindu icons.
As Da Nang continues to develop its infrastructure, foreigners will find more diverse options. For the time being however, the majority of the hotels and tourist-oriented restaurants target backpackers and budget travelers. The nightlife is well-established, with several discos and pubs near the city center.
Getting There & Away
Da Nang is home to one of Vietnam’s three international airports, so it’s possible to fly in directly from major cities across Southeast Asia. Fly to Hanoi (1 hour, 15 minutes) or Ho Chi Minh City (1 hour, 10 minutes) for a more comprehensive list of international flights. Vietnam’s north-south railway, the Reunification Express, has a major stop in Da Nang.
Things to Do
Da Nang Attractions
- Cham Museum
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This excellent facility has been operating for nearly a century and boasts a great collection of sandstone sculptures from the ancient champa dynasty.
- Marble Mountains
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Great opportunities for caving await tourists in these mountains. several caves double as ancient buddhist grottoes.
- My Son Sanctuary
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A unesco world heritage site with hindu temples from the champa dynasty.
- China Beach]]
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Once a haunt of us soldiers, china beach is a relatively remote stretch of coastline with a few guesthouses and shops.