Da Nang
Da Nang, the City of Bridges, is often skipped by travelers who are on a bit of a time crunch, or it gets overlooked to its more famous neighbors, Hoi An and Hue. We spent a bit of time in Da Nang, and ended up really liking it. If you have the time, Da Nang is definitely worth exploring.
How to get to Da Nang?
Da Nang is about 45 minutes from Hoi An, and 2.5 hours from Hue. We rode by motorbike from Hue, through the stunning Hai Van Pass. Da Nang is easily accessible by bus or private car, and which can be booked via BookAway, or 12GoAsia. Da Nang also has an international airport with flights to most countries in Southeast Asia, and other cities in Vietnam.
Where to stay in Da Nang?
We stayed at Ponte Boutique Villa when we first arrived in Da Nang. This was one of our favorite hotels in Vietnam. The greenery throughout the hotel was gorgeous, and made you feel like you were in a jungle rather than a big city. Not only that, the staff were super helpful throughout our entire time there, (we even got our bank card sent here after it was lost in Hanoi!) and it felt more like a home than a hotel. We also had the pleasure of staying at Salmalia Boutique Hotel, which gave us a chance to experience a different neighborhood in Da Nang. This was another beautiful hotel, and the architecture made us feel like we were staying in Europe rather than Vietnam!
Budget: HODI Hotel
Luxury: Fusion Maia Da Nang
Where to eat In Da Nang?
Roots Plant Based Cafe: One of our favorite restaurants we’ve come across since traveling, and we had the pleasure of working with them and sampling their menu in full. We recommend the Mediteranean Buddha Bowl, My Khe Beach smoothie bowl, the B.B.Q. burger, and all flavors of Lady Buddha Kombucha. Price-ier than local cuisine, but definitely worth it.
Loving Vegan: Decent place with all vegan Vietnamese options.
Tacos Da Nang: Perfect for us when we were missing Mexican food. Not the best we’ve ever had, but definitely pretty good for Vietnam. We recommend the vegetarian nachos, tacos, and burrito.
Quan Chay Vegetarian Restaurant: This place is basically a hole in the wall, run by an older Vietnamese woman who spoke zero English. The food is incredible, and costs 20,000dong (US$0.80) a plate. It’s buffet style - a plate of rice, noodles, different kinds of vegetables, tofu, mock meats, and it is served with soup.
Burger Bros: Amazing veggie burgers and homemade french fries, and there meat burgers are also raved about.
L’Italiano Da Nang: One of our favorite meals in Da Nang, and made us feel like we were back in Italy. Owned by an Italian expat, the food is authentic and delicious. We recommend the bruschetta and margherita pizza. Happy hour special - buy 2 glasses of wine get 1 free (5-7PM).
A few of our favorite things in Da Nang:
Marble Mountain: About a 25 minute drive from Da Nang, Marble Mountain is a viewpoint, temple, and trek all in one. To beat the crowds, get there early. If you’re not feeling the hike up to the top, there is also an elevator which you can pay for separately. Entrance fee is 40,000 dong ($US1.75).
Dragon Bridge: Every Friday and Saturday at 9PM, this famous dragon breathes fire, smoke, and water. The bridge lights up, and large crowds watch along the river.
Da Nang Night Market: The night market is located along the river, just across from the Dragon Bridge. We spent the evening walking around the market, and then stayed to watch the Dragon Bridge breathe fire. The market is nice to walk around, but there aren’t tons of options for vegans/vegetarians. Seafood lovers will be in their element.
My Khe Beach: This was one of our favorite beaches in Da Nang. They have chairs and umbrellas for rent, (about US$1-3) and also bars, restaurants, and cafes, all along the beach.
