Da Nang Travel Guide - holidays, seasons, beaches, how to get there, Transportation

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General information

Da Nang (Da Nang, Danang, formerly French Tourane or Tourane) is the fourth largest and most important city in Vietnam (after Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong), a popular beach resort. Located on the coast of central Vietnam (the coast of the South China Sea) approximately in the middle between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Da Nang on the map). It is the administrative center of Quang Nam Da Nang province. The city is one of the fastest growing and economically developing in Vietnam, and tourism is also developing rapidly here. The population is more than a million people. The city has an international airport, railway station, intercity and international bus station, Seaport. There is a Consulate General of Russia in Da Nang.

Da Nang Beach

According to now recognized evidence, Da Nang was founded in the distant 192 year in the Kingdom of Champa, which is much earlier than even the current capital of the country. Unfortunately, today almost nothing from those ancient times has survived. Da Nang is one of the most modern cities in Vietnam, and there are not even monuments of relatively recent history, with the exception of the war with the United States. In general, the history of Da Nang is quite closely connected with Europeans. So, the first Europeans (Portuguese) landed here in 1535, and in 1858 Da Nang became a concession to France. During the Vietnam War, there was a large US military base near Da Nang, so the city often appears in all sorts of war films.

Holidays in Da Nang

Da Nang is a developed resort city with excellent beaches. In general, the beaches here are some of the best in Vietnam, and in 2005 they were even included by Forbes Magazine among the most attractive in the world. The main city beach of My Khe stretches for six kilometers within the city limits,and another 20 kilometers beyond. And throughout this length of sand, palm trees, and almost complete absence of vacationers. See more about all the beaches of Da Nang here...

City Beach we Khe

In addition to being a beach resort, this is also one of the most modern and developing cities in Vietnam. The image of the city is very different from other resort cities in the country, and even from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. There are very wide streets and modern buildings, and there are even sidewalks and embankments on which you can actually walk slowly, and not zigzag around countless shops and parked motorcycles. In just a few years, modern hotel skyscrapers have grown on many kilometers of vacant lots along the City Beach, a modern entertainment park has opened, and large shopping centers have started operating. And at night, Da Nang dazzles guests with the bright lights of modern architectural wonders – Da Nang bridges, which locals are so proud of, and illuminated skyscrapers. Once a year, at the end of April, Da Nang surprises guests with the colors of exploding lights, because there is an annual festival and competition of fireworks.

Danang Han River embankment

Evening view of Da Nang

Evening view of Da Nang

Infrastructure Of Da Nang

However, today's Da Nang is still not too spoiled by the attention of European tourists, and perhaps not yet very suitable as a place for a long vacation. The fact is that a few years ago it was a typical Port Industrial City without any special attractions and entertainment. Over the past few years, tourism has developed rapidly, a whole area has appeared with hotels, restaurants, massage and spa salons, a beautiful promenade, and a developed infrastructure, but with its own characteristics:

First of all, Da Nang, although a developed tourist resort, so far it is more popular with local tourists and tourists from China and Korea. Meet Europeans on the street-a rarity. Accordingly, the entire infrastructure here is focused on Asian tourists, not Europeans. So, all the signs in the city are only in Vietnamese, the menu in restaurants is also often without translation into English, and the staff of hotels and cafes practically do not speak foreign languages. In some places, the situation with knowledge of English is so bad that the hotel staff at the reception does not know even the most elementary phrases to populate guests, and you have to communicate through electronic translators on smartphones.

Rejdko signs are duplicated in English

Another feature is the lack of travel agencies on the streets. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to find a travel agency where you can buy excursions, bus or train tickets, apply for a solution to visa problems. Some tourist services are offered at the reception of hotels and hostels, but again, excursions are conducted only in Vietnamese or Chinese.

Da Nang is not spoiled by Entertainment. In the city there is an amusement park Danang SunWorld, and outside the mountain Ban Na with another amusement park, and nothing else. Even on the beaches, entertainment is not enough. There are also not too many attractions in the city: several museums, Marble Mountains, and very beautiful modern bridges. Near Da Nang there are several other interesting places, including the town of Hoi An and the ancient capital hue, and ideally during a holiday in central Vietnam you should visit all three cities.

But shopping in Da Nang is very well developed. There are several large shopping centers, chain supermarkets, souvenir shops, markets, Street trade flourishes. Shopping centers Vincom Plaza, Parkson, Lotte mart, and the largest local market Han Market are worth visiting. There are chain supermarkets Go (Big-C) and Lotte Mart, in which prices for all products and manufactured goods, including Vietnamese coffee, are lower than everywhere else.

The main shopping area is not in the new tourist part of Da Nang (the area along the beach of My Khe), where there are not very many shops. For shopping, it is best to go to the other side of the Han River in the Han Market area and Bach Dang and Duong Tran Phu streets next to it. On these streets there are many shopping centers, boutiques, small shops, shops.

Han Market

There are many restaurants and cafes in Da Nang, but they also have their own peculiarities: the menu is difficult to find in English, the staff also does not speak or understand English. In general, this does not greatly complicate communication, because you can always choose from the menu by pictures and explain yourself on your fingers and using a calculator. However, the range of dishes in inexpensive cafes is not always suitable for tourists, but is focused more on local residents. But there are many seafood restaurants, although the prices are high.

The local cafe serves such dishes

There are a lot of hotels in Da Nang, and new ones open every year. Prices grow every year along with the popularity of the resort, but still compared to other countries, including in Southeast Asia, the cost of accommodation here is very affordable. For reference, a bed in a hostel can be found from 80 00 VND (3.12 USD, see the currency of Vietnam and its exchange rate), a room in an inexpensive hotel for two with air conditioning will cost from 160,000 VND (6.25 a double room in a five-star hotel near the beach will cost from 1 500 000 VND (58.55 USD).

This is a huge city, and the peculiarity of accommodation here is that there is no tourist center or district as such, and accommodation options are scattered throughout the city. You can easily make a mistake with the choice of hotel location, and find yourself even in the city center, but very far from the beaches and tourist infrastructure. Read more about hotels and choosing an area to stay in Danang here...

You can search and book hotels in Da Nang on the following safe sites:

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• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

Weather in Da Nang, tourist seasons

There is no reason not to go to Da Nang because of the weather at one time or another of the year: it is always warm and cozy. But it is conventionally accepted to distinguish two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season (wet season).

The hottest period in Da Nang is from August to September, when the average temperature is 33 & deg;C-34°C. The lowest average temperature from December to February is 18°C-19 & deg;C, but during the day during this period it is still hot and even more comfortable than in other periods, and only at night the temperature drops.

• Dry season (high season) lasts from January to August. This time is considered ideal for visiting central Vietnam. The best time for a "bathing" holiday is from May to August, because at this time there are practically no waves on the sea. The lowest rainfall is from January to April.

• Rainy season (low season) lasts from September to December. At this time it is hot, but it often rains, and the sky is almost always overcast. Most precipitation falls in October and November. Sometimes in September-October, typhoons, heavy rains and floods can hit the coast, but more often it happens that the weather is excellent even in the off-season. It is in the low season that you can seriously save on a trip, as hotels sometimes drop prices up to 50%.

Tourist seasons in Da Nang by month, when is the best time to go

Current weather in Da Nang and forecast for the near future:

How to get to Da Nang

Da Nang is located in central Vietnam roughly midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Danang on the map). The city has its own international airport, and from other cities and resorts in the country and from neighboring countries you can get here by train and intercity and international buses.

Danang airport has many daily flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, Haiphong. There are international flights from other Asian countries: Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Macau, Tokyo, Siem Reap, Hong Kong and many more cities. From the Russian Federation, theoretically, you can fly on charter flights of Nordwind Airlines for the seasons from Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Ulan-Ude, but especially you should not count on this option, since this direction is not launched every season. Therefore, it is much more convenient and cheaper to get from Russia to Da Nang with a transfer through third countries, or through Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang. And the most economical travelers can save several tens of dollars if they fly to one of these airports, and then get here by land.

Minimum prices for tickets from Moscow to Da Nang:

Minimum prices for flights from Russia to Da Nang:

The city is home to Danang railway station, connected to all major cities in Vietnam in two directions:

• Northbound (odd numbered trains): Hanoi, Hue, Dong Hoi, Vinh, etc. Further from Hanoi by trains with a transfer you can get to Haifong and Halong Bay, Laocai and Sapa, and to the cities of China.
• Southern direction (even train numbers): Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, etc.

You can book e-tickets for trains in Vietnam on the website https://12go.asia or https://dsvn.vn/. On the latter site (this is the official website of the Railways of Vietnam), prices are lower, but the interface is half in Vietnamese, and you will not be able to pay with every plastic card.

You can get to Da Nang by bus from a huge number of cities in Vietnam. There are flights to almost all the smaller cities of Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, Nha Trang, Laocai (Sapa), Phan Thiet, Dien Bien Phu and more than 30 destinations. There is also a daily bus service from Laos to Vientiane from 400 000 VND (15.61 USD, see Vietnamese currency and Exchange Rate), and Pakse from 405,000. You can view most of the schedules on this page below, but not all directions are presented in the electronic schedule, it is best to come directly to the bus station and check everything at the ticket office.

Bus tickets can be bought both at bus stations and at travel agencies with a small mark-up. Moreover, when buying from travel agencies, the price usually includes delivery from your hotel to the bus station or other place where the bus is sent.

See more about all the ways how to get to Da Nang here...

Bus from Laos to Da Nang

Transportation in Da Nang, what to move

Public transportation in Danag ravzit is not very good, and the most convenient way of transportation for tourists are taxis and rented vehicles. Moving on foot around the city is not very convenient, because it is very large.

The most budget option is a city bus system of 14 routes. But it is not very convenient to use them, there are few routes suitable for tourists. You can get to them from the railway station and bus station in the city center, to To the Marble Mountains, to the city of Hoi An, and even to theruins of Michonne. And the most useful route is, perhaps, bus number 1, on which you can get to Hoi An and to the Marble Mountains. The fare ranges from 5,000 to 30,000 depending on the route. Payment is made to the conductor. To search and build routes, it is best to use the DanaBus mobile application.

For short trips, it is best to use a taxi on the meter, and for long trips out of town, you can negotiate a fixed cost. The fare for a taxi on the counter starts from 10,000 VND per boarding (0.39 USD) and the first few hundred meters, and the average trip within the city should cost about 50,000 VND (1.95 USD). But it is best to use Grab application. This is an analogue of Uber, which no longer operates in Vietnam. Grab can be installed at home in advance of the trip, and for ordering use the internet at the airport, railway station, hotels and cafes.

You can rent a motorcycle in Da Nang from 100,000 VND for a semi-automatic (3.9 USD), and from 120 000 for a full machine per day. Prices everywhere are about the same, differ by 10-20 thousand depending on the place of rent. There are a lot of rental offices, it is easy to find them by signs or by contacting sellers or taxi drivers on the street. You can also find rental in hotels and hostels. To drive, you need an international driving license (IDP) with an open category "Ah". Read all about renting a motorcycle and car in Vietnam here....

Learn more about transport in Danang and what to use here...

Da Nang bus

Attractions and entertainment in Da Nang

Da Nang is not teeming with tourist attractions. Within the city you can visit one of several museums, here are the most interesting: Cham Museum, Da Nang Museum, Fifth Army Museum and Ho Chi Minh City. In the evening, you can walk along the street with bars and restaurants Duong Tran Phu and admire the beautiful bridges of Da Nang and the panorama of the sparkling lights of the city from the observation decks on the Han River. From entertainment, not counting the beaches, you can visit the Danang SunWorld entertainment park, or one of several spas and mud baths. There are still evening river cruises on the Han River, but they are not suitable for every tourist, since they are more focused on locals and tourists from China.

The rest of the interesting places are outside of Da Nang, and to get acquainted with some of them it is generally better to leave the city for a few days and settle there. It's about the town of Hoi An, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as about the ancient capital of Hue. Also outside the city, be sure to visit the Marble Mountains, Haiwan pass, the ruins of Michonne, and the Seancha Peninsula.

On the other hand, if you are an advanced and experienced tourist, you can find little-known tourist routes here. So, on the Haiwan pass there are several amazingly beautiful secluded beaches, which can only be reached on foot, and it is better with a tent for the night. Also at the top of Truong Son mountain in the pass you can meet the dawn. On the Seancha Peninsula there are also several little-known attractions for mass tourists, which can only be reached by motorcycle and on foot.

See learn more about all the sights of Da Nang here...

A cave in the Marble Mountains

Michonne Ruins

Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts

Useful tips for Da Nang

• Travel agencies in Da Nang. Unfortunately, there is no single tourist area in Da Nang where you can find everything that the tourist soul desires. Therefore, if you want to find a travel agency, you may have to climb around the city. In extreme cases, you can buy or book tickets or excursions at any hotel.
• Information in Russian. Immediately upon arrival at Da Nang airport, you can find a lot of useful information in Russian at the baggage counters on the ground floor. In addition to advertising brochures, you can find maps of Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An, descriptions of tours and excursions. Nowhere else will you find such information in Russian, so do not forget to get it at the airport.
• Rent a motorcycle. Unfortunately in Da Nang it is not so easy to rent a motorcycle for a few days for a trip to another city, for example, in Hue. If you are denied this at the rental or hotel, ask about it on the street from taxi drivers, in Motto workshops, just from passers-by. You will quickly organize everything.
• Fireworks festival. A great time to visit Da Nang is the end of April. On April 29 and 30, Da Nang hosts the International Fireworks Competition. You will not see such a spectacle anywhere else, besides, you will have the opportunity to cheer for our people, because one of the favorites of the competition is constantly Russian pyrotechnics.
• Currency exchange in Da Nang. There are very few street currency exchange offices in Da Nang. You can exchange money at the airport (the rate is good), in banks in the city or in hotels. But the highest rate is offered in jewelry shops on Duong Tran Phu Street opposite Han Market. These are unofficial exchangers operating illegally and without signage. You need to directly go into them and ask the exchange rate, and it is better to go around a few and compare the rates.
• Consulate General of the Russian Federation. The Consulate General of the Russian Federation is located in Da Nang at 22 Tran Fu Street (22, Tran Phu Street)