'Essential' Tips for DIY Travel in Da Nang - Latest 2018 Edition

Traveling to Da Nang on your own is always a topic of great interest for many travelers before they arrive. With self-guided travel, you'll have even more exciting experiences and save quite a bit on expenses for your trip. So today VNTRIP.VN will share with you some interesting tips for traveling to Da Nang on your own.

When is the best time to visit Da Nang?

Da Nang is located in the tropical monsoon region of Central Vietnam, with relatively high average temperatures and not too many fluctuations. The weather here is divided into two distinct seasons: the dry season from January to August, and the rainy season from September to December. However, you can visit Da Nang at any time of the year to have your own unique experiences.

January to March: This period marks the beginning of the dry season with relatively cool and less rainy weather. It's also the time of Tet Nguyen Dan, making it ideal for fun activities, city exploration, and enjoying the festive atmosphere with locals.

From April to June: During this time, the temperature gradually rises, bringing long periods of intense heat, especially in May and June. Some thunderstorms also occur towards the end of June. Despite the high temperatures, this period offers beautiful sunny days, perfect for your DIY trip to Da Nang. If you plan to travel during this time, it's advisable to book your accommodation in Da Nang in advance to avoid room shortages during the peak tourist season.

Guide to DIY Travel in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

From July to September: This is when Da Nang enters the rainy season, with more frequent rain showers, especially around September. These rains may interrupt tourist activities and sightseeing. During this time, if you're visiting Da Nang, pay attention to weather forecasts to make preparations for your trip.

From October to December: This period marks the peak of the rainy season, with high humidity and decreasing temperatures. Tourist destinations still operate, but it's usually less crowded during this time. When visiting during this period, be prepared with an umbrella or raincoat to guard against sudden showers.

Transportation

• Transportation to Da Nang

By plane: Currently, there are many round-trip flights from major cities across the country to Da Nang, making air travel much easier and more convenient. It's considered the safest and most time-saving mode of transportation for your trip. However, it's still advisable to book your plane tickets about a month in advance to get cheaper prices, which will save you a significant amount of travel costs.

Traveling by plane to Da Nang (Photo: ST)

Train: Railway services in our country have been upgraded with increasingly high quality in recent years. If you want your journey to be more adventurous, then taking the train is an interesting option for you. If you're traveling from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, it will take about 14-20 hours to reach Da Nang.

Taking the train is also an interesting option to reach Da Nang (Photo: ST)

Bus: Currently, most provinces and cities across the country have bus routes to or passing through Da Nang. However, to ensure safety and comfort during your journey, you should choose reputable bus companies with many years of experience in transportation services such as Phuong Trang, Hoang Long, etc.

You can also take a bus to Da Nang (Photo: ST)

• Transportation within Da Nang 

Motorbike: There are many places in the city to rent motorbikes, with rental prices ranging from 100,000 VND to 150,000 VND per day. With simple procedures, you just need to present your ID card and pay in advance for the corresponding number of rental days. This way, you will have a motorbike to move around freely. Moving around by motorbike during your self-guided tour of Da Nang will allow you to explore every corner of the city.

There are many places to rent motorbikes in the city (Photo: ST)

Taxi: This mode of transportation is suitable for groups or families traveling together, which can save a lot of travel costs. There are many quality taxi companies in the city that you can consider and choose from, such as: Mai Linh Taxi Da Nang: (0511. 3 56 56 56), Vinasun Taxi (0511.3 68 68 68), Aviation Taxi (0511.3 27 27 27)…

Famous Tourist Destinations in Da Nang

My Khe Beach

My Khe Beach is one of the must-visit attractions in Da Nang. With its romantic natural beauty, this place was once voted by the Australian magazine Sunday Herald Sun as one of the 10 most beloved beaches in Asia by tourists. Here, you can not only admire the long stretches of smooth white sand, the clear and cool blue water, or the tall coconut trees swaying in the wind, but also enjoy various exciting beach activities such as surfing, jet skiing, fishing, and diving.

My Khe Beach in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Ba Na Hills

Built on the peak of Chua Mountain, located in Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city. Ba Na Hills is known as a famous tourist destination, attracting tourists when they come to Da Nang. To reach Ba Na Hills, you will travel by cable car with a height of nearly 1400m, which is also one of the top 10 most impressive cable car routes in the world. When you arrive, a new world will unfold before your eyes with the unique architecture of the French village, the romantic beauty of the love flower garden, or the serene space of Linh Ung Pagoda. Besides, there are many entertainment areas and exciting games integrated here.

Exciting festivals at Ba Na Hills (Photo by ST)

Asia Park

• Address: 1 Phan Dang Luu, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau, Da Nang
• Phone: 0236 3681 666

Asia Park – Asia Park (Photo by ST)

Asia Park – Asia Park is a top-notch recreational destination in the self-guided Da Nang travel handbook. This park is built and designed with 3 main areas: indoor amusement park, outdoor amusement park, and the Sun Wheel area (also known as the Sun Wheel). When you come to this place, you will have the opportunity to enjoy yourself and engage in various exciting games. Experience everything from gentle to thrilling games at the amusement park area, enjoy exciting games at the indoor entertainment area, or float in mid-air on the giant Sun Wheel to admire the beauty of Da Nang city.

Hoa Phu Thanh Waterfall

Enjoy relaxing moments at Hoa Phu Thanh (Photo by ST)

Ecotourism Area – Hòa Phú Thành will be a destination that brings new and exciting experiences. Tourists are often attracted here by the service of rubber dinghy sliding. With this activity, you will be drifting along a section of the Luong Dong River, passing through beautiful rocky rapids and waterfalls. If you're feeling hesitant because it seems too adventurous, don't worry. When participating in this activity, you will be fully equipped with protective gear to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The rescue team is always ready to assist you throughout the journey.

Love Bridge

• Address: Tran Hung Dao, An Hai Trung, Son Tra, Da Nang
• Phone: 0236 3561 545

The Love Bridge is incredibly romantic in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Despite being built only since 2015, this bridge has become a new and appealing destination for tourists, especially young people, due to its romantic allure. Here, especially in the evening, you can admire the romantic scenery of the bridge illuminated by many red heart-shaped lights. Moreover, for loving couples visiting, it's an opportunity for them to express their affection by attaching love locks engraved with their names onto the bridge's railings. It's both exciting and romantic.

Dragon Bridge

• Address: Nguyen Van Linh, An Hai Trung, Da Nang

Dragon Bridge sparkling at night (Photo by ST)

An equally fascinating destination not to be missed in your budget solo trip to Da Nang is the Dragon Bridge. What sets this bridge apart is its unique design resembling a giant dragon stretching out to the sea. The best time to admire its beauty is perhaps in the evening when it's illuminated. The shimmering lights make the bridge stand out even more. Moreover, on weekends or major national holidays, the Dragon Bridge will spray water or shoot fire starting from 9 p.m.

Museum of Cham Sculpture

• Address: No. 2 2 September Street, Binh Hien, Hai Chau, Da Nang
• Phone: 0236 3574 801

The courtyard of the Museum of Cham Sculpture (Photo by ST)

Located on 2/9 Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang City, the Museum of Cham Sculpture is a place showcasing a wide range of valuable artifacts related to Cham Pa culture. To date, it houses nearly 2000 different-sized artifacts, all categorized according to their origins and the regions where they were discovered. Due to its uniqueness, this museum has gradually become one of the must-visit destinations for many tourists when visiting Da Nang.

Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula

• Address: Linh Ung Pagoda, Hoang Sa, Tho Quang, Son Tra, Da Nang

Main hall of Linh Ung Pagoda (Photo by ST)

Covering a vast area of ​​up to 20 hectares, along with incredibly unique architecture, Linh Ung Pagoda is considered the largest pagoda in Da Nang city. The pagoda is designed in a modern direction but still retains the distinctive features of Vietnamese pagodas. Additionally, the prominent highlight of the pagoda that leaves tourists amazed is the statue of the Goddess of Mercy, standing at a height of 67 meters on a lotus platform with a diameter of 35 meters. This is also the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam to date.

Ban Co Peak

• Address: Tho Quang, Son Tra, Da Nang
• Phone: 0236 3821 203

Ban Co Peak - an attractive tourist destination in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

During your self-guided trip to Da Nang, don't miss out on Ban Co Peak - a famous landmark on Son Tra Peninsula. Here, you can admire the incredibly fascinating natural beauty and immerse yourself in the cool sea breeze. It's also an ideal spot to enjoy panoramic views of the city from above. Don't forget to bring your camera or phone to capture stunning photos of this place.

Cham Island

Cham Island (Photo by ST)

Recognized for its pristine beauty, Cham Island is becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination for many travelers visiting Da Nang. When you come to Cham Island, you'll not only admire its natural beauty but also explore many other interesting attractions such as the ancient Cham well, Cham Island Marine Museum, Tan Hiep Market, Hai Tang Pagoda, and more.

Delicious Dishes in Da Nang

Bun Mam Nem

Bun Mam Nem in Da Nang is a simple yet familiar dish for locals in Da Nang and Quang Nam. Its distinctive delicious flavor leaves a lasting impression on tourists visiting this place. When you taste this dish, you'll immediately recognize the unique flavor of the fermented fish sauce here, accompanied by slices of roasted pork, beef sausage, and sour fermented pork rolls... all renowned for their delicious aroma in Da Nang.

Delicious Bun Mam Nem in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Cao Lau

Cao Lau is known as a specialty of Hoi An, but in Da Nang, you can still enjoy its authentic taste. Most of the Cao Lau here is brought from Hoi An, so the flavor remains unchanged. The crucial point is that they are prepared fresh daily, ensuring freshness and enticing flavors for diners. When enjoying this dish, you can have it with slices of pork, fresh vegetables, crispy fried pork skin, and blanched bean sprouts, which enhances its flavor significantly.

Cao Lau dish is also incredibly enticing (Photo by ST)

Banh Xeo, Grilled Pork Rolls

According to the experience of self-guided travel in Da Nang, you should not miss the chance to enjoy these enticing dishes. These two dishes always top the list of the 'must-try' delicacies in Da Nang. With the characteristic recipes of the locals, these dishes always deliver delicious flavors that are unparalleled. Don't forget to indulge in these enticing dishes when visiting Da Nang!

Famous Banh Xeo Nem Nui in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Chicken Rice

Not only a favorite of Da Nang locals, but this dish also entices many tourists when they visit. With its delicious flavor and prepared in various ways such as roasted chicken rice, shredded chicken rice, chicken rice with fat, boiled chicken rice, often served with pickled vegetables and a bowl of soup. This dish is a worthy choice for you to enjoy when in Da Nang.

Chicken rice is a must-try dish when visiting Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Quang Noodle

Quang Noodle is an equally enticing dish in Da Nang. The broth of this dish is quite limited, unlike other types of noodles or pho. But perhaps the deliciousness of this dish lies in its broth, rich and flavorful, prepared according to a special traditional recipe. For an even better taste, you should enjoy this dish with fresh vegetables, roasted peanuts, rice crackers, lime, chili, and a dash of pure fish sauce.

Quang Noodle, a tempting dish in Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Rice Paper Sandwich

Strolling along the streets of Da Nang, it's not hard to come across this unique dish. Rice paper sandwich is a combination of a rice paper crust filled with dried beef, pate, dried shrimp, etc., and then grilled. The cake is cooked, with a very fragrant and distinctive aroma of rice paper, quite enticing. This delicious dish is favored by many tourists, especially young people, because of its delicious flavor and affordable price.

Rice paper sandwich - a tempting dish on your self-guided tour of Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Banh Beo, Nam, Loc, It Tran

When it comes to these types of cakes, you might think they're specialties of Hue, but when you taste them in Da Nang, you'll experience a completely different flavor. From the ingredients to the wrapping leaves, everything has been changed, so the cakes here still have their own distinctive characteristics. If you visit Da Nang, be sure to try these unique cakes to appreciate their differences.

Delicious cakes of Da Nang (Photo by ST)

Wrapped Fermented Pork

This is a rustic dish of the people of Da Nang. To enjoy this dish, you can visit the bustling street food stalls in the market areas. The wrapping here is quite similar to the spring rolls in the North, where you roll fermented pork, greens, raw vegetables, papaya, carrots, and cucumber in a piece of rice paper, then dip it in pre-made fish sauce, which tastes delicious.

Savory Wrapped Fermented Pork Dish (Photo by ST)

Here are some insights into transportation, entertainment, and dining in Da Nang that you can refer to. Hopefully, with this information, you will have a self-sufficient trip to Da Nang full of joy and memorable experiences in this beautiful coastal city.