What to see in Da Nang on your own: places, getting there, how many days
Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha on Son Tra, the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge at 21:00 at weekends, Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge on giant hands. Where each one is, how to get there without a tour, hours and a 1–3 day plan.
Da Nang is known for the Dragon Bridge, My Khe beach, the Marble Mountains and the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, and the city takes two to three days to see. Day one: the Son Tra peninsula with Linh Ung Pagoda and the 67-metre Lady Buddha in the morning, the Museum of Cham Sculpture by the Dragon Bridge at midday, the Marble Mountains in the late afternoon (ticket desk closes at 17:00), and on Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 the Dragon Bridge breathes fire and water.
Day two: Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge held up by giant hands, 25–30 km west — leave at 7–8 am. Day three: Hoi An, the Hai Van Pass or the My Son temples. City sights are 3–10 km apart; Grab or a taxi gets you between them. Addresses and hours are in Da Nang sights.
Sights and attractions: addresses and contacts Open in Telegram
Where to go?
| Place | Where and how far | Hours | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng) | across the Han River, city centre | fire and water at 21:00 Sat and Sun, major holidays | half an hour in the evening |
| Love Pier and the Carp-Dragon statue | Trần Hưng Đạo, east bank by the Dragon Bridge | evening, with the Dragon Bridge | 20 minutes |
| Museum of Cham Sculpture | 02 Đường 2 Tháng 9, by the Dragon Bridge | daily 7:30–17:00 | 1–1.5 hours |
| Da Nang Cathedral (the pink church) | 156 Trần Phú, centre | daytime; Mass on Sundays | half an hour |
| Da Nang Museum | entrance at 31 Trần Phú, centre | 8:00–17:00, call ahead at weekends | 1 hour |
| My Khe Beach | Võ Nguyên Giáp, about 3 km from the centre | swim where lifeguards are on duty | as long as you like |
| Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha | Son Tra peninsula, Hoàng Sa road | daytime | 1 hour |
| Son Tra peninsula | about 10 km north-east | mountain roads: Oct–Feb 7:30–17:30, Mar–Sep 7:30–18:30 | half a day |
| Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) | 81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa, 9 km south | 7:00–17:30, tickets until 17:00 | 2–3 hours |
| Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge | 25–30 km west, 45–60 minutes to the cable car | Golden Bridge 8:00–19:00 | full day |
| Hai Van Pass | about 20 km north, the road to Hue | daylight, back by 18:00 | half a day |
| Hoi An Ancient Town | about 30 km, 45 minutes by car | pedestrian zone from 9:00 into the evening | full day |
| My Son Sanctuary | about 68 km south-west | go early, midday is hot | half a day |
What is there to see in central Da Nang?
Central Da Nang is the west bank of the Han River, and everything is within a couple of kilometres. Start at the Museum of Cham Sculpture by the Dragon Bridge (02 Đường 2 Tháng 9): over 300 works of Champa art, national treasures among them, open daily 7:30–17:00. About a kilometre north is the pink 1923 cathedral at 156 Trần Phú — locals call it the "rooster church" after the weathervane on its spire. Another kilometre on is the Da Nang Museum, entrance at 31 Trần Phú, open 8:00–17:00.
When does the Dragon Bridge breathe fire?
The Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng) spans 666 metres over the Han River and opened in 2013. At 21:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, and on major holidays (30 April, 2 September, Tet), the dragon's head breathes fire and then sprays water; the whole show runs 10–12 minutes. Friday shows don't happen every week — if Friday is your only night in town, check for an announcement. The easiest viewing spot is the east bank on Trần Hưng Đạo street, facing the head directly; the Love Pier and the carp-turning-into-a-dragon statue are right there. The west bank (Bạch Đằng) is closer, but you may get splashed.
What is there to see at the Marble Mountains?
The Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn) are 9 km south of the centre on the road to Hoi An; the entrance is at 81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa. Of the five peaks, only one, Thuy Son (Thủy Sơn), is open to visitors: the Huyền Không, Hoa Nghiêm, Tàng Chơn and Vân Thông caves, the Tam Thai and Linh Ứng pagodas, and sea viewpoints. Open 7:00–17:30, ticket desk closes at 17:00. The lift needs a separate ticket and only goes halfway up — the rest is steps, so wear proper shoes. Âm Phủ cave at the foot of the mountain is a separate visit.
Where is Lady Buddha and how do you get to Son Tra?
Lady Buddha is a 67-metre white statue of the bodhisattva Quan Am at Linh Ung Bai But Pagoda on the Son Tra peninsula, about 10 km north-east of the centre. You can see it from almost anywhere in the city. It is not the Linh Ung on the Marble Mountains — Da Nang has three pagodas with that name. The pagoda is reached by the coastal Hoàng Sa road. It is a working temple: cover shoulders and knees, and leave short shorts at the hotel.
Can you ride a scooter on Son Tra?
The Son Tra mountain roads — to the heritage banyan tree (over 800 years old), to Ban Co peak (700 m, with a view over all of Da Nang) and to Suối Ôm — are closed to automatic scooters and to buses with more than 24 seats. Go by car, Grab, taxi or a manual-gear motorbike. The mountain roads are open October to February 7:30–17:30 and March to September until 18:30; after that the barriers come down. The stretch from Ban Co to Bãi Bắc is one-way.
How do you get to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge?
Ba Na Hills is a Sun World park on Ba Na mountain, 25–30 km west of the centre. On a weekday morning it is 45–60 minutes to the cable car base station, twice that on a public holiday; allow 1.5–2 hours from your hotel to the summit. Go by taxi, Grab, car with driver, motorbike or shuttle bus. Return shuttles leave around 15:30–16:30, and Grab is hard to find there after 17:00, so arrange the ride back in advance. On the map, search for "Sun World Ba Na Hills" — otherwise the route ends at the summit road, not the cable car.
What is the Golden Bridge with the giant hands?
The Golden Bridge (Cầu Vàng) at the top of Ba Na Hills is a walkway about 150 metres long at roughly 1,400 metres above sea level, held up by two huge hands that seem to grow out of the rock. The hands only look like stone — inside is metal mesh and fibreglass. The bridge opened in June 2018. Sun World lists it as open 8:00–19:00 (± 15–30 minutes depending on weather), with the last cable cars down around 17:00; check sunworld.vn the day before. Queues peak between 9 and 11, so arrive at opening. The summit is 10–15 degrees cooler than the city — bring a layer. In fog the bridge can disappear entirely, so check the forecast for Ba Na itself.
Is the Hai Van Pass worth the trip?
The Hai Van Pass is the old coastal road from Da Nang to Hue, 20 km north of the centre. The switchbacks look over the bay and the city, and at the top, at about 496 metres, stands Hai Van Quan, a gate fort built in 1826. People go by motorbike, car or on a tour; plan to be back by 18:00, as the road is unlit after dark. For licences and what to check on a rental bike, see renting a motorbike in Da Nang.
Hoi An and My Son
Hoi An Ancient Town is 30 km away, about 45 minutes by car; the address and pedestrian-zone hours are in the Ancient Town listing. My Son is a valley of Champa temple ruins about 68 km from Da Nang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999; electric buggies cover the kilometre from the gate to the temples. Go to My Son in the morning — the valley gets hot by midday.
Where can you go for an evening walk in Da Nang?
In the evening, head for the Dragon Bridge and the east bank of the Han river. A short walk from the bridge are the Love Bridge, with its carp-turning-into-a-dragon statue on Trần Hưng Đạo, and the Son Tra night market at the corner of Lý Nam Đế and Mai Hắc Đế streets: free entry, with food, souvenirs and clothes. The market opens around 18:00; sources give closing times from 23:00 to midnight. On Saturday and Sunday evenings it is crowded because of the 21:00 show on the bridge. For a quieter visit, come on a weekday.
What should you eat in Da Nang?
Start with mì Quảng, noodles in a small amount of broth, the signature dish of Quang Nam and Da Nang. The Da Nang tourism portal also names bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo (rice paper with boiled pork and herbs), bún mắm thịt heo (noodles in anchovy sauce, a breakfast or light meal), tré (pig-ear and skin rolls with chilli sauce) and bánh khô mè (dry sesame cake) as a snack.
How much is the entrance to Ba Na Hills and the Marble Mountains?
Prices at both places change, so there is no number here: check the official ones. Ba Na Hills tickets are sold by Sun World, with the tariff and promotions on sunworld.vn and at the ticket desk by the lower cable-car station. At the Marble Mountains, climbing Thuy Son is paid, and the lift and Âm Phủ cave have separate tickets; the tariff is published on the Da Nang tourism portal (page dated 1 Aug 2025), and the current one is at the ticket desk at 81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa.
What time should you go to Ba Na Hills?
Arrive at Ba Na Hills when it opens, by 8:00: according to Sun World, the Golden Bridge is open from 8:00 to 19:00. Queues are worst from 9 to 11, and it is cooler up there in the morning. To reach the cable car by 8:00, leave the centre around 7:00. Plan to be back by 17:00: after that, Grab is hard to find at the cable car. More in the guide Ba Na Hills from Da Nang.
Da Nang itinerary: 1, 2 and 3 days
1 day. Morning — Son Tra and Lady Buddha (mountain roads open at 7:30). Midday — the Museum of Cham Sculpture and the cathedral, easier in the heat than the mountains. From 15:00 — the Marble Mountains; reach the ticket desk before 17:00. Evening — the riverfront, and on Saturday or Sunday the Dragon Bridge at 21:00.
2 days. Add Ba Na Hills: leave at 7–8 am, back by 16:00–18:00.
3 days. Day three — Hoi An, or the Hai Van Pass, or My Son in the morning and Hoi An in the evening. My Khe Beach fills the gaps.
The airport is 4–5 km from the centre — see Da Nang airport to the city.
Related guides: Tours in Da Nang: how to choose an agency and check its licence, Massage and spa in Da Nang: where to go and how to avoid "massage with extras".
Also on the topic: Da Nang with kids: where to go, what to do in the rain and which beach to pick.
Frequently asked questions
What can I see in Da Nang in one day? Son Tra and Lady Buddha in the morning, the Museum of Cham Sculpture at midday, the Marble Mountains after 15:00 (tickets until 17:00), the riverfront and Dragon Bridge in the evening.
What time does the Dragon Bridge breathe fire? At 21:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays. The fire-and-water show lasts 10–12 minutes; watch from Trần Hưng Đạo street on the east bank.
Where are the giant hands in Da Nang? They hold up the Golden Bridge at the top of Ba Na Hills, 25–30 km west of the centre. Hotel to summit takes 1.5–2 hours including the cable car.
Can I visit Ba Na Hills without a tour? Yes: take a taxi, Grab, motorbike or shuttle to the cable car station and buy the ticket there or on sunworld.vn. Plan your ride back — shuttles leave around 15:30–16:30.
Can I ride a scooter on Son Tra? To Linh Ung Pagoda along the Hoàng Sa road, yes; on the mountain roads to the banyan tree and Ban Co peak, automatic scooters are not allowed. You need a car or a manual-gear motorbike.
How many days do I need in Da Nang? Two to three: a day for the city and the Marble Mountains, a day for Ba Na Hills, a day for Hoi An, Hai Van or My Son.
Where can you go for an evening walk in Da Nang? Around the Dragon Bridge and on the east bank of the Han river: the Love Bridge, the Son Tra night market (from 18:00) and, at weekends, the 21:00 show on the bridge.
What should you eat in Da Nang? Mì Quảng first, then rice paper with pork (bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo) and bún mắm noodles.
How much is the entrance to Ba Na Hills? Sun World publishes the tariff on sunworld.vn and at the cable-car ticket desk. It changes, so check it before you go.
What time should you go to Ba Na Hills? At opening, by 8:00: the Golden Bridge is open from 8:00 to 19:00, and queues are worst from 9 to 11.
Sources and checks
Marble Mountains hours and rules, the Dragon Bridge show and the road to Ba Na Hills come from vietnamtourism.com pages updated on 14 September and 21 October 2026 and from the Da Nang tourism portal (danangfantasticity.com); Golden Bridge hours from the Sun World website. The Da Nang portal also lists Friday for the Dragon Bridge show (a 2015 page), while vietnamtourism.com lists only Saturday and Sunday — hence "check for an announcement" for Fridays. Son Tra access rules: the Da Nang portal (2025) and Báo Văn Hóa (2019). Lady Buddha's height: MIA.vn and the Vietnam Airlines travel guide. Golden Bridge length and materials: Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (2018). Museum of Cham Sculpture and Da Nang Museum: the Da Nang portal; the cathedral: VinWonders and MIA.vn; Hai Van: the Da Nang portal and VinWonders; My Son and Hoi An: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel). All pages opened on 22 October 2026. The day plans and tips are ours. No prices — tickets change. Updated 22 October 2026.