Da Nang has transformed rapidly from a wartime American airbase into central Vietnam's most modern city, anchored by long sandy beaches and the surreal Golden Bridge, held aloft by two giant stone hands in the hills above the city. It's also perfectly positioned between Hoi An's ancient trading port and Hue's former imperial capital, both easy day trips.
The Golden Bridge and Ba Na Hills
The Golden Bridge, opened in 2018 within the Ba Na Hills resort complex, is held up by two enormous moss-covered stone hands and offers views across the surrounding mountains from a walkway wrapped in golden mesh, arrive early to beat both the crowds and the fog that often rolls in by midday.
Ba Na Hills itself is a French colonial-era hill station turned theme park, with a cable car (one of the world's longest single-track lines) climbing through cloud forest to a complex that includes a recreated French village and a Buddhist pagoda.
Hoi An and Hue Day Trips
Hoi An, forty minutes south, is a UNESCO-listed former trading port of lantern-lit streets and tailor shops, best visited in the evening when thousands of paper lanterns are lit along the river, a genuinely magical scene despite the crowds.
Hue, roughly two hours north, was Vietnam's imperial capital until 1945, the Citadel and Forbidden Purple City, though damaged during the Vietnam War, remain evocative reminders of the Nguyễn Dynasty's former power.
Recommended Stay · Da Nang · Son Tra Peninsula
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
A resort designed by Bill Bensley set into a forested peninsula, with two private beaches and views across the bay toward Da Nang's skyline.
