Three Vietnamese cities in the top destinations in Southeast Asia
Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City are three representatives from Vietnam honored in Travel &
Da Nang, located in the central region, is often favored with the name “the most livable city in Vietnam”. Not only is the distance between the capitals Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City equally divided, but the city is also located in the center of 3 UNESCO world heritage sites Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
With the strong points of the sea, mountain, forest landscape, and rich attractions, Da Nang is continuously praised by international media as one of the most attractive destinations in the world. In January this year, Google announced the list of top destinations in 2020, in which Da Nang ranked first. The results are based on the user’s hotel searches and travel trends in the previous years. Here are the reasons why the city is always an attractive destination in the eyes of tourists.
In addition to being endowed by nature with beautiful beaches; peninsula with rich flora and fauna, the city is also famous for its modern amusement park and bridges.
The city owns many beautiful beaches, stretching gently with white sand, clear blue water, and calm waves. Among them is My Khe, once voted by Forbes as one of the 6 most attractive beaches on the planet. Stretching about 1 km from Son Tra peninsula to Ngu Hanh Son, the beach is near the center and attracts the most tourists. There are also services such as banana boating, water motor, parachute…
In addition, visitors can choose Man Thai beach, located on Vo Nguyen Giap street, near Son Tra peninsula.
Visitors coming here should not miss the “jewel” of the Son Tra peninsula. The peninsula has 3 sides bordering the sea, located about 10 km northeast of the city center, in Tho Quang ward, Son Tra district. Covering a total area of more than 4,400 hectares, this is home to about 1,000 species of higher plants, hundreds of species of animals. In which there are 22 rare species such as titmouse, wildcat… The peninsula is also known as the home of the “primate queen” with hundreds of brown-shanked douc langurs.
Visiting the peninsula, visitors have the opportunity to admire the 67-meter-high statue of Buddha, located on a lotus platform, in the architectural complex of Linh Ung – Bai But pagoda. Standing at the pagoda, you will fully see the My Khe beach and the city from afar.
In particular, in Son Tra, there are many experiences such as swimming in Nam Beach, diving to see corals, paragliding…
Photo: Pham Phung .Marble Mountains is located in the southeast of the city, about 8 km from the center. This is a complex of 6 mountains, in which Thuy Son is the place where tourists often come to visit, visit Linh Ung Pagoda and Tam Thai Pagoda. Hon Thuy Son also has 9 caves, 5 pagodas and towers, Vong Hai Dai and Vong Giang Dai.
In addition, visitors can visit Quan The Am pagoda on Kim Son island. This is home to the 700 m2 Buddhist Cultural Museum, displaying about 200 artifacts, including woodblocks of Buddhist scriptures, worshiping objects dating back to the 7th century. In addition, the statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Amitabha, Maitreya, bronze bell and staff… At the foot of the mountain is a fine art stone village, displaying many beautiful stone statues, suitable for home decoration.
Tourists note that when visiting the Marble Mountains, it can be combined with destinations such as Hoi An ancient town, My Son temple and tower.
Da Nang is known as the city of bridges, many of which have become symbols and tourist attractions in the city.
The Dragon Bridge has started construction in 2009 and was officially inaugurated and put into use in 2013. The bridge is more than 660 m long, simulating a dragon in the Ly dynasty reaching out to the sea, is one of the many check-in destinations. best in the city. The best time to see the Dragon Bridge is in the evening when the whole road is lit up with colorful lights. Visitors can admire the water-breathing and fire-breathing dragons on Saturday and Sunday evenings at 9 pm.
Below the Dragon Bridge and Love Bridge , where many young tourists come to take pictures. The bridge is designed like a park, with a walking path towards the Han River, decorated with many red heart lanterns. Here, there is an experience that any couple wants to try, which is hanging a lock engraved with their name on the bridge, expressing their desire for steadfast and faithful love. The price of each lock is about 50,000 – 200,000 depending on the shape, name engraving required.
For visitors who love the nightlife experience, they should not miss the Han River Bridge , also known as the swing bridge. At about 11pm daily, the middle part of the bridge will rotate 90 degrees around the axis, opening the way for boats to pass, then return around 24h. Visitors can stand at Tran Hung Dao or Bach Dang street, near the foot of the bridge to see the swing bridge. The bridge also serves visitors to visit, standing on the bridge on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 23h – 24h.
Located on the side of Thuan Phuoc Bridge, located on Le Van Duyet Street, Son Tra District, Wonders of the World Park is a European-style photography spot in the heart of the city. There are statues, imitating world-famous symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, America; Eiffel Tower, Paris, France; One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi; The Great Wall of China…
Admission to the park is free. From the city, visitors follow Vo Van Kiet – Ngo Quyen – Han River bridge roundabout – Tran Hung Dao – Le Van Duyet.
Photo: Danang Golden Bay.Upside Down World’s upside-down house located at 44 Ho Xuan Huong is a suggested address for tourists who love photography. Here, the rooms are designed in an inverted architecture, making you feel like you are walking on the ceiling.
The ticket price for photography is 130,000 VND for adults and 70,000 VND for children. Currently, there is a 25% discount program on ticket prices, with a free bottle of water, during the hours of 13:00 – 16:00, weekdays (from June 29 to July 12).
3D Painting Museum located on Tran Nhan Tong Street, Son Tra is a place to display more than 130 3D paintings on the wall. Each painting is its own space, recreating the wonderland, the ocean, the Egyptian tomb… where visitors can transform into the main character. Here, you will have countless beautiful and funny photos.
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The entrance ticket price is 140,000 VND, currently discounted to 99,000 VND and free for children under 1 meter tall.
Referring to Da Nang, visitors can know the Sun Wheel , one of the top 5 tallest wheels in the world. This wheel is located in the Asia Park campus, 1 Phan Dang Luu, Hai Chau district. With a height of 115 m, the wheel will take visitors to admire the whole city from above in 15 minutes. Opening hours are 15h – 21h on Mondays to Thursdays and 9am – 10pm, 3 weekends.
In addition, when coming to the park, visitors will experience 22 modern games such as overhead tram, free-fall tower, aerial swing…
Photo: Asia Park Sunworld.Sun World Ba Na Hills is known as a must-visit destination when coming to Da Nang. Located in Hoa Vang district, about 20 km from the city center, this is a resort complex combining entertainment with many festivals, entertainment, and culinary activities.
Located at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level, this place has a cool climate and seems to have 4 seasons in a day. Come here, don’t forget to take a walk and take pictures in miniature Europe in the French village, play adventure games at Fantasy Park. In addition, the Golden Bridge, which opened in 2018 is also an iconic photo spot of Da Nang.
From May 15 to July 15, the resort is applying a promotion to buy cable car tickets and get a buffet. Tickets for adults are 750,000 VND and children (1m – 1.4m high) are 600,000 VND.
Coming to Da Nang, visitors will enjoy delicious dishes, typical of the central region such as seafood, pancakes, Quang noodles, durian tea…
Quang noodle is known as a dish that has not been eaten yet in Da Nang. Noodles are made from thick, thick noodles, served with chicken, beef, ribs, frog meat, boiled eggs, shrimp, chan in a rich, golden broth. Raw vegetables including lettuce, basil, cinnamon, and bean sprouts are indispensable when eating Quang noodles. Don’t forget to add a piece of lemon and green chili from the central region to make the dish more flavorful. The price for each bowl is from 15,000 – 45,000 VND.
Some suggested addresses for visitors are Ba Mua restaurant, on Tran Binh Trong, Le Binh Duong, Ho Nghinh and Dong Da streets. In addition is Ba Vi restaurant, 166 Le Dinh Duong; Quang frog noodle soup, number 441 Ong Ich Khiem.
Banh xeo , a rustic dish of the central region in many Da Nang streets. In particular, the alley on Hoang Dieu Street is called Banh Xeo alley, here the most famous is Ba Duong restaurant. Each cake is coated with thin crust, outside is golden, crispy, inside is filled with meat, bean sprouts, shrimp. Guests who order will be served rice paper rolls, green bananas, cucumbers, mangoes, grilled spring rolls. The roll dish is dipped with sour, sweet, and delicious broth and is mouth-watering.
In addition, tourists should visit Nam Hien dancing shrimp pancake restaurant, 46 Phan Thanh; Banh Xeo Ba Ngoc, 228 Dong Da.
Pork rice paper is also a specialty of Da Thanh and is widely sold. The main ingredients of the dish are not sophisticated, including thin rice paper, rice noodles, boiled or crispy pork, thinly sliced. Indispensable side dishes are raw vegetables, green bananas, melons, and mangoes. However, the most attractive point of the dish lies in the seasoning fish sauce, the thick dipping sauce, the aroma of anchovies, the taste is not too salty, sweet, and greasy to eat.
Some places selling rice paper suggested for tourists are Ba Mua restaurant, 93 Nguyen Chi Thanh; Nam Hien rice paper, 46 Phan Thanh; Tran restaurant, number 4 Le Duan.
Finally, seafood or processed snails is a dish not to be missed in Da Nang. Visitors have options such as Tu Danh snail, number 1 Million Nu Vuong, near Dragon Bridge. In addition, there is Ha Ha snail shop in Con market, 294 Ong Ich Khiem; flying saucer sucker, 2/9 street.
Many accommodation facilities from affordable to high-class are the strength of Da Nang. In which, there are many beautiful hotels and homestays with prices of 400,000 VND per night. However, for a more complete vacation, visitors can refer to the hotels and resorts below.
Danang Golden Bay is one of the most famous 5-star hotels in Da Nang city. In addition to its location near the place where the Han River flows into the East Sea, covering the city skyline, the hotel also impresses with 949 rooms, with spaces decorated with gold-plated details.
On the hotel’s rooftop is the world’s largest and tallest 24k gold-plated infinity pool. Immersed in the cool water, visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of Da Nang Bay, Han River, and Son Tra peninsula. Rooms here cost from 2,400,000 VND per night.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula, located on Son Tra peninsula, is a resort that holds the title of “the most luxurious resort in the world” for 4 consecutive years (2014 – 2017). 201 rooms and villas are surrounded by hills, with rich vegetation and the unspoiled beauty of the peninsula.
The resort has villas divided into 4 zones: Heaven, sky, earth, and sea. The design throughout the resort is folk style with arched arches, thatched roofs, cobbled walkways, and high hanging lanterns. Under the hands of the world’s leading architect Bill Bensley, the space exudes a luxurious beauty in the rusticity of Vietnamese architecture.
The resort also includes facilities such as a karaoke room, spa, craft classes, cooking classes, yoga classes, tai chi and heritage villages. There is also a daily picnic to explore the flora and fauna of Son Tra nature reserve. There is also a free shuttle bus to Danang and Hoi An. Room rates from 7 million VND.
Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang is one of the most beautiful new resorts in Asia in 2020votedby CNN . The resort consists of a 9-story hotel, apartments and villas with 309 rooms overlooking the sea and Son Tra peninsula. In which, the most luxurious villa is Monogram Villa with warm, neutral tones with natural materials, bringing warmth and sophistication.
The resort scores by owning a private beach with fine sand and 4 outdoor swimming pools, suitable for children and adults. In particular, guests can check-in early at 10 am and check out at 6 pm.
The resort opened in early 2020, with room rates from 3,600,000 VND per night.
Photo: Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang.Da Nang has a tropical monsoon climate, with high temperatures and little fluctuations. The year is divided into 2 distinct seasons: the rainy season from August to December and the dry season from January to July. Therefore, visitors should come here at the time of February – August every year.
From Hanoi, Hai Phong, Nha Trang, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Da Lat, Vinh, Ho Chi Minh City, there are flights to Da Nang. Fares range from VND 1,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 round trip, depending on the airline and ticket type. The train is a suggested means to save money.
From Da Nang to Hoi An, the distance is 30 km long, to My Son Sanctuary about 70 km, visitors can travel by taxi. Bus to Hoi An is route 1, to My Son is bus number 6. In addition, the motorbike is the right choice if you want to see the scenery and stop sightseeing on the way. Car rental services are available in many cities, priced from 100,000 – 150,000 VND per car, per day.
In addition to seafood, visitors to Da Nang can buy dried beef, Cam Le sesame cake, My Khe seaweed, or Nam O water as a gift. Suggested markets are Con market, Han market. Follow (vnexpress)
Photo: Internet