Da Nang: the city that replaced Hoi An and today competes with Singapore

Da Nang is Vietnam’s third city and the country’s most ambitious urban experiment. Where 30 years ago there were fishermen and rice paddies, today there are 60-storey towers, 10 km of beach with promenade, spectacular bridges that shoot fire on Saturdays, and an international airport that concentrates all flights to central Vietnam. Easy to skip on the way to Hoi An. A mistake.

Why Da Nang exists

When Hoi An’s harbour silted up in the 19th century, the French looked for an alternative port. Da Nang — deep bay, sheltered, foot of the Hai Van pass — was the obvious choice. The French called it Tourane and turned it into central Vietnam’s commercial port. During the Vietnam War it was the world’s largest American air base (1965-1975), with 2,595 active flights per day at peak.

After the war, collapse. From 2000 onwards, the Vietnamese government decided Da Nang would be the Vietnamese Singapore: infrastructure, foreign investment, iconic bridges. Today, 1.2 million inhabitants and one of Southeast Asia’s highest growth rates.

• 🏖My Khe Beach 10 km, free
• 🌉Dragon Bridge Fire Sat/Sun 9:00 pm
• ⛰Ba Na Hills 850,000 VND entry
• ⏱Stay 2 nights

My Khe Beach: the Americans’ beach

US soldiers called it “China Beach” during the war and used it for R&R. 10 km of white sand, moderate surf, warm water. Forbes ranked it one of the world’s 6 best beaches in 2005. Today it’s free, public, and lined with a 10 km promenade of outdoor gyms, beach shacks and seafood huts.

Competes with An Bang (Hoi An) but wins on infrastructure, loses on charm. Strategy: stay in Da Nang opposite My Khe if you’re travelling with kids or want urban comfort + beach.

The three spectacular bridges

Da Nang has turned the urban bridge into a symbol. Three stand out:

Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son)

5 km south, five marble peaks rising from the coastal plain, each named after an element (water, wood, fire, metal, earth). The most accessible, Thuy Son (Water), has pagodas, caves and a panoramic viewpoint carved into the rock. 40,000 VND entry + optional lift 15,000 VND. 2-3 hours. Mid-morning ideal — after 11 it gets too hot inside the caves.

Huyen Khong Cave: the best. A natural cathedral with Buddhist altar and zenithal light filtering through a fissure.

Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge

40 km west, at 1,487 m altitude, a former French hill station turned theme park + resort. Accessed by the world’s longest cable car (5,771 m, Guinness record). At the top, the famous Golden Bridge (Cau Vang) — a walkway held up by two giant stone hands. Viral photo of 2018.

Polarising: it’s a theme park. Plenty of people hate it (fake, kitsch, manipulative). Plenty adore it (surreal photo, fresh air, escape from the heat). 850,000 VND entry + cable car. Full day. Arrive at 8:30 am before the Chinese buses.

Cham Museum: the essential historical stop

If you do one cultural thing in Da Nang, make it the Museum of Cham Sculpture. Built by the French in 1915, it holds the world’s finest collection of Cham art — over 300 sculptures from the 7th-15th centuries, from My Son and other sites. Hinduism, apsaras, garudas, linga. 60,000 VND, 1-1.5 h. Perfect for contextualising My Son before or after.

Where to sleep

• Furama Resort: classic, facing My Khe, 150-280 €.
• Fusion Maia Resort: all-inclusive spa, 300-500 €.
• Haian Beach Hotel: mid-range, beachfront, 60-100 €.
• Memory Hostel: budget, near the river, 15-25 €.

How long?

2 nights is optimal. Day 1: Marble Mountains + beach + dinner at Dragon Bridge. Day 2: full Ba Na Hills. Skipping Da Nang is possible if you only care about Hoi An, but you lose the Cham Museum and the modern urban context.

The complete Vietnam guide from Far Guides dedicates a section to Da Nang with a map of the three bridges, Cham Museum timings and a Ba Na Hills strategy.