Da Nang, Vietnam
Located on Vietnam’s central coast, Da Nang is one of the country’s largest cities and an important port town. With attractions such as My Khe Beach, the Marble Mountains, and a modern bridge built in the likeness of a fire-breathing dragon, Danang has a lot to offer the adventurous traveler.
When I arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam I was greeted with wet and chilly weather. The rains were heavy at times, hampering my ability to get out and explore as I typically do when arriving at a new destination. Although I attempted to make the best of it, It was a bit frustrating to say the least.
It was also the beginning of the Tết (Lunar New Year) celebration. Tết is a significant holiday in Vietnam that technically runs for about a week. However, my observations would indicate it typically runs a bit longer, maybe ten days or so.
This is a time when citizens all across Vietnam reunite with their families, eat, honor ancestors, pray for luck, and decorate the streets. The streets also become filled with the sound of karaoke. It’s all quite lovely really.
But there was a problem… well, at least for a foreigner like me. Almost all local businesses were closed for the holiday.
This fact, combined with the foul weather, meant my first two weeks in Da Nang Vietnam were, shall we say, less than optimal.
The beach wasn’t very enticing thanks to the weather. My dining was limited to mostly “western” options with a few exceptions. I was starting to worry that Da Nang wouldn’t be anything near the experience I was hoping for.
However, as the weather improved and the locals went back to their businesses, Da Nang transformed in a very good way. The streets, local eateries, and markets came alive.
I was very happy to find friendly merchants, great quality produce, and local treats throughout the markets.
and… it was finally time to go full-on with the Vietnamese grub.
First, the coffee.
I’d say Vietnam has one of the best coffee cultures of all the places I’ve visited in Southeast Asia so far. Well, that is if Da Nang and Hoi An are any indication.
There are plenty of coffee shops, both large and small, serving up everything from traditional egg coffee to cappuccinos. You can even get a slow-pour brew.
Egg coffee and coconut coffee are both delicious. However, my Western palate finds them to be too sweet for coffee. So, I just chalk them up as dessert and drink away.
The food.
The Pho and Mi Quang pictured below were some of my favorite dishes. I also enjoyed trying other traditional Vietnamese dishes such as Banh Xeo (Crispy pancake) and Nem Lui (Lemongrass Pork Skewers).
However, my favorite eating experience was having a street food breakfast of Banh Mi Op La.
Banh Mi Op La is two fried eggs with assorted meats that are served in a skillet with a baguette on the side.
It was good, but what made it great was the experience of sitting in a tiny plastic chair elbow-to-elbow with local folks on a street corner in Vietnam. It reminded me of the many great local breakfast experiences I enjoyed in Georgetown, Malaysia. Somehow food just tastes better in the right environment.
Soon after the weather improved, I headed for the beach.
I’m typically not impressed with city beaches, but My Khe Beach in Da Nang is the exception. It is a pleasant place to be. Palm tree-lined and beautiful sand throughout its length, it offers plenty of shade and opportunities to relax. It is also clean and well-maintained, something I find lacking in many Southeast Asia beach destinations.
There is also a beautiful promenade and small park-like areas where you can stroll, bike, or get a bite to eat from beach vendors.
I typically avoid sites that attract a lot of tourists. However, I do make exceptions for things like ancient ruins or cave temples as I find them adventurous and interesting.
With that said, I found the Marble Mountains to be an enjoyable experience. Located just south of Da Nang, they are a cluster of five limestone and marble mountains. Within the mountains are several Buddhist and Hindu grottos featuring statues and depictions of religious scenes carved from marble. It’s a very beautiful place to spend a few hours, but it can become a bit crowded at times.
On the other side of the city is The Lady Buddha. Located a just short distance from Da Nang city center, it is the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam. Perched on a hillside on Son Tra Peninsula, it is large enough to be seen from My Khe Beach in Da Nang. However, it is worth the short ride to see it up close.
Perhaps the most recognizable structure in Da Nang these days is the Dragon Bridge which spans the River Hàn. Opened to traffic on March 29, 2013, the bridge was designed and built in the shape of a dragon. It actually breathes fire and spews water every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at 9 pm. It is quite a sight to behold, especially from up close in the evenings.
Da Nang, Vietnam has a lot going for it. A beautiful beachfront, decent infrastructure, and great food. It also seems to be holding strong to its culture despite its rapid growth into a more modern city.
It is, however, not without its faults.
Da Nang appears to be going through some growing pains. Much of the construction of hi-rise buildings seems to have been halted, leaving abandoned shells of structures strewn throughout the beach side of town. There are also many empty lots that, unfortunately, have become magnets for trash. I initially assumed this was a result of the recent pandemic. However, I have been informed that it is also the result of poor planning as there were problems prior to the pandemic.
I have seen a lot of road improvements and some construction during my stay in Da Nang. Hopefully, these are signs that things will improve. I’m rooting for Da Nang as I mostly enjoyed my time there and can see myself returning.
In the meantime, I’ll have to rely on fond memories of street-side egg coffee and banh mi as the sweet sound of a distant karaoke song fills my mind.
Well this certainly brings back some memories, except for the Marble Mountain. Despite our 15 month stay, we never were able to make it there as it was closed for COVID almost the entire time. Glad you could share a bit of what we missed. 🙂
Hi Eric. I remember your posts on Danang very well. Fortunately for us, we didn’t have as much issues with the rain as you. Sorry to hear you didn’t get to the marble mountains. To my surprise, I found it mostly enjoyable. We are looking forward to checking out more places in Vietnam in the future. Safe travels to you.
Wow! Incredible photos, Skip! Sorry about the initial crummy weather, but glad it improved. We’ve had that holiday thing happen before in different places. At some point, I started adding holiday calendars for upcoming countries, but still always had to research to see how “serious” the holiday was.
Your food photos are really beautiful. Also, the photos of the dragon bridge at night are so cool – it looks like it launched a fireball at the city and people should start running!
Hi Mack. Thanks for the kind words. Fortunately, we were there long enough to enjoy quite a bit of Da Nang despite the weather and holiday stuff. Besides, we always have the flexibility to return if we feel the need. I do think those dragon bridge photos have a bit of a Japanese monster movie feel to them. Thanks for stopping by.
So glad you stuck it out and gave it a chance after bad weather and holiday business closures. Your pictures are incredible!
We have talked about returning and staying there one full month. We did a week there and a week in Hoi An during our wonderful 3-month tour in 2018.
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Hi Ellen. Always happy to see you here. I can definitely recommend a month in Da Nang. Hopefully Vietnam will return to offering a three month tourist Visa. It’s only been a one month Visa for U.S. citizens since the pandemic. Supposedly there are some upcoming meetings regarding this in May. Fingers crossed.
I enjoyed this trip to Da Nang, but boy would I ever like to see that dragon bridge spewing fire in person one day. I think it would ignite my adventurous little heart. As for the rest – I’m with you on that tiny plastic stool eating Banh Mi Op La, and exploring the markets. I loved Vietnam and would like to return one day.
Hi Alison. I hope you do get there to check it out in person one day. I’m looking forward to returning to Vietnam soon to explore more of what it has to offer. Word on the street is they may increase the tourist visit back to three months. This would be so much better for our slow travel lifestyle. Fingers crossed.
Great photos, as always! I especially love the photo of the round basket boats by the dragon bridge. All the photos are great, can’t wait to see more!
Hi Ryan. Thanks for letting me know you enjoy the photos. I actually took the photo of those boats with my smart phone through a hole in a fence. I saw the shot and really liked it. They say the best camera is the one you have with you. It was certainly true in this case. Always good to hear from you. Thanks again.
Nice travelogue on Da Nang. We didn’t make it to the market or Marble Mountain but you captured other spots well. And great pics of the Dragon Bridge!
Hi Matt. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Despite getting a bit crowded in places, I enjoyed the marble mountains. I can recommend it if you ever get back that way. That dragon bridge was really fun to photograph. Safe travels.
Beautiful pictures, as always your making me hungry!
I have heard the construction market there is growing. My company has a few projects over there.
Hi Lisa. So interesting about your company. What kind of projects is your company working on there?
Beautiful, makes my want and need to go to this land grow.
Hi Marcy. Thanks for checking out the post and leaving a comment. What are you waiting for? If you need some help on logistics let me know. I’m happy to help ☺️