A Stopover in Da Nang
We had two nights from when our House Sit finished and flying out to Bangkok, Thailand. As we were halfway between Hoi An and Da Nang, we opted for a couple of nights in the city.
We stayed at a boutique hotel called John Boutique Villa Apartments. It is quite a new complex so the rooms are new, clean and with modern decor. The nightly tariff is around $38NZ per night including breakfast.
We were in an area which is undergoing quite a lot of redevelopment so there were plenty of construction going on around us.
With regards to the location, Da Nang is a difficult city to get around as it is quite spread out. We were however within walking distance to the beachfront which is the happening place. In the opposite direction, we were close to a lot of eateries. We managed to find some local hangouts and paid local prices. There were also a lot of touristy options, with touristy prices. So in summary, the location probably has something for everyone.
About Da Nang
Da Nang is the forth largest city in Vietnam. It lies nearly halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and is approximately 30 minutes north of Hoi An.
It has a large International Airport which makes it a perfect stopping point for those who need to fly either domestically or internationally.
The city is nestled between My Khe Beach (China Beach) on one side and the Han River on the other.
My Khe Beach (China Beach)
My Khe Beach is considered to be Vietnam’s most picturesque beaches. This coastline stretches 30 kilometres and is made up of My Khe Beach and Non Nuoc Beach. This area is popular for fishing and water sports and is lined with high rise resorts and restaurants.
Beautiful white sandy beach stretches for 30 km
My Khe Beach was renamed China Beach by the American troops who visited for R&R during the Vietnam War . China Beach is an American drama series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War.
In 1965, 3,500 US troops (the first American combat troops in Vientnam) landed at Da Nang to secure the airfield. It became one of the world’s busiest airports during the war. It is said that there were more than 2,500 air traffic operations daily. This is more than any other airport in the world at that time.
Dragon Bridge
The Dragon Bridge is one of the most iconic and popular tourist destinations.
Constructed in the shape of a dragon, it stretches across the Han River and is a magnificent sight any time of the day. It however comes to life in the evening. It is illuminated with 2,500 colourful LED lights and in the weekends at 9pm, it spits fire from its mouth and sprays water over the watching crowd.
The fire and water spitting Dragon Bridge
You can watch the show from up close on the bridge, or you can stand downstairs on the river bank. In peak season, thousands of people gather around to watch the show.
We witnessed the fire breathing dragon last time we visited Da Nang and as our accommodation was quite a distance from the bridge this time, we decided that once you had seen a fire spitting dragon bridge, it was not worth the extra effort to see it again.
The Dragon Bridge is the longest bridge in Vietnam. It took 3 years to construct and was opened to traffic in 2013. The dragon is the symbol of power, nobility and good fortune. The number 6 is considered a lucky number in Vietnamese culture, so the dragon is 666 metres long, 66 metres high and has 6 lanes for cars and motorcycles.
The Han River Bridge
The bridge was opened in 2000 and was completely funded by the local people of Da Nang.
The road is closed off at midnight every weekend and the bridge swings on its axis. This allows shipping traffic to pass along the river.
The first swing bridge in Vietnam
Summary
Most visitors pass through Da Nang on their way to Hoi An which is one of Vietnam’s top tourist destinations. Because of its close proximity to Hoi An, Da Nang can appear quite dull. It is true that Da Nang is difficult to visit than other spots in Vietnam. You can’t really experience the best of the city by just walking around and seeing what you find. We clocked up nearly 15km on foot just wandering around a few of the city sights.
There are more sights to see in Da Nang (Click here for more information) but I think that you would be better to do these as a day trip from Hoi An than spending too long staying in Da Nang.
It is a good stop over if you have an early/late flight in or out of Da Nang airport.
Click on the link below for our video of our highlights in Da Nang.
Nice report and great video! We think we’ll spend just the one night next week on our way to Hue.
Great vid, and the presenters were pretty good too…….
Haha, thanks for the feedback.