Our Da Nang, Vietnam Travel Guide
We just came back from our 7D6N (14 – 20 December 2023) Trip to Da Nang, Vietnam and here’s our travel guide on some of the Food, Attractions, Preparations, Experiences and Hotels you can consider for your trip there.
About Da Nang, Vietnam In Our Own Words
Da Nang is around 2.5 hours direct Flight Time from Singapore and timezone is one hour behind. Exchange Rate was around 1 SGD to 18,292.68 VND (Mid December). Da Nang is currently going through many land developments with numerous small and high-rise hotels from well-known brands being built. They have other prominent attraction areas like Little Hoi An which was still a little laid back and Ba Nang Hills which is this gigantic area up high in a mountain and the place to visit the popular Golden Bridge. Street peddling for local products is a common sight there.
During our time there, the Sun set around 5.45pm and rose around 6.30am. Weather was cooling and out of our 7 Days there, there were 4 days of Light and Heavy Rain.
On the road were many motorcycles. ridden by mainly youths, form the majority and it was a common behaviour to see our driver (left driving) honking every now and then and yet there are no black face or rude gestures (try doing that in Singapore…). Crossing the roads by foot required some bravery as there were no Green Man indicators though there were many zebra crossing markings. Suggestion was once you have started crossing, do so in one go and don’t stop and the vehicles (motorcycles and cars but not buses) will slow down a bit and maneurve away from you.
Grab is a prominent transport player there so getting around Da Nang, Little Hoi An and driving up to Ba Na Hills are straightforward and safe with the App. The drivers did try to engage us for their own Day Trip Driving services but their quoted prices were somehow more expensive than the prices quoted in Grab. This was also the same experience for drivers quoting their journey prices on the street.
For payments, Cash and Physical Credit Cards are the main ways for tourists. There are other digital payment methods like VNPay and ZaloPay but they are not accessible to foreigners. Most places have free WiFi Hotspot with 5G Speed and their password can be as simple as 12345678 so it’s advisable to install some VPN on your phone else you can rent a Router with a low-cost Data Plan from this trustable Yoowifi.
One thing that we noticed was the many South Korean Tourists, so much so that many locals can speak Korean and have store signs in Korean as well. The second big group of tourists was the Westerners followed by the Indians. There were not many China Nationals during our trip.
Hope you have enjoyed our own views on Da Nang. You can check out some of our recommendations on Hotels, Foods and Places in the following sections.
Flights
- We flew on Singapore Airlines, Economy Class. Departure Flight was 13:55 (from Singapore Airport Terminal 2) to 15:40 (Arrival at Da Nang International Airport) and Return Flight was 11:50 (from Da Nang International Airport) to 15:50 (Arrival at Singapore Airport Terminal 2).
- We booked directly with Singapore Airlines and our Flight Ticket Price was $1,311.
- The SQ Airplanes (SQ 174 & SQ 171 – Boeing 737 MAX 8) that we flew on had a 3 x 3 Seat Arrangements for Economy Class and 2 x 2 Arrangements for Business Class. We were offered to top up $370 per pax to upgrade to Business Class via email on the second last day of our trip. If you are going on Economy Class for 2, you may want to reserve the outer two seats from the plane aisle if you want some movements during the flight.
- We used the Priority Pass Benefit from our Citibank Premier Miles Credit Card on our return flight to get free access into the CIP Orchid Lounge which had quite a good food selections, comfortable seats, facilities and services.
Airport Transfer
- We booked an Airport Transfer Service from Klook (just SGD 19.85) which took us from the Da Nang International Airport to the Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel. The ride was around 50 minutes. The whole process was also very smooth – one operator messaged us via WhatsApp one day before our flight to get some details and another contacted us on the day of our arrival. We just shared a location photo at the Airport and the Driver managed to find us. The driver also helped us with the luggage. We had our Google Maps on to ensure that the Driver got us to the exact location.
Payment
- We used our Instarem Amaze Card together with the Citibank Rewards Card to pay for our Taxi Rides and local card payments. Instarem Amaze Card charges a small fee for each foreign transaction (e.g. around 1 SGD to 17,700 VND vs 18,230 VND at Mid-Market Rate). We used this Card instead of our Wise and YouTrip because we did not have to do any wallet top-ups and there were email and app notifications for every transaction for easy tracking.
- We exchanged around SGD 820 for 15 Million VND and it was more than enough to cover the 7D6N trip. We exchanged at this over at The Arcade (Raffles Place). Vietnam has stopped issuing and accepting coins so you do not have to bring along any Coin Pouch.
Wi-Fi
- For Wi-Fi, we got a good deal from YooWifi – 50GB of Data that covers up to 90 Countries and valid for 180 Days (just SGD 49). We were told that we could keep the Router but not too sure if this is really the case.
- Most of the eating outlets in Da Nang have Free 5G Wi-Fi with simple passwords. If you are concerned about security, you may want to install VPN (e.g. Adguard VPN) in your mobile phone.
Hotels
— Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa (Hoi An)
Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa is quite a cosy hotel with some personal touches by the Service Staffs whom tried to remember every guest and provide as much recommendations they could. They provide Free Bicycle for your venture around the area and Free Shuttle Service and Towels to the An Bang Beach (last bus is at 3:30pm). They also provide Transfer Services at around 400K VND. They have a small selection for their Buffet Breakfast and they were quite tasty.
We booked a Deluxe Room with Agoda for two nights and the price was at SGD 137.72, inclusive of breakfast for 2.
— voco Ma Belle Danang
voco Ma Belle is a rather new Hotel in the Da Nang and is just 15 – 25 minutes Taxi Ride from the Da Nang International Airport. This Hotel faces the East Vietnam Sea in the front and a good view of the Giant Buddha Statue from the Chua Ling Ugh Temple on the far left. The staffs are attentive to every customer. One interesting/weird feature that our room has is that the bathing area has curtains that can be drawn apart outside.
We directly booked their King Deluxe City View Balcony Room on their website for three nights (1 + 2) on two different dates for a total of USD 256.64 (86.90 + 169.74). We stayed there for the first night then we stayed at Mercure Danang French Village for another night before coming back here again for the remaining two nights.
— Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills
The Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills is this gigantic place that is based on 19th-century Gothic architecture and is located way up Ba Na Hills after a 20 minute cable car ride. The check-in is done at the Control Station where the Counter Staff will do the first round of check-in and then issue you with a check-in slip after paying for the Cable Car Tickets and you get priority queue to take the ride up.
We booked their Deluxe King Room with Trip.com for 1 night at SGD 187.26 which included breakfasts for 2. The Deluxe King Room was a cozy room that came with an unstable Wi-Fi connection in their TV as well as a very portable but heavy heater for keeping us warm in the rainy nights and for drying our wet clothes.
Food to Try
— Pho May Vietnamese Cuisine 포마이 (Hoi An) (Google Maps)
Pho May Vietnamese Cuisine 포마이 is a popular dining place among the Korean Tourists that is located within 3-minutes walking time from Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel. Place is rather small, have around 10 Tables and a group of smiling and friendly service staffs.
They serve items like Traditional Pho with a bit of Korean Twist (Kimchi and Coffee) and many Stir-Fried Dishes. We had dinner over there and tried their Pho Stir-Fried with Shrimps (110K VND) which was a bit like Mee Goreng but chewy noodles, not the spicy-kind and slurrpily wet, Hoanh Thanh (110K VND) which was like unwrapped Fried Wanton Skin with bits of sweet and sour vegetables and shrimp, Pho Stir-Fried with Beef (80K VND) which was like Singapore Hor Fun, very sweet gravy, chewy flat pho and came with tons of crunchily sweet vegetables.
— HEYDAY Coffee (Hoi An) (Google Maps)
HEYDAY Coffee is a cozy little coffee place which sells Coffee, Ice Blended Drinks, Smoothies, Tea and Soda. Price ranges from 29K to 45K. We tried their Ice Latte (45K VND), which was a rather small cup but strong coffee taste. This place opens as early as 7.30am and is run by a local who speaks quite good English. This place is quite instagrammable with multiple interior colour and offers a scenic view of the river and the shophouses.
— Mot Hoi An (Google Maps)
This Mot Hoi An is an eating place and with an interesting section that sells this Herbal-kind of Ice Tea Drink (16K VND). The drink itself is very instagrammable. Many tour guides would actually stop at this place and recommend to try out the drink. We tried and it was definitely tasty, refreshing and worth trying.
— Hoian Som & Bingsu (Google Maps)
This Hoian Som & Bingsu is a small food outlet which sells a variety of food items like Coconut Coffee, Bingsu, Yogurt Drink, Cotton Candy and Sodas. This is located at one corner of the Hoi An Ancient Town and a good pitstop to rest your legs on small rattan tables and stools and enjoy the fan, air conditioner and friendly staff services. We tried their Coconut Coffee (50K VND) and this Bingsu Milktea (160K VND) which were not overly sweet, mild taste of milk tea, quite tasty and frosty inside the mouth. The bobas were quite chewy as well.
— Boulevard Premium Gelato (Google Maps)
If you are a fan of Gelato or Sorbet Ice Cream, there’s this Boulevard Premium Gelato within Hoi An Ancient Town that you can try out. We tried them out after some tourists were saying that some of the flavours were must-try. We tried their Mango Sorbet and Chocolate Flavours with Waffle Cone (95K + 10K) and the tastes were pretty rich, creamy and the cone was crispy.
— Cong Caphe (Google Maps)
Cong Caphe is the local coffee chain in Hoi An and Da Nang where you get to order from a wide variety of drinks like “Phin” Coffee, Signatures (Coconuts), Local, Healthy Drinks and Mountain Tea. Interesting sight is that the staffs are dressed up in some sort of green uniforms and you get to sit around tables and chairs which are traditional. We tried their Iced Brown Coffee (41K) and Iced Latte Coffee (45K). Latte was pretty okay but size was a little small and the sweetness of Brown Coffee was quite intense in the first few mouths and we had to wait for the ice to melt with our constant stirring.
— Morning Glory Signature (Google Maps)
Morning Glory Signature is a popular restaurant opened by Ms Vy of the Taste Vietnam Group. For the two nights we were at Hoi An, the two restaurants (Vy’s Deli is at Level 1 and Morning Glory Signature is at Level 2 and the staircase to Level 2 is in the middle) were crowded with customers. We were told the Menus were more or less the same for both restaurants. We tried their Cao Lau (105K) which is supposedly the signature dish of Hoi An and Stir-Fried Morning Glory (95K) which is also another popular food item. The Morning Glory was very addictively nice especially with the garlic bits and the thin layer of sauce. Cao Lau was still okay with the nearly-dry rice noodles and thinly flavoured pork slices. The French-Style Croutons were not too oily and slightly crunchy. The only thing that we could not get used was the Vietnamese Herbs.
— The Deckhouse (Google Maps)
The Deckhouse is located on the left section of the An Bang Beach and serve some local cuisines and with some fusion options. The ambiance is also cosy for you to sit around and do a lot of beach-people-and-big-waves-watching. We tried their Grilled Pork Skewers (145K VND) which was served with noodles and some peanut sauce and Fish & Chip with Twist (195K) which was made up of Battered Mahi-Mahi with homemade Tartar Sauce and French Fries and they were quite tasty.
— Son Tra Retreat Garden Lounge & Eatery (Google Maps)
This Son Tra Retreat Garden Lounge & Eatery is a short taxi ride from Lady Buddha Da Nang and it’s really an interesting place with some friendly staffs. One of them brought out umbrellas to shelter us from the rain when we arrived and when we left. This place is also well-visited by youngsters, foreigners and families. They have quite a selection of food options (Starters, Pasta, Pizza, Rice, Snacks, Sides). We tried their Fried Rice with Duck Confit & Pineapple (125K VND) and Grilled Oysters in Chorizo Sauce (159K). Fried Rice was pretty okay just missing that Wok-Hey taste. The Grilled Oysters were our favourites – well presented, oysters were tangy and that unknown sourly Chorizo Sauce went really well with the oysters and it had a lingering taste inside our mouth.
— Nha Bep Xua (Google Maps)
Nha Bep Xua is quite a popular eating place visited by many Westerners and Koreans. They sell a variety of Vietnamese Cuisines and we tried their Bun Cha – Noodles with Grilled Pork (75K), Cha Gio – Spring Roll made of Pork, Carrot, Wood Ear Mushrooms (60K) and Pho Bo Dac Biet – Special Beef and Flanks with Noodle Soup (65K). Beef and Flanks were thin and tender and the Soup was clear, light and flavourful. Bun Cha was also a popular dish in Vietnam and the Grilled Pork was tender and nice with the broth. Spring Roll was something unique especially with the mixed fillings.
— Wind Garden Coffee (Google Maps)
Wind Garden Coffee is a cozy little not-well-kept coffee place with a Koi Pond in the middle and with small benches on the sides. We found this place on Google Maps and was hoping to get some breakfast there but somehow 8.10am was too early for the place to serve any food and even the coffee selection was limited. We managed to try their Iced Americano (37K) with strong coffee taste and Ca Phe Dua – Coconut Coffee (50K) which allows you to do a coffee pour-over a cup of coconut foam topped with almond nuts. We sat at one of the pond sides and observed another customer feeding the Kois from another edge. They do have a resident cat so watch out for him/her.
— MEET Banh Mi & Cafe (Google Maps)
MEET Banh Mi & Cafe is a good place for crunchy and tasty Banh Mi, Coffee and Drinks and we tried their Vietnamese Traditional Bread Rolled Pork (50K) and Creamy Garlic Bread which was on a separate menu. We liked the bread that they used for the Banh Mi and how crispy and crunchy it was after toasting it. The fillings (a mixture of carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber) were sweet and nice as well. The Garlic Breas was also very nice with a creamy layer of garlic mix.
— Kungfu Noodle Restaurant (Google Maps)
This Kungfu Noodle Restaurant is located within the Ba Na Hills French Village and they are almost the last eating outlet to close. A good choice to consider if you are staying at the Hotel and not going for their International Dinner Buffet. We tried their Special Mixed Noodles (150K) and Chinese Char Siew (190K). The noodles were QQ, with tender peeled Prawns, thin Char Siew, Chicken slices and clear tasty soup. The plate of Char Siew was also amazingly nice, not those too sweet or charred kind and thicker than those that were served with the Noodle Soup.
— Pho Nuong Tokyo BBQ (Google Maps)
Pho Nuong Tokyo BBQ is a restaurant for BBQ / Grilled Meat, Japanese Sashimi and Ala Carte Dishes and quite a popular outlet in Da Nang. We tried their Baked Five Tastes Oysters (149K) where the oysters came in 5 different tastes like Sambal, Mayo, Cheese and Egg, Sashimi (169K) where the slices were very chunky, fresh and there was also Sea Grapes, Tokyo BBQ (599K) where there was a variety of marinated beef parts and Tokyo Styled Grilled Pork (129K). The staffs helped us to grill the meats over charcoal fire. Though the menu mentioned a lot of Tokyo but the eating style was very Korean with lots of refillable fresh vegetables, carrots and cucumbers to wrap the meat. Our clothes also soaked in the smoke.
— An’s Cafe (Google Maps)
An’s Cafe is a good cozy place for Coffee, Tea, Juices, Smoothies, Sandwich, Salad, Omelette and Egg Toast. We saw many Westerners when we had our breakfast there. We tried their Tuna Sandwich (55K) and Egg Cheese Sandwich (49K), Iced Latte (30K) and Hot Cappuccino (30K). We liked the taste of their sandwiches and the respective Tuna and Egg Fillings though it came with lots of Tomatoes and Cucumber Slices. Coffee Taste was also nice and a good perk up for that morning.
— H Coffee (Google Maps)
H Coffee is a good and cozy place to chill out, work and have some food and coffee. We saw quite a few Westerners working on projects on their laptops and others having online calls. We tried their Pancake with Salmone & Cheese (70K), Beef Steak with Fried Egg, Sausage & Bread (60K), Blueberry Yogurt Drink (39K) and Matcha Ice Blend Cream (45K). Pancake was not the usual kind and it was thin, very soft, fluffy and interestingly nice with salmon and cheese slices. Beef was thin and like shabu shabu and served in a not very hot hotplate. It was served with wobbly Fried Egg, thick chunk slightly-salted sausages. They were good to eat together with the bread. Drinks were thick and creamy and nice.
— MAMA HOT POT Buffet (Google Maps)
MAMA HOT POT Buffet is one good place to eat hot pot dinner buffet for 279K per person. The place could be easily packed during dinner time. We reached and had to wait around 20 minutes for a table to clear. We chose Tom Yum and Mushroom as our Soup Bases. Other options include Ginseng, Pickled Broccoli, Duong Sinh and Sichuan. For food items they have like around 90 items included with the 279K and around 20+ items which require additional charges. Though the order chic was in Vietnamese, the thick menu came with relevant photos tagged to the Numbers. There were different sauces available at one corner. Food taste was generally okay and the soup taste was really nice after mixing in all the tastes from the various ingredients. Likewise our clothes were soaked with the food smell.
— Larue Beer, Slide Potato Chips, Thuong Thuong Cashew Nuts, G7 Instant Coffee, Star Kombucha, Baked Coconut Crackers (Clockwise)
These are some of the Snacks and Drinks that we think you should try during your trip in Da Nang.
Larue Beer is one of their famous beer brands and pretty cheap as compared to what you can get in Singapore. The taste is lighter and less bitter as compared to Tiger Beer.
If you are into Lays Potato Chips, you may consider Slide Potato Chips as one of the alternatives. The chips are thicker, crunchier and less oily. We tried the Sour Cream and Onion Flavour and each bite was addictive.
Star Kombucha is another good drink if you are into Kombucha and looking for a digestive drink. The price is also surprisingly cheap. We tried this Pomegranate Purity Flavour and the taste is quite soothing and less intense.
Coconut Snacks are seen almost everywhere in Da Nang and we tried this quick snack – Banh Dua Nuong Baked Coconut Crackers which were not really sweet, very crunchy and with a tinge of coconut taste.
If you are into Instant Coffee, you can check out this new G7 Instant Coffee which is very aromatic, thick and nice but only thing was the serving size is rather small. Check out the price at Big C first before heading down to other Convenience Store or Cho Han.
Places To Visit
— Hoi An Night Market (Google Maps)
Hoi An Night Market is like a gigantic version of Singapore’s Pasar Malam with many outlets selling ‘authentic’ branded items and local souvenirs with a river canal in between. Activities include Boat Rides and letting go of those Mini-Boat Lanterns. There are also many eating and massage outlets and one must be prepared to be stopped midway from people asking if you are keen for some massage. Some shops are also setup as paid Photo Booths where you pay to take your own photos with beautiful Lanterns or Props. This place can be visited in the day to check out some of the merchandises without a huge crowd.
— Art Spa Hoi An (Google Maps)
Art Spa Hoi An is a good place to get some Foot and Body Massage and you can get up to 30% off for some of the services there. There is also some good after-massage services like Drinks, Candies and Fruits. The Therapists can be small-sized but pack with some deep pressing powers when we asked for more strength. They did ask us to fill in a survey form with areas for them to focus but somehow this is just filling in for fun (or rather for them to capture leads).
— Da Bao Real Leather (Google Maps)
Da Bao Real Leather is a well-established leather goods brand (since 2008) with over 8 shops within Hoi An Old Town. If you are into leather goods like Wallet, Purse, Backpack and Shoes you can check out any of the 8 boutique shops with friendly staff. There are many different shop names but they carry the same items. You can check out the online catalogue first, make any enquiry before heading down.
— Tan Phu Giao (Hoi An Craftships) (Google Maps)
Tan Phu Giao (or Hoi An Craftships) is a local shop in Hoi An Old Town where you can check out Model Antique Ships in ranging sizes from a Glass Bottle to those really big ones. Most of the items there are for sale and there are display on how items will be packed. You can check out their Catalogue online,
— An Bang Beach (Google Maps)
An Bang Beach is quite a popular tourist attraction in Hoi An where you can enjoy some suntanning, people watching (many westerners), soft sand kicking, big sea wave splashing and food tasting. One common sight that you will experience is the locals trying to get you an empty lounge chair so that they can sell you some drinks and foods. If you see vases filled with water and a handmade ladle at some staircases, feel free to use them to wash the sands off your feet or sandals before you head back or to have your food.
The Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel that we stayed at, provided free shuttle bus and large bath towels for us to go to the An Bang Beach. Last Bus was at 3.30pm Local Time because after 4pm, it would be hard for the buses to travel in the smaller roads.
— Lady Buddha Da Nang (Google Maps)
Lady Buddha Da Nang is considered one of the tallest Buddha Statue in Da Nang and if you are staying around the stretch of Voco Ma Belle Hotel, you will see this magnificent statue from the balcony and how she overlooks the sea with the hills behind her. The whole place is also big with many interesting stone statues and photo spots as well as many shrines and temples for devotees to pray.
— Cho Han (Google Maps)
Cho Han is the marketplace for tourists to visit for dry goods like Nuts and Coffees located on the first level and Sports Wear located on the second level. For Dry Goods, we would recommend that you check out the prices from Big C Supermarket and other Convenience Stores first before checking them out at Cho Han. We found that Nuts were relatively cheaper there but some of the famous Coffee Brands were cheaper at Big C and could not be matched at Cho Han even after our negotiations. For Sports Wear, we bought many (Dri-Fit Polo Tees, Tees, Shorts, Bermudas, Wind Breaker) at a small fraction of the price sold in Singaproe sport stores. Prices were mainly non-negotiable. Quality Control may not be there so you should check your goods like sizes before going away. Engage those Ajummas if you want better recommendations and accurate size measurements.
— Cho Con (Google Maps)
Cho Con is another marketplace beside Cho Han (just 15 minutes walk) and this place has all the dry and wet goods like nuts, spices, biscuits, sauces as well as clothing and housewares. This place is mainly visited by the locals and not much tourists’ activities here. If you like to taste local food, you can check out their Food Hall.
— Vinh Trung Plaza (Google Maps)
Vinh Trung Plaza is a 5-min walk from Cho Con and has a Big C Supermarket where you can shop for really cheap Beer and check out the prices of coffee before you head down to Cho Han. Note that the security guards at Big C would need to secure a cable tie to your bag’s zips before you enter. You can check out Lotteria’s cheap Ice Creams (5K and 7K). For Gashapon Fans, there are three machines to try on the second level and each token costs 100K. There is a bookstore at Level 1 where you can check out puzzle pieces that are unique to Vietnam Heritage.
— Suzy Nails & Foot Massage (Google Maps)
Suzy Nails & Foot Massage is a good place for both genders to get some nail arts, nail and feet pampering. Most of the staffs are young, very friendly and they can speak more Korean and bit of English. We booked our slots via the messaging service in Google Maps and communicated in English. Walking space in the shop can be a little tight but overall, the whole service flow is systematic. We tried their Men Nail Care Combo (350K – Cuticles Care for Hand & Feet, Feet Mask and Foot Massage) and Deluxe Gel Manicure (550K).
— Golden Hands Bridge (Google Maps)
The Golden Hands Bridge is a must-check-out attraction spot to tell people around you that you have been to Da Nang, Vietnam. The weather up at Ba Nang Hills was very rainy and foggy during our stay there and so we could only take photos of the proximity and not of the beautiful surrounding. If you are staying at Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills, the cable car ride to Bordeaux Station (where Golden Hands Bridge is) starts as early as 6.50am.
— Linh Ung Pagoda Ba Na Hills (Google Maps)
Linh Ung Pagoda Ba Na Hills is located within the Ba Na Hills Attractions Area and a 10 minutes walk from the Golden Hands Bridge. You get to see another majestic Buddhist Statue, Traditional Temple and plenty of stone-craved Dragons.
— Sun World Ba Na Hills (Google Maps)
Sun World Ba Na Hills is this giant resort place with a wide cable car connection. Other than the Golden Hands Bridge and Linh Ung Pagoda Ba Na Hills, there are many other attractions spots like a Wax Museum, Amusement Park, Eating Outlets and Open Space Plazas with some Cultural French Designs like the Le Jardin D’Amour Gardens.
— Moringa Spa & Nail (Google Maps)
This Moringa Spa & Nail Outlet is rather new and is like 15 minutes’ walk from the Voco Ma Belle Hotel. They also offer one way transport service as part of their services. We found them on Google Maps and booked our appointment via the messaging service and in English. We tried their Aroma Signature Massage at 921K (851K for the Service + 70K tip for the Therapist) per person. We got to choose the Massage Oils like Lemongrass, Coconut Oil, Rose, Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Moringa. The service from the start to the end was quite good and we got to drink some flower tea, a slice of Mango and eat some Coconut Chips.
— Marble Mountains (Google Maps)
Marble Mountains is a good place to go on a long and sweaty hike while visiting caves, pagodas and view pionts. We spent a good 4 – 5 hours climbing up and down steep and narrow stone steps in slippers with the fear of slipping and falling. There are around 5 Caves, 2 View Points, 4 Pagodas and a long staircase which bring you to the Highest Peak and a good view of the city landscape of Da Nang. Entrance Fee is 40K per person and the counter staff may try to sell you a map which you may not need. Be prepared to sweat through your shirt and get a nice tan. We eventually got lost after walking into a still-under-construction Zen Garden and barged into one of the monk’s residences.
Note that there are 3 entrances and plenty of stalls selling not-so-authentic but very cheap marble souvenirs.
— Am Bhu Cave (Google Maps)
Am Bhu Cave is another attraction spot located at one of the entrances for Marble Mountains, which requires a 20K entrance fee and this cave simulate an entrance to hell with hallways showcasing significant levels of hell. There’s also a very steep staircase which is supposed to simulate a climb out from Hell and to Heaven. The climb can be very tough, exhausting, wet and not for the faint-hearted. Steps here were really slippery and steep and there were rings at certain steps to hold on to.