My saved list for Da Nang had only two sights, Linh Ứng pagoda and the pink cathedral, plus Hội An itself, which now has guides of its own. None of the city's landmarks were on it, so I added Cầu Rồng, Ngũ Hành Sơn and the Museum of Cham Sculpture (34travel's Da Nang guide recommends the first two) and checked each one on Google: still open, rated 4.2 or higher. Later I added Mỹ Khê beach and the Bà Nà Hills mountain park with the Golden Bridge. I have no notes of my own on Da Nang yet, so every description is put together from Google Maps reviews.
Prices are Google's average spend per person; prices of single dishes and tickets come from reviews. Valid as of 7 October 2026. Rate: 100,000 ₫ ≈ $3.85.
In short
- A dragon that breathes fire: Cầu Rồng at weekends around 21:00; get there half an hour early.
- Sea views: Linh Ứng pagoda on Sơn Trà and the caves of Ngũ Hành Sơn; give each half a day.
- In the centre, in Hải Châu: the French-era pink cathedral (mostly a photo stop) and the Museum of Cham Sculpture: tickets about 60,000 ₫ (≈$2.30), allow an hour and a half.
- Beach and mountains: Mỹ Khê is the main city beach; give Bà Nà Hills and its Golden Bridge a full day.
- Hội An is 30 km south and has guides of its own.
What to see
Cầu Rồng (Dragon Bridge)
Hải Châu – An Hải · dragon bridge over the Hàn River · open 24 hours
Google Maps · Cầu Rồng
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 9,500+): the city's emblem, a yellow dragon stretched across the Hàn River. In the evening it's lit up in changing colours, and at weekends around 21:00 the dragon breathes fire for about fifteen minutes, then sprays water. The show draws big crowds: arrive at least half an hour early, and expect to get wet if you stand near the head. 34travel recommends it too (guide).
Ngũ Hành Sơn (Marble Mountains)
Ngũ Hành Sơn · marble hills with caves and pagodas · daily 7:00–17:30
Google Maps · website · 81 Huyền Trân Công Chúa
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 43,000+): five limestone hills full of cave temples, Buddha statues and lookouts over the coast. The highlights are the vast Huyền Không cave and the darker Âm Phủ, with its scenes of heaven and hell. Entry is cheap and a paid lift takes you up the first stretch, but there are still plenty of steep steps and tight squeezes after that. Bring good shoes and water; it's hard going for older visitors or anyone with bad knees. 34travel recommends it too (guide).
Chùa Linh Ứng (Lady Buddha)
Sơn Trà · pagoda with the Quan Âm statue · daily 6:00–21:00
Google Maps · website · Sơn Trà peninsula
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 16,000+): a pagoda on the slopes of the Sơn Trà peninsula with a giant white statue of the goddess of mercy, the tallest in Vietnam, looking out over the bay and the city. The grounds are clean and well kept, with plenty of shade and benches; entry and parking are free, and the monks lend wraps to anyone in shorts. It fills up with students during exam season, and midday is very hot. Signs warn about monkeys, though not everyone sees one.
Da Nang Cathedral
Hải Châu · French-era cathedral · Mon–Sat 8:00–11:30 and 13:30–16:30, Sun mass only
Google Maps · website · 156 Trần Phú
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 2,700+): the only church in the city built under the French, a Gothic Revival building painted pink. Locals call it Nhà thờ Con Gà, the rooster church, after the weathervane on its spire. It's mostly a photo stop: the gate is often shut, you can't always get inside, and Sundays are for mass. People sell printed photos outside, and there are lots of cafés around.
Bảo tàng Điêu khắc Chăm (Museum of Cham Sculpture)
Hải Châu · museum of Cham sculpture · daily 7:00–17:00
Google Maps · website · 02 Đ. 2 Tháng 9
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 8,200+): the world's largest collection of Champa art from the 5th to the 15th centuries: carved sandstone Hindu gods and mythical beasts, arranged by excavation site, such as Mỹ Sơn and Trà Kiệu. It's bigger than it looks, and many visitors stay an hour and a half or more. Tickets are about 60,000 ₫ (≈$2.30) and can be bought online. The upper floor can get hot; the air conditioning doesn't reach everywhere.
Beach and mountains
Bãi biển Mỹ Khê (My Khe Beach)
Mỹ Khê · city beach · open 24 hours
Google Maps · Võ Nguyên Giáp
According to Google Maps reviews (4.7 from 4,600+): a long city beach with soft pale sand, a gentle slope into the water and palms along the edge for shade. In the morning locals swim and exercise here; at sunrise the sky turns pink and you can see Linh Ứng pagoda in the distance; in the evening the beach bars come alive. There are lifeguards, and no pushy vendors. Many couldn't find showers or changing rooms.
Ba Na Hills SunWorld
Bà Nà · mountain theme park with Cầu Vàng · daily 8:00–22:00
Google Maps · website · Bà Nà
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 71,000+): a theme park in the mountains, 30–40 minutes' drive from the city, with a very long cable car, the Golden Bridge (Cầu Vàng), a French village, a pagoda, rides, 4D and 5D cinemas, a beer garden and a light show; it's noticeably cooler up top. Give it a full day, and buy tickets online in advance for a better price. The downsides are crowds and tour groups and queues for the cable car (especially when it's briefly paused); it's busiest in the morning and thins out by 14:00.
Hội An
Thirty kilometres south of Da Nang is Hội An, the old trading town with the Chùa Cầu bridge, lanterns over the river and a cuisine of its own: cao lầu, white rose dumplings, bánh mì. It now has guides of its own: what to see, where to eat and drink coffee and where to go out.
One last thing
Go to Ngũ Hành Sơn and to Linh Ứng on Sơn Trà in the morning, before the heat peaks, and bring good shoes and water for the steps at Ngũ Hành Sơn. On a Saturday or Sunday be at Cầu Rồng by 20:30: the fire show around 21:00 draws a crowd.
More on Da Nang: where to eat, coffee, beer and pizza, bars, local dishes to try.