Sip a coffee in a café near Han River, visit the Marble Mountains or see the city from Ban Co (Chessboard) peak just name some activities you can do within a day in Da Nang.

Ban Co (Chessboard) peak offers an ultimate panorama of the coastal city.

Located in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, Da Nang is flanked by the old world beauty of Hue imperial city, Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary. Thus it is considered the ideal gateway to the central region of Vietnam.

If the city is a stopover on your journey through Vietnam, or if you have somehow found your way to this city and have 24 hours to spend, here’s our suggestions you can do to have your trip complete:

5am – 7am: Dawn greeting at My Khe beach

Start the day by welcoming the first rays of the sun on My Khe beach about 1.5km from the city center. The landscape turns into a vivid picture of the sun rising over the golden skyline and fishermen on the way back with their nets full of fish, gentle waves and the noisy buzz of beating wings of doves. This fresh and simple moment will bring you excitements and energy for a full day of sightseeing.

7:30 – 8:30am: Enjoy breakfast

Breakfast in Da Nang is diverse and rich with fish noodle, sticky rice with chicken, or Quang noodle. The price is from 6,000 VND to 30,000 VND. Do not forget to enjoy a cup of coffee only from 7,000 VND per cup.

8:30 – 10:30: Stroll around the city

The below are some places for you to go around the city:

The first is the Museum of Cham Sculpture at the corner of Bach Dang and Trung Nu Vuong streets. The building was constructed by the French to store and display the relics of Cham Kingdom. The Cham people were an indigenous race who inhabited in the coastal regions in mostly central Vietnam dating back to 192 BC. After the My Son ancient tower complex in Hoi An was discovered by M.C Paris in 1898, many of its artifacts were collected and displayed at this museum.

Then move to Da Nang Cathedral or Rooster Church named after the weathercock on the top of the steeple in Tran Phu Street. The candy-pink cathedral is nearly 70m high built in 1923 with the Gothic style. Today it serves a Catholic community of over 4000 people.

Or you can make your way to the foot of Ba Na Mountain west of the city to travel on Ba Na cable car. As the cable takes you from Ba Na to Vong Nguyet Hill, look out for the panoramic views of the city. At the top of the hills, you’ll be greeted by an amusement park and several nature trails.

11:00 – 12:30: Have lunch

Banh trang cuon thit heo, it’s as simple as rolling dry pancake with pork and vegetables and herbs, dipping in the sauce then enjoy. What makes this dish so special and must-try is that the special Anchovy fish sauce. The dish can be best served at Mau’s at Do Thuc Tinh Street, Ba Mua’s at Tran Binh Trong streets. A typical dish costs from 35,000 VND.

13:00 – 14:00: Explore the Marble Mountains

The Marble Mountain is about 8km from the downtown on the way to Hoi An. It is a cluster of five mountains named after the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The Marble Mountains are home to several temples, pagodas, grottoes, and Buddhist statues. From the summit, tourists can enjoy a 360 panoramic view of the city.

In addition, the area is known for stone sculpture making and stone-cutting crafts with villages dating back to 400 years ago. You can pick up some souvenirs for friends and family here.

15:00 – 17:30: Visit Son Tra peninsula

It takes about 30 minutes by motorbike from the city center to Son Tra peninsula which is deemed as the pearl of Da Nang. Here lie vast primary forests and beautiful beaches such as Tien Sa, Da Den, Bai Bui. Moreover, you can join in many activities like diving, snorkeling to see the coral reefs, go fishing, or spotting the city from helicopter. There are several seafood restaurants there with affordable price. These restaurants are located next to the sea with crystal-like water.

Especially, Linh Ung pagoda atop a hill is a sight that should not to be missed. The pagoda is known for its 67 meter high Goddess of Mercy statue standing on a lotus-shaped platform. Inside the statue, there are 17 floors allowing visitors admiring the view from different heights. Each of the levels houses a worshiping area of 21 Buddhist statues with different positions, appearances and gestures.

18:00 – 19:00: Dinner

Banh Xeo or sizzling cake is named for the loud sizzling sound it makes when the rice batter is poured into the hot skillet. To enjoy Banh Xeo, just wrapping rice paper with vegetables, salad, a half of crackling fried rice flour crepe filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, spring onions, and mung beans, together with one stick of Nem Lui (grilled pork sticks) then dip the mix in the special sauce.

The most famous Banh Xeo perhaps is Banh xeo Ba Duong at K280/23 Hoang Dieu. Others can be found at no 491 Hai Phong, 829 Ngo Quyen, or 29 Le Dinh Duong streets. Each dish costs from 20,000 to 55,000 VND.

20:00 – 22:00: See the city at night

Most of Da Nang’s nightlife takes place near the Han riverbanks along the Bach Dang Street. While the city is not really known for having a big party, you can still find some nightclubs along the area that open till late evening. These places often attract the crowds. Stroll around and stop at a café with a cup of coffee, enjoy the cool river breezes blew and soak in the night atmosphere. Don’t miss seeing the Han Bridge swinging on its axis to allow shipping traffic to pass through the river after midnight, or the Dragon Bridge spout fire and water from its head on weekends at 21:00pm.