Day trips from Da Nang in 2026: prices, routes and tips

Da Nang is more than a beach. Within half an hour to an hour you have three UNESCO World Heritage sites and four of central Vietnam's headline attractions inside a 100 km radius. Thousand-year-old temples in the morning, snorkelling after lunch, Hoi An lanterns at night.

• Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge (Bà Nà Hills): Cable car, Golden Bridge, Fantasy Park — Tour from ~$45 | Full day
• Hoi An (Hội An Ancient Town): UNESCO Old Town, lanterns, food — Tour from ~$25 | Half to full day
• My Son Ruins (Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary): Champa temples 4th–14th c., UNESCO — Tour from ~$25 | Half day
• Hue (Huế Imperial City): Imperial Citadel, tombs, pagodas — Tour from ~$50 | Full day
• Cu Lao Cham (Cù Lao Chàm Islands): Snorkelling, diving, wild beaches — Tour from ~$30 | Full day
• Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn): Caves, pagodas, viewpoints — Entry ~$1.60 | 2–3 hours
• Son Tra Peninsula (Sơn Trà — Linh Ứng): 67 m Lady Buddha, monkeys, wild beaches — Free entry | Half day
• Than Tai Hot Springs (Núi Thần Tài): Geothermal onsen, water park, mud baths — Ticket ~$17 | Full day
• Hai Van Pass (Hải Vân Pass): Easy-rider tour over the 21 km road, 496 m high — Easy rider from ~$30 | Half day

Day trips from Da Nang at a glance

Every trip in one table. The tour price is the group rate; "on your own" is entry tickets only.

Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge — trip No. 1

Eight in ten Da Nang visitors come here. The Golden Bridge, cradled in giant stone hands, is the single most photographed spot in central Vietnam. The images went viral in 2018, and Bà Nà Hillsbecame the city's calling card.

The adult ticket is 950,000 VND (~$37); a child (1.0–1.3 m) is 800,000 VND (~$31), and under 1 m goes free. As of 2026 the ticket is valid for up to three days. Inside: a 5.8 km cable car up to 1,414 m, the Golden Bridge itself, a French village, flower gardens and the indoor Fantasy Park. Budget 5–7 hours, and pack a light jacket — it runs about 10°C cooler at the top.

It's 25 km southwest, 40 minutes up a mountain road. A Grab up is 200,000–300,000 VND (~$8–12), but the ride back is harder to catch. Tickets on Klook or GetYourGuide usually run 10–15% below the gate. Arrive by the 7:00 opening; by 10 a.m. the bridge fills with coach groups.

Hoi An — the ancient town of lanterns

Thirty kilometres and you are in another world. Hội An is a former trading port, UNESCO-listed since 1999. By day: temples, museums, tailor shops. By night: thousands of lanterns over the Thu Bồn river, candle-lit boats and live music. The full rundown is in the Hoi An guide.

What to see in Hoi An

The 120,000 VND (~$5) ticket gets you into 5 of 22 heritage sites:

• The Japanese Covered Bridge (16th c.) — the town's symbol, printed on the 20,000 VND note
• The Phúc Kiến temple — a lavish interior and an altar to the sea goddess Thiên Hậu
• The Tấn Ký house — a 19th-century merchant home with its original furniture
• The night market — hundreds of stalls of handmade lanterns, street food and souvenirs. Opens after 17:00

Basket boats in Cẩm Thanh

On the edge of Hoi An is Cẩm Thanh, a village of coconut palms and round basket boats (thúng chai). A 50-minute ride is 100,000 VND (~$4). Another $4 buys the "extreme" spinning version, if that's your thing.

What to eat

• Cao lầu — thick noodles with sprouts, pork and crunchy croutons. Made only in Hoi An
• Bánh mì — the Vietnamese baguette. Hoi An's is arguably the best in the country. Madam Khanh is the legendary address
• Bánh bao bánh vạc (White Rose) — translucent steamed dumplings with a shrimp filling

A dish at a local place runs 50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4).

Getting there on your own

• Bus No. 1: 8,000 VND (~$0.30), every 20 minutes, 50 min ride
• Grab: 130,000–160,000 VND (~$5–6.50) for a standard car, 30 minutes
• Motorbike: 30 minutes on a flat, straight road, parking 5,000 VND (~$0.20)

The My Son ruins — lost temples in the jungle

Sixty-nine kilometres and you stand among the ruins of a thousand-year-old civilisation. Mỹ Sơnholds 70-plus structures from the 4th to the 14th century in tropical jungle. UNESCO-listed since 1999. It gets compared to Angkor Wat — smaller and far less crowded.

Entry:150,000 VND (~$6) for foreigners, 30,000 VND for children aged 5–15.

The ticket covers:

• A museum of Champa artefacts — sculpture, ceramics, jewellery
• An electric buggy from the gate to the ruins and back — the forest path is about 2 km
• An Apsara dance show — the traditional Cham dance to live music

The My Son + Hoi An combo

The most popular option is the one-day combo. Ruins in the morning (before it bakes), Hoi An after lunch. From ~$40 with transport, an English-speaking guide and lunch. Best bang for the buck: thousand-year-old temples plus a living medieval town in a single day.

Hue — the imperial capital in a day

Huế was the seat of Vietnam's last dynasty, the Nguyen (1802–1945). It's 100 km, 2–2.5 hours by car — the longest day trip from Da Nang, and the most packed. Everything to see, with prices and routes, is in the Hue guide.

What to see in Hue

• The Imperial Citadel — a vast palace complex with 10 km of walls. Ticket 200,000 VND (~$8). Allow at least 2 hours
• The tomb of Khai Dinh — a mosaic of broken glass and porcelain. Ticket 150,000 VND (~$6)
• The tomb of Tu Duc — the largest, ringed by a lotus lake. Ticket 150,000 VND (~$6)
• The Thiên Mụ pagoda — a seven-tier tower on the Perfume River, free entry
• The Perfume River — a dragon-boat cruise, 150,000 VND (~$6) an hour

The Da Nang — Hue train

Far better than the bus. The SE (Reunification Express) hugs the coast — mountains, sea and fishing villages roll past the window. Tickets from 150,000 VND (~$6), soft seat, 2.5–3 hours. Buy on dsvn.vn or at the station.

The Cu Lao Cham islands — snorkelling and wild beaches

Cù Lao Chàm is a cluster of 8 islands 15 km offshore, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Over 400 coral species, clear water, fish in every colour. The best snorkelling near Da Nang.

What the tour includes

A group tour from ~$30 covers:

• Transfer from Da Nang to Cửa Đại port — 45 min
• Speedboat to the island — 30 min
• Snorkelling over the coral — mask and snorkel included
• A seafood lunch on the beach
• Free time to swim

Diving is extra: from 1,300,000 VND (~$52) for two dives with gear.

Seasonality — when to go

The Marble Mountains — caves and pagodas in 2 hours

Five hills 8 km from the centre, each named for an element: Kim (metal), Mộc (wood), Thủy (water), Hỏa (fire), Thổ (earth). You can climb Thủy Sơn, the tallest.

• Caves — Huyền Không (the largest, with shafts of light through the ceiling), Am Phủ (the cave of heaven and hell)
• Pagodas — Tam Thai (17th c.), Linh Ứng at the summit
• Viewpoints — over the coast, the city and Non Nước beach
• 156 steps or a lift for 15,000 VND (~$0.60)

Entry: 40,000 VND (~$1.60). Lift:15,000 VND (~$0.60). Allow 1.5–2 hours.

Getting there:a Grab from the centre is 50,000–70,000 VND (~$2–3), 15 minutes.

The Son Tra peninsula — monkeys and the Lady Buddha

Sơn Trà, also known as Monkey Mountain, is 6,000 hectares of tropical forest 10 km from the centre. Free entry, 20 minutes by motorbike.

• The Linh Ứng pagoda — a 67-metre statue of the Lady Buddha (Quan Âm), the tallest in Vietnam. It has 17 floors inside. Free entry
• Viewpoints — panoramas of the city, Mỹ Khê beach, the mountains and the sea
• Wild beaches Tiên Sa and Bãi Bụt — clear water, few people, snorkelling from shore
• Monkeys — red-faced macaques and the rare red-shanked douc, a five-coloured langur and one of the most beautiful primates on earth

Than Tai hot springs — a geothermal onsen day out

About 30 km west, on the road towards Ba Na, a genuine geothermal spring rises from under Núi Thần Tàimountain at 80 °C. It's cooled to 35–40 °C and fed into pools, a Japanese-style onsen and mud baths, with a sauna, water park and rides built around it. This is real mineral water, not a heated tourist pool.

The base ticket is 450,000 VND (~$17) and already covers every zone except massage, lunch and the mud baths. It's 40–50 minutes from the city; a round-trip Grab runs about 700,000 VND (~$27), split across your group. Treat it as a full-day soak — a two-hour visit isn't worth the drive.

The Hai Van Pass motorbike tour

The Hải VânPass is 21 km of switchbacks topping out at 496 m — Vietnam's highest coastal pass. Top Gear called it "one of the best coastal roads in the world" back in 2008, and they weren't wrong.

How it works

• With a driver (easy rider): you ride pillion, the driver handles the bends, and you stop for photos. From ~$30 for half a day
• On your own bike: free, but you need mountain experience — the switchbacks are sharp
• Jeep tour: from ~$160 for a full day in an open-top vintage jeep

What's along the way

• Old French bunkers at the top — colonial-era fortifications
• Viewpoints — over Lăng Cô bay
• The village of Lăng Cô — a seafood lunch overlooking the lagoon

On your own or on a tour — which is better value

On your own suits confident riders. You only really save on Hoi An and the Marble Mountains. For My Son or Hue the price gap is small.

A private English-speaking guideis worth it if you want history and context, not just "look to your left." For couples and families (split two to four ways) the difference from a group tour is minimal.

Tours in English — where to book

Which trips run when — seasonality

Da Nang's rainy season is September to December. Not every trip is equally good year-round.

Key: ++ excellent, + good, +/− possible, − not recommended. Best window: March to August.

Our picks — best trips for different travellers

First time in Vietnam, 3 days:Ba Na Hills (day 1) → Marble Mountains + Hoi An (day 2) → Son Tra in the morning + beach (day 3)

History buffs:My Son in the morning + Hoi An in the evening (day 1) → Hue over the Hai Van Pass (day 2) → the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang (day 3)

Active travellers:the Hai Van motorbike tour (day 1) → Cu Lao Cham snorkelling (day 2) → Son Tra's wild beaches (day 3)

With kids:Ba Na Hills + Fantasy Park (day 1) → basket boats + Hoi An (day 2) → Marble Mountains (day 3)

One day only:the My Son + Hoi An combo — maximum payoff, minimum time. Two UNESCO sites in a single trip.

Common mistakes travellers make

Reaching Ba Na Hills after 10 a.m.That's when the coaches roll in from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The bridge turns into a scrum. Arrive by 7:00.

Planning Cu Lao Cham in winter.From October to February the boats often don't run because of swell. Trips get cancelled an hour before departure.

Buying tours at the hotel desk.A 30–50% markup. The same trip on Klook, GetYourGuide or with a local operator is cheaper.

Not haggling with street agents.The first price is for people who don't ask. A 20–30% discount is normal.

Going to My Son at midday.The ruins are open to the sky with no shade. From 11 to 2 it hits 40°C in the sun. Take the morning tour.

Skipping a jacket for Ba Na Hills.At 1,400 m it's 10°C cooler. If it's 32°C in Da Nang, it's 22°C at the top.

Doing Hoi An only by day. Without the evening lanterns Hoi An loses half its magic. Time your visit around sunset.

FAQ — day trips from Da Nang

What are the most popular day trips from Da Nang?

The top three: Ba Na Hills with the Golden Bridge (8 in 10 visitors), Hoi An (a UNESCO ancient town) and the My Son + Hoi An combo in one day. With more time, add Hue over the Hai Van Pass and Cu Lao Cham for snorkelling.

How much do tours from Da Nang cost in 2026?

Group tours run from about $15 (Marble Mountains) to $80 (Hue full day). Ba Na Hills is from ~$45 with transfer and lunch, though the gate ticket alone is 950,000 VND (~$37). On your own, ~$20–150. A private English-speaking guide is from ~$80–120 a day.

Are there English-speaking tours from Da Nang?

Yes. GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator list dozens of English group and private tours, and most local operators run English departures. Book online rather than at a hotel desk — you save 30–50% and can read reviews first.

Can I get to Hoi An from Da Nang on my own?

Yes, easily. Bus No. 1 is ~$0.30 (every 20 min), a Grab is ~$5–6.50, a motorbike is 30 minutes on a flat road. No guide needed — the Old Town is compact and walkable in 2–3 hours.

When is the best time to visit Cu Lao Cham?

March to September. Calm sea, up to 20 m visibility, daily boats. From October to February trips are often cancelled because of storm swells.

Is Ba Na Hills worth it?

If you want the Golden Bridge and don't mind a theme-park crowd, absolutely. The cable car, the views from 1,400 m and Fantasy Park fill a day. Arrive by 7:00 and bring a jacket.

How do I get from Da Nang to Hue?

Three ways: bus through the tunnel (2.5 hours, from ~$2), a motorbike tour over the Hai Van Pass (3 hours, from ~$30), or the coastal train (2.5–3 hours, from ~$6). The train is the most atmospheric, the pass the most photogenic.

Prices current as of July 2026. Prices and conditions can change — confirm before you travel.