48 HOURS IN DA NANG
The digital nomad edit
By Gavin Byron Harris
Your digital nomad odyssey in Vietnam is going to be something you’ll never forget. Vaccinations, check. Travel insurance, check. A good old chuckle at the name of Vietnam’s currency, the ‘Dong’, check! Now you need to work out what to do with some downtime in Da Nang.
The city offers a great alternative experience to the busier and overcrowded major cities of Hanoi in the north of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City in the south. But there’s still plenty to do and see, starting with the beach. With its long, narrow, shape and choppy wives nibbling at the shore line, a walk along Da Nang beach offers views of a city reminiscent of Miami's ‘beach and blocks’ profile.
Walking from the beach into the guts of the action over one of the city's many hectic roads is a near-death experience. The many bikes buzzing along the roads seem to obey few laws and zip their way through like angry wasps singing a ‘meep, meep’ chorus of beeps that sound like roadrunner. But among the chaos there is some order and once you’ve made it to the other side, Da Nang awaits.
Where to stay
If you’re feeling flush, Hilton Da Nang is a superb five star hotel that offers a mix of Vietnamese culture combined with Hilton Hotels’ standards and service. Situated on the banks of the Han River, the hotel has all the amenities and high-quality standards and service that you’d expect from a Hilton. If you’re on a budget, the Samdi Hotel in the Hai Chau district is a great option. Both hotels are situated away from the lively An Thoung area of Da Nang, but only a short and cheap taxi ride away.
Where and what to eat
Pho is a Vietnamese soup dish comprising broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef, and sometimes chicken. It is a very popular dish that you will find at street-stalls and restaurants throughout Da Nang. Bánh mì (pork and salad) baguettes are also very popular and found at street sellers across the city - the bread is normally exquisite with a thin, crisp crust and a soft, airy texture.
Vietnamese restaurants worth trying include Nhà Xưa Restaurant, Phở An and Hoi, while vegetarians and vegans should check out Nhà Hàng Chay Ngọc Chi, which featured in the 2025 Michelin Guide. For some more familiar cuisine, great curry awaits in some of the city’s many curry houses, including Dhaba 28, Veda’s Kitchen, Punjabi Haveli and Maazi
Vietnam is a coffee lover's wet dream: egg coffee, salty coffee. coconut coffee, almond coffee, avocado coffee and orange coffee are just some of the options you can try in Da Nang. Some of them sound a bit funny, but do taste as many as you can.
Beers start at less than £1 and there’s some great bars to explore such as Kong 72 Speakeasy, Loco Tay Bar, Trip 66 and ‘C’ Bar, which is good for live music. For live sports fans Aussie Bistro and Embassy Irish bar are both popular with expats, offering a warm welcome to all.
How to get there
Fly direct from Heathrow to Hanoi, NOT Ho Chi Minh City, which has a reputation for awfully long waits in the immigration queue at the airport. From there, get a connecting flight to Da Nang, which is only around an hour. Or if you’d prefer a slower, more contemplative journey down to Da Nang, you can catch either a sleeper bus, which is the cheapest option, or a sleeper train.
Who to take
Fly solo. There is a great community of expats from all over the world in Da Nang, including people from the UK. Whether people are staying for a month or two to work remotely and dabble at being a digital nomad or staying for the longer term, there’s lots of meet ups and activities and groups to help you make friends.
Best time to go
January and February are good months to visit, at the start of the dry season before temperatures and visitor numbers peak in the summer. This time of year is also a great time to get away from cold, dark, wet days in the UK.
Must see and do
The giant Lady Buddha statue just north of Da Nang is an iconic ‘must visit' monument situated on what’s known as ‘Monkey Mountain’, which is the home of a couple of different species of primates. To the south of Da Nang lies the Marble Mountains, a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngũ Hành Sơn District. A walk around the hills is highly recommended, where you can explore a large cave and admire panoramic views of the area.
West of Da Nang, a trip on the cable car will take you to Ba Nah Hills where you can pose for a photo on the famous Golden Bridge, while looking down on Da Nang and the coastline.
Back in the city, other attractions of note include Dragon Bridge. On weekend evenings at 9pm you can watch a ‘Dragon Fire & Water’ show at the bridge featuring flames and water jets spewing from the bridge’s ‘dragon’ mouth. If you arrive early you can browse and shop at the packed Son Tra Night Market then find a nice spot on the river banks to watch the show.
Why it's underrated
Da Nang has a great combination of a beautiful long, sandy beach, nearby mountains, easy to access heritage sites at Hoi An and Hue City, plenty to do and see and a thriving expat community. It also has a much more moderate climate than the cooler Hanoi and warmer Ho Chi Minh City.
Tips for the Modern Traveler
Sound of silence: There is A LOT of construction work going on in Da Nang as it rapidly builds more accommodation to meet growing demand. Noisy work can start as early as 5.30 AM, so take some silicon ear plugs to help you sleep relatively undisturbed.
Grab a ride: Getting around the city by taxi is very cheap and the best way to order and pay for your ride is by using the Grab app. You can also use it to get take away food and groceries delivered to your hotel or apartment.
How much??? Some restaurants, bars and shops will charge you as much as 10% extra when paying with a card. And a lot of small, street food vendors won’t accept card payments. So it’s a good idea to carry cash as well as cards.
For more information about visiting Da Nang, see the local tourism board’s official visitor website: https://danangfantasticity.com/en