Da Nang in Five Days: Itinerary With Prices and Hours

Five days covers Da Nang's centre, Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hills, Hoi An and Son Tra. Base yourself in An Thuong or My An. Start on a Friday or Saturday: the Dragon Bridge show runs Friday to Sunday at 9pm, and the Cathedral opens to visitors Monday to Saturday.

By Vincent Nguyen

The plan keeps one base for all five nights and gives each day one main outing. Each day links to the full guide with maps and the small print.

Da Nang five-day plan at a glance

Where to stay for five days

Base in An Thuong or My An for all five nights. An Thuong has the largest concentration of international restaurants, bars, beach clubs and cafes. My An, on the same beach side, is a popular area for first-time visitors.

The distances from the central An Thuong grid fit this plan:

• Southern My Khe Beach: 1.0–1.4 km on foot, 15–20 minutes.
• Han River and Dragon Bridge area: 2.8–3.5 km by motorbike, 8–12 minutes.
• Airport: 11–12 km by road, 15–25 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing car.
• Marble Mountains: 6.5–7.5 km, 15–25 minutes.

Other bases

• An Thuong trade-off: the listed downsides are a touristy feel, karaoke noise, construction and the highest rents. Skip it if you need a quiet street.
• My Khe oceanfront: many ocean-view apartments, a bit removed from the centre, so most errands need Grab.
• Hai Chau, the city centre: mostly very walkable with a lot of cafes and food. The Cathedral and Han Market sit on Tran Phu Street.
• Hoi An as a base: the old town is about 30 km from Da Nang, about 45 minutes by bus or taxi. Every Da Nang day then becomes a long transfer. Pick Hoi An only if the old town is your main reason to come.

See where to live in Da Nang for area-by-area detail.

Day one: City centre, Han Market and the Dragon Bridge show

Arrive and settle in

Taxis wait just outside the arrivals hall and run 24/7. The airport’s fare chart lists VND 133,900 for a 5-seat taxi to An Thuong, Holiday Beach hotel. The chart says prices are for reference only.

Afternoon: Cathedral and Han Market

Da Nang Cathedral is at 156 Tran Phu. It was built in 1923, stands nearly 70 m high and is in the Gothic style. It opens to visitors 08:00–11:30 and 13:30–16:30, Monday to Saturday. It does not open to visitors on Sundays because of Mass.

Han Market is at 119 Tran Phu, open 6h00–19h00 daily. It sells shoes, clothes, bags, fabrics and souvenirs, and is famous for hand-sewn ao dai. From the market it is about 10 minutes on foot to the Han River Bridge.

Evening: Dragon Bridge show

The show starts at 9pm every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and major holidays. The dragon breathes fire for 2 minutes, then water for 3. No vehicle can cross the bridge while the show runs, so riders and drivers should arrive early.

Land on a Monday to Thursday? Move the show to the first Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening. The Cathedral stays a Monday to Saturday stop.

Full guides: Han Market, Da Nang Cathedral, Dragon Bridge fire show.

Day two: Marble Mountains, Cham Museum and the beach

Morning: Marble Mountains

The Marble Mountains are about 8 km from the city centre. The city tourism portal suggests leaving around 7:30–8:00 AM and arriving before 9:00 AM. The site is open 7:00 to 17:00 every day. Allow 3–4 hours for the main features.

Tickets are separate. Adult entry to Thuy Son was VND 40,000 on the board’s 2014 notice. A visitor in October 2026 reported 40-50k for entry and 15k per elevator ride.

Am Phu Cave is a separate VND 20,000 adult ticket. The elevator costs VND 15,000 per ride.

The mountain has more than 150 stone steps, or you can take the glass elevator. The steps are steep, uneven and slippery, worse after rain, so wear grippy shoes.

Afternoon: Cham Museum and the beach

The Museum of Cham Sculpture is at No. 02, 2-9 Street. The standard ticket is VND 60,000. It is open 7:00 to 17:00 daily, though the museum itself said it opens at 7:30. On Google Maps, people typically spend 30 minutes to 1 hour there.

Finish at My Khe Beach. Swim only inside the area marked off with safety buoys.

Full guides: Marble Mountains, Cham Museum, and beach swimming safety.

Day three: Ba Na Hills

Tickets and hours

The 2026 basic ticket for non-local adults is VND 1,000,000. It includes the round-trip cable car and most attractions, such as the Golden Bridge. A Sun World page says the ticket office is open from about 8:00 to 22:00. It puts the cable car lines at about 8:00 to 19:00.

Getting there

• Wow Bus (free): it leaves at 8:30 and 9:30. Stops include the Novotel Danang Premier Han River hotel and the stop opposite My Khe Beach next to DLG Hotel.
• Booking the Wow Bus: register a day ahead, because seats are limited. No Ba Na Hills ticket is needed to board. It is a trial until 31 December 2026.
• DanaBus route 03: runs from the airport to Ba Na Hills, at VND 15,000 for under half the route and VND 30,000 for half to full.
• Taxi: a resort guide estimates VND 350,000–500,000 one way. By car it takes about 30 minutes from downtown.

Crowds and clothes

The Golden Bridge is quietest around 7h30–8h or 15h–16h. One visitor arrived at 8 AM on a weekend and found the park already packed. The Wow Bus returns at 15:00, so the 15h–16h window needs your own transport.

Dress in layers for changeable weather, with sneakers or low sandals.

Full guide: Ba Na Hills tickets and transport.

Day four: Hoi An old town

Getting there

Hoi An is about 30 km from Da Nang, about 45 minutes by bus or taxi. City bus route 02 runs from the Central Bus Station to Hoi An every 15–30 minutes. The fare is VND 8,000–30,000 by distance.

Route 02 runs 5:15 AM to 6:30 PM. A one-way GrabCar starts at VND 279,818, which suits an evening return.

Tickets and hours

Two ticket prices are on record. The VND 80,000 ticket covers the old-town scenery, one heritage site and 2 cultural buildings of your choice. The VND 120,000 ticket adds museums and 3 cultural buildings.

A city fee of VND 20,000 per person per structure applies from 10 August 2026. No source says which price the gate charges now. Tickets are sold at the Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc and Le Loi entrances. You buy once and can use the ticket for up to three days.

How to walk it

Walking or cycling is the best way around, because motor vehicles are restricted in the old town from 09:00 to 21:30 in summer and 09:00 to 21:00 in winter. The early morning is quiet and free of motorbikes.

October and November bring frequent showers and even flooding in the old town.

Full guide: Hoi An from Da Nang.

Day five: Son Tra, Linh Ung Pagoda and departure

Linh Ung Pagoda

Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra is free, open all day on the city portal. The Google Maps listing gives 6AM-9PM. It is famous for a 67 m statue of Lady Buddha and sits around 10 km north-east of the city centre. The portal puts a visit at 1 hour.

Visitors reached it by small motorbike, electric scooter and Grab. Take your shoes off at the door of the main temple. Do not feed or provoke the langurs and monkeys.

The portal suggests going at night, 6-8 pm, for the line of lights from Da Nang to Hoi An.

Beach and leaving

Spend the afternoon on My Khe Beach, 15–20 minutes on foot from the central An Thuong grid. For the airport, taxis run 24/7. Bus routes 12 and 06 run 05:30–19:00 daily. Route 06 costs VND 15,000 for under half the route and VND 22,000 for the full route.

Full guide: Son Tra and Linh Ung Pagoda.

Who this plan suits (and who should skip it)

• Good for first-timers who want a beach-side base: My An is popular with first-time visitors.
• Good for a Friday or Saturday start: the show runs Friday to Sunday and the Cathedral opens Monday to Saturday.
• Good for a tight budget: Linh Ung Pagoda is free and the Wow Bus is free.
• Skip it if steep stairs are a problem: Thuy Son has more than 150 stone steps.
• Skip it if you want to sleep in Hoi An: this plan returns to Da Nang each night, about 45 minutes away.

How to get around between stops

Rent a motorbike only with a valid licence: riding without one is a prohibited act. The fine is VND 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 on a bike up to 125 cm3. See getting around Da Nang and airport to city.

When to go and how long

Hoi An’s best months are February to April. From October to February Da Nang often has heavy rain, slippery roads and dense fog.

Time needed

• Marble Mountains: 3–4 hours.
• Cham Museum: typically 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Linh Ung Pagoda: 1 hour.

Rainy-day swap

October averages 20.0 rainy days and 628.0 mm of rain at the Da Nang station. Swap the outdoor stops for the museum when it pours.

• Wet day two: the Marble Mountains steps are slippery in rain. Do the Cham Museum first, open 7:00 to 17:00, and keep Marble Mountains for a dry morning.
• Wet day five: Son Tra roads are slippery and foggy from October to February. Skip it and use the slot for the Cham Museum.
• Wet day four: the VND 120,000 Hoi An ticket includes museums of your choice. Flooding hits the old town in October and November.
• Cham Islands: boats may not run from September to February. The best months are March to August. They are not in this plan.

Nearby and how to combine it

Add a sixth day in the dry months with one of these:

• My Son Sanctuary: international ticket VND 150,000. It opens daily from 06:00.
• Hai Van Pass: Hai Van Quan has charged VND 70,000 per adult since June 2026. It is open 7h to 17h30.

See the My Son guide, the Hai Van Pass guide and the Cham Islands guide.

Before you go

• Land on a Friday or Saturday if you can: the show runs Friday to Sunday, and the Cathedral opens Monday to Saturday.
• Register for the free Wow Bus a day ahead; it is a trial until 31 December 2026.
• Carry grippy shoes for Marble Mountains and a layer for Ba Na Hills.
• Budget for separate Marble Mountains tickets: entry, Am Phu Cave and the elevator.
• Budget the higher Hoi An price, VND 120,000, until the gate price is clear.
• Taxis should run on the meter.

Not confirmed: Hoi An old-town ticket: VND 80,000 or VND 120,000, or VND 20,000 per structure; budget the higher figure. Marble Mountains entry: VND 40,000 on a 2014 notice, 40-50k reported in 2026. Wow Bus: free trial ends 31 December 2026.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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