[TRAVEL] 4D3N Itinerary in Da Nang City, Vietnam

Xin Chào! A big Hello in Vietnamese to you guys! ❤

My recent vacation to Vietnam has been really fruitful as I manage to visit quite a number of popular and new attractions in Da Nang. If you think Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are the only cities in Vietnam which you can visit, then you are wrong.

Da Nang is the third largest city in Vietnam located on the coast of the Eastern Sea. It is famed for its amazing structures such as old pagodas and French colonial buildings, as well as natural beauties such as beaches, mountains and national parks. 

While you can spend 2-3 days at the neighbouring tourist attractions in the outskirt area of Da Nang such as Ba Na Hills and Hoi An, I’d recommend you to stay at least 1-2 days at the town centre of Da Nang because there are plenty of landmarks / hot tourist spots that you must not miss here.

[ITINERARY] What You Can Do in Da Nang City

DAY 1

Morning: 

❤ Arrival at Da Nang

❤ Marble Mountain

❤ Linh Ung Pagoda

Afternoon:

❤ Street food hunt / local restaurant visit  

❤ Cao Dai Temple

Evening: 

❤ Dinner at local restaurant / street stalls

❤  Han River Cruise (Dinner is optional)
❤  Dragon Bridge

❤  Chill at the bar / coffee shops

DAY 2
Full-day visit to Ba Na Hills French Village 
Read about my experience at Ba Na Hills: HERE

DAY 3
Full-day visit to Hoi An Ancient City 
Read about my experience at Hoi An: HERE

DAY 4

❤ Visit the old capital, Hue (half day)

❤ Bid goodbye to Da Nang!

Weather Check

Highest temperature: 28-30 degree Celsius in June, July and August.

Lowest temperature: 18-23 degree Celsius in December, January and February.

Our trip to Da Nang falls in the month of warm September. 

The level of heat is no joke, it can be way hotter than in Malaysia!

How To Get To Da Nang?

AirAsia is now flying from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Da Nang (DAD) 4 times a week (2 hours 35 minutes flight)-- Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Fly-Thru connections to Da Nang are also available for guests flying from Melbourne, Gold Coast, Sydney, Jakarta, Guangzhou and Auckland. 

It was our first day in Da Nang, so the morning was spent in the flight and for hotel check-in. We were running late at the airport but luckily the check-in process was super speedy with AirAsia Self Check-In Kiosk. We just scanned the confirmation email and passport using the machine, then managed to get our boarding passes and baggage tags immediately (maximum 2 tags per person).

Our 2-hours-35-minutes flight from KLIA2 to Danang International Airport was complete with AirAsia Big Breakfast, coffee and 3sixty travel magazine. Creamy egg frittata, grilled chicken patty, warm roasted cherry tomatoes and baked beans served in a box, were probably the best way to start the day on a plane.

Traveling Tips: Get a local SIM Card upon landing!

The first thing we did upon landing was to get a local SIM car. The best offer we got was 4GB data from Vinaphone telco at only VND 120,000 (USD $6). 4GB was more than enough for my 4D3N trip.

Accommodation in Da Nang

Serene Hotel (4-star)

274 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, 
My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, 
Danang City, Vietnam.
Contact: +84 5113 987 666

Mobile: 0911 696 168 

Email: info@serenehoteldanang.com
Website: www.serenehoteldanang.com

Since Da Nang is a coastal city located along the coastline of Southern Asia Sea, there are many lodging options by the beach. We choose the 4-star Serene Hotel because it has an outdoor pool (Open from 8am to 10pm) and picturesque views of Da Nang’s blissfully tropical coastline. Location is superb as the famous My Khe Beach is sitting right in front of the hotel.

Our Superior Room, the most basic type of room in the hotel, is so spacious that it can easily fit 3-4 pax. Amenities are basic, but sufficient for me as long as the WiFi connection is strong. Buffet breakfast is included in the room package, so I’d call it a great stay there.

Lunch at Mi Quang Ech

The first thing to explore is FOOD! Local food options are everywhere, such as the infamous Banh Mi, Banh Xeo and Pho. To experience eating like a local, we go for the popular Mi Quảng in town.

Mi Quang (廣麵) Noodle - Special (VND 59,000 / USD $3)

Mi Quảng is a bowl of flat rice noodles soup (Similar to Chinese’ Chee Cheong Fun, but thicker and firmer)—usually pork-based savoury broth with slight sweetness of Vietnamese fish sauce-- accompanied with fresh herbs, sesame rice crackers, roasted peanuts.

Ours is an extra-large portion for sharing, as it consists of two different broths—One is Chicken, another is a mix of Pork, Shrimp and Frog. At only USD $3, It can easily feed 2-3 persons, whereas a normal bowl for individual serving is less than USD $1!

Another item I like is the Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls with slices of pork filing— All you need is to get a slice of transparent spring roll skin, add on fresh herbs and pork slices, plus a dollop of fish sauce. Roll it up and enjoy the savoury crunch. Delicious!

Other local flavours that you should try are the Vietnamese Milk Coffee, Corn Milk (VND 15,000 / USD $0.70) and Pork Roll (VND 39,000 / USD $1.70).

Marble Mountains

Entrance Fee: VND 15,000 per pax (USD $0.70 / RM3)

After lunch, we are all fueled up for a short hike at the legendary Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Son) — “a beautiful landscape of the southern heaven and earth. Just off the China Beach coastal road, the Marble Mountains consist of 5 craggy marble outcrops topped with pagodas. Each mountain is named after the natural element it represents: Water, Wood, Fire, Metal and Earth.

Traveling Tips: If you notice in the itinerary, I put Marble Mountain as an activity in the morning because it is cooler and has lesser crowd. Be early (around 7am) if you want to enjoy the breeze. Don’t forget sunblock, umbrella and water too.

There is a ticketing counter on the ground level, and upon entering, you can use the

Thang May Elevator to reach the middle of the mountain (where the “hiking” begins).

The moment we went up the evelator, we are totally blown by the beautiful scenery beneath our feet. The beautiful view of colorful village surrounded by hills kinda reminds me of Gam Cheon Village in Busan, Korea.

Well, it is not really “hiking” that we are talking about. Here all the pathways / stairways are well-constructed for public use. Just follow the crowd and you’ll be able to enjoy the spectacular sights of Buddhist and Confucian shrines to be seen around the mountain such as Tam Thai Pagoda and Van Thong Cave, a limestone cave where God statutes are housed.

Traveling Tips: Remember to wear appropriate shoes as the roads can be slippery after rain.

As Buddhism is the official religion of the country, this culture-rich attraction reminds me of the Angkor Wat Complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia which I visited last year. 

The Marble Mountain also allows you to reach Linh Ung Pagoda where Vietnam's largest Guan Yin Buddha is standing boldly overlooking the vast blue sea. Unfortunately the rain stops us from going any further into exploring the entire cluster of mountains.

Overall, it is indeed a great workout for us while being serenaded with the beauty of mountains, Buddhist architecture and lush greenery. Good time passes without us realizing, and then it’s time for dinner.

Dinner at San Ho Cafe and Restaurant

Nhà hàng San Hô Đà Nẵng 

Lô 12-13 Hoàng Sa, Sơn Trà, 

Đà Nẵng, Vietnam.

Contact: +84 511 3938 998 

Facebook: fb.com/SanHoDaNang 

Business Hours: 7am - 10pm

Our evening feast is spent at San Hu where we have plenty of local delicacies which are very close to the taste of Chinese food—Stuffed squid with minced meat, fried fish fillets with sweet sour sauce, local beers. The dishes seem simple, but truly homey and satisfying for us. And the local beer tastes milder and smoother there too.

Evening Stroll along Han River / Dragon Bridge

While exploring Da Nang town centre, you would probably pass by the Dragon Bridge several times as the 6-lane bridge crosses the Han River and links all the major areas in Da Nang City. But don’t forget to get down and take a closer look at the real, fire-breathing dragon especially in the evening when it is illuminated with thousands of colorful LED lights, making the city livelier at night.

The best part is, this 666-meter-long (2,185 feet) dragon-shaped bridge that breathes fire and spouts water every Saturday and Sunday night at 9pm. I am surprised to see thousands of people gathering along the river banks area—some are catching Pokemons, while others are admiring the beauty of the dazzling light reflection on the surface of the river.

Cộng Cà Phê: Cafehopping in Vietnam

Cộng Cà Phê

98-96, Bạch Đằng, Tp Đà Nẵng, Vietnam.

Just by the riverbank, we spot plenty of hipster coffee places, bars and pubs along the street. This area seems to be the tourists’ favourite spot to hang out at night, and of course we don’t want to miss the fun too. Cộng Cà Phê is one of the largest chain cafes there (like our Starbucks in Malaysia), known for its nostalgic ambiance and good Vietnamese coffee. 

Our cravings for Vietnamese coffee brings us to Cong Café, a two-storey coffee shop beautifully adorned with paraphernalia from the yesteryear. I really love the rustic vibes here which make every nook and corner of the cafe so picture worthy!  I can easily stay there till 12 midnight (the shop closes at 12) with a bunch of friends who happen to be coffee lovers too. 

Coffee with Condenced Milk @ VND 35,000 (USD $1.60)

There goes the end of my first day in Da Nang (Second, third and forth day are in separate blog posts)

Special thanks to AirAsia and Da Nang Tourism Board for the amazing trip!

Verdict:

1. From beaches to mountains and holy places, Da Nang has everything covered under your feet. Perfect for family, friends and couples getaway! Good food and local coffee are plus points for a perfect vacation in Da Nang.  

2. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a minimum of 4 days in Da Nang to explore the neighbouring towns / attractions:
             ❤    Ba Na Hills French Village
             ❤     Hoi An Ancient City

[TRAVEL] 2D1N Itinerary in Hoi An Ancient City, Vietnam

Greetings from Hoi An Ancient City! ❤ In our 4D3N vacation of experiencing Da Nang with AirAsia, we managed to fit in a 2D1N tour to Hoi An, the renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site which is about an hour drive down south from Da Nang city.

1 day trip to Hoi An may not be sufficient, considering the travelling time to and fro Da Nang. Hence, I personally feel that spending 2 days 1 night there is just nice for us to try all the must-do activities there at ease. 

[ITINERARY] What You Can Do in Hoi An

Morning: 

❤ Hoi An Local Market (Spend about 1.5 hours there for breakfast and local shopping)

❤ Cycling around the town, eg: Japanese Bridge for sight-seeing 

❤ Street food hunting-- Cao Lau, Hoi An Chicken Rice, Banh Bao, Mi Quang and Banh Mi Queen are must-try delicacies here! 

Afternoon:

❤ Half-day trip to My Son Ruins (consist of many Champa Temples)

❤ Vegetable village visit 

❤ Cooking class 

Evening: 

❤ Sunbathing at the beach at Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort

❤ Hoi An Ancient Town (4-5 hours is recommended for sight-seeing, dinner, shopping, taking photographs etc)

❤ Boat trip on the Thu Bon River for sunset 

How To Get To Hoi An?

Hoi An, a relatively small town, does not have its own airport. So we travel from KLIA to Da Nang International Airport (2 hours 35 minutes flight), and Hoi An is only 40 minutes (28km) drive away.  

AirAsia's route from KL to Da Nang has a frequency of 4 flights every week-- Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Fly-Thru connections to Da Nang are also available for guests flying from Melbourne, Gold Coast, Sydney, Jakarta, Guangzhou and Auckland. 

Accommodation in Hoi An

Emm Hotel Hoi An (4-star)

187, Ly Tuong Kiet St., Cam Pho Ward,

Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

Contact: +84 (510) 626 9999

Fax: +84 (510) 626 9988

Email: resa.hoian@emmhotels.com

Website: www.emmhotels.com

Options for accommodation are aplenty at Hoi An but we choose Emm Hotel Hoi An due to its strategic location-- Cafes and restaurants are just across the street! Plus, it is relatively new (just opened a couple of months ago) so the room condition and hotel facilities are excellent. (Strong in-room WiFi is a plus point!) 

I am totally in love with the colorful spirit in Emm Hotel-- Yellow, turquoise and blue combination is a resemblance of the colorful fishing boats and old houses in this Ancient Town. ❤

 

While swimming pools, sun beds and pool bar are available here, Emm Hotel even offers shuttle bus service for guests to visit the beach at Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort (Free access!), with complimentary towels and shower. 

Hoi An's Colorful Local Market

I truly appreciate Emm Hotel's kind gesture to offer all guests the complimentary bicycles, so that we can cycle around the town. But taxi would be a better option if you plan to buy a lot of local products home from the morning market. 

The market is full of locals (No or little tourists), so we get to experience living like a local here and shop for the local crafts such as ceramics, hats, snacks and more. It is more advantageous to tag a Vietnamese friend along for haggling.

Look at those yummy street food, I just can't stop salivating! You must try the classic Bánh Mì (Vietnamese stuffed bread) and Bánh Xèo (Crisp sizzling cake) along the street as they are freshly prepared and served as the staple meals for the locals.

Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village

Tour operator: "Coconut Tours" by Huynh Huu Phuoc

Mobile: 0905411184 / 0905847086

Email: phuochoian1@gmail.com

Website: www.sites.google.com/site/coconuttourshoian

We spend our afternoon at one of the hot tourist spots: Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village where our tour guide lets us smell and taste the raw vegetables there. To my surprise, common ones such as lemongrass and spring onions are extraordinarily fragrant and juicy there! 

What a great experience of being a farmer with my Asian conical hat on my head for an afternoon!

Vietnamese Cooking Class

Tour operator: "Coconut Tours" by Huynh Huu Phuoc (same as above)

After picking the ingredients we need from the farm, now it's time for cooking with the Vietnamese master! The plan is to prepare 3 classic local dishes in total, all made from scratch and 100% prepared by ourselves.

The trick is, whoever does not cook will not have his/her dinner served later! 

Dish #1: Hoi An Spring Rolls

Ingredients for the spring roll: Finely-chopped carrot, sweet potato, mushroom, shallot,

celery, minced pork, chicken stock powder and black pepper, on slices of rice papers

Ingredients for the sauce: Finely-chopped garlic, chilli, fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar and water,

plus cooking oil for deep-frying

Dish #2: Grilled Fish with Turmeric in Banana Leaves

Ingredients for the filling: Fresh turmeric, young lemongrass, fresh onion roots, shallot,

black pepper, chilli, chicken stock powder and chunks of mackerel fish fillets

Ingredients for the wrap: Banana leaves, aluminium foil, and coriander for garnishing

Dish #3: Bánh Xèo

Ingredients: Double egg yolks, rice flour, mushroom, sliced pork, shrimps, beansprouts,

chicken stock powder, black pepper, water and chopped spring onion leaves

Frying it on a non-stick cooking pan gets a little tricky when trying to control the temperature to prevent overcooking. Well, I am not a kitchen person but I am glad to have learnt something from the chef! 

And....finally, here's our masterpiece! ❤ The crisp pancake and spring roll go perfectly well with

the tangy sweet sauce whereas the fish tastes great on its own because of the spice coating.

Old Town of Hoi An

Evening tour: 6.30pm - 9.30pm (Most shops close before 10pm)

Main attractions: Beautiful architecture, cultural activities, shopping, eating, etc

After dinner, we are at the Old Town to see the lively, colorful side of this culture-rich city at night. With streams of lanterns lighting up the streets, we absolutely immerse ourselves into the beauty of this heritage port town. 

The evening view in this ancient town is so spectacular that many couples choose this as a shooting location. Throughout the evening, I meet at least 5-6 pairs of bride and bridegroom-to-be doing photoshooting there.

Believe it or not, every corner is so picture-worthy and I love the colorful vibes here! Folk games, performances of musical instruments and traditional arts, street painting, folksongs and chamber music definitely add to the lively atmosphere there.  

Here you can shop for souvenirs such as the famous Vietnamese Coffee, filtered coffee equipment and handcrafts, as well as tailor-make your very own set of Ao Dai (traiditonal Vietnamese costume). 

From what I heard from my local friend, I am impressed that the tailor only takes 1 day to custom-make a perfectly-fitted Ao Dai set. 

Along the river, there are plenty of street vendors giving instructions of making and floating the lanterns down to the river. If you are feeling peckish, try the dinner on the cruise or simply hop over to the street stalls for local delicacies. 

Special thanks to AirAsia and Da Nang Tourism Board for the amazing trip!

Verdict:

1. Hoi An Ancient City is an amazing place to tour, considering the grand architecture, picturesque riverbank scenery, tasty local food, rich culture, and overwhelming friendliness of the people here.
2. The only thing I wanted to do here but missed, was going for a bicycle tour to watch sunrise / sunset. Will definitely be back to Hoi An to explore more! 

3. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a minimum of 1 full day tour / 2 days 1 night stay here, to experience the photogenic ancient city under bright daylight and beautiful moonlight.