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3-day itinerary

3 Days in Da Nang

A 3-day Da Nang plan: Marble Mountains, My Khe and the Dragon Bridge on day one, Ba Na Hills on day two, then Son Tra with Hoi An or the Hai Van Pass, with 2026 prices.

By Joy Nguyen
Da Nang's Dragon Bridge lit gold, blue and violet at night, its reflection stretching across the Han River
Da Nang's Dragon Bridge lit gold, blue and violet at night, its reflection stretching across the Han River

Three days in Da Nang covers the city and its two big day trips without rushing. Day 1 is the city and the coast: the Marble Mountains at the 7 am opening, My Khe beach, a seafood lunch, the Cham Museum and the Dragon Bridge after dark. Day 2 is Ba Na Hills, on the first cable car around 8 am. Day 3 starts on the Son Tra Peninsula at dawn, then heads south to Hoi An for the evening or north over the Hai Van Pass.

The plan assumes you base on the My Khe or My An beachfront, as our where to stay in Da Nang guide recommends for most first trips, and get around by Grab. It works best from February to August, the dry season.

Day 1: the city and the coast

7:00: Marble Mountains. Start at the Marble Mountains, five limestone and marble hills about 20 minutes south of the city by Grab. Arrive near the 7 am opening, before the heat and the tour groups: climb Thuy Son for Huyen Khong Cave, a vast chamber lit by shafts of light from above, and the summit viewpoints over the coast. Entry is about 40,000 VND, with the elevator extra. Allow 90 minutes to two hours.

10:30: My Khe beach. Head back up the coast to My Khe, the city's long white-sand beach, for a swim while the sea is calm. In the dry season the water is clean and warm.

12:30: Seafood lunch. Eat at one of the seafood restaurants near the beach, where you choose from tanks and pay by the kilo. Ask the price per kilo before you order, and check the weight.

14:30: Cham Museum and the city centre. In the afternoon heat, go indoors to the Museum of Cham Sculpture on the western bank of the Han River, a compact collection of sandstone Hindu sculpture from the Champa kingdom that once ruled this coast. Then take a coffee at a riverside cafe or browse Han Market.

Evening: the Han River and the Dragon Bridge. Walk the riverfront as the bridges light up. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm, the Dragon Bridge breathes fire and then sprays water from its head for about five minutes, and the deck closes to traffic from about 8:45 pm; our Da Nang nightlife guide has the details. Before the show, eat at the Son Tra night market, two minutes' walk from the bridge on the east bank. Our one day in Da Nang itinerary covers this day in more detail.

Day 2: Ba Na Hills

7:15: leave for Ba Na. Ba Na Hills is about 35 km southwest of the city, 45-60 minutes by car, and the whole point is to arrive early. Take the first cable car, around 8 am, to reach the Golden Bridge, held up by two giant stone hands, before the crowds and before the cloud rolls in.

Morning: the Golden Bridge and the summit. The 2026 adult ticket costs 1,000,000 VND, about 38 dollars, and includes the cable car, the Golden Bridge, the French Village, the gardens and the Fantasy Park, and is now valid for three consecutive days. See the bridge first, then the French Village and the gardens. By midday it becomes crowded, so plan to leave in the early afternoon. Our Ba Na Hills guide explains how to make the most of the ticket.

Afternoon: back to the beach. Return to Da Nang for a late swim at My Khe, then dinner. Our Da Nang food guide covers the city's dishes, from mi quang noodles to banh xeo pancakes and bun cha ca, the local fishcake noodle soup.

Day 3: Son Tra at dawn, then Hoi An or the Hai Van Pass

6:30: Son Tra Peninsula. The forested peninsula north of the beach is free and about 25 minutes from My Khe, and it is best from about 6:30 to 9 am, before the heat. Visit Linh Ung Pagoda and its huge white Lady Buddha, look out over the bay, and continue up the ridge if you have a manual motorbike or a car; automatic scooters are banned on the steep road to Ban Co peak. Allow three to four hours.

Afternoon: choose one.

  • Hoi An for the evening. Hoi An is 30 km south, 40-50 minutes by Grab, for roughly 200,000-300,000 VND each way as of mid-2026. Arrive in the late afternoon, buy the 120,000 VND old-town heritage ticket, and stay for dusk, when the lanterns come on and the old town is at its most beautiful. Eat dinner there and return late.
  • The Hai Van Pass. The coastal pass north of the city climbs over the mountains to the lagoon at Lang Co, 30-60 km and one to one and a half hours each way. An easy rider costs about $45-65 and a private car about $55-75 as of mid-2026, and the morning, before the sea haze, has the clearest views.

Our day trips from Da Nang guide ranks these and five more, including the My Son ruins.

What three days costs

These are per-person estimates for the plan above, as of mid-2026, at about 26,000 VND to the dollar, excluding flights.

ItemBudgetMid-range
Three nights$15-30 a night, $45-90$40-70 a night shared by two, $60-105
Ba Na Hills1,000,000 VND ($38)1,000,000 VND ($38)
Marble Mountains and elevatorabout 40,000 VND plus the liftsame
Grab around town and to Ba Na$20-35$30-50
Day 3: Hoi An by Grab plus ticket, or Hai Vanabout $20-30about $45-75
Food and drinks$30-50$60-100
Totalroughly $155-250roughly $235-370

Where to base

For a beach-focused trip, base on the My Khe or My An beachfront near An Thuong, with the sea in front, cafes and restaurants behind and everything 10-20 minutes away by Grab. Budget and mid-range rooms run roughly $15-70 a night as of 2026, and beachfront resorts from about $120. If old-town atmosphere matters more, stay in Hoi An instead and reverse the plan; our Da Nang or Hoi An base comparison helps you choose.

Weather and timing

Da Nang is dry and increasingly hot from February to August, with the sea at about 28.5-29.5°C from May, which makes April to August the best months for the beach. September to December is the wet season, with about 650 mm of rain in October and typhoon risk until about mid-December. Our Da Nang and Hoi An weather guide has the month-by-month picture.

Limitations

Prices, opening times and show schedules are 2026 figures from our own guides and operators, and they change: Ba Na Hills adjusts its ticket and inclusions, and the Dragon Bridge show can be cancelled or moved on holidays. The cost totals are estimates built from the line items above, not quotes, and depend on your room and how you get around.

Workaround: check the Ba Na Hills ticket and the Dragon Bridge schedule a day ahead, book Ba Na and easy-rider trips early in peak season, and keep day 3 flexible for the weather.

Frequently asked questions

Is 3 days enough for Da Nang?

Yes, for most travellers. One day covers the city and coast, from the Marble Mountains to My Khe beach and the Dragon Bridge. The two big day trips, Ba Na Hills and Hoi An, each need their own day or evening, and three days fits both, plus the Son Tra Peninsula at dawn. Add a fourth day for more beach time, My Son's Cham ruins or a full day on the Hai Van Pass.

Is Ba Na Hills worth it?

Worth one visit, if you go early. The 2026 adult ticket costs 1,000,000 VND, about 38 dollars, and covers the cable car, the Golden Bridge, the French Village and the Fantasy Park, valid for three consecutive days. Take the first cable car around 8 am to see the Golden Bridge before the crowds and the midday cloud. Arrive at midday and it becomes an expensive, crowded theme park in the clouds.

When does the Dragon Bridge breathe fire?

On weekend nights at 9 pm, Friday to Sunday as of 2026, for about five minutes: roughly two minutes of fire, then three of water. The bridge deck closes to traffic from about 8:45 pm. The best views are from the riverbanks near the bridge's head on the east side, where the crowd gathers early, or from a riverside cafe. Check the schedule locally, as it can change on holidays.

Should I stay in Da Nang or Hoi An?

For a beach-focused trip, stay in Da Nang on the My Khe beachfront and visit Hoi An for an evening. For old-town atmosphere, stay in Hoi An and visit Da Nang's sights by day. The two are about 30 km apart, 40-50 minutes by car. This itinerary bases in Da Nang, where rooms run roughly $15-70 in the budget to mid-range as of 2026, with beachfront resorts from about $120.

How do I get around Da Nang?

By Grab, mostly. The city is compact and Grab cars and bikes are cheap: most hops between the beach, the river and the city centre take 10-20 minutes. The Marble Mountains are about 20 minutes south, Ba Na Hills 45-60 minutes west and Hoi An 40-50 minutes south. For Son Tra, you need a manual motorbike or a car, as automatic scooters are banned on the steep road up Ban Co peak.

What is the best time of year for Da Nang?

February to August, the dry season. April to August is best for the beach, with the sea at about 28.5-29.5°C from May, and February to April is cooler and better for walking around Hoi An. September to December is the wet season, with about 650 mm of rain in October and typhoon risk until about mid-December, when beach days and boat trips are often washed out.

Can I do Hoi An as a day trip from Da Nang?

Yes, and the best way is as an afternoon and evening, because the lantern-lit old town is at its best after dark. A Grab car takes 40-50 minutes and costs roughly 200,000-300,000 VND each way as of mid-2026, and the old-town heritage ticket costs 120,000 VND. Go in the late afternoon, walk the old town at dusk, eat dinner there and return late.