Things to Do in Da Nang

The incredible Marble Mountains can be a little confusing to get around to, so keep in mind they are a cluster of 5 marble and limestone formations within driving distance, or even walking, if you've got the time. The legend goes, a dragon came out of the water, laid an egg that hatched a beautiful girl, and the shells of the egg became the mountains. Each mountain represents an element: :Thuy Son (Water), Moc Son (Wood), Hoa Son (Fire), Kim Son (Metal or Gold) and Tho Son (Earth). Each is spiritually significant, with Confucian and Buddhist shrines and pagodas (chua). The villagers in the area are all into marblework, but thankfully, not the marble of the mountain. Check out the quarries. The hawkers make a good place to buy souvenirs, most of which are trinkets carved from marble. More than a million tourists visit every year, so there will probably be a crowd. The Moc Son has no caves or pagodas.

Thuy Son (Water) Marble Mountain

The Thuy Son is the most beautiful and biggest of the five. There are two entrances to this mountain - a southwest entrance leading 156 steps up to 1630 Tam Thai Pagoda, and an eastern entrance 108 steps up to LinhUng Pagoda. Or you could pay a fee and take the elevator. The LinhUng, a shrine within a cave, is the most popular pagoda of the mountains. From the Tower XaLoi, you get spectacular vistas of the sea. In HuyenKhong cave is an immense stone altar. The steep descent at Am Phu cave gives it its name - Cave of Hell (check out the statues of skeletons, demons). Another view point to the west gives a great view of the city.

Hoa Son (Fire) Marble Mountain

The mountain rises over the confluence of two rivers. The locals say they represent the balance of nature - yin and yang. You'll see some ruined towers here, remnants of the Champacivilisation. However, the main attraction is the Pho Da Son Pagoda, which contains artefacts from Emperor Minh Mang.

Kim Son (Metal or Gold) Marble Mountain

Said to be shaped like a bell, this mountain has the theQuan Am pagoda and Quan Am cave, in which the stalagmites and stalactites take on strange shapes and cast surreal shadows. The locals say these figures are reminiscent of the Buddha. If you're on the river below, you'll be able to see the temple reflected in the water.

Tho Son (Earth) Marble Mountain

This is the highest moutain. It can be climbed by steel ladders that start at the cave and come out on the top. The locals say the silhouette of the mountain resembles a sleeping dragon. Inside the mountain is a tunnel that the the Vietnamese used against the Americans, and the French before that. There's tall column of rocks 30 metres high representing the Buddha; next to it is the Long Hoa Pagoda.

Sticking to the facts first: the six laned Dragon Bridge that spans the Han River is aptly named for its 666 metre length and 37.5 metre width, its $88 million cost, the 2,500 LED lights that illuminate it at night, the fact that it greatly boosted the city's economy by making travel to surround regions simpler… and the gigantic bridge-spanning dragon that actually breathes fire. The great yellow dragon has made the bridge a tourist attraction in its own right. At 9pm every evening, there's a great spurt of fire for two minutes, followed by a surge of water for three minutes. It's an impressive show.

Arcing along the foot of the NguHanh Son Mountain, this beach is frequently listed as one of the most beautiful in the world. The crystalline water is a vivid blue. Areas of high surf make is popular with surfers. Its waters shelter some beautiful coral reefs. And while seaweed is not often a marketable feature, those found here are actually exported. The area around the beach is choc-full with resorts, has two international golf courses, and innumerable restaurants and shacks famed for the seafood. There's a lot to do at pretty much any point on the beach, so feel free to land up anywhere at all.

The Cham people are a Vietnamese ethnic group. This museum, opened in 1989 in a French colonial building, is the greatest collection of Cham artefacts in the world. It consists of almost 300 incredible works of terracotta and stone sculpture from the Kingdom of Champa. Organised by location of discovery, most of the artefacts are from the 7th to the 15th centuries. They comprise of icons, pedestals, pediments, and fragments of Hindu and Buddhist influence. If you want context though, you'll have to read up about the Cham beforehand, as the museum is lacking in information.

How much time you spend on this beautiful 693 metre high mountain depends on how much you want to do. If you're just here for the Lady Buddha statue then this ought to be a quick trip. But there's a lot more to see. For starters, the peninsula on which the mountain rises has three beaches nestled at its base. The sweeping roads of the mountain are very popular with bikers (the road is quite steep so vehicles need to be powerful). The Vietnamese military has a helipad nearby which is a great lookout point. Hiking trails criss-cross the mountain's protected forests; wildlife include rhesus macaques, long-tailed macaques, pygmy slow loris, and red-shanked douc langurs. From the beaches to the summit takes more than 4 hours of hiking.

72 metres tall, with a base 17 metres in diametre, the statue of the Lady Buddha is easily the most striking sight in the city. The magnificent monument is made of single slab of marble and rises over the Son Tra peninsula. And what's the point of building something that tall and not climbing it? Steps carved into the statue itself will take you up 17 floors, each floor representing the life of one of the 17 Buddhas. From the top, cast your gaze out to the sea, or take a selfie with the city of Danang in the background.

Surrounding the statue is the LinhUng Pagoda, the third such pagoda in the city. The beautiful chinese style buildings face an elegant three doored gate. For many people, the Pagoda is a worthier attraction than Mummy (as the locals calls the statue). Also observe the 18 arhat statues, each representing an emotion.

Now, the place is supposed to be tranquil, but with thousands of visitors everyday, traffic congestion is an unfortunate reality. Still, worth it.

This hill station west of Da Nang is the local favourite weekend retreat. It was founded in 1919 by the French. Since accommodation is not upscale, or even well organised, the best way to visit is on a day trip. And though you can drive up the mountain, it's MUCH better to take the funicular which rises 400 metres. You can board the cable car at the address given in the tips and warnings. You'll be clicking pics of the landscape every second.

The attraction is nothing like Vietnam itself. At the top, you'll find a replica French Provincial Town, a funicular railway that rises further up the mountain, a luge track that'll take you downhill again. Close to the 27 metre tall Shakyamuni statue is the Debay wine cellar. The 7-hectare Le Jardind'Amour is a lovely flower garden; check out the terraced spring area. Then there's Fantasy Park, based on the novels of Jules Verne. There's the Alpine Coaster, the only double spiral roller coaster track in the country.

Landmarks to check out:

LinhUng Pagoda, Linh Chua LinhTu Temple, LinhPhongTu Tower, the Campanile, the Tombstone Temple, the Ba Shrine, and the TruVuTraQuan. 

This pretty twenty milestrech of sand is said to be the country's most luxurious beach. Easy to see why - the high-end resorts, the upscale restaurants and the spas along the beach seem to be innumerable. The beach itself is great for both families and the sportsy. The slope of the beach into the water is very gentle so it's entirely safe for kids to head in. Yet, there's some great surf too, in wintertime (be careful of the rips). Volleyball and beach football is a common sight after kids have been let out of school.

Attractions you can find along the beach's length include the ancient Hoi An Port, the PhingNga Caves, and the imperial city of Hue.

The bridges spanning Han River are usually impressive, but this one in particular holds a special place in the hearts of the locals. That's because this was the first bridge here designed by the Vietnamese, and the built by the locals themselves. It is a cable stayed swing bridge that moves so that ships can pass through. At night, the bridge is brightly lit up with neon-colored LED light - a brilliant color pallette. The area around the bridge is the city's cultural hotbed.

Built with astonishing speed in 1924, at a time when Vietnam was still under French occupation, the bubble-gum pink colored church is a striking sight. The style is Gothic, with rhombic arches over the entrance. At the very top of the building is a metal alloy rooster, inspired by stories from St. Peter. At 70 metres of height, the church towers prominent over the city centre. In 1963, the church was officiallyr recognised as Danang Cathedral. Behind the church is a grotto, fashioned after the Lourdes grotto in France.

Make a day trip out of Danang to see the ruins of ancient Hindu temples inside a valley surrounded by green mountains. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most important historical heritages of not just Vietnam, but the country too. It was built by the Champa people, who ruled the land here for a millennium and a half. Unfortunately, a massive fire sometime in the past, and later bombing runs during the Vietnam war destroyed much the complex. At one time there used to be about 70 structures here, decorated with incredible sculptures of gods, priests, sacred animals and battles out of mythology. Now only 18 remain. You can still see the craters from American bombings. Close to the start of the path, you'll find a map that outlines the complex. From the ticket entrance, a tram will take you 2 kilometres to the temple complex. There is a small Champa museum close to entrance.

This excellent amusement park was made with every intention of becoming the favourite weekend destination of both locals and tourists, especially families. The place is divided into three sections - the amusement park, the central zone, and the cultural park. Though construction on all areas isn't complete yet, the places that ARE open are already a huge hit. On most days, it starts quite late in the afternoon and it always closes at night. That means when you get on the 115 metre high sun wheel in the evening, the views of Danang are incredible.

List of attractions at the Cultural Zone: The Great Gate, Sun Wheel, The Clock Tower, Dragon Boats and the Buddha Statue.

A quick list of the rides at the amusement park: Love Lock, Sky Treasure, Festival Carousel, Happy ChooChoo, TreehousePlayland, Garuda Valley, Fireflies Forest, Ninja Flyer, Kabuki Trucks and Dino Island.

This seems to be the city's favourite spa. For quite reasonable prices you're provided with an extensive range of excellent services. Various types of body massages, specific area massages, pedicure services, face massages, waxing, body scrubs and skin whitening. The staff are very willing to adjust according to your directions. There's a sauna too. The decor itself isn't very spa-like; it looks like it might be a salon, but that doesn't detract from the experience. Practically no one seems to have a bad review for this place.

The city's favourite nightclub is set atop the NovotelDanang Premier Han River. It covers three stories and is the highest nightclub in the city. An evening here isn't cheap. Most clubbers are either wealthy locals or travellers with cash to spare. But if you do have the money, then the place is very welcoming indeed. State-of-the-art audio design, vivid neon lighting, a great bar, luxurious sofa beds for when your feet are tired of dancing, and of course, the private VIP lounges. The bar is outdoors, on the 35th and 36th floor, and from there you have a terrific view of the city, the river and the magnificently lit bridges. And there's usually the best of Vietnamese pop artists and DJs performing live.

Caodaism is a new religion - it became official as recently as 1926 in South Vietnam. Devotees practice ancestor worship, non-violence, vegetarianism - all with the purpose of achieving union with God. There are millions of them now.

This temple is the largest temple of that religion in Central Vietnam. For visitors, coming across this temple is often surprising, not least because most have never heard of the religion before. They are often taken aback by the five images of the various religious founders - Jesus, Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tse and Muhammed - all of whome are considered saints. Presidingover all these is the all seeingDivine Eye. It is beautifully decorated inside with a great blend of architectural features from different religions.

From the outside, the building of yellow walls and rose colored tiles looks like a cross between a cathedral and a mosque.