7 Best Da Nang Tours & Day Trips For A Hassle-Free Experience. (2024.)
LOOKING FOR THE BEST DA NANG TOURS, ACTIVITIES & DAY TRIPS?
Da Nang is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam. With the ocean on one side, the mountains on the other and a river running through the middle of it, it’s not hard to see why.
It’s also an intriguing blend of modern ingenuity and old-world charm. Whether exploring ancient heritage sites from a long-done-and-dusted civilisation, discovering spiritual places of worship nestled in mountaintop caves or marvelling at globally recognised engineering landmarks, there is no shortage of outstanding things to see and do in this world-class urban centre.
After thoroughly researching all the best places to visit for my recent trip to this enigmatic city, I discovered these incredible highly-rated Da Nang tours and activities, perfect for those looking for a hassle-free way to see and learn more about its most unforgettable attractions than walk-in tourists ordinarily would.
Early Morning Private/Small Group Tour Of My Son Sanctuary.
✅ Explore ancient ruins.
✅ Beat the heat.
✅ Beat the crowds.
Best Tours In Da Nang.
1. Ba Na Hills With Golden Bridge Private Tour.
Dacotours.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 306 reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: Day Tour ✅ Book it!
One of Da Nang’s most majestic attractions is Golden Bridge, an architectural masterpiece that instantly became a global landmark the moment it was unveiled. Sitting high up in the mountains behind the coastal city, the iconic structure consists of two colossal God-like stone hands emerging from the landscape, holding a pathway and offering visitors unforgettable panoramic views back towards the city and coastline.
While the bridge by itself is magnificent to behold, SunWorld Ba Na Hills, the theme park it is a part of, doesn’t do anything ordinarily. Getting to it involves riding the world’s longest non-stop single-track cable car, a gorgeous trip taking passengers 5.8km from the lowlands high into the mountains and traversing over dense jungles and cascading waterfalls. And it’s only one of six. But that’s not all.
The beloved place is uniquely set in an enchantingly authentic French Village, complete with classic architecture, gardens, and fountains, including churches, castles, statues and more that feels remarkably like you’ve been transported to the breathtaking European country.
It’s a marvellous day trip destination that Dacotours makes even better by offering private guided day tours showcasing these magnificent attractions, along with Sunworld’s other places of interest, such as the Linh Ung Pagoda, the 100-year-old Pomelo Tree, Tinh Tam Garden and more before giving you free time to roam around the incredible streetscapes, enjoy the spectacular views being atop the mountains affords and time to ride the alpine coasters and play the arcade games at Fantasy Park.
Note: Sunworld Ba Na Hills is huge. For those who like to move at a slower pace, such as people like me who enjoy photography (I kid you not, every angle is a postcard. No wonder it was my favourite place to visit in Da Nang), I highly recommend staying a night or two at the exclusive Mercure Ba Na Hills French Village Hotel to appreciate all the remarkable things it has to offer, including allowing overnight guests early access to Golden Bridge before the park is open to day visitors, where it then gets crazy busy. (Although, if you do, bring earplugs and the rooms appear to have no soundproofing.)
Tour Highlights.
- The private tour makes it more personal.
- See the majestic Golden Bridge.
- Includes return cable car ride on a Guinness World Record Holder.
- Walk around an authentic and enchanting French Village.
- Spectacular views everywhere.
- Rides and arcade games for the kids.
- Includes lunch
- Includes free pickup from Da Nang hotels.
Tours Cons.
- Golden Bridge is very busy. (Often even for overnight guests with early access.)
- Can’t stay overnight.
- The food at the buffet is not that great.
Best For.
- Couples & Families.
5. Guided Tour to Marble Mountains & Hoi An Walking Tour, Night Market, Boat Ride.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 81 Reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 6-7 hours | ✅ Book it!
A combination tour worth considering is the Marble Mountains & Hoi An Walking Tour, Night Market and Boat Ride. Led by Private Tour Guides, this highly-rated mid-afternoon and after-dark excursion knocks out two must-see attractions in one engaging and immersive 6-7-hour trip.
After being picked up from your hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An, ride in the comfort of an air-conditioned private car or minivan to Marble Mountain, where you’ll learn all about this sacred Buddhist sanctuary. After exploring the site’s holy caves, temples, and magnificent viewpoints, it then continues onto Hoi An, where its iconic ancient architecture, lantern-lined streets and traditional boats and bikes feel like stepping into another world.
Staying out past sunset, when the lanterns this city is famous for start coming on, opportunities arise for you to place your own into the water. It’s a beautiful gesture done to remember the dead., but as this fantastic tour also includes a sampan ride, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND doing it during the boat trip as it’s more personal and memorable, even though mine only survived about 60 seconds before being run down by another boat. Still, it was a magical moment while it lasted.
There is also time to roam about the night markets, get dinner and see some of the city’s other attractions, such as the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Chinese Assembly Hall.
Tour Highlights.
- Discover the famous caves, temples and pagodas of the Marble Mountains.
- See the magical lantern-lined streets of a historical urban centre.
- Magical sampan boat ride is included as are entry tickets to other attractions.
- Opportunities to place a lantern in the water.
- Pickup from hotels in Da Nang City or Hoi An City.
Tour Cons.
- Lots of walking involved.
- Marble Mountain has many stairs. Hot days can be exhaustive, wet days can be slippery.
- Meals are not included.
- Touristy AF.
Best For.
- Tourists who love quintessential experiences.
- Those who love exploring sacred sites and heritage sites.
- Folks who enjoy festivals.
- People with a moderate level of fitness.
3. Early Morning Private/Small Group Tour Of My Son Sanctuary.
My Son Sanctuary With Locals.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 301 reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 5 Hours | ✅ Book it!
Did you know that in the dense jungles southwest of Da Nang lie the thousand-year-old ruins of the ancient Indian Champa Civilisation? One of the best ways to explore this unique UNESCO World Heritage site is by taking a guided tour to understand this unique part of Vietnam’s cultural story.
While many companies offer trips to see this incredible site nestled in the dense jungles of Quang Nam, My Son Sanctuary Tours With Locals offers tourists more than the usual experience, because along with bringing to life the century’s-gone lost civilisations’ way of life and belief system, they also have small group or private early morning excursions. Having the opportunity to explore the 4th to 14th-century ruins of Hindu temples and the intricate carvings and symbolic motifs they are adorned with when the attraction opens up for the day and before the crowds set in provides a much more fulfilling examination of these age-old architectural marvels.
What’s also lovely about starting that early in the morning is that the humidity hasn’t set in for the day, making looking around the open-aired sites less exhausting, especially on cloudless days, while going with small or private groups means more time to ask burning questions you have about the Champa dynasty gaining deeper insights into the country’s unique heritage.
Tour Highlights.
- Explore the centuries-old ruins of a lost civilisation.
- Early morning means beating the heat and the crowds.
- A private tour means it’s more personal.
- Pick up and drop off from Da Nang (extra cost) or Hoi An hotels.
- Won’t get stranded like if you come with a Grab vehicle and don’t ask them to wait. My boyfriend and I went here ourselves and there were no Grabs or taxis to take us back to the city! Luckily the ticket booth worker called one for us.
- Includes brunch.
Tour Cons.
- Doesn’t include admission costs for entering the site.
- Even early in the morning, the ruins are very exposed, so slather up with sunscreen, wear a hat and bring a water/water bottle. There’s also a cafe close to them, so you can get the latter two there.
Best For.
- Those interested in learning about history and ancient civilisations.
4. Cham Islands Snorkelling Daily Ingroup Tour.
Dacotours.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 36 Reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 8 Hours | ✅ Book it!
The area around Da Nang is home to a plethora of natural wonders. From the picturesque coastline to the majestic Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hills and the Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountains), there is no shortage of breathtaking sights to behold. But the beauty doesn’t just exist above the surface. It also lies below.
Just off the coast from Hoi An, south of Da Nang, the Cham Islands are surrounded by mesmerizing coral seascapes teeming with vibrant marine life, making it a snorkeler’s and diver’s dream.
One of the best ways to experience the spectacular beauty of this breathtaking biosphere reserve is by joining a guided tour. The highly-rated Dacotour Cham Islands Snorkelling Tour picks guests up from hotels in Da Nang and takes them across the South China Sea in their high-speed canoe to discover all the best spots for the most memorable underwater sightseeing adventure.
The outstanding day trip also allows time to spend on the beautiful island, not just observing the corals below the surface. Enjoy roaming around and seeing sights such as the Hai Tang Pagoda and the ancient well, before concluding the magical tour mid-afternoon back at your hotel.
Tour Highlights.
- See the beauty of nature above and below the surface.
- Discover vibrant coral seascapes and a plethora of marine life in the Cham Islands Biosphere Reserve.
- Discover historical landmarks like Hai Tang Pagoda and the Ancient Well.
- Enjoy a high-speed canoe journey from your hotel in Da Nang to the Cham Islands and back.
- Includes lunch.
- Pick up from Danang City & Cua Dai Port in Hoi An City.
Tour Cons.
- Larger group size.
Best For.
- Those who love marine ecology.
- People looking for an immersive wilderness experience.
5. Marble Mountains & Monkey Mountain Sunset Tour.
Venus Travel.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 220 reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 5 hours | ✅ Book it!
Another day trip combining two of Da Nang’s most beautiful and spiritual places is the Marble Mountains & Monkey Mountains (Son Tra Peninsula) Sunset Tour, which seamlessly combines the city’s most beautiful landscapes and viewpoints with its most revered places of worship.
Operated by Venus Travel, the well-regarded 5-hour tour visits the enchanting Marble Mountains, a series of five distinct peaks that dramatically rise up from coastal plains. Within the crags and caves of this spectacular sacred place lie a network of beautiful temples and pagodas, most notably inside the cavernous, cathedral-like Huyen Khong and Am Phu Caves where you will learn about the Buddhist interpretation of Hell.
The tour also involves heads across to Monkey Mountain (Son Tra Peninsula), a stunning coastal landscape where you’ll visit the serene Ling Ung Pagoda home to Lady Buddha, which at 67m, is the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam before heading higher up the mountains to enjoy magnificent views over the city, mountains, and the vast expanse of the South China Sea from the peak.
Tour Highlights.
- Learn about Buddhism at one of Vietnam’s most sacred, beautiful spiritual sites.
- See the country’s tallest Buddha statue.
- Enjoy magnificent views from every place you visit.
- Includes entry fees.
- Won’t get stranded if forget to ask your Grab driver to wait. I went to Monkey Mountain myself and had to ask my driver to stay because I learnt from My Son Sanctuary that they wouldn’t come out that far out of the way to pick my boyfriend and me up.
- Pickup from My Khe Beach area (Da Nang City) or Hoi An.
Tour Cons.
- Can be exhausting climbing the many stairs at Marble Mountain, especially on sunny days. I was suffering from borderline heatstroke. Also slippery if it’s raining/ been raining.
- Doesn’t include food.
Best For.
- Those with a moderate level of fitness who enjoy learning about religious sites and experiencing nature.
6. Full Day Hue Imperial City from Da Nang Tour.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 834 Reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✅ Book it!
Two hours north-west of Da Nang lies the stunning city of Hue. It’s a long way out, but for those still intrigued to discover its most iconic attractions without sacrificing time travelling there themselves, the Full Day Hue Imperial City from Da Nang tour is a fantastic way to incorporate seeing it minus the hassle of doing the organising.
After being picked up from your hotel in Da Nang, the spectacular tour provided by Hoi An Express Travel follows the breathtaking Hai Van Pass, one of the most beautiful roads in the world and stops by bunkers used during the Vietnam War before arriving at the Hue Citadel, the city’s most renowned attraction.
Constructed from 1804-5 to 1832-3 under the Nguyen Dynasty and surrounded by a formidable fortified wall and moat, this impressive complex contains the remarkable Forbidden Purple City, the Emperor’s Private Residence, along with spiritual places of worship, gardens, pavilions and more providing a fantastic look into the country’s unique cultural heritage while learning about its significance throughout Vietnamese history.
After the Citadel, the tour then continues with a scenic cruise down the Perfume River with a stopover at the serene Thien Mu Pagoda before dropping by the imperial tomb of Khai Dinh, the 12th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, before heading back to Da Nang to drop tourists back at their hotels.
Tour Highlights.
- See one of the world’s most spectacular scenic drives.
- Explore the country’s ancient capital.
- Enjoy a relaxing boat ride down the Perfume River.
- Visit the resting place of the 12th Emperor.
- Pickup and drop off from hotels in Da Nang Ctiy Centre.
- Includes Lunch.
Tour Cons.
- Hai Van Pass tends to be regularly misty or foggy, which blocks the view of the epic scenery.
- Reasonably amount of walking.
Best For.
- Those who love exploring heritage sites, learning about history and culture and seeing beautiful views.
7. Easy Rider Private Tour Via Hai Van Pass.
⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars – From 476 Reviews! | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 8-10 hours | ✅ Book it!
For the more adventurous travellers wanting a focused tour of the Hai Van Pass, the Easy River Private Tour Via Hai Van Pass is a fantastic open-aired option for nature lovers dying to explore this magnificent part of Vietnam. Participants can elect to take a one-way tour from Da Nang or Hoi An to Hue or vice versa, or opt to do a complete loop and finish at the hotel they were picked up from.
Get on the back of a motorbike led by experienced drivers, and enjoy an exhilarating ride winding through coastal mountains that offer spectacular views of the mainland meeting the ocean in what’s been described as one of the best drives in the world.
Along the way stop by the gorgeous Tam Giang Lagoon, the biggest lagoon in southeast Asia, swim in the waters of the stunning Suoi Mo Waterfall, see Lang Co Beach, famous for its unrivalled beauty, and explore the incredible caves and pagodas of the revered Buddhist site with its own gorgeous viewpoints at the Marble Mountains for an unforgettable day exploring this incredible part of the country.
Tour Highlights.
- Magnificent views along Hai Van Pass
- Can be done as a one-way trip in either direction or as a loop.
- Pick up from Da Nang or Hoi An Hotels.
- The private tour makes it more personal.
Tour Cons.
- Long periods sitting on a motorbike.
- Lunch is not included.
Best For.
- Those who love exploring nature and getting epic views from one of the most spectacular stretches of road in the world.
- People going from Da Nang/ Hoi An to Hue or vice versa and want to see places of interest along the way, rather than just driving from one destination to another. Keep in mind that it’s a motorbike tour, so it’s ideal for those who can pack ultralight.
🤩 To discover the Hai Van Pass, one of the most beautiful roads in the world, click here.
Accommodation: Where To Stay In Da Nang.
- Best Ultra Budget: Nguyen Gia Hotel.
- Best Budget: Minh Boutique.
- Best Mid-Range: Cozy Danang Boutique Hotel.
- Best Luxury: Sel de Mer Hotel & Suites.
- Best Ultra Luxury: TIA Wellness Resort.
Conclusion: Best Da Nang Tours.
With such an exciting range of Da Nang tours to select from, tourists looking for a hassle-free way to see the city and surrounding area’s most quintessential attractions, including stunning landscapes, heritage sites, and so much more, are spoilt for choice.
Whether it’s strolling across one of the world’s newest architectural masterpieces, the majestic Golden Bridge, exploring the revered peaks, caves, pagodas and viewpoints of the beautiful spiritual Buddhist sanctuary, the Marble Mountains, or stepping back in time to explore the fascinating ancient ruins at the My Son Sanctuary, there is something to satisfy every traveller’s sense of discover and adventure.
