Da Nang Must See Spots
XLIII Coffee
XLIII Coffee is a Vietnamese coffee shop with locations in Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh. The Da Nang main branch is also the roastery and is located near our hotel. As we walked over, we were amazed by the exterior of the building. There are ponds with koi fish, and large trees shading walls of glass that let in natural light. Walking inside we were greeted by the kindest staff, and the shop cat Sumi. Their coffee menu is very specific because they only offer espresso, a pour over, and lattes.
We visited everyday we spent in Da Nang and Michael tried all three, but his favorite was their pour over. At the time, they offered juices but now they only serve coffee. Visiting coffee shops is one of our favorite things to do around the world, and XLIII is still one of our favorite shops. Besides coffee they have meals and fresh baked pastries that taste immaculate.
iVegan Super Shop
iVegan is a plant-based restaurant that has several locations in Vietnam. I really wanted to have a smoothie bowl as they are hard to find in Korea. This restaurant has everything on their menu from meals, snacks, and desserts. Even though I usually get acai, I decided to try their ivegan smoothie bowl. With a blue spirulina base, fruits and granola which was perfect for the heat. The bowl had beautiful presentation, and each line of ingredients was able to be seen. We also ordered some sweet potato fries with a house made sauce that I still think about to this day. It is a really great place to eat and a work-friendly environment as there are lots of spaces outside and on both floors inside.
My Khe Beach
My Khe Beach is one of Da Nang’s most beautiful beaches. We woke up early to see the sunrise and thought we would have it to ourselves. We were wrong. I’ve never seen so much life before at 5 am. People were having exercise classes, playing, swimming, and just hanging out. Being in that environment, I completely forgot how early it was. The beach is on the east side of the city which made for a beautiful sunrise. From here, you can see the entire city, as the beach stretches continuously for miles. You can even see the Lady Buddha statue on the other side of the bay. Throughout the day this is the spot to be, with lots of music, restaurants, businesses, and more. No matter what style of travel you have, My Khe Beach is definitely a must see spot in Da Nang.
Ba Na Hills
When you Google what to do in Da Nang, one of the first things that comes up is Ba Na Hills. They have a large Buddha statue, as well as a famous bridge being held up by hands. We’ve been to a few places like this before, where a large park area is up on a hill. I thought I knew what to expect, but I definitely underestimated this place. When we arrived, I was shocked at the ticket price of $40, but we had already driven far outside the city. We took an incredibly long cable car, which was the longest in the world when it was built. Unfortunately, the morning was cloudy in the mountains so we couldn’t see the spectacular view from the top.
When we got off the cable car, the famous bridge was just around the corner. Sadly, the view was nonexistent as the clouds had no intention of breaking up. Despite getting there close to opening, the park was already packed so it was hard to get a great picture on the bridge, so I was feeling a little sad. However, I looked at a map only to realize we were in a smaller area of a much larger amusement park with themed areas, rides, events, and restaurants. Now, the expensive ticket price made sense. We walked down the path through beautiful gardens and pavilions to find the large Buddha statue. Once again there was no view, but the various areas along the way were more than entertaining enough.
We got on yet another cable car to get to the top of the mountain. As soon as we arrived, we saw an alpine coaster, massive fountains, and so many buildings. There are two sides, one with a large fantasy castle, and the other side having a large French village. Naturally, there are many shops, restaurants, cafes, and even hotels and temples scattered around the park. We had no schedule or plans at all, since we didn’t understand how huge the park was, so we just started walking around. Ba Na Hills was very nice, and if you wanted you could easily spend a full day riding rides, watching shows, and enjoying the beautiful views.
I was shocked at how much there was to do, and it was surprisingly well executed. A lot of lesser-known amusement parks in Asia have a run-down or bootleg vibe, but our time in Ba Na Hills was well spent. I’m really glad we came to Ba Na Hills, it’s a must see spot in Da Nang, even if it’s a bit out of the way.
Pho Phu Gia Ha Noi
Of course, after such a long day at the park we were getting hungry. Growing up in America, I wasn’t introduced to Vietnamese food until I was an adult. The first time I had Pho I nearly cried, so I was incredibly excited to try it straight from the source. I researched the best rated pho spots in Da Nang, and we landed at Pho Phu Gia Ha Noi. We got a standard bowl with beef brisket, and of course it comes with the usual lime, cilantro, and peppers. There’s nothing particularly special about this restaurant, but believe me when I say it’s some of the best food I’ve ever had. Pho will forever be one of the greatest dishes humans have created, and this shop is one of the best to do it in Da Nang.
Linh Ung Pagoda
One of the top attractions in Da Nang is the Linh Ung Pagoda that houses the famous Lady Buddha. There are two other Linh Pagodas, which include one in Ba Na Hills and one in The Marble Mountains. There can be monkeys here so beware where you put your belongings. Thankfully, because it was so hot there wasn’t a monkey in sight. Since the pagoda is high up it had a great view of the coast of Da Nang. It was quite peaceful and quiet as there weren’t many visitors, but it was over 100 degrees and baking in the sun. On the grounds, we kept in the shade and took quick peaks of the gardens. It’s easy to spend a good hour here, but since we were burning to a crisp we wrapped it up sooner.
Lady Buddha
Lady Buddha is known as the goddess of mercy. She is 67 meters high and overlooks the ocean protecting the ocean and the fisherman. Since it’s the largest standing Buddha in Vietnam, it’s visible from a distance in Da Nang. At that time, we didn’t have experience visiting Buddhist sites, and this was actually our first one. Even though we aren’t Buddhist, anyone can go and visit since the premise is free.
It is beautiful from a distance, and being able to view it up close was even better. It’s a very detailed statue that looms over everything. She stands on a lovely lotus flower representing purity. Inside the building there are 17 floors with many buddha statues inside. People can only visit the first floor as the rest are reserved for monks. We’ve been to a lot of big buddha statues, but this one feels pretty special, so I’m comfortable giving it a spot on our must see spots of Da Nang.
Nha hang Madame Lan
After walking all day in the blistering heat, we really wanted a delicious dinner to celebrate. After some searching, Michael found a restaurant with a beautiful lantern aesthetic and we made our way there. As we drove, a heavy storm popped up, making the restaurant lanterns shimmer in the night. We ordered a bowl of pho, bahn xeo, and some spring rolls. The bah xeo was the main event, often called “Vietnamese pancakes”, it’s kind of like a crepe that has various savory fillings.
Final Thoughts
Da Nang really lived up to our expectations. I never thought we’d see a mountain-top theme park, massive buddha, and incredible beach in one place. Even though it’s not as popular as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, there really is a bit of everything in Da Nang. SEO
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