Stay at Non Nước for a quiet beach, not a walkable base

Cầu Ngư honors Cá Ông, the whale deity said to protect fishing boats, and Da Nang's coastal villages hold it early in the lunar year, in the first lunar months after Tết. Rites include offerings, a procession in Sơn Trà, boat races and the bả trạo, a rowing chant performed with oarsmen. Thanh Khê, Mân Thái, Thọ Quang…

Non Nước village at the foot of the Marble Mountains sells mortars, bowls, jewelry, animal figures and larger statues made from marble, limestone and sandstone. Compare a few shops, ask the price and negotiate, and inspect each piece before you pay, since quality varies. Choose a reputable shop for anything valuable…

Nam Ô, at the foot of the Hải Vân Pass, is a fishing village where anchovy fish sauce ferments in jars for 12 to 18 months. Visit in the morning or late afternoon, ask before entering production areas, and buy bottled sauce from the village producers, who label their products. It makes a good edible souvenir, and you…

The tunnel carries most traffic, which leaves the old Hải Vân Pass road quiet, with roadside viewpoints over Da Nang Bay and, past the last bends, down to Lăng Cô. Go between March and September, since cloud and rain often sit on the pass in other months. Fill your tank first, as there are no fuel stations on the…

Tuồng is the classical masked opera of central Vietnam, and the Nguyễn Hiển Dĩnh Tuồng Theater on Phan Châu Trinh Street is the center of its professional tradition in Da Nang. Visitor programs mix Tuồng excerpts with traditional music, and the theater has a display of masks, costumes and headpieces. You can often…

The train from Da Nang to Huế climbs along the coast over the Hải Vân Pass, and a daytime service is the one worth taking. Choose a morning departure, book a soft seat, and reserve ahead through the railway website or a booking platform, because buying at the station can be risky in busy months. Expect small delays on…

Da Nang Cathedral, known to locals as the Rooster Church, is a pastel pink French colonial church built in 1923 and 1924 on Trần Phú Street. Entry is free, so do not pay anyone at the gate. The main street gate is often shut, so go in by the back gate on Yên Bái Street. Visit outside mass times, cover your shoulders…

Bà Nà Hills sits at about 1,500 meters, so fog often covers the Golden Bridge area in the morning and late afternoon. The bridge is also packed from late morning to mid-afternoon. Arrive when the gates open, check the forecast, and buy your ticket from the official Sun World site or a known reseller, not from touts or…