DaNang, a fast growing city with stunning surroundings

DaNang, what a strange feeling! A resort that is both peaceful and noisy at the same time! So peaceful because you smell the salty air, you hear the restless waves of the sea and feel the wind that caresses the palms in your hair. Noisy…because of the drills, hammers, heavy machinery and workers who shout. Dozens of new hotels „grow” DaNang. This is due to its great touristic potential and I’m sure in few years, the resort will be among tourists’ preferences in Vietnam.

Resort and industrial center

DaNang is the third largest city in Vietnam and the leading industrial center. It is in the middle area of the country, on the coast of Chinese Sea and it is surrounded by cliffs and little mountains. It is the favorite place for Russian and Chinese tourists! Probably because it is the most developed city in the country and the prices are still low for tourists.

Here, you will not find that traditional air, with monks and hats. But this stylish, modern and clean city will impress you!

Marble Mountains

In the south of the city, there is a plain area from which rise five mountains. Each one represents one of the five elements in nature: Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). All these mountains have caves, temples and offer impressive views.

I visited only the Water Mountain, the biggest and the most interesting of all. It has so many places to admire and to shot, that I stayed there a few hours!

Water Mountain

First of all, we took the elevator to go up. Before anything, we had a great view of the sea and of the other mountains. Moving forward, we arrived at Chua Linh Ung, a very photogenic Pagoda.

Moving around between pagodas, little altars and cave entrances (Tan Chon, Van Thong, Linh Nham), I suggest you stop at the Chua Tam Thai, the one with the Happy Buddha in front of it. Its details are so perfect, so meticulous that you’ll be a little shocked. Dare to make a step inside to see the altar, too.

In the right side of this pagoda, you’ll see some steps. More steps… Climb to the highest point of the mountain, you’ll never regret it. There is a white rock where you must stay and enjoy the surroundings!

From this point, we went to the Huyen Khong Cave. We climbed some stairs carved in a stretch corridor between the rock walls and then we went down to a big cave. In front, there stands The Big Buddha, a statue made directly in the wall of the cave. Wow!

Here, some other things will catch your eyes: the marble sculptures. Dragons, Buddhas, birds and other animals and symbols are delicate carvings.

At the base of the mountain, I saw the stone carvers who made statues for temples in all country. From them, I bought a little souvenir, a pink marble elephant 🙂

Lady Buddha

If you are on the beach, across the bay you can see a tall white statue on a cliff of Monkey Mountain. It is the Lady Buddha, the protector of DaNang! It is said that she protects the fishermen during the heavy frequent storms in the sea. The statue of 67 meters height it was placed in an 18th-century pagoda complex, Linh Ung. Take time to shot the bonsais from the pagoda’s garden. You can visit it for free.

More to see in DaNang

Try the Cham Sculpture Museum. And the Sun Wheel. And don’t forget to make a night walk by the river. There is a bridge with a huge illuminated dragon on it!

UNESCO Sites, so close

If you spend few days here, I recommend you the Ancient city of Hue, one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam. You can go there with a guided tour from DaNang or just catch the train. You’ll be there in 2 hours! Hue is in UNESCO with a complex of monuments, including the Perfume River, Khải Định tomb, the Imperial City (Hoàng thành) with the Purple Forbidden City (Tử cấm thành) and Thien Mu Pagoda. Be sure you visit all of them!

Closer, there is HoiAn, another Unesco World Heritage Site, an example of 15th-century architecture. Very well preserved, it kept foreign influences acquired over time. You could arrive in HoiAn from DaNang in 40 minutes (30km).

Cham Island

On the coast of Central Vietnam, the China Sea is mostly rough because of the currents that come from the high seas and separate in that area. If you’re lucky and find the sea calm, take a trip by boat to the Cham Island! Just for the landscape, it’s worth the effort!