Da Nang – Leo’s view
When we first rolled into Da Nang, it felt like we’d just landed in Europe—somewhere like Italy. Palm trees everywhere, the sun was blazing, and the roads were wide and beautiful. The bridges and the whole city felt modern and super clean. I was an instant fan. Interestingly, Da Nang is a pretty young city—it’s only been in its current form for about 20 years—so everything feels brand new. I also loved that the whole place is flat. No hills or steep climbs, which made navigating a breeze. I never got lost once.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-01}
We stayed on the 18th floor of a high-rise, which isn’t actually that common in Da Nang since there aren’t many tall buildings yet. The view was insane—we could see the entire city, the ocean, and the massive Lady Buddha statue. There was a pool downstairs, but honestly, I barely touched it because the water was freezing 😆. Behind the building, there was this massive, modern sports complex with basketball courts, soccer fields, and a huge running track. It looked incredible at night when it was all lit up. We even started going there for boxing classes.
One of the coolest spots was definitely the Lady Buddha. The views are great, but the real stars are the little macaque monkeys running around. They’re a huge hit with tourists, but man, they can be annoying and bold. They love stealing food and testing their luck. One actually jumped on Arthur, and another gave him a little nip through his shirt when it wanted to play 😆.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-02}
Whenever I wasn’t in the mood for Vietnamese food, I’d hit up a fast-food joint called Lotteria. I loved it. For a full meal—burger, fries, and a Coke—it was less than $4, which is a steal. I went to McDonald’s a few times too, but Lotteria was definitely better.
The older parts of town were interesting because of all the tiny local repair shops, mostly for motorbikes. Since almost everyone in Vietnam rides one, there’s always something being fixed. Most of these were family-run businesses where everyone pitched in. It really felt like family and social life are huge for people here.
Right by our place was the Da Nang Night Market, and I went there all the time. It’s a busy area packed with tourists, food stalls, and clothes. You can find pretty much anything—T-shirts, hats, sunglasses, bags, wallets—all the big brands like Adidas and Nike for crazy low prices. We’re talking $3 or $4 for a shirt. The market is right next to the Dragon Bridge, which we could see from our apartment. It’s probably the city’s most famous landmark, and on weekend nights, the dragon’s head actually breathes fire and sprays water. It’s always swarming with tourists and their phones. We were actually on the bridge when they set off fireworks for the Lunar New Year.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-03}
When it came to food, I preferred eating where the locals eat. You know, those street-side spots with the tiny plastic chairs that were a total nightmare for someone my height 😆. In the mornings, I’d grab some amazing chicken and rice near the beach. Vietnamese dining culture is interesting—it’s not like back home where everyone orders their own plate. They order a bunch of dishes for the middle of the table and everyone shares. When they finish one, they just order more.
And they love their beer. They’ll often order a whole case at once so they don’t have to keep calling the server. Once they’re done, they just toss the cans under the table, so the place ends up looking like a landfill 😆. There’s also this tradition where someone will come up to you and say “100%,” which means you both have to down your drinks.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-06}
I also loved how well Grab worked there. Whenever I needed to get somewhere, I’d just call a motorbike, and for a couple of bucks, they’d take me anywhere.
One of the best things about Da Nang was the beach. It’s incredibly long, clean, and has beautiful fine white-gold sand—no rocks or coral at all. The water was warm and clear, with just the right amount of waves. There’s always a lifeguard on duty, and you can only swim between the buoys; otherwise, it’s a red flag. Arthur loved it the most because he spent the whole time chasing crabs across the sand.
Massages were another top-tier deal. There were salons everywhere, and prices were sometimes as low as $8 an hour. My dad was obsessed.
As for coffee, Vietnam is all about Robusta, and they usually use sweetened condensed milk instead of regular milk. My dad struggled the whole time to find a normal coffee with milk and no sugar, but I didn’t mind the sweetness at all.
A really powerful experience for me was the War Museum in Da Nang. It’s dedicated to the wars and history of Vietnam. I really liked it because it makes you realize what this country has been through. Vietnam has basically been at war with someone forever—first different dynasties and neighbors, then French colonization, then the Japanese during WWII, and finally the war with the US. They had old weapons, uniforms, photos, and all sorts of wartime artifacts. Seeing it in person gives you a completely different perspective on how tough things were. It made me even more surprised by how calm, hardworking, and friendly Vietnamese people are today.
Another highlight was the trip to Ba Na Hills. We took a cable car way up above the clouds—you couldn’t even see the mountain from the ground. It was about 10 degrees cooler up there, so for the first time in Asia, I actually had to break out a hoodie. We saw the famous bridge with the giant hands, the French garden, some rides, a 3D cinema, and a bobsled track that honestly wasn’t worth the price 😆. But the view from the top all the way to the ocean was insane.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-05}
We also visited Hoi An, which is about a 40-minute drive from Da Nang. It’s pretty touristy but very beautiful. The streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and traditional crafts. I bought a gorgeous leather backpack there. A big thing there is getting custom-made clothes—you can get a jacket, suit, shoes, or anything tailored for about a fifth of the price in Europe, and it’s ready in just a few days.
As for the party scene, you won’t find much in Vietnam outside of Ho Chi Minh City. A lot of the clubs are “luxury style”—you just sit at a table the whole time 🤣. I didn’t find the real party zone until after a month, and even then, it was on my dad’s recommendation. On a map, it looks totally unremarkable, like a parking lot or a garage. It’s a low-key spot near some hostels with bars and clubs full of young travelers. It was a great place to meet people, hang out, and the music was solid—mostly international hits.
{gallery:leo-da-nang-04}
Overall, I’d recommend Da Nang to anyone looking for an exotic vacation with great prices, beautiful beaches, a modern city, and tons of experiences. For me, it’s definitely one of those places where I could see myself staying long-term.
