I flew in from Luang Prabang, but since there were no direct flights, I first flew to Hanoi and then transferred to a flight to Danang. In Hanoi, the terminal for the domestic flight to Danang is located on the other side of the airport, but you can easily access it via the airport’s free feeder bus.
I spent 4 nights in Danang.
Day 1: Bana Hill
How to visit Bana Hill? Simply call a Grab—there’s no need to hire a private car, as you’ll spend almost half the day there.
I recommend purchasing your ticket online via Klook and be sure to add the 4 Seasons Buffet Lunch—it’s totally worth it. The buffet selection is incredible, featuring Korean and Vietnamese dishes, seafood, meats, and a wide variety of local desserts. I spent over an hour dining here.
If you are not buying the tickets, the Grab driver will most likely drive you to the Bana Hill ticketing agency and the prices can be different from online.
It tends to rain frequently at Bana Hill, so be sure to bring a jacket, especially towards the end of the year. If you have them, a poncho and shoe covers can be very useful.
In the evening, check out the night market, where you’ll find a lobster BBQ—it’s incredibly affordable and definitely worth trying at one of the stalls.
Day 2: Hoi An
Hoi An Day Tour I made the mistake of hiring a private car through Klook for the day trip to Hoi An, but I recommend simply calling a Grab instead. Hoi An is not easily accessible by car, and our driver just dropped us off and waited until 6 p.m. However, there are plenty of Grab drivers near Hoi An, so you don’t have to worry about getting a ride back to Danang—the drive is only about an hour.
In the morning, my Klook driver took me to a coconut boat ride. However, since I hadn’t pre-booked the tickets through Klook, the vendor charged me a much higher price—about three times more than the Klook price (which was around USD 5 per person). After some negotiation, the vendor lowered the price, but it wasn’t the best experience dealing with them. I highly recommend purchasing your tickets for the coconut boat ride online to avoid the hassle of bargaining with the vendors. It can get quite frustrating.
Our driver in Hoi An also took us to a restaurant with highly inflated prices. I noticed that only tourists with private car drivers were brought here, making it feel like a typical tourist trap. Every item on the menu was overpriced.
After looking at the menu, we decided not to order seafood, and the owner didn’t seem happy about it. He gave us a disapproving look, as if he expected us to order it. We ended up getting fried rice and fried noodles, but the food was terrible.
After lunch, the driver dropped us off in Hoi An, but he could’ve done that earlier and just brought us straight to the old town, where there are plenty of restaurants. It’s only a 10-minute drive from the coconut boat ride.
Hoi An is a beautiful city. We arrived around 2 p.m. and stayed until evening to see the town light up. One must-do activity is releasing a lantern near the Japanese Bridge. This time, we were smarter and booked our boat ride tickets through Klook right away. If you buy your ticket from a vendor, be sure to ask if the boat will go near the Japanese Bridge, as motorized boats are not allowed there. Only human-paddled boats can approach the bridge. Be careful—I read that some people got scammed when the boatman didn’t take them near the Japanese Bridge, where the lantern release happens.
As for our private car driver on Day 2, he was sneaky—I really didn’t like him.
Day 3: Hue
For Hue, I highly recommend booking a private car through Klook. There are several attractions in Hue, and having a private car makes the trip much more worthwhile. Here are the top places to visit in Hue:
Imperial City (The Citadel)
Thien Mu Pagoda
Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh
Dong Ba Market
I only visited one tomb due to time constraints. Don’t forget to get your souvenirs from Dong Ba Market—prices here are much cheaper than at the airport. I picked up a lot of dried mangoes and jackfruit chips, which were about five times cheaper. I also got a traditional Vietnamese costume for only USD 15.
Our driver was great and brought us to one of the famous restaurants, where the prices were reasonable. The restaurant we went to was Madam Thu Restaurant and it cost about USD 5-10 per person.
At night, we still had time to visit the Dragon Bridge in Danang. Since it was the weekend, we were lucky enough to see the famous fire and water show. The fire show happens on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:00 PM, where the dragon’s head spits fire and water, creating an impressive display. For the Dragon Bridge, don’t go too near to the Dragon Bridge as you might get wet when there water spraying.
For Dinner, we dined at a restaurant near our hotel.
Day 4: Departure
For the last day, we took a Grab to the airport.
Where to Stay? Wyndham Danang Golden Bay
I highly recommend staying at Wyndham Danang Golden Bay. This hotel is very new and conveniently located—only 10 minutes by Grab to the city center. The cost for a Grab ride is about USD 2 to 3. The breakfast spread was excellent, offering both Korean and Vietnamese dishes with a wide variety to choose from. We also enjoyed a complimentary high tea during our tea break, which was beautifully set up in the hotel’s restaurant on the top floor. The hotel also has an infinity pool at the top, offering a stunning view of the waterfront and the bridge, which resembles the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco—except it’s not red!
Final thoughts:
Grab is widely used in Danang, and sometimes local drivers will even offer to match Grab’s price at the airport or tourist attractions once they realize you’re looking for a Grab ride. Vietnam feels quite flexible, much like China 10 years ago—people are hardworking and determined. However, some things are still quite unorganized, especially at places like the coconut boat ride. If the vendors know you don’t have a ticket, they will try to overcharge you with highly inflated prices. A Klook ticket costs around USD 5 per person, but they might charge you up to USD 15.
To avoid the hassle and overpriced tickets, it’s always better to book online in advance and skip dealing with pushy vendors.
As for private car hires, I’d only recommend them for Hue—not for Hoi An. For Hoi An and Bana Hill, just use Grab, as it’s more convenient and cost-effective. For Hue, however, booking a private car driver through Klook is worth it since there are multiple attractions to visit.
For accommodation, I highly recommend staying at Wyndham Danang Golden Bay—it offers great value for money, is clean, and has an excellent breakfast spread. The hotel has an elegant feel, with stunning sea views, and the infinity pool is truly amazing.
I didn’t mind that the hotel is about a 10-minute drive from the city center, where the night market and Dragon Bridge are located. Since a Grab ride only costs around USD 2 to 3, getting around is easy and affordable. In fact, being slightly away from the city center is a plus—it’s quieter and more relaxing.
