It was raining when we arrived in Da Nang. It was raining when we went up the cable car. It was raining when we got locked out in the French village at Ba Na Hills. And it was raining when we finally made it back down.
We saw almost nothing of Da Nang itself — no beach, no Dragon Bridge, no Marble Mountains. Hoi An, which we had planned to visit as a day trip, was completely flooded and out of the question. The weather simply didn’t cooperate.
And yet Ba Na Hills at night, in the rain, in the dark, going up a cable car we could barely see the end of — was one of the most unexpectedly thrilling experiences of the entire trip.
This is an honest Da Nang guide. Not the one where everything goes perfectly. The one where it pours and you make the best of it — and somehow that becomes the memory.
Getting to Da Nang
Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is one of Vietnam’s busiest airports, with good domestic connections from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It sits right in the city — you can be at your hotel in 15-20 minutes from landing.
We flew in from Hanoi. Grab is the easiest way to get from the airport to your hotel — reliable, metered, and no negotiation needed.
Where to Stay in Da Nang — Mercure Da Nang
We stayed at the Mercure Da Nang, and it was genuinely excellent. Well-located, comfortable rooms, and a breakfast spread that was one of the best of our entire Vietnam trip — the kind where you go back twice and still regret not trying everything.
The Mercure also has its own private cable car line up to Ba Na Hills — separate from the main public cable car. Going up at night, in the rain, with almost no visibility, in a gondola that felt like it was disappearing into the clouds above us — it was equal parts thrilling and slightly terrifying. We loved it.
If you’re planning to visit Ba Na Hills and want the full experience, staying at the Mercure gives you that private access that most tourists don’t get. It’s worth it for that alone.
Check current rates for Mercure Da Nang →
Ba Na Hills — The Main Event
Ba Na Hills is a mountain resort complex about 25km from Da Nang city centre, sitting at 1,487 metres above sea level. Most visitors come for two things: the Golden Bridge and the French Village. We came for both, got rained on thoroughly, and still count it among the highlights of Vietnam.
The Cable Car Up
The Ba Na Hills cable car holds several world records — longest non-stop single track cable car, among others. The ride takes around 20 minutes and on a clear day gives you sweeping views over the Da Nang coastline and the jungle below.
We went up at night. In the rain. On the Mercure’s private line, which meant a smaller gondola and an even greater sense of floating into absolute darkness. By the time we reached the top, visibility was near zero, everything was wet, and we were completely exhilarated.
If you go during the day in clear weather, the views are supposed to be extraordinary. We’ll take their word for it.
The Golden Bridge
Two giant stone hands emerge from the hillside, cradling a golden walkway that curves through the mist and clouds. That’s the Golden Bridge — and it is as surreal in person as every photograph suggests.
We walked it in the rain with almost no visibility, which meant the bridge seemed to disappear into white cloud ahead of us rather than reveal a view below. Eerie and beautiful in a way a clear-day visit might not have been. The stone hands up close are enormous — the detail in the sculpted rock is remarkable.
Go early in the morning if you want photographs without crowds. The Golden Bridge is the most photographed spot in Da Nang and fills up quickly.
The French Village
At the summit of Ba Na Hills sits a recreation of a French Alpine village — different buildings styled after different European architectural traditions, winding cobbled lanes, a Gothic church, a winery, restaurants and rides scattered throughout.
It is unabashedly touristy and makes no apology for it. At night, lit up in the rain, it felt oddly magical — like stumbling into a film set that nobody had told you about.
We had a small adventure here. We got separated from our route back, the rain intensified, most of the outdoor areas had closed for the night, and for a period we were genuinely locked out of the section we needed to get through. Eventually a staff member found us, pointed us in the right direction, and we made it back to the cable car dripping and laughing.
Not the Ba Na Hills evening most people have. Absolutely the Ba Na Hills evening we’ll remember forever.
Rides and Activities
Ba Na Hills has a Fantasy Park indoor amusement area with rides, games and attractions. We tried a few — standard theme park fare, good fun, nothing that requires advance planning. Worth an hour if you’re there with children.
The outdoor rides and the wax museum were mostly inaccessible due to the rain, so we can’t speak to those.
Practical Details
- Entry: Tickets include cable car + most attractions. Check current pricing on the official Ba Na Hills website — it changes seasonally
- Getting there: Grab or taxi from Da Nang city (~45 mins). Some hotels including the Mercure have their own transport
- Best time to visit: Morning on a clear day for Golden Bridge photos. Sunset if the weather cooperates
- What to bring: A rain jacket regardless of forecast — Ba Na Hills creates its own weather at altitude. Comfortable shoes for cobblestone lanes
Hoi An — We Didn’t Make It
Hoi An Ancient Town is 30km south of Da Nang and usually an easy day trip — the most common reason people come to Da Nang at all.
When we were there, Hoi An was flooded. Not light flooding — the kind where day trips are cancelled and the old town’s famous lantern-lit lanes were underwater. We made the call not to go, and it was the right one.
If you’re visiting between October and December, flooding in Hoi An is a genuine risk. Check conditions before you go and have a backup plan. The Ancient Town is beautiful and absolutely worth visiting — just not when it’s underwater.
We didn’t get to Hoi An. Next time.
Da Nang in the Rain — What We Actually Did
With Ba Na Hills taking most of one evening, and rain limiting outdoor exploration, our Da Nang days were quieter than planned.
We had breakfast at the Mercure — genuinely one of the best hotel breakfasts of the trip. Extensive spread, fresh fruit, good coffee, the kind of morning meal that sets up the day well even when the weather outside is discouraging.
For dinner, a burger at Ba Na Hills — perfectly fine, nothing remarkable. Da Nang is known for its seafood and its mi quang noodles, neither of which we got to try properly. Put those on your list.
We also just walked around in the rain, which in its own way was pleasant. Da Nang’s streets near the Han River are wide and lined with cafes. Rain in a warm Southeast Asian city is not the worst thing.
Da Nang for Indian Travellers — Practical Tips
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND). Same as the rest of Vietnam — carry cash for markets and small restaurants, Grab for transport.
Getting around: Grab is reliable throughout Da Nang. For Ba Na Hills, book transport through your hotel or in advance — Grab drivers don’t always go that far out of the city.
Weather: Da Nang’s rainy season runs September to January, with October and November seeing the heaviest rainfall. If you’re visiting in this window, build flexibility into your plans. Ba Na Hills in the rain is still worthwhile. The beach is not.
How many nights: Two nights is right for Da Nang if you’re combining with Hoi An. If Hoi An isn’t on your itinerary, one night is honestly enough — see Ba Na Hills, walk the Han River, and move on.
Vegetarian options: Improving in Da Nang, though less extensive than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Most mid-range restaurants have vegetarian dishes. The Mercure breakfast had good vegetarian options.
Honest Verdict on Da Nang
We didn’t get the Da Nang most people get — blue skies over My Khe Beach, lanterns reflecting in Hoi An’s Thu Bon River, sunset from the Marble Mountains. The rain took all of that off the table.
What we got instead was a cable car disappearing into dark clouds, a French village glowing in the rain, and the oddly joyful experience of being locked out in a downpour on a Vietnamese mountainside.
Sometimes travel gives you exactly what you planned. Sometimes it gives you something better. Da Nang, for us, was the second kind.
Also Read
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- Hanoi Travel Guide — One Day in Vietnam’s Capital →
- Ultimate Vietnam Travel Guide for Indians →
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