Five must-visit destinations in Da Nang, according to Bangkok Post

Ba Na Hills, Marble Mountains, Linh Ung pagoda, Han River are just few of the best destinations in Da Nang for travelers taking an adventure trip, Pattarat Wongchaiyakul wrote in an article published on The Bangkok Post, a Thailand broadsheet English-language daily newspaper.

Ba Na Hills, Da Nang.

Ba Na Hills

The writer named Ba Na Hills the number one destination among the best five locations across Da Nang. “The charming Ba Na Hills are blessed with clean mountain air, while French-influenced architecture abounds such as Ba Na Hills French Village; Fantasy Park Amusement Park and, a reproduction of Paris' famed Notre-Dame cathedral. This small town features abundant accommodation, restaurants and cafes as well as outdoor activities,” The Bangkok Post wrote.

Marble Mountains

Marble Mountains (or Ngu Hanh Son) are a a cluster of five hills, made out of limestone and marble. The five mountains are named after the five elements: Kim, Thuy, Moc, Hoa and Tho. They are located 9km of Da Nang and are a pilgrimage site with caves, temples, tunnels and peaks.

These mountains have a complicated system of caves and tunnels. In the past they were used as hiding places and important bases for Vietnamese revolutionaries.

Among the five, Thuy Son, the mountain of water, is the highest and also the main attraction. Almost all tourists come to Marble Mountains to climb Thuy Son. This mountain has many caves and Buddhist temples, many dating back to the 17^th century.

Climbing up about 150 stone steps from the foot of Thuy Son, one will reach the most beautiful observatory spot: the Riverview Tower or Vong Giang Tower. The tower was built in the 18^th century by Emperor Minh Mang, offering a breathtaking view to Kim Son or the mountain of metal, Truong Giang, and Cam Le rivers and beautiful coast.

Inside Non Nuoc Village. (Source: tourism.danang.vn)

Tourists may also want to visit the Non Nuoc Village at the foot of Marble Mountains. The village is famous for stone sculptures and handicrafts. Here you can buy many things made of marble stone, from small one like earrings, necklaces, vases to the huge sculptures of Buddha. In the past, rock was extracted directly from the Marble Mountains to make sculptures but now the direct extraction is illegal. Materials for sculpting work are now transported from nearby provinces like Quang Nam and Thanh Hoa.

Linh Ung Pagoda

Linh Ung Pagoda is located in an area known locally as Bai But or Buddha’s Sanctuary on Son Tra peninsula. It is rated as the most magnificent work of this kind in the central city of Da Nang, in terms of architectural and artistic value.

Local residents on Son Tra peninsula recalled stories relating to the existence of the pagoda. Accordingly, under the reign of King Minh Mang in the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19^th century, a Buddhist statue drifted downstream to the area and ran aground at a sandy embankment.

Local villagers thought it was a good omen, so they built a small pagoda to worship the statue. From that day on, the whole coastal region enjoyed good weather, with no big storms and rough seas, while local fishermen caught plenty of fish.

The embankment where the statue drifted was then named Bai But, meaning “Buddha’s sanctuary in the real life”, where the present-day Linh Ung Pagoda is located.

The pagoda was built with a perfect harmony of modern and traditional features typical of a Vietnamese pagoda. It has become an attractive tourist site in the beautiful coastal city of Da Nang.

Situated on an area of about 20 hectares on the side of a mountain, the pagoda is a magnificent artwork. It looks to the sea while leaning on a vast primitive forest of Son Tra peninsula.

The Guanyin statue placed in the pagoda courtyard.

From every corner of Da Nang city, visitors can see the Guanyin statue placed in the pagoda courtyard. It is the highest statue in Vietnam, measuring 67 metres in height and 35 metres in diameter at its base. It is as high as a 30-storey building.

Along the two sides of the path leading to the main chamber are statues of 18 Arhats, each describing different human emotions – joy, anger and sadness, and sculptured skilfully.

The main chamber, the ancestors’ house, hall and monks’ house are all built and arranged magnificently.

Han River

Da Nang’s residents always take pride in the beautiful and romantic Han River, with its riverside areas featuring local cultural events and entertainment activities.

In addition, the river has become a local landmark partly due to numerous beautiful bridges spanning it, including Thuan Phuoc, Han River Swing, Rong (Dragon), Tran Thi Ly and Tien Son bridges. These bridges all feature their special own architectural characteristics when compared with others nationwide.

Beautiful Han River at night. (Photo: Kha Thinh)

Speaking of amazing views, one of Da Nang’s most recent hot destinations is tailor-made for Instagram: The Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, a hige pedestrian bridge that’s seemingly held but some gigantic hands. the TIME magazine recently cited it as one of the “World’s Greatest Places” to check out./.

VNF