31 Best Sights in The Central Coast, Vietnam

The locals' favorite beach, An Bang is one of the few remaining public beaches on the long Hoi An–Danang coastline. Locals flock here for sunrise swimming and sunset family picnics, leaving this lovely stretch of beach almost deserted during the day. The beach offers stunning views of the neighboring Marble Mountains, Danang Bay, and Cham Island. A row of palm-thatched restaurants borders the clean, sandy beach, offering free use of beach loungers and umbrellas if you buy food or drinks. Competition is fierce and staff can be pushy. Development has been slow but steady, with only a few homestays and holiday cottages, but plans for large resorts at both ends of the beach are set to change this over the next few years. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: swimming; sunsets; families; surfing; walking.

A former French hill station left abandoned until after the war, Ba Na is a local favorite, nicknamed "Da Lat in Danang." Accessible via the world's longest single-track cable car (5,801 meters), traversing above jungle and waterfalls, Ba Na presents remarkable panoramic views of the East Sea. At the top is a kitsch, fairground-themed park with a roller coaster, bumper cars, and a very entertaining wax museum—all popular with kids. Also nestled 1,400 meters above sea level is the Golden Bridge, an iconic architectural wonder that has made headlines since it opened in 2018. The bridge, which appears to be held by two giant concrete hands, spans nearly 150 meters long and leads to the La Jardin D’Amour Gardens, another must-visit spot. When you’re done taking in the beauty from the top, take the smaller cable car down to the second, more spiritual level where you can either take a funicular or hike up the mountain to visit the temples and pagodas that line the route. If you have the energy, climb the 17-story tower inside the statue of Buddha Guanyin—the largest in the country at 67 by 35 meters (the equivalent of a 30-story building). The site to save until last is tucked away behind the Shakamuni Buddha statue: the Debay Wine Cellar, which was tunneled into the mountain in the 1920s by the former French residents. Inside is a large fully stocked bar and the chance to do a little wine tasting.

The Hoi An coast is flanked by eight small, coral-fringed islands featuring beautiful seascapes, deserted white sandy beaches, and some of the best microdiving sites in central Vietnam. Despite their beauty, the islands have never been developed for tourism, and it wasn’t until their 2009 designation as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO that anyone took any interest. Those that did were dive companies, limiting visitors to just a couple of dives. From April to September, daily junk and speedboat services run the 18-km (11-mile) route between Cua Dai dock and Hon Lau Island, where you can arrange a homestay or camp on two of the main island beaches—though few visitors do, which makes it one of the most tranquil respites from the touristy beaches of Hoi An and also one of the most beautiful places to watch the sunset from your own private beach. Activities available include snorkeling, diving, swimming, camping, fishing, and trekking.

Local tour offices and hotels can arrange island tours. For camping, visit Cham Island Divers (Nguyen Thai Hoc Street) or the Blue Coral Diving (Nguyen Hung Dao Street) in Hoi An.

Rolling rice fields, natural streams, a beautiful beachfront, and impressive rock formations are just some of the landscapes that make up the 18-hole Nick Faldo championship golf course and driving range. Located 35 km (22 miles) north of Danang or 55 km (34 miles) south of Hue, the course is an easy commute for those not staying in the area, though for those in search of a golfing vacation, the Angsana and Banyan Tree share the same beach cove.

Nongolfers might want to use Angsana and Banyan Tree resorts' spa, restaurants, kids' club, pools, and beach.

The must-see Paradise Cave is one of the most beautiful park caves you can visit on a day trip. Tours and transport can be arranged from the Tourism Center in town, but if you are feeling energetic you can cycle along the stunning 16-km (10-mile) Nuoc Mooc Spring Eco Trail within the national park (tickets are available at the entrance gate). The scenic trail takes you all the way to Paradise Cave where you'll find another ticket booth. It's a long trek from here to the cave entrance, but an electric golf cart is available to whisk you to the stairs (all 500 of them) or the ramp that leads up to the cave entrance. The mouth of Paradise Cave is small, hidden behind the cliffs and trees. From there, more stairs will lead you down into the cave's magnificent chambers, linked by a wooden walkway that winds around majestic rock formations deep into the belly of the cave. To get to Paradise Cave, follow the road through town past the Phong Nha ticket office. Continue on that road for 16 km (10 miles) until you reach the intersection; take a right at the huge billboard.

This museum offers a wonderful look into the cultural identity of Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities. Each placard gives facts about the region, population, and traditions of several minority groups in English, French, and Vietnamese. The museum’s curator, Réhahn, is a professional French photographer who has been snapping portraits of these amazing individuals and collecting their stories and artifacts since 2013. The coffee shop inside sells K’ho coffee, harvested by the K’ho people in the central highlands.

The Tomb of Tu Duc, one of Hue's most visited tombs, has its own lake and pine forest, and is easily accessed by bike. Built in 1864–67 by thousands of laborers, the tomb was once the second residence of Tu Duc, emperor from 1848 to 1883. Despite having more than 100 wives and concubines (but no children) Tu Duc somehow found the time to escape here to relax and write poetry. Further along is Hoa Khiem Temple where Tu Duc and the Empress Le Thien Anh were worshipped. Behind is an old theater, now home to a vast wardrobe of imperial dress and some interesting props for photo opportunities. One of Tu Duc's favorite spots was the Xung Khiem Pavilion on the pond filled with lotus blossoms. If your schedule allows, stop by the Vong Canh Hill top to enjoy the stunning view of Huong River and the mountains at sunset.

Bac My An is a small, gently sloping, white sandy stretch of beach located 7 km (4½ miles) east of Danang, just south of My Khe. Thanks to its pristine natural landscapes and clear water, Bac My An is a certified crowd-pleaser. Several luxury resorts have sprouted on the beach over the years. Water sports like canoeing, windsurfing, or diving are often complimentary experiences at the resorts. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; solitude; sunrise.

Touted as the largest of its kind in central Vietnam, the colorful Cao Dai Temple lies 1 km (½ mile) west of the Song Han swing bridge, on the Bach Dang side of the Han river, and is a peaceful spot to escape the madness of the city. Built in 1920, the impressive temple is still in use today and serves as a place of worship for approximately 50,000 followers. During the day, visitors are welcome to tour the gardens, temple, and a small building behind that holds a display of historic artifacts and statues of popular saints. The main temple is sparsely furnished and, beyond the impressive divine eye that towers from behind the altar, most visitors are left unimpressed. But venture up the staircase at the entrance and you'll be treated to a beautiful view of the city that spans all the way across to the East Sea.

Ten minutes from the Old Town is Hoi An's main public beach, where clear water and warm surf beckon tourists and locals alike. This 3-km (2-mile) stretch of white, powdery sand makes for a perfect place to bask under the sunshine. Though the area has been developed and resorts have been built along the shores, there are still a few quieter stretches.

The public beach area to the north has retained much of its sand and the beach is clean. It's the perfect spot to escape the sweltering humidity of Old Town during the hottest months. Walking beach vendors can be a problem, heckling people to buy fresh fruit and crafts, but most are easily rebuffed with a firm "no, thank you." Food shacks sell fresh fish, squid, and shellfish, and offer amenities. Bikes can be rented for about 20,000d per day; Jet Skis start at 1,200,000d for half an hour. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets; showers; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

If Cua Dai Beach is crowded, walk or bike 3 km (2 miles) north to An Bang beach.

This 30-km (18½-mile) stretch starts at My Khe beach, which runs from the foot of the Hai Van Pass to the north, and ends at Non Nuoc beach near the Marble Mountains to the south. In the middle, south of the Furama Resort, lies Bac My An, the R&R resort spot for U.S. soldiers during the war. Five-star resorts now line the pristine and quiet sandy stretches south of My Khe, leaving only a handful of beaches accessible to the public.

There are a lot of water sports you can try, and some of the region's freshest seafood to devour at the small restaurants that line the beach road. It's best to come between April and August, when the water is placid. Waves can be very large at other times—in fact, the first international surfing competition in Vietnam was held here, in December 1993. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; parking. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

For all the skyscrapers and modern architectural landmarks that now grace the city skyline, it's the bridges that have become the pride of Danang. As the sun sets, crowds gather along riverside Bach Dang Street to watch the spectacle as the four bridges are illuminated by thousands of LED lights that flow through the color spectrum. Farthest north is the colorful Thuan Phuoc Bridge that connects the district of Son Tra to the city, the largest suspension bridge in Vietnam. Next to that is the Han Song Bridge, which holds the title of Vietnam's first swing bridge; every morning between 1 am and 4 am the bridge is closed to traffic as it swings on its axis to allow large ships to pass along the Han River. At the heart is the most impressive of them all, the Dragon Bridge (Cau Rong) a national symbol of power, nobility, and good fortune, highlighting the city's growth. Every weekend at 9 pm the six-lane highway connecting the city to the beach resorts on the east side of Danang closes to traffic and huge crowds take their place to watch the dragon spout plumes of fire and water. The bridge farthest north, the Tran Thi Ly Bridge, has a 145-meter-high central mast that holds a striking sail, which, when illuminated, can be seen from the beaches of Hoi An.

On display at the Cham Museum, founded by the French in 1919, are artifacts from the Kingdom of Champa, which ruled this region for more than 1,000 years. The highly sensual, innovative, and expressive works from Tra Kieu's reign (7th century) and that of My Son (8th–9th centuries), and the abundant sandstone carvings of the god Shiva, testify to the prosperity of the Kingdom of Champa in its glory days. The Cham adopted many elements of Indian art and Sanskrit as their sacred language. Note the Cham Buddha depicted on a throne in an imperial pose, with his feet flat on the ground, in contrast to the traditional image of Buddha seated in the lotus position. The symbol of fertility, Uroja (meaning "woman's breast"), which you will also see throughout the museum, reveals the esteem afforded women in Cham culture.

The central Tra Kieu Altar in the Tra Kieu Room—in the middle gallery, opposite the entrance and across the courtyard—illustrates in relief-sculpture part of the Hindu Ramayana epic story. This is the museum's best-preserved relief. The galleries are arranged into a cohesive itinerary, and a performance and education space is on the second floor. Performances are listed on the website. English-speaking guides can lead you on tours of the Cham Museum.

A little way outside of Hoi An, this peaceful beach, located midway between the award-winning Nam Hai and Le Belhamy resorts, is the best place to head to escape the hawkers and crowds that frequent the more famous Cua Dai Beach. With just a few incredibly good seafood restaurants and a couple of loungers and umbrellas, this regularly cleaned, gently shelving beach offers great swimming conditions, a chilled-out atmosphere, and plenty of space for children to run around safely. Amenities: showers; toilets; food and drink; parking (free). Best for: swimming; walking; solitude; sunset.

These two museums are located in the same complex, a few kilometers outside of the city. Although neither compare with their larger contemporaries, the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi or the War Remnants Museum in HCMC, a visit here is a great way to learn about the anti-French and anti-American wars and the weaponry utilized, from a purely Vietnamese mindset. The smaller of the two, the Ho Chi Minh Museum has a small replica of Ho Chi Minh's home in Hanoi and three display rooms documenting the life and career of the nation's hero. Information is sparse, but the photo display is worth a look, even if it's just to get a glimpse of a pre-war Vietnam. Adjacent is the military museum courtyard where you can amble around a huge collection of aircraft, tanks, cannons, and armored vehicles confiscated from the enemy by the Vietnamese Fifth Division. Inside, twelve showrooms house a collection of photos, weapons, and artifacts representing the struggle and victory of the Vietnamese, including the very slippers Special Task Force member Phan Thi Mua used to smuggle enough dynamite powder to blow up the U.S. Fuel Depot in Danang in 1972.

Visitors age 16 and up are required to buy a ticket at 120,000d to enter Old Town, unless you are simply shopping, though each ticket (despite being printed with the words "valid for 24 hours") is valid for the duration of your stay. The ticket has five tear-off coupons. These are for entrance to your choice of five of the 21 ticket-only sites in Old Town. Eighty percent of the ticket proceeds go directly back into Old Town renovations and paying the guides and families who open their private homes to visitors. There are four ticket offices scattered around the ancient city blocks.

One of the local attractions offered through the Heritage Pass, this 200-year-old house has 30-minute musical performances daily. In the workshop, children and adults can make Hoi An's traditional silk lanterns or paint masks at additional costs. Tickets are available on the corner of Bach Dang and Chau Thuong Van beside the Japanese Covered Bridge.

The hour-long craft workshops run daily (bookable on-site), and are great for kids.

As dusk falls, the area directly opposite the walking bridge connecting the Old Town to An Hoi Peninsula is lit by hundreds of silk lanterns, spilling out from little wooden chalets that wouldn't look out of place at a European Christmas market. In the daytime you can come here to watch the lanterns being crafted from wafts of silk and bamboo, but it's not until night, when the lantern sellers are joined by a whole host of mobile craft, jewelry, and souvenir stalls, that this area really comes alive. The night market has the biggest selection of lanterns in town and you can even design your own. While the stalls in between are not particularly notable, you can pick up cute little trinkets as souvenir for very reasonable prices.

A convenient stopover on the trip from Hue to Danang, Lang Co is an idyllic hamlet on a peninsula jutting out into the East Sea. Lang Co Beach is a good place to have lunch and spend the day, and for the true sun worshipper, it's absolutely worth considering if you plan a couple of nights of beach indulgence at the Banyan Tree or its budget friendly little sister, Angsana, which is about 20km away from Lang Co Township. Take the turn off Highway 1 at the sign for the Lang Co Beach Resort; this will lead you to the long, sandy beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; walks; swimming.

Tourists come to these five historic mountains to see ancient pagodas, Buddhist sanctuaries, sacred caves, spectacular views of the eastern beaches, and villages where artisans carve marble sculptures. Each of the primarily limestone formations are named after the five elements—kim (metal), moc (wood), hoa (fire), thuy (water), and tho (earth). At Thuy Son Mountain, you can explore several 17th-century pagodas and caves by climbing 156 steps from the base—or take a glass elevator that eliminates a third of the steps in the initial climb, transporting you straight to the foot of Linh Ung Pagoda. Bring plenty of water and take your time, as the steps can be slippery after it rains. It is common to be hassled by locals in Non Nuoc Village who live solely on the production of their stone statues, jewelry, and artwork. Entrance to the Marble Mountains costs 40,000d plus the optional 15,000d one-way elevator ride.

Part of the 30 km (18½ miles) of Danang's coastline is the city's most popular beach, My Khe Beach. After the arrival of American soldiers in 1965, it became popular with GIs who came here over their holidays. Sandwiched between Monkey Mountain and the nearby Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach is home to several international resorts, including the Pullman, A La Carte, and Furama resort. It has fine white sand and warm water, and is surprisingly clean and isolated on weekdays. Beachfront vendors sell coastal specialties like shrimp, crab, and fish. There are palapa umbrellas and restrooms, and it's one of the few beaches with lifeguards on duty year-round. Rip currents and waves mean this is not a swimmer-friendly beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: surfing; walking, sunbathing.

About 70 km (43 miles) southwest of Danang, or 45 km (28 miles) due west of Hoi An, are the My Son Cham ruins: former temples and towers dedicated to kings and deities, particularly Shiva, who was considered the founder of the Kingdom of Champa. Construction first began in the 4th century under the order of the Cham king Bhadresvara and continued until the 13th century. With more than 70 brick structures, of which some 20 remain in recognizable form today, My Son was the most important religious and architectural center of the Kingdom of Champa and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Although extensively damaged during World War II and the Vietnam War, extensive conservation work has ensured that the My Son complex still displays vestiges of its former glory. An interesting small museum and performance stage that hosts ad hoc Aspara dance and music performances is located at the entrance.

The best tours incorporate a visit to the Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture. From Hoi An it's possible to take a boat tour to the ruins.

Just 14 km (9 miles) from either Danang or Hoi An lies Non Nuoc beach, a stunning stretch of white sandy beach overlooking the Son Tra Peninsula to the north and the stately Marble Mountains to the west. Once a popular fishing beach, the area has now become the private playground of some of the finest beach resorts in the area, leaving the surrounding pockets of beach land fenced off for future development. You can see why it's such a sought-after area (it even has international golf courses)—the deserted white sand beaches seem to go on forever and the sea is clean and perfect for swimming during the long dry season that runs from April to September. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Up until the discovery of Son Doong, the beautiful Phong Nha Cave was the national park's most famous treasure. It’s the park's easiest cave to navigate and there really is no need to visit it with a guide. Buy tickets from the Tourism Center in the village and hop on a dragon boat from the small pier nearby. The boat takes you on a picturesque journey along the Son River right into the giant river cave where you disembark to explore 1,500 meters inside. Here you'll view the most splendid formations, stalagmites, and stalactites, enchantingly lit in a rainbow of colors. The boat to the cave costs about 350,000d, but this can be split among passengers (maximum of 10 passengers). Don't forget to tip your rower.

Founded in 1653 by the Chinese community, this impressive temple is dedicated to Quan Van Truong, a revered general of the Chinese Han dynasty. The temple is divided into four parts: the front hall, the left and right sections, and the main sanctuary. The entrance leads through a large garden to the temple, where the main altar is, along with a gilt-and-papier-mâché statue of the general standing between two life-size, jolly-looking horses. Quan Cong lends itself to contemplation and meditation, and you get a real sense of that in the rear courtyard, gazing up at the unicorns and dragons perching on the colorful ceramic tiled roof or watching the small school of fish that happily dart around in the pond out front. The carp, symbolic of patience in Chinese mythology, is displayed throughout. Every year, on June 24 of the lunar calendar, Hoi An organizes a ceremony for Quan Cong, and pilgrims, especially merchants, come to the temple to make offerings.

One of Hoi An's ancient family homes, Quang Thang was built about 300 years ago by the current owners' Chinese ancestors. This house has some beautiful wood carvings featuring peacocks and flowers on the walls of the rooms that surround the mossy courtyard. These were sculpted by the craftsmen from the Kim Bong carpentry village, who are renowned for their intricate craftsmanship of the Hue garden houses. It's a beautiful and very well-preserved example of a trader's house, popular with large tour groups.

If Quang Thang House is busy, wait it out with a coffee at Lantern Town restaurant across the road.

Learn the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine at this cooking school located beside Thu Bon River. Half- and full-day cooking classes are available and include a market tour, boat transportation, and either lunch or dinner. Courses cost $23–$59 (550,000d–1,300,000d) and commence at Hai Café in Old Town, where they also run evening cooking classes daily (111 Tran Phu Street).

Take your bathing suit and grab a hammock by the pool; complimentary access is offered to all diners and students.

For the best panoramic views of the city and the coastline beyond, forget the expensive skybars and instead take a ride on the Sun Wheel in city-central Asia Park. Scaling 110 meters (it's the 10th biggest in the world) and designed by famous U.S. architect Bill Bensley, the Sun Wheel is a great way to view the geography of Vietnam's fastest-growing city. Beside the all-time favorite Ferris wheel, there are other entertainment spots worth trying.

  If you are in Danang on either a Friday or Saturday night, time your ride to coincide with the fire-breathing display at the Dragon Bridge at 9 pm.

For now, Thuan An Beach, which lies out on a peninsula 14 km (8 miles) from central Hue, has only one beach resort, leaving an unspoiled, long, sandy stretch of coconut- and casuarina-tree-lined beach all but empty. In the summer months the tranquil turquoise sea and gentle breeze make for the most idyllic break from the city, while in winter it makes for wildly romantic walks, with scatterings of family temples, fishing villages, and Vietnam's largest lagoon to explore. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; sunset.

This elegantly designed house was built in 1802 by Tran Tu Nhuc, a 19th-century Mandarin and Chinese ambassador, as a place of worship for the Tran family's deceased ancestors. It's packed with interesting antiquities. In the morning, light floods down through a glass tile in the roof, illuminating the family altar that stands behind three sliding doors—the left for men and the right for women. The central door (designed for deceased ancestors to return home) is opened only at Tet and other festivals; it's an architectural touch common for older residential houses throughout the country.

The altar houses a box with pictures and names of dead relatives, a 250-year-old book that records the Tran family history, and a bowl of Chinese coins representing yin and yang—toss one for good luck. Tours are given in English by members of the Tran family.