The Riverside and beach side are two most popular areas to stay in Da Nang. It can be difficult to decide whether to stay near the Han River or My Khe Beach, especially if you’re visiting the city for the first time and aren’t familiar with its layout.
I’m a local Vietnamese, and I’m here to help you to find which area is better for you to book your hotel in Da Nang. I’ll compare Han River and My Khe Beach based on their location, shopping, nightlife, food, accommodations, and attractions.
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Is it better to stay in Da Nang’s Han River or My Khe Beach?
Me and many other Vietnamese prefer to stay in the city center area because it usually offers cheaper accommodations compared to the beachfront. We can rent a scooter or use a short Grab Ride to visit My Khe Beach within 5-10 minutes .
I personally stayed in hotels in both Han River and My Khe Beach. If you have a week or so in the city, you can consider splitting your stay in both areas. Otherwise, you can stay in one area and easily visit another by Grab taxi or Bike because they are only around 2-3km apart.
I would recommend staying along the Han River if you want local atmosphere, affordable authentic food, easy walk to the night market, iconic bridge, famous traditional markets, as well as some of the museums and attractions dating back to the French colonial period.
Staying along the Han River means you can walk to popular points of interests such as Han Market, Son Tra Night Market, Bach Dang Walking Street, Dragon Bridge, Da Nang Cathedral, and the Museum of Cham Sculpture.
Some of the best restaurants and cafes of Da Nang are also located on the banks of Han River, on Bach Dang and Tran Hung Dao street. Some of the famous spots are Cong Cafe or My Quang Co Sau.
My Khe Beach is the better choice if you want to stay and spend a lot of time on the beach, and you don’t want to travel a lot between your hotel and the beach.
The beachfront also has more luxury all-inclusive beach resorts, so if you’re after luxury on the beach, My Khe is the place to go.
The downside of staying in the city center along Han River is that you will need extra transport to get to the beach. Even though Grab Taxi and Bike are affordable, traveling to the beach many times can add up the total costs.
The downside of staying along My Khe Beach is that the cost of accommodations, food, and drinks along the beachfront is usually more expensive than in the city center. But compared to Western costs, it’s still within a reasonable range.
Both the Han River and My Khe Beach area are relatively large areas. Han River is an 8km long river running through the heart of the city. My Khe beach is around 10km coastline, running 2km away from the Han River.
Whether you choose to stay along Han River or My Khe Beach, I recommend staying in the central area of each area for the best experience.
The central area of Han River is around Dragon Bridge, the center of My Khe Beach is at the intersection between Vo Van Kiet and Vo Nguyen Giap street.
In terms of shopping and nightlife, the riverside is a better place to stay. It is lined with independent shops, local markets, and modern shops in malls like Vincom Plaza. If you stay at the beach, you’ll likely need to travel to the city center for more shops and nightlife.
Best hotels in Danang’s Han River:
- Luxury: Meliá Vinpearl Danang Riverfront
- Mid-range: Vanda Hotel (I stayed here, prime location)
- Budget: Happy Day Riverside Hotel
Best hotels in Danang’s My Khe Beach:
- Luxury: Pullman Danang Beach Resort
- Mid-range: HaiAn Beach Hotel & Spa
- Budget: Mandila Hotel (good hotel, I stayed here)
Location and How to get there
Han River is an 8km long river located in the heart of Da Nang. It connected Da Nang Bay with Cau Do and Do Toa Rivers. It’s located midway between Da Nang international airport and My Khe Beach.
My Khe Beach is around 10km long, stretching from Monkey Mountain to the Marble Mountain area. It is around 2km east of Han River. The beachfront runs parallel with the Han River.
Han River is located a bit closer to Da Nang International airport and Da Nang station, which are the main arrival and departure points to the city. But, you can easily take a Grab taxi from the airport and the train station to either the riverside or the beach side of Da Nang.
Han River vs My Khe Beach Accommodations
Both Da Nang’s Riverside and Beachside have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets. The riverside has more budget-friendly options while the beachfront has more luxury world-class resorts.
Both areas are lined with high-rise hotels and apartments with rooftop terrace and stunning views of either the river or the ocean.
The focal point of Han river is Dragon Bridge, so booking a hotel around the Dragon Bridge, either on the west bank or east bank, offers central location, and an easy walk to a range of restaurants, cafes, and markets.
The best overall area to stay along the Han River is somewhere between Han River Bridge and Tran Thi Ly Bridge. Outside of this area, you can find more budget accommodations but means a bit distance from major points of interests.
The focal point of My Khe Beach is the meeting point of Vo Nguyen Giap street and Vo Van Kiet Street. Staying in Central My Khe Beach, between East Sea Park and An Thuong area, offers central location and easy distance to bars, restaurants, and shops.
For a luxury all-inclusive experience with a private beach area and expansive ground, you can consider staying in the beach section south of An Thuong/ My An area. Some famous resorts in this area are Pullman, Furama, TIA Wellness Resort, or Crowne Plaza.
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Da Nang City Center or Beach for Shopping
Da Nang City Center and Han River is the better area to go for shoppings. There are dozens of boutiques lining the two sides of the river on Bach Dang Street and Tran Hung Dao street.
Additionally, the riverside is within walking distance from some iconic markets such as Han Market, Con Market, and Son Tra Night Market. Han and Con markets are on the western bank while Son Tra market is on the eastern bank of the river.
During the day, you can visit Han Market for souvenirs, and street food. The market sells everything including fresh local fruits, vegetables, seafood, dried goods, affordable clothing, shoes, bags, fabrics, and even tailoring services.
You can buy traditional Vietnamese handicrafts such as lacquerware, bamboo products. The market offers local Vietnamese dishes like banh xeo, my quang, and local sweets.
Con Market has a more local atmosphere than Han Market, so if you have extra time or just want to see local life, you can check out this market.
Son Tra Night Market is a good place to visit at night. It’s set next to Love Bridge and Dragon bridge, so you can combine the visit to these places in one visit. Son Tra Market has souvenirs, accessories, and street food sections where you can try grilled meats and seafood.
If you want a modern shopping experience with air conditioning, you can visit Vincom Plaza Da Nang, located right at the foot of Han River bridge. Good spot for escape from the outdoor heat. They have food courts, restaurants, cafes, and dozens of shops inside the mall.
Da Nang’s Han River vs Beach for Nightlife
Danang’s Han River has a vibrant nightlife atmosphere while the beachfront often gets quiet when night falls.
The two banks of Han River are lined with rooftop bars, restaurants, and shops with a lively atmosphere at night. It’s also home to Bach Dach Walking street, Son Tra Night market, and the iconic fire and water show at the Dragon bridge.
Taking the river cruise along the Han River in the evening is also a popular activity to do in the city. It’s a unique way to see the city lights and bridges from the water. You can enjoy the buffet dinner and live music performances on the cruises.
Han River vs My Khe Beach Food
The City Center is a better spot to find authentic and reasonably priced Vietnamese food. The beachfront has many large seafood restaurants with beach views.
Traditional Vietnamese food and regional dishes such as My Quang, Banh Trang cuon Thit heo, Banh My Hoi An, or Banh Xeo can be easily found in both riverfront and beachfront locations. There are more traditional restaurants in the city center though.
Sightseeing & attractions
Han River has a bit more convenient location to see major cultural attractions of the city, but from the My Khe Beach area, you can also use a short taxi ride to get to these sights.
Da Nang is known as the City of the Bridge and Han River is home to iconic bridges such as Dragon bridge, Han River Bridge, and Tran Thi Ly Bridge. These bridges feature stunning architecture and glow beautifully after dark.
The Dragon bridge has a special fire and water show in the evening from Friday to Sunday and during public holiday. You can see it at the foot of the bridge on Tran Hung Dao street or at many rooftop bars and restaurants along the river.
The Han River Bridge is especially fascinating around 11 pm, when its central section rotates. This function was used to let the big ships pass though the river in the early morning, but now it’s still swinging for tourists to see.
The first bridge constructed on the Han River, Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Bridge, is definitely worth visiting. It was built by Americans during the Vietnam-American war to transport weapons between the port and the city center. The bridge is now a pedestrian-only bridge where you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the river.
Apart from the bridges, there are numerous museums and historical attractions along the western bank of Han River. You can visit Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture or Da Nang Cathedral (dating back to the French colonial period).
My Khe Beach is a bit closer to Son Tra peninsula and Marble Mountains compared to the city center. Son Tra peninsula is a great place for outdoor activities such as hiking or cycling. It’s home to some sights such as the Lin Ung Pagoa and Ban Co Peak Viewpoint.
The Marble Mountains is another popular place to visit in Da Nang. It is a cluster of five limestone hills near Non Nuoc Beach where you can explore ancient caves, Buddhist sanctuaries, and viewpoints.
From the Da Nang city center and My Khe Beach, you’ll have a similar distance to other major sights such as Hoi An ancient town, My Son sanctuary, or Bana Hill with the Golden Bridge.
Getting Around
Getting around in either Da Nang city center and the beach area is easy by using ride share services such as Grab or Xanh SM. You can order them anytime of the day, and the price is affordable. Using Grab is a popular way of travel for both locals and tourists.
If you’re alone, you can use Grab Bikes to save money. If you’re with a group or want to avoid the heat, you can take Grab Taxi.
If you can drive, you can consider renting a scooter to explore the city. Within one area, you can walk around for exploration.
See more:
- Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Da Nang
- How to spend One Day in Da Nang
- How many days in Da Nang is enough?
Generally speaking, if you want an authentic local atmosphere, lively nightlife scene, you can choose to stay in the city center along the river. If you want to stay right on the beach, it’s better to choose a resort in the My Khe Beach area. The two areas are quite large, so be smart to choose the right central location in each area for the best experience.