Transportation Da Nang
Regular buses connect Da Nang with the surrounds
Da Nang International Airport is Vietnam’s third international airport, though at present international flights are limited to Laos and Singapore (on Silk Air). There are regular flights on both Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, taking about an hour to each destination. The airport is located three kilometres southwest of the city centre and a taxi into town costs about US$3; make sure the driver switches on the meter.
Getting around Da Nang
Da Nang is a big, sprawling city, and though it may be fun to take a spontaneous stroll and see where it leads you, walking gets tiring very quickly, so some other form of transport is necessary at times.
If you need transport just once in a while to go to a restaurant or visit a sight, taking a taxi or cyclo should be no problem. If there isn’t one waiting in front of your hotel, ask the receptionist to call one for you.
If you plan to spend several days here and feel you could cope with the traffic, bicycle rental is a cheap option that is worth considering. The area is mostly flat and journeys to places like My Khe Beach are easy. Bicycle rental can be arranged through most hotels for about US$1-2 a day, while motorbikes are in the region of US$5-7 a day.
Trains from Da Nang
The train station is located just under two kilometres west of the centre at 128 Hai Phong. While train travel is slow, the four-hour journey to or from Hue is one of the most scenic in the country and worth taking if you plan to visit both cities. A cyclo or motorbike taxi to the station will set you back around 10,000 dong from the centre of Da Nang.
Book tickets directly at the station to avoid paying travel agents commission. There are ten daily trains to Hanoi which take between 12 and 19 hours depending on which service you catch. There are also ten south departures to towards Ho Chi Minh City (15-23 hours) which stop en route at Nha Trang (9-12 hours).
Buses from Da Nang
Da Nang’s main bus station is about three kilometres west of the city centre, and a taxi into town costs US$2-3. Open-tour buses do not always make a stop in Da Nang, but passengers are normally set down by the Cham Museum on Bach Dang when they do. However, they will always pick-up or drop off if a booking is made, so try Sinh Café at 154 Bach Dang (Tel: +84 (0)511 384 3258).
Daily buses leave to Da Lat (14-17 hours) as wells as Hanoi (16 hours), Ho Chi Minh City (23 hours) Nha Trang (12 hours) and over the border to the Laotian capital of Vientiane (24 hours). Remember to book well in advance during peak season, weekends and national holidays.
