A One-Day Backpacking Adventure in Da Nang — Exploring the City Like a Local

Are you someone who loves exploring?

Do you enjoy backpacking trips with complete freedom, without fixed schedules or rigid plans?

Do you feel drawn to nature and the thrill of riding a motorbike, stopping wherever a beautiful view catches your eye?

If your answer is yes, then this one-day backpacking adventure in Da Nang is made for you. This is a journey we’ve personally experienced — and now, we’d love to share it with you. No rush, no pressure — just the early morning sun, the blue sea, the lush mountains of Son Tra Peninsula, and some of the most scenic roads in the city, waiting for you to discover at your own pace.

Da Nang has everything: mountains, forests, rivers, beaches, iconic landmarks, fun entertainment areas, and plenty of photogenic spots for those “check-in” moments. But if you’re like me — someone who loves freedom, exploration, and moving at your own pace — traveling light and riding a motorbike is hands down the best way to experience this city.

For this one-day trip, I chose a simple yet classic route: My Khe Beach and Son Tra Peninsula, with several beautiful stops along the way that you can casually drop by without rushing.      

Getting Ready: Transportation & Outfit

Let’s start with transportation. A manual motorbike is the best option, especially if you plan to ride up Son Tra Peninsula. In recent years, management has restricted automatic scooters from going past the InterContinental area due to steep slopes and safety concerns. Manual bikes give you much better control on uphill roads.

As for what to wear — honestly, wear whatever you like. Just make sure it’s comfortable. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a light jacket are highly recommended because Da Nang can get pretty hot, especially with temperatures ranging from 28–35°C (82–95°F).

Early Morning Start: Chasing the Sunrise at My Khe Beach

If you don’t want to miss one of nature’s most magical moments, set your alarm for around 4:30 AM (or even earlier). Leave the house at about 4:50 AM, and you’ll reach the beach around 5:00 AM, which is perfect. Sunrise in Da Nang usually happens between 5:00–5:30 AM.

Riding through the city at this hour feels amazing — the streets are quiet, the air is cool and fresh, and you instantly feel more energized.    

You can stop anywhere along Vo Nguyen Giap coastal road to catch the sunrise. The areas where more people usually head to the beach include T20 Beach near Nguyen Van Thoai Street, My An Beach between Nguyen Van Thoai and Vo Van Kiet, and the section where Vo Van Kiet meets Pham Van Dong Beach, also known as East Sea Park.

From the Pham Van Dong area onward, the beach becomes less crowded. As you continue toward Linh Ung Pagoda, there are a few spots where you can see locals pulling fishing nets in the early morning — a simple but beautiful scene at dawn.

It’s very easy to choose a nice place to enjoy the sea while riding along Vo Nguyen Giap Road. Early in the morning, you can just park your bike neatly along the curb or follow where others have parked. Don’t forget to lock the steering — people in Da Nang are friendly, but it’s always better to be cautious in case a few others aren’t as trustworthy as you’d hope.

Take a walk along the beach, sit quietly and watch the waves, capture a few memorable moments, or join in with locals playing badminton, walking, jogging, football, volleyball, practicing yoga or breathing exercises, lying on the sand, or going for a swim. There are countless activities happening on the beach, so you’re free to enjoy it in whatever way suits you best. And most importantly, don’t forget to watch the moment when the sun slowly rises behind soft pink clouds on the horizon.

Good morning with a full burst of positive energy. Photo: The NAVIS.

Breakfast Time: Fueling Up Like a Local

After enjoying the beach, it’s time for breakfast. You can ride slightly inland, where you’ll find countless local food spots serving pho, bun, mi quang, banh mi, xoi, banh xeo, and more. The flavors are rich, authentic, and perfect for powering up your day.

Rules and regulations at the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree.   Photo: The NAVIS

With our energy fully recharged for the day, we continued our ride up Son Tra Peninsula. If you happen to forget bringing water, be sure to stop and grab a few bottles along the way — by around 9 a.m., the sun becomes quite intense, and you’ll definitely feel thirsty.

On the way up Son Tra, there are plenty of places you can easily stop by: Green Lake, a popular spot for wedding photos; Dong Dinh Museum; Linh Ung Pagoda; Bai Rang Beach, where the famous Obama Rock area is absolutely stunning; Ghenh Bang; roads lined with bougainvillea and flame trees; the monkey statues near the InterContinental resort; the lighthouse; and the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree.

And this is just the route along Vo Nguyen Giap coastal road — Son Tra Peninsula itself has many more roads leading to equally fascinating hidden spots.

The roads are beautiful and the scenery is amazing, but some sections are very steep, so remember to shift down to second gear when needed. You could easily spend the entire morning wandering around this area without getting bored at all — whenever you see a nice view, just stop, take photos, and sometimes even film a random TikTok for fun and laughter.

That’s the beauty of backpacking in a small group: you’re free with both time and destinations. So if you get the chance, hop on a manual motorbike and ride up Son Tra Peninsula yourself — and see if it gives you the same unforgettable feeling it gave us.

This is a beautiful spot to stop, take a break, and admire the Sơn Trà Peninsula.   Photo: The NAVIS.

Stopping here, you’ll find many large rock formations and a stunning view like the one shown below.

Sơn Trà Peninsula – absolutely breathtaking!   Photo: The NAVIS

That day, we stopped at a particularly beautiful stretch of road not far from the InterContinental area. Several massive boulders lined the roadside, and from a distance, you could see a long strip of white sandy bay gently curving along the foot of the mountain. Because the view is so breathtaking, many people pull over here to take a few photos, rest for a while, and escape the sun — making it a truly pleasant spot to pause and soak in the scenery.

After taking in the scenery, we continued on to the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree. Just ride straight until you reach a three-way intersection, where a sign will guide you to turn right toward the tree. There is no entrance fee to visit this spot. The banyan tree stands right beside the road, so when you see benches and informational signs along the roadside, you’ll know you’ve arrived. On clear days, you can even spot Cu Lao Cham Island in the distance — something we learned while chatting with the local guard.

The guard not only looks after the banyan tree but also sells cold drinks and fresh coconuts, which is very convenient for visitors, and the prices are quite reasonable.

The Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree is estimated to be around 800 years old. It belongs to the mulberry family, stands about 22 meters tall, and has a combined circumference of 85 meters for its main trunk and secondary root clusters. Historically, this area served as a revolutionary base for local militia and resistance forces from Quang Nam and Da Nang during two wars against foreign invaders.

The tree itself is enormous. You’ll be amazed by how solid and deeply rooted its aerial roots are — some of them are even thicker than the old street trees you see around the city. And those are just the secondary roots. The main trunk is unimaginably massive, with the aerial roots weaving into it to form a one-of-a-kind structure that’s incredibly rare.

From here, you can look out over the city of Da Nang, which appears tiny in the distance. Buildings that rise dozens of stories high shrink to no more than the size of a finger. We took this moment to sit down, cool off from the heat, enjoy a cold drink, and chat with the local guard before continuing our journey toward Tien Sa Lighthouse.

Sơn Trà is home to many adorable red-shanked douc langurs — if you’re lucky, you might spot a few of them.

We’ve arrived at the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree.      Photo: The NAVIS.

The Son Tra management board has put up signs requesting that visitors do not feed the langurs, as doing so would disrupt their natural habits and way of life.

The main trunk of the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree. Photo: The NAVIS.

Seeing the Thousand-Year-Old Banyan Tree in person is truly extraordinary. A phone camera simply can’t capture its full scale.

It’s impossible to capture the entire banyan tree with a phone camera because it’s simply too massive.   

This photo only shows the aerial roots.    Photo: The NAVIS. 

To reach the lighthouse, we rode back to the previous intersection and took the upper road. This section is slightly narrower, and in some places, sand has been washed onto the road, so be extra cautious while riding. The slope is quite steep, so shifting down to second gear will give you better control and power.

After riding a little over 2 kilometers from the intersection, keep an eye out for an almond tree with a sign that reads “Hai Dang Tien Sa.” Straight ahead is what looks like a plant nursery — possibly Nhat Lam Thuy Trang. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a small downhill road. Ride down that path and you’ll arrive at the lighthouse.

This is the workplace of about six to seven staff members, whose daily job is to monitor and maintain the operation of the lighthouse.

There are two hammocks under a mango tree, which are perfect for resting and staying cool. If you bring a bit of food, it’s actually a great spot for a relaxed lunch break. The jackfruit trees are heavy with fruit, and the grounds are clean and well kept. Visitors usually contribute 20,000 VND per person as a small fee to support cleaning and maintenance. It’s also important not to touch any of the equipment or machinery at the lighthouse, as these are essential tools for the staff’s work.

The yellow lighthouse is very photogenic, with a wide, open view stretching all the way to the horizon. All that riding under the summer sun was absolutely worth it.

From Tien Sa Lighthouse, the sea and sky seem to merge into one.     Photo: The NAVIS.

From Tien Sa Lighthouse, we decided to head back to the city, as we had already explored many parts of Son Tra Peninsula on previous trips.

We’ve been to Bai But, Bai Rang, and Ghenh Bang — all of them are absolutely amazing, with clear, refreshing water and huge rocky formations. At Bai Rang, there are shelters where you can rest and eat, and several small bridges extending toward the sea that are popular spots for wedding photos.

The path down to Ghenh Bang can be a bit challenging if it’s your first time. The slope is steep, and the trail is narrow, rocky, and surrounded by vegetation, so you need to be careful. Near the shoreline, there’s a spot suitable for overnight camping. Once, I camped here with friends — eight girls, pretty daring — bringing fruit and meat to grill. It was an incredible experience and a truly valuable memory from our youth.

Just remember to take all your trash back with you. I’ve seen groups before who gathered their trash in one place; every couple of days, the local guard comes down to collect plastic waste and burn it on-site. At Ghenh Bang, the guard only charges about 10,000 VND per person or per bike, and he can also keep an eye on the area overnight for those camping there.

Even spending several days, it’s impossible to explore all the spots open to visitors on Son Tra Peninsula — let alone write about all of them. So honestly, just grab your backpack and go.

If you still have time or energy after coming back from Son Tra, you can head to Marble Mountains, Hoi An, or Bay Mau Coconut Forest, all located along the same coastal direction. If you’ve already ridden far in the morning and the heat gets intense, you might prefer a lighter afternoon — resting or casually exploring the city.

You can visit Con Market, Han Market, or Bac My An Market to sample countless local dishes; stop by Da Nang Cathedral; walk along the Han River wooden promenade; check out Love Bridge and Da Nang’s famous bridges; or hop between countless stylish cafés with different vibes, perfect for check-in photos.

In the evening, you can enjoy cao lau or Hoi An-style mi quang, take a lantern boat ride, watch people play bai choi, or stroll through the Old Town. Alternatively, enjoy Da Nang seafood, visit Asia Park, explore Helio Night Market, relax at an acoustic café, or choose a high-view café to admire Da Nang glowing at night, watch the Han River Bridge rotate, or take a cool walk along the beach. On weekends, Dragon Bridge breathes fire, and East Sea Park often hosts lively outdoor music events.

If one day feels like too much, don’t push yourself. Pick a few places you truly like and travel in a way that feels comfortable, so you can stay excited and enjoy every moment.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this quick yet memorable backpacking journey, just like the day we explored Son Tra together. We’ll be sharing more Da Nang itineraries soon — from 2-day and 3-day trips to longer adventures for those who want to explore deeper.

Wishing you unforgettable journeys and beautiful memories in Da Nang!

Written by Lan

Translated by Thanh