As I sipped my coffee from the beachside cafe with my laptop out, looking over the vast blue beach, I wondered how life could get any better. I pinched myself in hopes of not waking up from a dream, but even if it were a good dream, there would still be that kickass Thai restaurant around the corner. Hopefully memories serves good kra prao gai (basil chicken) just like in real life.
Welcome to Da Nang, Vietnam. The place where you can rest and hide away from the pollution and nastiness of the world on an amazing budget. Here are some of my favorite activities to do when scouring the streets of this amazing digital nomad hideaway.
Fun Activities for Digital Nomads in Da Nang, Vietnam
1. Surfing in Da Nang
Da Nang has a small, but amazing, surf community that meets up every morning and evening to catch some good waves. All the surfers here are super friendly and will help you to find the best breaks and times to hit the waves.
Don’t know how to surf? No problem! There are some great surf instructors that I met on My Khe beach who charge 750,000 VND (~$32 USD) for a 2 hour lesson. Just look for the surfboards across from the Rosamia Hotel, and talk with the guys who look like surfer dudes. They’re super friendly and might even invite you to hang out at the surfer hangout FAYA and do some rounds in the skateboarding bowl.
2. Ba Na Hills — The European Experience in Da Nang
Now I’m not too much of a fan of $8 beers and expensive food, but I am a fan of new experiences that shock you a bit. Welcome to Ba Na Hills, a trip about 45 minutes from Da Nang City that makes you feel like you’re in Germany more than in Vietnam. You’ll get access to Bavarian dances, live music performances, great food, and some really nice views of the ocean from the top of the mountain!
Tickets to get in are about 750,000 VND (~$33 USD) unless you can find them at a discount online on their site for the day.
Note: timing of your visit here is key. Ba Na Hills gets really foggy and can ruin the views of your visit, so try to plan your trip early in the morning or during the non-rainy season here.
3. Food Hopping in My An Neighborhood
My An (pronunciation: MEE-an) is one of the best little neighborhoods and a favorite to stay in for digital nomads. Not just for the cheap rent, but for the amazing food selections you’ll have!
In My An, you can find all sorts of amazing food. Here are my favorites (Google Maps links included)…
- Thai Food — Mai Thai cuisine
- Indian Food — Maharaja Indian Restaurant
- Pizza — Gordon’s New York Pizza & Craft Beer
- Burgers & American — Bikini Bottom Express
- Breakfast / Brunch — Bro’s Kafe
- Coffee & Sandwiches — Breco Cafe
- Vietnamese Bun Cha — Bún chả Obama
- Vegan Food — iVEGAN Da Nang
The best part is that all of these restaurants are within walking distance from wherever you stay AND the beach. What I loved to do is do surfing in the morning and stop by Breco Cafe for a breakfast bahn mi to satisfy my surfing muscles! The Thai food at Mai Thai is also amazing and just as authentic as the Thai food you’d find in Bangkok.
4. Motorbiking to Hue from Da Nang (Hai Van Pass)
This is an amazing full-day trip that you cannot miss, and it’s actually where I first learned to ride a motorbike!
Hai Van Pass is an amazing trip to Hue that will let you get in some breathtaking sights along the way. Just rent a motorbike for 120,000 VDN (~$5.20 USD) for the day and get a full tank of gas for the trip. It’s amazing!
5. Day Trip to Hoi An
If you’re a fan of fancy pictures and really bad overpriced coffee, come to Hoi An for the day! I’m a bit jaded on Hoi An because of the coffee fiascos I’ve had there, but overall it’s a great place to get some amazing pictures. The mustard yellow (is that a color?) walls provide great contrast and beautiful backgrounds for profile and wedding photos. Every Vietnamese girl is dressed in her most fancy ao dai dress to take pictures, and you can grab some nice leatherwork or clothes from many of the street vendors.
There’s so much more to do in Da Nang, but I also recommend it for digital nomads because…
- Cheap Accommodation: great places to stay in My An cost about ~$10–13 USD/night. You can search for places on Airbnb or just go to the Da Nang Expats Facebook group and ask around.
- Friendly People: Coming from Saigon, you’ll find that people here are more relaxed and chill than in the big cities. They take time to ask you questions and enjoy your company.
- Great Internet: Internet here is free and easy to get on (no creating AIS profiles for WIFI {I’m looking at you Bangkok…}