Unforgettable Journey: 9 Days Exploring Da Nang, Hue, and Hoi An! ✈️📌
Get ready to dive into the heart of Central Vietnam with this comprehensive 9-day itinerary! From stunning beaches to historical sites and mouthwatering cuisine, I'll share my personal experience exploring Da Nang, Hue, and Hoi An.
Must-Visit Cafes in Da Nang ☕
These are the cafes that captured my heart (and Instagram feed!) during my time in Da Nang. Get ready for some serious chill vibes!
- Son Tra Maria: (Marina) Seriously, GO! Think Santorini vibes right in Vietnam.
- Dreamer: (230 Nguyen Cong Tru, Son Tra) A charming garden cafe, perfect for a relaxing evening or capturing beautiful afternoon photos.
- Ti:cee Coffee: (45A/1 Ngo Gia Tu, Hai Chau) This cafe is decked out like a Korean subway! Dress in black and white for the ultimate photo shoot.
- P Coffee: (53-55 Nguyen Van Linh, Hai Chau) This place is HUGE and gorgeous. Explore all the floors - don't miss the best one (unlike me on my first visit)!
- Esco Beach: (Man Thai Beach) A beachfront coffee & bar on My Khe Beach that's a must-visit! Super beautiful and with amazing photo ops.
Delicious Eats in Da Nang 🍔
Confession: I wasn't feeling my best during my time in Da Nang, so I couldn't explore the food scene as much as I wanted. But here are my top two recommendations (and one disappointment):
- Best: Xeo Restaurant. Absolutely delicious and affordable! Everything I tried was amazing.
- Disappointment: Banh Trang Cuon Thit Heo at Tran Restaurant. Over 200k for a single portion of pork rolls that was just...meh.
- Don't Miss: Explore Con Market and Bac My An Market for tons of local treats like Banh Trang Cuon Bi My, avocado ice cream, and Da Nang-style snails.
3 Days in Hue: A Historical Adventure 🏯
Hue is a city steeped in history and culture. Here's how I spent my 3 days exploring this fascinating destination.
What to See in Hue
- Imperial City (Dai Noi): Renting traditional clothing (200k including accessories) is a MUST! The red doors make for incredible photos.
- An Dinh Palace: This yellow villa is incredibly photogenic. Note that interior photography is not allowed.
- Trang Tien Bridge: Walk along the wooden path underneath for stunning views of the bridge.
- Lebadang Memory Space: (15 Le Loi, Vinh Ninh) Honestly, it's far, the entrance fee is steep (269k VND), and the scenery isn't that impressive. It felt more like a cafe with a few photo spots. The museum inside is small and photography is prohibited. Unless you're a serious art enthusiast, I wouldn't recommend it.
Where to Eat in Hue
- Dong Ba Market
- Bun Mam Me Thao
- Com Hen Han Mac Tu
- Banh Canh Cua Pham Hong Thai
- Banh Mi Dong Ba
- Hoang Hoa Tham Night Food Street
- Che (sweet soup) at the Citadel or any street vendor
Charming Cafes in Hue ☕
If you have time, be sure to check out these beautiful cafes for some Instagram-worthy moments:
- Tron Cafe: (5/21 Le Quy Don) A quiet, healing, and super chill space.
- Tan Cafe: (86 Dinh Tien Hoang) Very beautiful and famous, with delicious drinks.
- S X M XL Coffee: (18 Thai Phien) Trendy minimalist style combined with a Korean-style garden.
- Sline Coffee Signature: (7 Pham Hong Thai) Korean style, every corner is beautiful, white & beige tones are super pretty.
- Hue Oi Cafe aka Da:me Cafe: (34 Chu Van An) Cute, simple, friendly staff, delicious drinks, conveniently located in the center and has a "Hue Oi" wall for check-in photos.
3 Days in Hoi An: Ancient Town Charm 🏮
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's bursting with charm. Here's my experience exploring this magical town.
Where to Stay in Hoi An
- Thalia Boutique (Bo Ho 2): (900k/night) I had a great experience here! Beautiful space, friendly decor, bar, breakfast, and chill pool.
- Dechiu Hotel (23 Nguyen Phan Vinh): (1200k/night) High price but no pool or play area. Beautiful design, good breakfast. Close to An Bang Beach. Unfortunately, there was a centipede in my room.
- Palm View Villa (Tran Nhan Tong): (1000k/night) Overall, this place is pretty good with a private pool for each room. Very spacious and green decor. However, a lot of dusty decor and inconvenient design. The highlight is the bathtub with a pool view.
- Lacasa (116 Ngo Quyen): If you just need a place to rest, I highly recommend Lacasa. Very clean, cute, and looks high-end, but only costs around 350-500k/night.
Where to Eat in Hoi An
Quick reviews of the places I ate:
- Com Ga Ba Buoi: The flavor wasn't my favorite. I went because it's famous.
- Com Ga Ba Nga: Okay, edible.
- Quan Bep Nha: Same as Com Ga Ba Nga.
- Hoi An Cuisine: Absolutely delicious! Try the Mi Quang Ca Loc (Quang noodle with snakehead fish).
- Gieng Ba Le: Very delicious drinks, super crowded.
- Hoi An Market: Try many dishes at once.
Things to Do in Hoi An
- Ky Uc Hoi An (Hoi An Memories Show):
- Definitely worth watching.
- Very interesting and satisfying experience.
- Full schedule except for Tuesdays.
- Go in the afternoon around 5 PM to see the mini-shows and the Memories Park instead of waiting until 8 PM for the main show.
- An Bang Beach, visit The Duck House restaurant.
- Foot massage at spas along the road, especially near the wooden bridge. Very cheap (around 100k/30 minutes).
- Chill cafes:
- Cam Coffee n More (very cute, near the center)
- Roving Chill House (romantic rice field cafe, a bit far from the center)
- Ba Muoi Met Vuong (small, cute, lovely)
- Nha Chung Fefe Coffee (delicious drinks, healing space, but far)
- Tiem Ca Phe Hoa Cuc (chill, small, poetic, but not great for photos)
- Cafes at the old town intersection
- Rent a bicycle early in the morning and cycle through the yellow alleys of Hoi An (rental fee around 50k/time).
Getting Around 🚖✈️
- Flight: Hanoi ✈️ Da Nang (Vietnam Airlines)
- Train: Da Nang to Hue to enjoy the super beautiful route (190k VND, booked on Momo with seat selection)
P.S. I traveled solo on this trip, and all the photos were taken with a tripod!
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful trip!
Credit: Bui Le My Dung