Da Nang & Hoi An: Food, Ancient Towns & Dragon Bridge Tour

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(807 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already brushing sand off our feet from My Khe Beach when our guide, Minh, waved us toward the van. The salty air stuck to my skin — not unpleasant, just sort of grounding. Da Nang’s skyline looked sharp against the pale morning haze. I’d never seen a beach so wide; locals in conical hats selling fruit along the boardwalk smiled at us as we passed. Minh pointed out the Dragon Bridge next — apparently it spits fire on weekends (we missed that, but just standing under its giant yellow coils was wild enough). Traffic here moves like water: fast but somehow gentle.

Coffee break came next — thick, almost chocolatey Vietnamese coffee in a tiny shop where fans spun lazily overhead. Minh laughed when I tried to say “cà phê sữa đá” right; I probably mangled it. After that, we drove up Son Tra Mountain. The road wound through jungle so green it felt unreal, cicadas buzzing loud enough to drown out my thoughts for a minute. Lady Buddha stood massive and calm above the bay; locals left incense at her feet and I caught the faintest scent drifting on the breeze. It was cooler up there — relief after the city heat.

Later in Hoi An Ancient Town, everything slowed down. Lanterns swayed over narrow streets lined with yellow walls and wooden shutters. Minh led us through Tan Ky Old House (the floorboards creaked underfoot) and into the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall where incense smoke curled around painted dragons. The Japanese Covered Bridge was smaller than I expected but beautiful in its quiet way; a couple of kids played nearby while their grandmother sold paper lanterns by the riverbank. We tried street food — something crispy with herbs I still can’t name — and watched as night markets flickered to life.

I didn’t expect to feel so at home wandering those old streets or sitting with strangers over bowls of noodles. Sometimes travel sneaks up on you like that — one minute you’re staring at a centuries-old bridge, next you’re laughing with your guide about how bad your Vietnamese is. Anyway, I still think about that soft golden light in Hoi An as we headed back toward Da Nang.