Da Nang & Hoi An: Golden Bridge, Marble Mountains & Dragon Bridge Tour

4.94

(157 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t really know what to expect from a day trip around Da Nang and Hoi An — I’d seen photos of that wild Golden Bridge with the giant hands but standing there is a different thing. Our guide, Minh, met us right at our hotel (early — I was still half-asleep) and before I knew it we were gliding up Ba Na Hills in this almost-silent cable car. The air turned cool and smelled like pine trees. Minh pointed out where the old French resort used to be, lost in the mist below. When we stepped onto the Golden Bridge, it felt like walking through a dream — sunlight flickering between clouds and those huge stone fingers holding up the walkway. There were crowds but somehow it didn’t matter; everyone was just quietly taking it in.

Lunch came next — nothing fancy, just hot noodles and crispy spring rolls at a local spot Minh picked (he teased me for using too much chili). Afterward we drove out toward Son Tra Peninsula. The Lady Buddha statue is massive — she faces the sea with this calm expression that made me pause longer than I thought I would. Local women were lighting incense at Linh Ung Pagoda nearby; the scent drifted on the breeze while monks chanted softly inside. It’s hard to describe how peaceful that felt.

We stopped at Dragon Bridge for photos — it’s all steel curves and bright yellow paint stretching over the river. Minh told us about how it breathes fire on weekends (I kind of wish we’d timed it for that), then we headed to Marble Mountains as late afternoon light hit the stone steps. Climbing up wasn’t easy (bring water!), but inside those caves it was cool and echoey, with little altars tucked away in corners. Sometimes you catch a bit of chanting or laughter bouncing off the walls. By sunset I was tired but happy — my legs ached but my head felt clear. There’s something about seeing Da Nang from all those angles in one day that sticks with you.