Four days is the most comfortable length for Da Nang. Three means rushing; five starts to repeat itself. Four is enough to see everything worth seeing and keep one morning where you do nothing at all.
This is the plan we build most often for guests staying four days, with real timings and three alternatives for the final day — because that is the day every kind of traveller wants something different from.
The shape of the trip
| Day | Theme | Main stops |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Beach and city | My Khe · Dragon Bridge · night market |
| Day 2 | Mountain | Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge, all day |
| Day 3 | Forest and heritage | Son Tra in the morning · Marble Mountains in the afternoon |
| Day 4 | Your choice | Hoi An · Hue · My Son · or a day at the beach |
Before you go
- Flights: arrive in the morning, leave late in the evening — that adds nearly a full day at no extra hotel cost.
- Hotel: stay in the My An – My Khe beach area for all three nights. Do not change hotels mid-trip.
- The only ticket to pre-book: Ba Na Hills.
- Pack: a light jacket for Ba Na, walking shoes, swimwear, sunscreen, a folding umbrella, a power bank and small notes of cash.
Day 1 — Settling in
| Time | What you do |
|---|---|
| 09.00 | Land; drop bags at the hotel |
| 10.00 | Late breakfast: mì Quảng or fish-cake noodle soup |
| 11.30 | Check in, rest through the heat |
| 15.30 | Swim at My Khe |
| 17.30 | Seaside coffee and sunset |
| 19.00 | Dinner: seafood or pork rice-paper rolls |
| 20.30 | Dragon Bridge, Love Bridge, APEC Park |
| 21.00 | Dragon Bridge fire show (weekends) |
Day one is deliberately light. You have just flown, and tomorrow is the heaviest day of the trip.
Day 2 — Ba Na Hills, all day
| Time | What you do |
|---|---|
| 06.30 | Leave the hotel |
| 07.45 | Cable car up |
| 08.15 | Golden Bridge, at its quietest |
| 09.30 | Le Jardin gardens, Debay wine cellar |
| 10.45 | French Village and the mountaintop pagoda |
| 12.00 | Buffet lunch |
| 13.30 | Fantasy Park |
| 15.30 | Back to the bridge if the sky has cleared; coffee |
| 16.30 | Cable car down; hotel by about 17.45 |
| 19.00 | A light dinner nearby |
Full detail in the Ba Na Hills guide.
Day 3 — Son Tra and the Marble Mountains
This is the day that makes four days better than three: you get both the forest and the heritage without cutting either.
| Time | What you do |
|---|---|
| 06.00 | Up to Son Tra; forest road, watching for langurs |
| 07.00 | Ban Co Peak — the city in early light |
| 08.15 | The thousand-year banyan |
| 09.00 | Linh Ung Pagoda at Bai But |
| 10.30 | Sea-view coffee, then back to the hotel |
| 12.00 | Lunch and a rest |
| 15.00 | Marble Mountains: Huyen Khong cave, Tam Thai pagoda, the terraces |
| 17.00 | Non Nuoc stone-carving village |
| 18.30 | Dinner and the Son Tra night market |
Note: if you want the light shaft inside Huyen Khong cave, flip the day around — Marble Mountains in the morning (9–11am) and Son Tra late in the afternoon.
Day 4 — Four ways to finish
Option A — Hoi An (the most popular)
| Time | What you do |
|---|---|
| 08.00 | Check out, leave bags at reception |
| 09.30 | Bay Mau coconut forest, basket-boat ride |
| 11.30 | Lunch: cao lầu, Hoi An chicken rice |
| 13.30 | Old town: Japanese Bridge, old houses, assembly halls |
| 16.00 | Coffee by the Hoai River |
| 17.30 | Lanterns and floating lamps |
| 19.30 | Dinner, collect bags, airport |
Option B — A full day in Hue
Leave at 7am through the Hai Van tunnel (or over the pass for the views), see the Imperial Citadel and one royal tomb, eat Hue food, and be back in Da Nang around 7pm. A long day — about four hours in the car — but worth it if you like history.
Option C — My Son in the morning, rest in the afternoon
The My Son Sanctuary is about 70 km away, so go early — the Cham towers have almost no shade. Back by around 1pm, with the afternoon at the beach.
Option D — Do nothing at all
It sounds like a waste, and it is the option many families choose without regretting it: a morning at the beach, a midday by the pool, an afternoon at a spa or a café. After three days of moving, this is what makes the trip feel like a holiday.
| Option | Suits | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| A — Hoi An | Almost everyone, especially first-timers | Crowded in the evening |
| B — Hue | Anyone interested in history and architecture | Four hours in the car |
| C — My Son | Archaeology, and an early finish | Hot and exposed |
| D — Rest | Families, older travellers | Nothing new to see |
Variations by group
Families with young children
Keep a midday rest every day. On day three, skip Ban Co Peak and visit only the pagoda. Choose option D, or a half-day in Hoi An, for day four.
Couples
Add sunset at Ban Co Peak and a dinner overlooking the Han River. Take option A and stay in Hoi An late.
Groups of friends
Take option B and drive out over the Hai Van Pass, or add rooftop bars and the night market.
Older travellers
Use the lift at the Marble Mountains and the funicular at Ba Na. Choose option D for day four, and skip Hue — the drive is too long.
What it costs
Per person, as a group of four, flying domestically.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return flight | 1,400,000₫ | 2,200,000₫ | 3,500,000₫ |
| Hotel, 3 nights (shared) | 750,000₫ | 1,800,000₫ | 4,500,000₫ |
| Ba Na Hills ticket | 900,000₫ | 900,000₫ | 1,200,000₫ |
| Other entrance fees | 150,000₫ | 300,000₫ | 500,000₫ |
| Food, 4 days | 800,000₫ | 1,400,000₫ | 2,500,000₫ |
| Transport | 500,000₫ | 900,000₫ | 1,500,000₫ |
| Total | ≈ 4.5m ₫ | ≈ 7.5m ₫ | ≈ 13.7m ₫ |
Checklist
- Ba Na tickets bought online
- Airport transfer booked
- Four-day forecast checked, so you know which day is clearest
- Light jacket, walking shoes, swimwear
- Small notes of cash
- Hotel address in Vietnamese
- Offline map of Da Nang and Hoi An
Mistakes to avoid
- Moving hotels to "try Hoi An". Packing and checking in costs half a day.
- Fitting in both Hue and Hoi An. Pick one, or every day involves a long drive.
- Leaving Ba Na until the last day. No spare day if the weather turns.
- Building in no rest at all. Da Nang is hot, and by day four everyone is tired.
- Dropping Son Tra. It is what a three-day trip has to cut — do not cut it when you have four.
Frequently asked questions
Is four days too many?
No. It is the most comfortable length: the main sights plus one flexible day.
Hue or Hoi An on day four?
First time in central Vietnam: Hoi An. Hue suits you better if you have already been to Hoi An or love history.
Should I sleep a night in Hoi An?
You can with four days, but we still suggest one fixed base. Hoi An is only 45 minutes away.
Which day should Ba Na be?
Day two — recovered from the flight, with two spare days if the weather is poor.
How many days do I need a car?
Days two, three and four leave the city. Grab covers day one.
Is My Son worth it?
Yes if you enjoy archaeology and Cham architecture. Go early; midday there is fierce.
Will children manage this plan?
Yes, with the midday rests and option D on day four.
What does four days cost?
About 4.5m ₫ on a budget and 7.5m ₫ mid-range per person, including a domestic flight.
Which season suits it best?
February to August. In the rainy season, reorder the days according to the forecast.
Could I go to the Cham Islands instead on day four?
Yes in the dry season. Do not commit to it in rough-sea months, when boats do not run.
In short
A good four-day plan has one easy day to arrive into, one full mountain day, one forest-and-heritage day, and one day that is yours. That last day is exactly what makes four days so much more relaxed than three.
Da Nang Rider covers all of it — airport transfers, Ba Na, Son Tra, the Marble Mountains, Hoi An, My Son and Hue, or full-day hire for your own plan. See the price list · Message us and we will fit the timings around your flights, free of charge.
Read next: The three-day itinerary · Da Nang travel guide · Trip planning checklist
