1 Day Trip to Ba Na Hills & Golden Hand Bridge

Day 2 of our Da Nang trip took us to Ba Na Hills – a place we’d seen all over blogs and TikTok. With the hype, we wanted to find out if it was really worth the trip.

We had two main goals for the day: see the Golden Bridge (aka the “giant golden hand bridge”) and explore the French-inspired theme park.

Getting to Ba Na Hill

We opted for a private round-trip car, booked through Klook, which made getting there and back easy. I think they offer shuttle bus as well but the schedule was more rigid so we went for the private car option.

If I recalled correctly, we paid S$15 for the car, but I think the price has since increased. I think you can also buy a Ba Na Hill package that includes the transport + ticket option, that might be a more affordable option too.

We lef at 7am and the drive took about an hour from our Da Nang hotel, and reached the cable car at 8am, just as it opened.

SunWorld Ba Na Hills Base Station

When we arrived at the base station for Ba Na Hills Sun World, we were immediately struck by the grand architecture. The Sun World base station itself already has plenty of photo spots all around.

But since mornings tend to be less crowded, we didn't linger too long here and bought our tickets on the spot (if you’re worried about lines, buying online is also an option). The line was short and it took us 5 mins before getting into the cable car.

The Cable Car: World's Longest Non-Stop Ride

The cable car ride is an attraction in itself. This is apparently the world’s longest non-stop cable car (5,771.61m) and we took 25 mins to get up.

Famous Golden Hand Bridge

Our first stop after the cable car ride was the Golden Bridge, the iconic “giant hand bridge” held up by two enormous stone hands. Even though it’s a man-made attraction, it felt mythical – like something out of a Chinese fantasy period drama.

We spent close to an hour here, taking many photos. I highly recommend arriving as early as possible if you want to avoid the throngs of tourists. By late morning, it was already quite packed, especially with large tour groups from domestic travellers and China tour groups.

Some tourists we met said they stayed overnight at the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills, allowing them to capture early-morning shots without the crowds. While this sounded like a good option, we decided against that option because the hotel prices were quite steep.

The French Village at Ba Na Hills

After Golden Bridge, we entered the French Village, which looked straight out of a medieval European town. With cobblestone streets, gothic-style architecture, and even a cathedral, it’s easy to forget we were in Southeast Asia for a moment. The cooler air only added to the effect.

This area / theme park is huge, with different zones to explore and endless little nooks. There’s a mix of restaurants, cafes, and quaint spots that feel like a European city. I found it quite enjoyable just wandering here and soaking up the atmosphere.

Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple and Nghinh Phong Tower

As we wandered around, we made our way over to the Linh Chua Linh Tu temple area. This spot felt distinctly different, with beautiful temples and pagodas influenced by Buddhist and Chinese architecture. This area seemed more calm, which is a nice contrast to the busier French Village area.

One of my highlights in this area is the Nghinh Phong Tower, a Chinese-style padoga with rolling hills in the background.

This area really made us realize how varied Ba Na Hill is. Each section has its own unique vibe.

Alpine Coaster Ba Na Hills: Long Queue Quick Thrill

After exploring the areas, we decided to go for some rides, since Ba Na Hill is actually a theme park.

We decided to try the Alpine Coaster. It’s like a mini manual roller-coaster where you control the speed by pushing a lever to accelerate and pulling to brake.

We also had to keep a distance from the person in front of us to avoid collisions. This meant the line moved quite slowly and we queued 25-30 minutes for a 2 min ride.

They have a Fantasy Park theme park zone, which is apprently largest indoor theme park in Vietnam. For those who have a lot of time, you can play for a long time without having to worry about sweating because it is almost all indoors.

By the time we finished the coaster, it was almost 2pm, and we were feeling tired since we started the day early. We took the cable car back down to the base station and headed back to Da Nang city.

What we skipped

On the way down, we considered stopping at the 9 gardens at the mid-level area. We did notice many older people entering the area, but by that point, we were pretty tired and weren’t particularly excited about seeing gardens.

If you have the stamina and a full day to spend at Ba Na Hill, it might be worth a visit, but we decided to save our time for other parts of the trip.

Honest Review of Ba Na Hills - Is it worth visiting?

Reflecting on our visit, I’d say that Ba Na Hill resembles a man-made theme park akin to Disneyland, but with a focus on creating a natural aesthetic with its structures rather than movie characters. I found it quite weird because its man-made, but it looks natural and well-worn.

Also, the mix of high altitude, occasional mist, and separate, distinct areas made me feel like I was stepping into different countries within a single place. Although the price can be high for a SEA country, if you manage to be in Da Nang during an off-peak period, it can be worth it to go.

When to visit Ba Na Hills?

We visited in June during peak summer. While it was warm, the Ba Na Hills weather at that altitude was pleasantly cool. I'd say ideal time to visit Ba Na Hills would be March or April, when it's cooler but the mist is not as intense.

I would advise against visiting between October and February due to the rainy season, as the mist can obscure views.