Things to Do in Ba Na Hills Besides Golden Bridge

About Ba Na Hills and its Golden Bridge

Ba Na hills is a former French hill station and now, a famous complex of entertainment in Da Nang city of Vietnam. It sits on an elevation of nearly 1,500 meters, above Ba Na – Nui Chua nature reserve that is 50 kilometers away from the city center. Thanks to this high location, the temperature here is ideal for leisure and recreational activities. Besides remains of French architecture, giant buildings with different uses, an amazing network of cable cars and the Golden bridge are added into the hills. Millions of visitors come to Ba Na hills every year, making it a top destination in the country. The bridge is a new phenomenon, bringing its reputation to Europe and Americans. It’s a dream to visit for many travelers, including social media users. Magazines praised it as Vietnam’s new wonder and described a walk on it as a once-in-the-lifetime experience.

Read also:

– Ba Na Hills Travel Guide

– Ba Na Hills Cable Car

– The Golden Bridge Visitor Guide

– How to Get to the Golden Bridge from Hoi An

Ba Na Hills World Record Cable Cars

The network of world record cable cars is one of the factors that make the far-reaching reputation of the Ba Na hills. The earliest one built was in 2009, and known as the longest cable car in the globe at the time. Its difference in elevation between departure and arrival stations was also larger than others elsewhere worldwide. Over the years, due to rapidly increasing tourists, three more cable cars have been constructed. All of them prove amazing Austrian engineering. See more details in Ba Na Hills cable car.

The experience in Ba Na hills cable car ride is absolutely unforgettable. Passengers from the cabin can admire nature with a diversity. There are rolling hills, dense jungle, waterfalls and outcrops of Ba Na – Nui Chua reserve, and the entire Da Nang city. The scenery becomes different when the weather changes. Going through clouds from the plain to reach the peak fascinates people a lot.

Read also: Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain) Travel Guide

The Fantasy Park (Amusement Park)

The Fantasy park of Ba Na hills is the first underground amusement park in Vietnam. Visitors don’t pay extra to play nearly 100 games, including a tall drop tower in the middle, rides, rolls, and many others. In other words, they’re included by Ba Na hills entrance fee. The ones with awards require money from players. There are three floors, named B1, B2 and B3, and people go floor to floor by escalators and elevators. B1 is nearest to the ground, and it has a wax museum. The park is designed according to inspiration from two world-famous novels. Its entrance is at the end of stairs by the Sun world globe.

Read also:

• Da Nang’s Amusement Park
• Hoi An’s Amusement Park

Ba Na Hills Alpine Coasters

There are two alpine coasters in Ba Na Hills, both outdoor and at the French village. Depending on the weather, they are operated or closed. From cable cars from the Golden bridge’s hill to the village, it’s easy to see the tracks, featuring impressive twists. Two adults will be in one car, one of them rides and the other may make videos or take photos. If alone, one person is still accepted to have a private car. The ride down, the rider can control how fast he/she moves, but the ride up, it’s automatically set by engineers. Small kids, elders and people with blood pressure, blood sugar or heart disease are not allowed to participate. At a point on the track, the camera photographs some pictures randomly, and players have the chance to see them later. They have to pay for printing.

Note: Visitors usually need to wait in long queues to have a ride in Ba Na hills alpine coasters.

Read also: Basket Boat Ride in Hoi An

See World-Famous People in the Wax Museum

Opened to the public in 2012, the Wax museum of Ba Na hills became the first of its kind in Vietnam. Today, it’s home of nearly 50 dummies representing famous celebrities all over the planet. Some personalities exhibited are Micheal Jackson (singer), Barack Obama (USA president), Nelson Mandela (great president of South Africa), Tiger Woods (professional golfer), Lady Gaga (American singer, songwriter), Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (actress and her husband), Psy (South Korean rapper), Lionel Messi (Argentina football player), etc. This museum is on the first (highest) floor of the Fantasy Park, accessible by escalators and elevators.

Note: Visitors need to pay for entry to the Wax museum of Ba Na hills. It’s excluded in the entrance fee of the whole hill station. The fee now is 100,000 VND for adults.

Read also:

• Museums in Da Nang
• Hoi An Museums

Climb to Nui Chua Summit – Top of Da Nang

Ba Na Hills sits on the highest mountain of Da Nang city – Nui Chua mount. Its highest point is 1,487 meters above sea level. Here, a couple of temples were built, for worship of the Mother Goddess and Lord Buddha, besides a bell tower and a stupa. The bell tower provides the best outlook to the entire French village and its surroundings, and visitors enjoy cool breezes while standing in it. Unlike other traditional temples in Vietnam, a robot stands there to hit the bell while Buddhist monks chant. The walk to Nui Chua peak – top of Da Nang starts from the church by the Sun world globe in the French village.

Read also: Mountain Temples in Da Nang

Visit Le Jardin D’Amour (the Gardens of Love)

Le Jardin D’Amour is a group of nine gardens between the Golden bridge and the big Buddha statue. There is the Love garden with a ballerina, and its surrounding gardens: the Grape garden, Memory garden, Mythology garden, Thought garden, Maze garden, Suoi Mo garden and Eden garden. The Holy garden is on the top of the hill, accessible by staircases from lower terraces. Each has its own style and design. Visitors will leisurely walk around the area, see colorful flowers varying in species and take pictures. In the afternoon or wet season, this piece of Ba Na hills is soaked into the midst, making it zen-like and quieter than previous hours. That’s why couples and romantic souls love to be here.

Read also: Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture

Learn about History in Debay Wine Cellar

Besides abandoned houses in the jungle, the Debay wine cellar is another survival of French Ba Na hills station. It’s built in 1923 to preserve wine bottles that were used in meals and parties of their owners. The beverage was brought from France. This 100-meters-long tunnel accommodates a bar, a dining room, a shelf and holes for private collections. In several holes, people made full use of cold water for a better preservation of wine. In the end of the cellar, that is a living bar where bartenders serve glasses and bottles of wines, both local and imported. Barbecue skewers outside are nice options to be accompanied.  

In 2023, Debay wine cellar entrance fee is 100,000 VND, including a cup of wine. It’s excluded in any Ba Na Hills tickets and combos.

Read also: Da Nang Cathedral (aka the Pink Church)

Sightsee the 2^nd Linh Ung Pagoda of Da Nang

Constructed in 2004, the Linh Ung pagoda of Ba Na hills became the second of its trio in Da Nang. The older one was built in the Marble mountains and the younger one is in Son Tra peninsula (aka the Monkey mountain). This Buddhist site has a temple to worship the Lord Buddha, facing the city and a 27-meters-tall Gautama Buddha statue on a higher terrace. The gate of the temple draws Instagrammers due to its glamorous design and pretty panoramic view from there. From the Golden bridge, visitors need to walk downhill all the time, through the flower gardens of Le Jardin D’Amour. From the Hoi An cable car station, there are two ways: getting the funicular up the hill and then walking downhill, and following the road and then climbing stairs.

Read also: The Lady Buddha of Da Nang

The Lunar Castle and the 2nd Ba Na Hills Funicular Ride

The Lunar Castle (Lau dai Mat Trang) is one of brand new buildings at Ba Na Hills’s French Village. From the cable car connecting the Golden hands bridge and the village, visitors can see it to the left. To get there, after landing, it’s needed to come to the Moon Square (Quang truong Anh Trang) and then follow the road to the right side. En route, the Giant man carrying a heavy stone is a popular stop for photos. Like the two hands of the Golden bridge, itself and the surroundings are constructed by fiberglass.

Instead of walking back, visitors can have a funicular ride that is the second in Ba Na Hills. First of all, let’s enter the Lunar Castle and then go downstairs to come to underground Hang Rong station (“the Dragon Den”). The ride will be around 10 minutes, and the train stops at Gieng Than station, inside the Arapang restaurant. After that, just go upstairs by escalators to return to outdoor areas. 

Festivals and Celebrations in Ba Na Hills

Festivals and celebrations are organized in Ba Na hills all year round, in all seasons. Several times a day, visitors can come to the Dome square to witness outdoor performances carried out by European artists. After the show, the audience has the chance to take pictures with them. While wandering around, please ask the staff to check what available on the day and where to see. Due to bad weather, rainy or cloudy, the performances may be shut down without any prior announcements.

In the year, for more special celebrations, travelers should visit Ba Na hills in international and Vietnamese holidays or famous festivals of the world. By that, the experience in each one makes it different from previous and later ones. Decorations are unlike each other. Therefore, the hill station also draws second time travelers who repeat their visit alone, with friends, family or lover.

Read also:

• Festivals in Da Nang
• Festivals in Hoi An

Tru Vu Tra Quan Teahouse

This teahouse is located in one of the most peaceful places in Ba Na hills, by Nui Chua summit. It features houses of traditional style where a variety of tea options is catered. The atmosphere is totally zen-like. Visitors can be here to chill out, enjoy nice temperature, chat with friends and slowly sip high-quality tea with special flavours.

Read also: The Best Coffee Shops in Hoi An

The Ba Na Hills Golf Course and Club

At the foot of Ba Na hills, before the cable car stations, the Ba Na hills golf course (club) is a world-class facility designed by a former world number one golfer. It’s currently managed by IMG and has been awarded as the best golf course of Asia. This 18-holes area has driving ranges, upscale clubhouse and a bonus of mountain views. So, besides visiting and experiences in Ba Na hills, jet setters can think of spending time here. It welcomes golfers at all levels and expertises.

Read also: Golf Courses in Da Nang

Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Day Tour

Guided tours to Ba Na hills and the Golden bridge, from Da Nang or Hoi An, are available daily. Visitors will depart (or be picked up) in the morning, and arrive at the hotel before it’s dark. The drive from Da Nang centre is 45-60 minutes, and from Hoi An, that is around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Most tour operators reserve Ba Na hills tickets (and lunch) in advance, so after arriving, visitors go directly to the cable car stations. The Golden bridge and everything in the same hill are in the itinerary before having lunch in a buffet restaurant. The French village and the amusement park are arranged to visit later. Private tours are more flexible, so the plan may be changed to fit personal requirements. Read details in Ba Na hills and Golden bridge day tour.

If traveling by yourself, you can consider booking a car and reserve tickets in advance. The price of a roundtrip fluctuates from 800,000 to 1,200,000 VND. Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to book.

Read also: Hoi An Day Trip from Da Nang

The Golden Bridge Sunrise (Early Morning) Tour

To beat the heat and crowds in the Golden Bridge and Ba Na hills, many travelers would love to depart their trip in the early morning. The earliest cable cars are operated at 8 am (but earlier in the dry months). Therefore, people who stay in Da Nang may leave the hotel at 7 am and from Hoi An, it’s 6:30 am. If interested in a tour, read our Golden Bridge sunrise tour for more details.

If traveling by yourself, you need a private car and ticket reservation, to save time. Price of a round trip by 4 seater and 7 seater car ranges from 800,000 to 1,200,000 VND, no matter Da Nang or Hoi An. At the present, Ba Na hills ticket costs each adult 850,000 VND, for entry and cable cars. For those who don’t plan to spend a lot of time there, this is a suitable choice. Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to book a car and reserve tickets.

Read also: How to Get to Golden Bridge from Hoi An