About this activity

Son Tra Peninsula is a national park in Da Nang, with stunning beaches, dens rain forest, mountains and rare animals. It is a 20 minute drive from the city, making it the perfect place to escape from the busy city life to explore the wild and beautiful peninsula.

The mountain is also called the Son Tra peninsula and is surrounded by pristine beaches. It used to be a prominent observation base during the war between America and Vietnam, with two radar domes that have now been taken over by the Vietnamese army and a helicopter platform, which provides a nice vantage point.

How to get there

The best way to visit Son Tra is by renting a scooter in Da Nang or Hoi An. Keep in mind that Hoi An is an hour away, so it costs two hours more (round trip). The way is fairly simple, but it is useful to use a navigation app such as Google Maps or Maps.me.

Another option is to go on a tour. With a tour you don’t have to drive yourself and you are sure to see the highlights of Son Tra. The disadvantage may be that you have less freedom, unless you book a private tour.

An alternative to a tour is to rent a car with driver for a day.

Son Tra Peninsula highlights

1. Scooter or motorbike trip

Exploring the Son Tra is best done with a scooter or motorbike, because some of the roads are hard to access by car, like the road to the Banyan tree or the lighthouse. Driving a scooter or motorbike through this are is a great adventure. The is almost no traffic and the roads are in good condition. However, do not forget that you need a scooter with good brakes and strong enough to ride up steep hills. Semi automatic (automatic not allowed).

2. Look at the Douc Langur

Son Tra National Park is home to the Red Shanked Douc (Douc Langur), a very rare monkey, who is a bit shy and does not like interaction with people. Here and there you see special ropes hung over the road to make it easier for the monkeys to cross it and not be hit by a passing vehicle.

3. Beaches on Son Tra

The beaches on Son Tra are a lot less touristy than the beaches that are right next to Da Nang. Combine a day with driving around on Son Tra with relaxing on their quiet beautiful beach. Please note that there are a number of beaches that are owned by a resort.

• Tien Sa Beach: Offers a beautiful stretch of beach with virtually no tourists, and especially some local fishermen.
• Bai Rang: It is quiet and beautiful beach. A great place for a Vietnamese lunch in the restaurant with a nice location in a small hut above the sea.
• Da Den Beach (Black Stone Beach): It is a secluded beach and unique in the area thanks to the many large black stones. Relax here after all your discoveries and go swimming before returning to Da Nang.
• South Beach (Bai Nam): A small bay with sandy beach surrounded by rocks that is the exclusive property of the Son Tra Resort. It is possible to use the beach here during the day if you also eat at the resort’s restaurant. The view of the sunset is spectacular.
• Bai But: The first beach on the south side of the peninsula. It is not quite the pristine paradise since the opening of the Buddha Beach Resort, but a nice place to visit on a quiet day.
• North Beach (Bai Bac): Because of the beautiful scenery here, SunGroup has chosen to build a 5-star resort called InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula.

4. Linh Ung Pagoda

At the beginning of the Son Tra peninsula, you see a long white female Buddha statue facing the sea. This image protects the local fishermen and gives them the strength to fight against the waves and the wind. This Buddha also marks the entrance to the Son Tra Linh Ung Pagoda, one of the most beautiful temple complexes in this part of Vietnam. You will find here various statues, temples and a gate with multiple arches.

5. Ban Co Peak

Both literally and figuratively, Ban Co Peak is the highlight of Son Tra. From this point you have a great view of the peninsula and Da Nang. Admission here is free, but you have to pay 2000 VND for parking. Ban Co Peak is also famous for the statue of Confucius. This bronze statue of the great chess philosopher is a tribute to the man, who has greatly influenced Eastern culture.

6. The thousand year old tree

The giant banyan tree is a nice stop for a short break. The tree is estimated to be nearly 1000 years old. Its root assembly has grown into new trunks that support massive structures from the center. This banyan tree has a circumference of 10 meters with 26 new trunks that are approximately 25 meters high.

7. Cape Nghe

You can go snorkelling in Cape Nghe (Mui Nghe or Hon Nghe). You can see the bottom through the clear blue water. During snorkeling you can see different fish, shrimps and squid. Scuba diving is also available here, as there are more than 40 rare corals. Son Tra lighthouse

8. The eye of Indochina

This is another name for Radar Station 29. Today, Son Tra is still used as a radar station for civil aviation, air force and the navy. Since this is a military area and is still used to protect territorial sovereignty, you cannot go to the radar location, but there are still many places on the mountain roads where you can see it.

9. Man Thai Fishing Village

This fishing village is located just before the road goes up the hill. The local fishermen supply the most fish restaurants in the village. If you come here early in the morning (around 6-7 am), you can see the morning ritual of the fishermen getting ready for the day at sea. The village has preserved the local fishing methods and you can take a look here at the traditions and traditional way of life in Da Nang.

10. Son Tra lighthouse

Named as one of the most beautiful lighthouses in Vietnam and built in French architecture. It is one of the eight oldest lighthouses in Vietnam. The lighthouse offers you the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the sea, mountains and forests from above.

Facilities

• Gas pump: There is no real gas pump on the peninsula. You will find someone in a single place who sells petrol along the road, but you often pay a little more for this. Make sure you have enough fuel in Da Nang before you explore the peninsula.
• Hotels: There are no hotels on the Son Tra Peninsula, except luxury 5-star resorts, such as the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, where Trump, Putin, and Trudeau stayed at the APEC congress in 2017, among others. For the rest you will find no hotels or other accommodation options here.
• Shops: There are almost no shops on Son Tra. It is therefore convenient to bring some snacks and water with you.