Years ago, I first encountered "Da Nang" through the captivating image of Bana Hills. The European-style architecture, unexpectedly close to Vietnam, left a lasting impression. After reading about it, I made a vow to visit someday, as it wasn't too far from Thailand.

AirAsia launched direct flights from Bangkok to Da Nang on June 9, 2017, offering attractive ticket promotions. I finally decided to visit Da Nang, even though it was a last-minute trip. During my trip, I encountered some rain, but I was determined to go, even if it meant getting caught in the rain. I didn't want to wait another year.

Climate
Since I'm already here, let me talk about Da Nang's general climate. I visited in late July, which is the hot season before the rainy season, so there was a chance of some rain (and it wasn't just a little; it rained all day on the 2nd day).
* Highest temperatures: June - August, average temperature 28-30 degrees Celsius
* Lowest temperatures: December - February, average temperature 18-23 degrees Celsius
* Heavy rainfall: October - November

July-August is the hottest period before the rainy season. There is a chance of rain before the season changes, but it is not as heavy as in October-November. The best weather is from December to February.

Direct Flights

The flight from Bangkok to Da Nang takes only 1 hour and 20 minutes, which is the same as the flight from Bangkok to Phuket. It's even closer than flying to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The flight times are also convenient, with only one flight per day arriving in the late morning and departing at noon. This avoids early or late flights.

Flight details:

• FD636 DMK/DAD 10:10/11:30
• FD637 DAD/DMK 12:00/13:20

Da Nang Airport

Da Nang Airport, although small, is new and modern. After collecting your luggage, you can purchase a SIM card from one of the many vendors near the baggage claim. I paid VND 100,000 for peace of mind, even though Da Nang offers free Wi-Fi in many locations. (Personally, I use it to open Google Maps while riding in a taxi to see if they are taking a detour.)

Currency Exchange

To calculate the VND exchange rate (exchanged VND 1,000 = THB 1.49), simply remove the last three zeros and multiply by 1.49 to convert to Thai baht. Personally, I prefer to exchange for VND in Thailand for convenience.

TAXI
Exit the building and cross the road to the median, where you will find a taxi queue with English-speaking staff to assist you. ... Initially, I was concerned about taxis overcharging or taking detours, so I researched flat-rate options. Airporttaxidanang.com offers flat-rate taxis that must be booked online in advance.

For example, a flat-rate taxi from Danang Airport to Bana Hills costs USD 17.

While some people recommended Vina Sun taxis, I accepted whichever taxi was available. Fortunately, they charged by the meter without adding extra fees like taxis at our local airport.

Traveling to Bana Hills
The distance to Bana Hills is not far, but the drive is slow due to a speed limit of approximately 60 km/h. The journey takes about 40 minutes, and the meter fare was VND 360,000. ... I was overcharged the first time because I didn't have small bills after exchanging money in Thailand, so I gave VND 400,000, and the driver didn't give me change! (After that, I learned to keep small bills for taxis because none of them gave change.) I overpaid by about 60 baht... Oh well! I figured it was similar to the extra charges we experience with airport taxis at home.

We arrived at the cable car station for Bana Hills. There are two stations at the bottom:
* For general tourists (Suoi Mo Station) and * Exclusively for guests of the Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills (Toc Tien Station).

For the first night, we chose to stay on the mountain, so we had to go to the hotel's station to check in. We also paid for the cable car ride. The cable car on this side of the hotel goes directly to Bana Hills French Village. However, if you are not a guest of the hotel, you will need to change cable cars at another station (see the attached image).

The cable car fare includes entrance fees to various attractions (except the wax museum) and activities and rides in Bana Hills Fantasy Park. The regular price is:
* Adults: VND 650,000
* Children: VND 550,000
Reference: >> http://banahills.sunworld.vn/en/tickets/

However, if you are a guest at the Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills, there is a promotion for only VND 400,000 per person.

The scenery during the cable car ride will pass by a large waterfall and you will see clouds floating among the mountains. The higher you go, the better the air quality and you can see the sea in the distance.

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While riding the cable car, let's get to know "Ba Na Hills" a little bit. ^^
Cr. http://www.culturedcreatures.co/vietnam-ba-na-hill-cable-c…/

* Ba Na Hills is located about 40 kilometers from Da Nang city. It has been a summer resort in central Vietnam for over a hundred years, since the time when Vietnam was still a French colony.
* Back in 1894, the French governor had the idea of creating a resort on the mountain for the French, including soldiers stationed there. In 1901, Ba Na Mountain was discovered and chosen to be built as a summer resort for the French. As it was considered a place with a good atmosphere and cool, fresh air, the development of a road to the top of the mountain began and was completed in 1919.
* Since it was during World War I, the French were unable to return to their home country, so the first villas were built, followed by hotels, resorts, and modern utilities. It became a popular tourist destination at that time. In 1945, when the French army was defeated in the war and withdrew from Vietnam, the local Vietnamese people who had worked in the resorts and hotels on the mountain all migrated back to their hometowns. This beautiful tourist town was abandoned.
* A few decades after the brutal Vietnam War, Vietnam began to develop its country to be more prosperous, including tourism. Ba Na Hills was revived once again. Originally, people had to take a car up to the top of the mountain on a narrow, windy road, which took 55 minutes. Now, there is an electric cable car that takes only 15 minutes from the foot of the mountain to the top.
* Bà Nà Hills Cable Car officially opened for the first time in March 2009. It was built according to European standards by a reputable company from Australia. The equipment and machinery were imported from Europe. Along the route, there are 24 pillars and a total of 94 cabins, both open-air and glass-enclosed. Each cabin can carry 10 passengers, and within one hour, it can accommodate up to 1,500 passengers.


The Ba Na Hills cable car is recorded in the Guinness Book as "the longest non-stop cable car in the world" with a length of 5,801 meters (it takes 15-20 minutes to ride the cable car to the top of the mountain).

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Bana Hills French Village

Upon reaching the top of the hill, in addition to the French Village, there is also Fantasy Park, an amusement park, and restaurants and cafes with reasonable prices. If you walk to the back, there are stairs leading up to a tea house and a Chinese temple (unfortunately, it rained all day on the 2nd day, so we couldn't get there).

However, the restaurant I would like to recommend is "Morin Restaurant". Walk up the stairs to the building that houses the cable car station (Morin Station). You don't have to eat, you can just order a drink and sit and enjoy the view and the atmosphere. The restaurant has a balcony seating area where you can enjoy the panoramic view from a high vantage point.

This French Village features a stunning replica of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, standing prominently next to the water fountain in the front plaza. During the day, the village hosts live shows in the open-air courtyard (which I unfortunately missed due to rain). However, I have included the show schedule in the picture below for those who are interested in planning their visit.

Although the end of July is the hottest time in Da Nang, the temperature on Bana Hills is pleasantly cool, around 18 degrees Celsius.

Other recommendations:

• If you are going during a time when it might rain, it is recommended to bring a raincoat. It will be more convenient because the wind on the mountain is strong and can sometimes blow umbrellas into satellite dishes.
• In the winter, the weather on the mountain is very cold (even in the summer it is 18 degrees). Don't forget to bring a thick winter coat.

((To be continued ... ))