Bai Bim

Bai Huong

Da Nang Wrecks

Hon La

Hon Mo

Hon Tai (Cham Islands)

Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain)

Tiger Tooth Rock

Central Vietnam's cuisine is considered among the finest in the country, and Hoi An in particular is a culinary pilgrimage destination. The ancient town is famous for its unique local dishes that cannot be found elsewhere: Cao Lau (thick noodles with pork and herbs, using water from ancient Cham wells), Banh Bao Banh Vac (white rose dumplings), and Com Ga (chicken rice cooked in turmeric broth). Da Nang contributes its own specialities including Mi Quang (turmeric noodle soup with pork, shrimp, and quail eggs) and Banh Xeo (crispy savoury pancakes). The Hoi An Central Market is a sensory explosion of fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and aromatic herbs. Street food tours through the lantern-lit streets of the ancient town are among Vietnam's most memorable dining experiences. Da Nang's modern restaurant scene adds contemporary Vietnamese and international options. Fresh seafood restaurants along the Son Tra Peninsula serve the day's catch with panoramic ocean views.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula

Anantara Hoi An Resort

Victoria Hoi An Resort

Hoi An Garden Villas

Da Nang and Hoi An represent Vietnam's cultural heart combined with an emerging diving scene centred on the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, also known as the Cham Islands. Located approximately 20 kilometres offshore from Hoi An, the Cham Islands offer eight productive dive sites within a protected marine area that has allowed coral communities to recover and thrive. Hon Tai features vibrant coral gardens teeming with morays and butterflyfish, while Hon La delivers deeper wall diving with barracuda, trevally, and occasional whitetip reef sharks. Bai Bim provides calm shallow conditions ideal for beginners and training dives, and Bai Huong hosts impressive sea whips, frogfish, and cuttlefish. Tiger Tooth Rock is a dramatic pinnacle attracting schooling jacks and sweetlips in open water. The Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain) on Da Nang's doorstep offers deeper walls with gorgonians and large pelagics for experienced divers, though conditions can be challenging. Several small Vietnamese fishing vessels have been scuttled near Da Nang to create artificial reefs. The combination of world-class cultural attractions in Hoi An's UNESCO-listed ancient town, Da Nang's modern beach city infrastructure, and the healthy reefs of the Cham Islands makes this region an outstanding dual-purpose destination for divers seeking both underwater adventure and cultural immersion.

Da Nang & Hoi An

Dry season with calm seas, excellent visibility of 15-25 metres at the Cham Islands, and warm water temperatures ideal for extended diving.

Rainy season with potential typhoons, rough seas, and significantly reduced visibility. Cham Islands diving is generally not recommended during this period.

Transitional months with variable conditions. Diving may be possible but visibility and sea state are less predictable.

Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is Vietnam's third busiest airport with excellent domestic and growing international connections. Daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City take approximately 90 minutes. The airport is centrally located just minutes from both Da Nang city centre and Hoi An (approximately 30 minutes south). The Reunification Express railway also stops at Da Nang station, offering scenic coastal travel. Once in Da Nang, taxis and Grab provide easy transport to Hoi An. Cu Lao Cham dive sites are reached by speedboat from Cua Dai harbour near Hoi An, a crossing of approximately 30-45 minutes. Son Tra Peninsula sites depart from Da Nang harbour. Motorbike rental is popular for exploring the region, with the spectacular Hai Van Pass connecting Da Nang to Hue as one of Vietnam's most scenic drives.

Dive Sites in Da Nang & Hoi An