Tourist area on the top of Ba Na Hills is like the Disneyland of Vietnam. A hill station and mountain top resort, a replica of a medieval French village is a great day out for anyone who loves a change from Old Town and the beach.
You will find a 3-floor Sunworld Theme Park with street performances, gardens, cafes and eateries. Add to that the climbing wall, the dinosaur park and more, all in a fairytale world of turrets. Combine a lot of things to do with its mountain location and some of the best views you’ll find all over Vietnam, and Ba Na Hills is a day not to be missed!
Where is Ba Na Hills?
The resort is located on the Truong Song mountain range, with Da Nang as the nearest city about 40 km away. Going west, it forms the third point of an imaginary triangle stretching from Hoi An to Da Nang.
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Ba Na Hills is best avoided at the height of the rainy season (October/November), although if you’re lucky enough to catch a dry day, you may well enjoy smaller crowds.
February and March are generally a little quieter than the summer months, with crowds beginning to swell from April onwards. But don’t let that put you off – an early start is all it takes to make the most of the day.
Whenever you go, remember that you will climb high above sea level, so you can leave behind a sultry climate that will make you feel almost chilly – even at the peak of the season summer. Be sure to bring an extra layer or two of clothing, plus some rain gear if needed, so that you won’t have any nasty surprises when stepping out of the cable car.
Top Things to do at Ba Na Hills
Ba Na Hills Highlights
The brilliant Golden Bridge (also known as the Bridge of the Hand) is a must-see, as is Linh Ung Pagoda with the 27m high sitting Buddha statue. The French village is an absolutely fun place to walk around, home to a beautiful church and romantic atmosphere. And of course, there’s a lot to keep the kids entertained!
The Alpine Coasters: you control the speed of your car while whizzing around raised tracks for epic views.
The Fantasy Park: Vietnam’s largest indoor video game park, very suitable for children as well as older children. Don’t miss the Drop Tower, if you have an interest in it! There is also the tallest indoor climbing wall in Vietnam; indoor floor for bumper cars, the first dinosaur park in Vietnam; Vietnam’s largest indoor amusement park and the first cinema in Vietnam showing 3D, 4D and… yes, 5D movies! … And the wax works too!
Le Jardin D’Amour: giant chess, themed sculpture gardens, and a maze to get lost in.
Funicular Railway: travel to the Flower Gardens in style on Vietnam’s only Funicular railway.
Accommodation at Ba Na Hills
The Mercure Da Nang Hotel resides in the French village. It’s a great place to stay for those unable to make a day trip to Ba Na Hills. And of course it gives you the perfect early start at the park, before the day trippers arrive.
Ba Na Hills History
Even if you’ve never heard the name ‘Ba Na Hills, it’s likely you’ve seen an image from it somewhere – perhaps one of the giant’s hands holding a golden bridge, or a gigantic seated Buddha.
But long before the selfie queens and the insta-snappers appeared, Ba Na Hills has been welcoming guests – from as far back as 1919, in fact. The region was used by French colonialists as a hill station to which they could retreat during the warmer months.
Back then, the resort included hundreds of villas and restaurants, most of which were destroyed during the wars of independence. You can still see some ruins but in general, the theme park you see today is an entirely modern phenomenon.