From Citadels to Skyscrapers: A Downtown Danang Food and History Tour

(6 reviews)

Danang audio tour: From Citadels to Skyscrapers: A Downtown Danang Food and History Tour

This is a 2mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Danang

Vietnam

$7.99

Access all 26 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

Buy for a Group

Reviews

About the Tour

Danang is central Vietnam’s urban superstar, but few people get to know the 2,000 years of history beneath its glitz and glamor. On this walking tour along Danang’s illuminated riverfront, you’ll explore the layers of history beneath central Vietnam’s biggest metropolis while dining on little-known speciality dishes along the way.

Starting at APEC Park, you’ll stroll along wide riverside boulevards to discover remnants of Danang’s past, from ancient Champa roots to French colonial ambitions. Along the way, Vietnamese travel writer Joshua Zukas will tell you how Danang evolved through waves of colonization and conflict to become the country’s most liveable city.

You’ll wander through Hàn Market, the commercial heart of the city for centuries. Along the way, Joshua will fill you in on the American War’s legacy and share details of the ongoing building boom that’s transforming the city. As you make your way to Bún Chả cá Ông Tạ, a local noodle shop where the tour ends, you’ll learn why Danang was once nicknamed “Rocket City.”

On this Danang walking tour, you’ll have a chance to:

Sample authentic Danang cuisine at two local eateries
Discover why Dragon Bridge’s fire-breathing motif is a controversial symbol of Vietnam’s modern flagship city
Listen to Danang’s ancient history and learn how, centuries ago, this area was part of an entirely different country
Ponder the city’s relentless building boom and visualise the different structures that lined the riverfront over the centuries
Explore the overlooked Điện Hải Citadel where the Vietnamese repelled French naval attacks in the 1800s
Spy a captured American helicopter right in the centre of the city
Relax at a hidden café that evokes nostalgia for Vietnam’s post-war ”subsidy period” with its Soviet-era antiques

Designed for food lovers and history enthusiasts alike, this Danang tour will give you a deeper understanding of the city’s complex past. It’s also a great opportunity to enjoy the cool sea breeze and twinkling lights that make Danang one of Vietnam’s favorite cities.

Tour Producer

Joshua Zukas

6 tours

I value depth over breadth, which is why I write almost exclusively about Vietnam—a country I’ve called home for more than a decade.

Why Vietnam? Because I love a good story, and Vietnam is teeming with them. Some are mythological, others grounded in historical fact, but most inhabit that compelling grey space in between. I draw on these narratives whenever possible in my work, whether writing guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Fodor’s and Hardie Grant, or features for The Economist, Wallpaper, Business Insider, The Michelin Guide and others. I’m also the author of Bradt’s Vietnam, the most in-depth guide to the country currently on the market. I hold a BA in Southeast Asian Studies, specialising in Vietnam, and an MSc in Sustainable Tourism.

My VoiceMap walking tours offer more than an introduction to Vietnam’s complex history. They bring to life the stories hiding in plain sight, lead you down alleyways you might otherwise pass by, and introduce you to street food spots that most tourists never find.

Preview Location

Location 11

Danang Cathedral

On your left is the lofty Danang Cathedral, built by the French. What do you think about it? Pretty in pink or symbol of cultural colonial imperialism?

Now we have to jump forward in the story a little, as Danang, like the rest of Vietnam, did eventually come under French c... On your left is the lofty Danang Cathedral, built by the French. What do you think about it? Pretty in pink or symbol of cultural colonial imperialism?

Now we have to jump forward in the story a little, as Danang, like the rest of Vietnam, did eventually come under French colonial control. I'll explain more about how this actually happened, but for now, stop to look at the cathedral.

Construction of this neo-gothic Cathedral with its sugary-pink wash began in 1923. The most interesting part of the building has to be the stained-glass windows, which were made in Grenoble in 1927, though they are difficult to make out here on the street. What is so remarkable about these windows is that they survived some of Vietnam's most catastrophic years, namely the fight for independence from France between 1945 and 1954 and the American War, which raged until 1975. We'll learn more about these years later on. It’s quiet for most of the week, save the tourists, but on Sundays it becomes very busy with worshippers attending mass at several times throughout the day.

If the gates are open and you'd like to take a look, feel free to wander around the huge courtyard. Otherwise, keep moving down the street in the same direction with the traffic on your right, just like before, and I can talk about the arrival of Christianity in Vietnam.

Churches only proliferated in Vietnam during the colonial period, but the religion was first introduced into Vietnam in the 16th century by Roman Catholic missionaries from Portugal, Spain and France. By the mid-17th century there were estimated to be 800,000 Roman Catholics in the country and today it's thought to be 8–10% of the population, so perhaps as many as 10 million. Though clearly outnumbered by temples and pagodas, churches are found throughout the country, and there are major Christian communities in Nam Định in Northern Vietnam, Vũng Taù in Southern Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City.

OK keep walking. In a moment we'll cross another street. Read More

View locations and route

How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

Listen as many times as you like

You can listen to your tours as often as you like using both the VoiceMap app and website.

Take virtual tours anywhere, like a podcast

Select Virtual mode in the VoiceMap app to listen to tours like a podcast - at home or in transit.

Buy for less on voicemap.me and sync

Once you've purchased a tour, it's added to your VoiceMap library. To access it in the app, just sign in using the same account.

Do tours without paying for data

Tours work offline, so you don't have to pay roaming fees. Just download them over WiFi before you get started.

Major Landmarks

APEC Park
Dragon Bridge
Da Nang Cathedral
Han Market
Hàn Bridge
Đà Nẵng Museum
Dien Hai citadel relics

View all

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
Total distance

3km
Final location
113A Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
Distance back to start location

2km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins slightly north of the pavilion in the APEC Park, close to the Hàn River. The pavilion is a large, white, undulating structure that was designed to look like a kite, and sits on a small mound on the south side of the park - you can't miss it.

Show Directions

Gift vouchers

Buy tours for friends and family who delight in discovery

Buy Now

Buy for a group

Get 15% to 50% off when you buy for a group

Buy Now

License this tour

Adapt this tour to use your brand and suit your guests

Find out more

Tips

Places to stop along the way

The tour includes two bonafide food stops that serve dishes rarely found on tourist menus. These stops were curated by local chef Summer Lê, who has a fine dining restaurant in the city called Nén Dining. Unfortunately the food stop are not suitable for vegetarians and vegans. We'll also visit a cafe that serves coffee, fruit juices and beer. The walk passes the Danang Museum and Điện Hải Citadel, but if you're interested in going inside then it's better to revisit on another day.

Best time of day

You can do the tour anytime of the year at any time of day, but the afternoon - perhaps after a day spent at the beach - is best as you get to see Danang's sparkling riverfront after dark. The first food stop closes at around 5:30pm, so beginning your tour between 3-4.30pm is ideal.

Precautions

This leisurely 2-mile route follows flat, well-maintained promenades and downtown streets with stops to rest and sample local specialties. Important: take extra care when crossing the multilane riverside road. The traffic won't stop for you, even on the zebra crossings, and you'll need your full attention to make it across safely. You might wish to pause the tour while crossing at busy times. Bring a raincoat during rainy season (October-February).

Get The App

Download tours to use them offline

Listen hands-free with GPS playback

Get turn-by-turn directions

Scan the QR Code

“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”