Da Nang and Hoi An in Depth with a Day in Hue
Son Tra Peninsula, the Cham Museum and the market, a day trip over Hai Van Pass to Hue, then Hoi An and My Son.
More focused on culture and local life than the first-visit route: first see Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula, the Museum of Cham Sculpture and Han Market. On day 3, hire a car over Hai Van Pass to the Imperial City and Khai Dinh Tomb in Hue and return the same day. Then move to Hoi An via the Marble Mountains, and finally visit My Son Sanctuary early in the morning before your flight. Stay the first three nights at Da Nang's beach and the later part in the ancient town to avoid daily commutes. Ba Na Hills is not on this route.
Hai Van Pass is often foggy in the rainy season; from September to December you can take the train for the Hue day trip instead.
Day by day
Day 1 · Son Tra Peninsula and Linh Ung Pagoda
Da Nang（Son Tra Peninsula、Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra、My Khe Beach）
Take a taxi from the airport to Son Tra Peninsula (about 25 min), enjoy the sea view at Linh Ung Pagoda, and return to My Khe Beach in the evening (about 15 min).
The peninsula's mountain road has many bends; novices are not advised to ride a motorbike themselves.
Stay: My Khe Beach Area
Day 2 · Cham Museum and Market
Da Nang（Museum of Cham Sculpture、Da Nang Cathedral、Han Market、Dragon Bridge）
Take a taxi to the city center (about 10 min). The museum, cathedral and Han Market are within walking distance of each other, and in the evening walk along the Han River to Dragon Bridge.
Stay: My Khe Beach Area
Day 3 · Over Hai Van Pass to Hue
Da Nang（Hai Van Pass） → Hue（Imperial City of Hue、Thien Mu Pagoda、Tomb of Khai Dinh）
Hire a car over Hai Van Pass to Hue (about 3 hours), visit the Imperial City, Thien Mu Pagoda and Khai Dinh Tomb, and return through the tunnel to Da Nang in the evening (about 2.5 hours).
A round trip in one day is tiring; leave before 7 a.m.
Stay: My Khe Beach Area
Day 4 · Marble Mountains, Then Move to Hoi An
Da Nang（Marble Mountains、Hoi An Ancient Town、Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu)）
Take a taxi to the Marble Mountains in the morning (about 15 min), arrive in Hoi An in the afternoon (about 25 min), and stroll the ancient town on foot in the evening.
Stay: Hoi An Ancient Town Area
Day 5 · Early Morning at My Son Sanctuary, Then Departure
Hire a car to My Son in the morning (about 1 hour); after about 2 hours of visiting, go directly to Da Nang Airport (about 1 hour).
My Son opens early, and the early morning has fewer people and is cooler.