Franz ElizDa Nang is one of Vietnam’s best – if not the best – cities. The city is known for its history (it was the home of the US’ major airbase during the Vietnam War), beautiful beaches, interesting temples, quality living, and more. Another thing that makes Da Nang interesting is the Son Tra Peninsula, which is absolutely gorgeous.
Son Tra Peninsula is home to Vietnam’s largest Guanyin or Lady Buddha statue. If Linh Ung Pagoda is already on your Da Nang bucket list, you won’t miss Son Tra Peninsula. The pagoda is located on Son Tra Peninsula. There’s a picnic spot along the peninsula road where you can watch the sunset.
Son Tra Peninsula is about 10 km from Da Nang’s city centre. The road along the peninsula is steep and windy, but in return, travellers are rewarded with a stunning ocean view. Keep reading to explore why you should include Son Tra Peninsula in your Da Nang bucket list.
About Son Tra Peninsula
For a start, the road along Son Tra Peninsula is steep.
If you plan on driving, cycling or riding a motorbike, keep in mind that the road will be windy, too. Take it slow if you’re not confident with your driving, cycling, or riding skills. It’s easy to get distracted by the beauty of the Son Tra Peninsula as you explore the area on four or two wheels.
If you want to walk on Monkey Mountain, know that it’s an option but a tiring one. Be careful with vehicles on the road. Sometimes sports bikes can be seen riding fast here. There are many spots for taking pictures along the way. From these spots, you can take beautiful photos of Da Nang beaches and tall buildings.
Fun fact: according to local belief, Son Tra once attracted fairies who would come to play chess, dance, and sing, hence the name Tien Sa (another name for Son Tra Peninsula), which means Fairies’ landing place.
Things To Do
There are many things to do on Son Tra Peninsula as follows:
Visit Linh Ung Pagoda
Linh Ung Pagoda sits on Bai But Beach at 639 m above sea level. It’s about 10 km from the city centre. If you don’t want to take a tour from a local travel agency, you can get to the pagoda by bicycle or motorbike. As discussed earlier, walking is an option, but it’s a long, tiring way from the city centre.
The pagoda faces Son Tra Peninsula, so you can see it from several kilometres away. There’s a tall Guanyin or Lady Buddha statue that’s clearly visible even from the beach in the city centre. It’s the tallest Lady Buddha in Vietnam, standing at 67 m high. When you get to the pagoda, Cu Lao Cham Island will be on the left while Hai Van Mountain on the right.
A visit to Linh Ung Pagoda may take between 2 and 3 hours. If you’re coming in summer, make sure to bring enough water with you as the area can get quite hot. On the bright side, it can also get quite windy during certain times of the day.
Remember to dress modestly to enter Vietnamese temples that can be found within Linh Ung Pagoda. If you’re wearing shorts, the temple staff will lend you a sarong for free.
Have a Picnic by the Cliff and Enjoy the Ocean View
As I was exploring Son Tra mountain with my travel buddy, we came across a spot where Vietnamese locals and tourists could be seen enjoying a picnic. We stopped by to check it out. It seemed that everyone had their picnic essentials ready, so they must have known about this place before getting there.
We weren’t aware of this place, so we didn’t have any food or a picnic mattress with us. We sat on the ground instead, right next to the cliff. The view was amazing. It’s a great place to watch the sunset if you asked me.
There were food vendors in the area. We bought some thirst-quenching coconuts and continued to chill next to the cliff.
As we enjoyed our coconuts, we heard a familiar voice from afar. It was the voice of the banh bao guy. A banh bao seller was around the corner. It’s hard to ignore the seller’s loudspeaker that played ‘banh bao’ on repeat.
Spot Monkeys
I saw some macaques during my visit to Linh Ung Pagoda. They seemed friendly, but I kept my distance. I arrived before noon time and there weren’t many macaques around.
Besides macaques, Son Tra Peninsula is also home to Red Shanked Douc langurs, which are considered one of the most beautiful primates in the world. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any. I was aware that there are langurs on Son Tra Peninsula because I came across a big signboard about primates living in the area when I was on my way to Linh Ung Pagoda.
Fun fact: American troops used to call Son Tra Peninsula ‘Monkey Mountain’ due to the vast number of monkeys residing on the mountain. However, it’s not easy to see these monkeys as most live deep inside the forest. You’re lucky if you see one! 😁
Get Your Vitamin Sea
You won’t run out of space to swim around Son Tra Peninsula.
The water is cool and the ocean view is great. The beach in the city centre can get quite noisy and crowded, so if you prefer somewhere quieter, the sea over this side of Da Nang is ideal.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is a good option if you’re looking for a hotel on Son Tra Peninsula where the beach is quieter and the water is crystal blue.
Summary
Son Tra Peninsula, also known as ‘Monkey Mountain’, is home to Vietnam’s largest Laddy Buddha statue, which can be found at Linh Ung Pagoda. It’s also where you can find beautiful resorts, Son Tra Nature Reserve, and stunning beaches. If lucky, you might come across unique primates.
You can access Son Tra Peninsula by walking, driving, cycling, or riding a motorbike. The road on the mountain is steep and windy, so it’s important to stay alert, especially during descent. There’s a picnic spot where you can relax, take pictures, and catch the sunset.
