Son Tra Mountain Da Nang can be found within the Son Tra District and it overlooks the Bay of Da Nang, as well as the East Sea. The Tien Sa Terminal of Da Nang’s Ports are at the bottom of the western side of the mountain and that is where you will find Tien Sa Beach too.
This mountain is also where you will find the old Monkey Mountain Facility, which was once a US military base during the Vietnam War.
When you are down at the base of Son Tra Mountain Da Nang, you are going to find so many amazing things, especially near, and in, the water. There are dozens of different coral species, sea grass, seaweed, mollusks, starfish, urchins, and plankton.
Not too far outside the Tien Sa port gates, you will find the Y PhaNho Cemetery. This graveyard is on, Yet Kieu Road, and it is where all the Spanish and French soldiers who died during the Franco-Spanish expedition are buried. Inside the cemetery, you will find a small white chapel that has a modest sized shrine. There are also thirty-two large and small graves that are not labeled.
The Linh Ung Pagoda can also be found on Son Tra Mountain Da Nang and it is considered the largest pagoda in the central part of this country. Within the courtyard of the pagoda, you will see a sixty-seven-meter-tall statue of the Goddess of Mercy. She is the tallest Buddha statue in the country, and you can see it from many different areas of the city. There is no entrance fee for this pagoda, so make sure you take the time and include it on your ever-expanding itinerary.
The Dong Dinh Museum can also be found near Son Tra Mountain Da Nang. This was the first private museum within the city, and it was founded by Doan Huy Giao. There are multiple artifacts inside this museum, and they date back anywhere from one hundred years to twenty-five hundred years ago. Most of the artifacts belong to the ancient cultures of Cham Pa, Dai Viet, and Sa Huynh, so be prepared to learn a little about each one.
The tallest peak of these mountains is Ban Co and it stands at least six hundred meters above sea level. You will love the panoramic views from the top of this mountain, including Cham Islands, Ba Na Hills, Hai Van Pass, Lien Chieu Bay, and the sparkling water of the sea.
It can take you four hours to hike from Bai Bac Beach to the top of Son Tra Mountain Da Nang, but that time is worthwhile, especially if you have the time to spot a lot of the local wildlife. The animals you may see include the red-shanked douc langur, the rhesus macaques, the pygmy slow loris, and long-tailed macaques.
One of the places that you must hike to while on this mountain is the old banyan tree. This massive tree is more than eight hundred years old and some of the locals insist that it could even be one thousand years old. The tree is more than twenty meters tall and there are nine root clusters that have grown up before going back down into the ground.
You can also drive to the top of Son Tra Mountain Da Nang, but please use caution on the narrow, winding roads that have extremely sharp turns. You must have a powerful vehicle to reach the summit of this mountain, although motorcycles have made it up easily. If you are terrified of trying to conquer this road on your own, you can call a taxi and have the driver make the drive for you.
It is possible to go to this mountain at any time of the day, but the best time to be there is between the hours of seven o’clock in the morning and two o’clock in the afternoon.
There are so many things that you can do in Da Nang, which is why you must plan your itinerary carefully prior to your arrival. There are many mountains, temples, monuments, and other attractions in this city, and you will want to choose the ones that interest you the most. If you manage to see all the places on your list and still have time left over, you can easily take the time to see a few of the ones that didn’t make the first cut on your list.
We believe that Son Tra Mountain Da Nang should be on everyone’s list of things to see, but you will need to make that decision on your own. So, carefully consider what is located on this mountain and then decide if those items are things that you must truly see before you leave this wonderful part of the world.