Ba Na Hills in Vietnam has undoubtedly become the most popular destination among tourists, particularly from my hometown, Thailand, with 95% of friends on social media who have visited Vietnam posting about their check-ins at Ba Na Hills. This enchanting destination boasts the iconic Golden Bridge held by giant hands, the world’s longest single-track cable car, and a French Village theme park that will make you feel like you’re in Europe without having to travel that far. Let’s explore Ba Na Hills in Da Nang in detail and see what makes it so exciting!
Getting to Know Ba Na Hills
Located in Da Nang, Ba Na Hills is situated approximately 20 kilometers west of the city center, on Mount Trường Sơn. While many might think it’s an authentic French village, Ba Na Hills is actually a theme park owned by Sun World Group. It features an amusement park, hotels, restaurants, and relaxation areas, all styled after a charming French village.
Ba Na Hills was established in 1919 by a French captain named Debay and the colonial government, who sought to create a resort and villa area as an escape from Da Nang’s heat. Over 200 villas were built by the French, but eventually, Ba Na Hills was abandoned after the French defeat in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
In 2009, Vietnamese property giant Sun World redeveloped the area, transforming it into a popular tourist destination with a French Village theme park inspired by the hometown of Pigneau de Behaine, the first foreigner to visit Ba Na Hills.
At an elevation of over 1,500 meters above sea level, Ba Na Hills enjoys a cooler and more comfortable climate than downtown Da Nang. While it may be hot and sweaty in the city, the temperature drops significantly in Ba Na Hills, making it quite chilly at night. If you’re sensitive to cold, it’s a good idea to bring a long-sleeved shirt or light jacket with you.
The ultimate highlight of Ba Na Hills is taking a ride on the world’s longest single-track cable car amidst lush green mountains, strolling through the European-style French Village, and snapping photos on the awe-inspiring Golden Bridge, which is sure to attract a flood of likes on social media. A trip to Ba Na Hills is a photographer’s dream, as every angle offers stunning views!
Ititnerary of Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, Vietnam.
A trip to Ba Na Hills is best done in two days and one night. This time frame allows you to fully explore the area, take photos, and visit all of the major attractions. If you want to extend your stay, consider visiting other nearby attractions.
Ba Na Hills Hotel Options
Consider staying at a hotel on the hill to make the most of your Ba Na Hills trip. The amusement park is usually crowded during the day, but if you stay overnight, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and take fantastic pictures in the evening without having to fight the crowds. The majority of the pictures in this review which lack other people were taken during this quieter period.
The only hotel on the hill, the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills is conveniently situated in the middle of Ba Na Hills. Room rates may vary depending on the season, so compare prices on various websites. Scroll down for a detailed hotel review.
⚡️ Note: It’s so important to book your room at the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills well ahead of time, as it’s the sole hotel option and can fill up quickly. Opt for a reservation with a free cancellation policy in case you find a better deal later.
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> Check price and book [through Agoda] [through Booking.com] [through Expedia] [Trip.com] [through Klook]
Traveling to Ba Na Hills
First, head to the Ba Na Hills Cable Station. Whether you’re coming from Da Nang or Hoi An, using Grab or renting a car is the most convenient way to get there. Prices may vary based on the time of day and the type of transport you choose.
For a car rental, KLOOK is a dependable choice with fixed rates and no hidden fees. You can specify your pick-up location, such as your hotel, and potentially receive additional discounts through KLOOK’s monthly promotions.
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🚐 Private Transfer Da Nang ⇔ Ba Na Hills
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Option 2: klook.com/activity/6367-private-city-transfer-da-nang/
Option 3: klook.com/activity/32080-shared-shuttle-bus-transfer-da-nang-city-ba-na-hills/
🚐 Private Transfer Da Nang ⇔ Ba Na Hills
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Let’s begin our trip to Ba Na Hills!
Day 1: Take a cable car ride first
To visit Ba Na Hills, we first need to take a cable car, which has been awarded multiple Guinness World Records – four in total! These include: (1) the world’s longest single-cable sling cable car, with a length of 5,042 meters and reaching a height of 1,291 meters; (2) the longest distance between cable car stations, at 1,368.93 meters; (3) the heaviest cable weight, at 141.24 tons; and (4) the longest cable line, spanning over 11,587 meters.
You can imagine how impressive it is! The cable car ride to Ba Na Hills takes around 18 minutes, offering stunning views of lush green mountains, cascading waterfalls, and the beautiful city of Danang. The experience is truly amazing and well worth it.
🚠💰 The round-trip cable car fare, which also includes admission to Ba Na Hills, is normally priced at 750,000 dong per person (about $32).
For those staying at the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills hotel, some packages include cable car tickets for two people. For example, our group of four enjoyed a hotel package with two cable car tickets, while the other two received a discount on their cable car fare, paying only 450,000 dong (about $20) each.
⚡️ Booking Ba Na Hills tickets + cable car from KLOOK or KKday is convenient and queue-free.
Believe it or not, you can book Ba Na Hills tickets + cable car passes through KLOOK or KKDay with ease. The convenience of online booking means no waiting in line for tickets, just walk through the gate and scan your QR Code. It’s incredibly convenient and hassle-free!
> Booking Ba Na Hills tickets + cable car [through KLOOK] [through KKDay]
French Village
After taking the cable car to Ba Na Hills and checking in at the hotel, it’s time to explore the French Village. I must say, it was quite crowded! Initially, I thought it would be an old-fashioned French village with historical vibes, but it turned out to be a European-themed amusement park. I really didn’t do my homework before coming here! Haha.
The village truly feels like Europe, especially with the cool, refreshing weather. The architecture of the buildings is very authentic, and if you haven’t been to Europe before, I assure you, you won’t be disappointed. Most of the European-style buildings in Ba Na Hills are part of the Mercure hotel, restaurants, and cafes. It’s a delightful place to wander around, and I guarantee you’ll take hundreds of photos!
Since it’s an amusement park, there are shows throughout the day at the glasshouse plaza. And the surprise of these performances is that they use all Western actors to give it the most European feel possible. It’s like they did their homework well. The vibe would be different if the actors had Asian faces, haha.
As I mentioned earlier, during the day, it’s super crowded because most people come to visit the amusement park and take day trips. I must say that I really couldn’t take many pictures because it was so packed with people. So, I’ll be back to capture more of Ba Na Hills’ atmosphere in the evening when the amusement park closes and the day-trippers have left.
Saint Denis Church
My favorite landmark in the French Village is Saint Denis Church, which stands majestically beside the main plaza of Ba Na Hills. It’s another must-visit photo spot. This isn’t a real church, but a replica built in the Gothic style, making Ba Na Hills look even more European. The church’s design is inspired by the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
Honestly, if you didn’t know it’s a replica, you would think it’s a real church because they did an amazing job with both the exterior and interior details. The intricate decorations, stained glass frames, doors, pillars, and beams are all impressive. The inside features beautiful patterns and lines, along with a fake organ that doesn’t play music. Overall, it’s gorgeous and well-made.
Linh Phong Zen Monastery
In addition to the European vibe of Ba Na Hills, there’s also a Chinese temple complex that adds a contrasting flavor (sometimes abruptly switching the mood from European to Chinese, really). This is the Linh Phong Zen Monastery, which includes a pagoda, flower garden, and a bell tower that you can climb to enjoy stunning views of almost all of Ba Na Hills.
The views of the French Village, which we praised as beautiful while walking around, look even more amazing from a higher perspective. The European-style cone-roofed buildings align with the Chinese temple views, including the pagoda and various Chinese gardens. I must say, the feeling is quite strange, but still beautiful. Well, it works, haha!
Capturing the Evening atmosphere at the French Village
After most of the visitors have left Ba Na Hills, only the guests of the Mercure hotel remain, allowing us to leisurely stroll around and capture the beautiful atmosphere of Ba Na Hills.
I must say, the difference in atmosphere is striking – Ba Na Hills is significantly more beautiful when it’s not crowded with people. You can compare the ambiance between daytime and evening to see just how different it is. During this time, I had the chance to explore various corners of the French Village, discovering many spots for taking great photos.
So, if you want to take beautiful pictures like these, you’ll have to stay at Ba Na Hills with the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills. As for the quality and value of the hotel, I will provide a full review at the end of this review.
The Golden Bridge
On the second morning of our Ba Na Hills trip, we woke up early to catch the first cable car at 7:30 AM, hoping to visit the Golden Bridge before it gets crowded. We arrived around 7 AM, and there were already some people there, but not nearly as many as during the day.
The Golden Bridge is a highlight of Ba Na Hills, winding along the mountainside at a height of 1,414 meters above sea level. It’s a popular destination for tourists who want to see and take pictures with the giant hands supporting the bridge. The two hands seem to be lifting the bridge into the sky, surrounded by the lush greenery of the forest below. Walking along the Golden Bridge is said to feel like walking on clouds, crossing the celestial palace of the Mountain God.
Taking good pictures at the Golden Bridge requires some luck with the weather, as some days are foggy, making it hard to see, or rainy, making the images look gloomy. Fortunately, on the day I went, the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear, resulting in beautiful pictures.
And if you want to take pictures without many people around, you should come early as possible in the morning, around 7:30 AM. Otherwise, it’s nearly impossible to get a clear shot due to the crowds. That’s why we woke up early and took the first cable car to capture these stunning images and share them with you in this review. Enjoy!
French-style Garden Le Jardin d’ Amour
Once you’ve finished exploring the Golden Bridge, you can continue your walk to Le Jardin d’ Amour, a large French-style garden filled with colorful flowers. The garden also features striking white statues, perfect for taking photos. It’s an ideal spot for romantic pictures with your significant other.
If you’ve finished taking pictures in the garden, try visiting the Debay Wine Cellar. You can walk inside and see the underground stone cellar. Along the walls are wooden barrels used for aging wine. Not far from here, you’ll find the impressive 27-meter-tall white concrete statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha, another sacred site on Ba Na Hills. If you get tired, you can relax and enjoy a drink at the nearby Starbucks, surrounded by lush green plants covering the building.
Another must-visit photo spot is the area with dozens of white columns. At first glance, it may remind you of LACMA’s Urban Light in Los Angeles. The pictures you take here will be incredibly stylish, especially if you’re dressed up and contrast with the white columns. Highly recommended!
Double High-Speed Alpine Coaster / Fantasy World
After visiting the Golden Bridge, it’s time to join the queue for the Double High-Speed Alpine Coaster. You don’t need to pay extra for this attraction as it’s already included in the Ba Na Hills cable car ticket. So, why not give it a try?
Each coaster car can accommodate two people, or you can ride alone if you prefer. You’ll glide along the tracks and control your speed by using the brakes. This thrilling ride takes you through the beautiful mountain scenery, offering views of the Ba Na Hills’ european-style buildings. It’s a fun experience, and if one ride isn’t enough, you can join the queue and ride again!
While you’re on the coaster, there are cameras set up to take photos of you, which they’ll later try to sell to you. It’s almost impossible to take pictures yourself during the ride. So, if you want a souvenir photo, try to look your best throughout the ride. Afterward, you can purchase a printed version or download a JPG file. At first, I wasn’t going to buy it, but my friends all did, so I joined in too!
As we know, Ba Na Hills is an amusement park, featuring the Fantasy Park zone, which they claim to be the largest indoor amusement park in Vietnam. For those who have plenty of time, you can enjoy various activities without worrying about sweating because it’s mostly shaded.
The Double High Speed Alpine Coaster we played earlier is one of the exciting attractions at this amusement park. There are many activity zones to choose from, such as the Jurassic Park zone for dinosaur fans, the Tower Drop zone for adventure seekers, a haunted house for those who love horror, and a variety of 4D and 5D games to choose from according to your preference.
The ticket price for various attractions is included in the cable car ticket we purchased earlier, except for the Wax Museum and the claw machine zone, which require a little extra payment. Due to limited time, I didn’t play more games and hurried down from Ba Na Hills to continue exploring other places.
Our Ba Na Hills 2-day, 1-night trip was truly impressive (except for the crowds). It’s a complete travel destination with various activities to choose from and stunning French-style architecture like a fairy-tale world. It feels like we’re really in that world. I highly recommend this place to those who love European-style buildings and enjoy the cool, refreshing atmosphere. No wonder it’s such a popular destination with massive crowds – it’s amazing! I want everyone to follow in my footsteps.
Accommodation at Ba Na Hills:
Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills
As I mentioned, this time we chose to stay at Ba Na Hills to make the most of our time for various activities. The only hotel up there is the Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills, which is well-known for its prime location, situated right in the middle of Ba Na Hills. The hotel has multiple buildings scattered throughout the Ba Na Hills area, with an overall beautiful atmosphere in the style of a French village.
The advantage of staying at Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills is that during the evening until morning, regular tourists are gone, leaving only hotel guests. We can use this time to take photos and have fun without any hassle because we have to admit that taking pictures during the day is extremely difficult due to the large number of people. If you don’t stay up there, the chances of getting a photo without anyone around are pretty low.
Family Four Bunk Room
For the room that I booked, since I went with three friends, totaling four people, I chose a Family Four Bunk Room that can accommodate all four of us comfortably. I got the room for about $120, with two bunk beds in a 25 sqm space. I must admit that the area is a bit cramped, and the bathroom isn’t very private with an open design. Additionally, the room has some humidity issues, which isn’t ideal.
The hotel’s breakfast is good, with a wide variety of choices. On the day I went, there were many tour groups, which made it a bit chaotic. However, the hotel staff refilled the food quickly, and the dining room is spacious enough.
Disappointing service 😐
Let me give you a straightforward review: personally, I was not impressed with the service at this hotel. The service doesn’t meet the standards of a Mercure chain hotel and a 4-star hotel. Each building in the Ba Na Hills area is scattered, and there is no hotel staff at the counters on the ground floor of each building. You can only request anything by calling the lobby (which is fine).
On the day I went, it rained heavily, and there should have been an umbrella provided in the room, but it was missing. I called the reception, but it was challenging to get through. When I finally did, they argued that the umbrella should be in the room. I told them it wasn’t and requested an umbrella from the hotel since I couldn’t leave the building. In the end, they went silent, and I had to walk in the rain to the lobby to get an umbrella myself. The staff didn’t seem to care about the guests.
Another issue was during checkout. I told the receptionist that I was checking out, and they asked me to wait a moment. I waited for almost 20 minutes before asking again about the status, and they replied that it was done and okay. It was like, “Hellooo, why did you ask me to wait?” If it’s done, they should inform the guests, not have them wait unnecessarily.
One thing guests should be aware of is that when the amusement park on Ba Na Hills closes, the restaurants up there also close. So, plan your meals before the evening, as only a noodle shop in front of the hotel and the hotel’s buffet will be available later. Consider bringing some snacks, butter bread, or instant noodles from the lower area.
In conclusion, Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills
Despite everything, I still recommend staying at Ba Na Hills as the only hotel option, Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills. The opportunity to enjoy Bana Hills during the quieter hours without crowds is worth it. Plus, you get a discount on the cable car ride to Bana Hills, so it’s okay.
Room rates start at $100 per night. To check the rates and book a room at Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills, click the link below to see the rates and book through your favorite OTA.
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