Last Updated on 10/10/2026
Private Tours in Da Nang with a Licensed Guide: Hoi An, My Son, Ba Na Hills and Hue
Half-day and full-day programmes in central Vietnam, priced per group and agreed directly with the guide.
Da Nang is the base for the most visited stretch of central Vietnam: Hoi An and My Son sit inside the city’s own boundary, Ba Na Hills is 30 km west, and Hue is a day trip over the Hai Van Pass. This page lists what an independent licensed guide charges per group, how the five standard programmes run, what the monuments cost at the gate and what the licence covers under Vietnamese law.
Independent Licensed Guides in Da Nang
Le Thi T.
Languages, licence type and programmes are on the guide’s own page; the prices above are the bands the guide works within.
What a Tour Guide Licence Means in Vietnam
Guiding in Vietnam is a licensed profession under the Law on Tourism No. 09/2017/QH14, Articles 58 to 65. The law defines three licence types: the international tour guide licence card (thẻ hướng dẫn viên du lịch quốc tế), the domestic one and the on-site one. Only the international licence card allows a guide to work with foreign visitors. It is valid for five years and is issued by the provincial tourism authority, for this city the tourism department of Da Nang. Article 59 requires a college degree, a certificate in international tour guiding and a foreign-language qualification; Article 65 requires the guide to wear the licence card while working.
Linh Ung Pagoda on the Son Tra Peninsula, free to enter (ai illustrated)
OfficialGuides lists independent guides who hold the international tour guide licence card issued by the tourism authority of Da Nang; it does not operate tours itself. You write directly to the guide who will run your day and agree the itinerary and the price with that person. Most English-speaking licensed guides here also cover Hoi An and Hue.
Private Tour Types in Da Nang
Five programmes cover what English-speaking visitors ask for most; the guide adjusts start time, order and stops to your group.
City and Cham heritage
Cham Museum, Dragon Bridge, Han Market, cathedral.
Marble Mountains and Son Tra
Caves and pagodas, then the Lady Buddha.
Hoi An and My Son
Cham sanctuary at dawn, Ancient Town after.
Ba Na Hills
Cable car, Golden Bridge, hilltop resort.
Hue over the Hai Van Pass
Coastal pass, Lang Co, Imperial City.
Da Nang City Centre and the Museum of Cham Sculpture
The Museum of Cham Sculpture holds the largest collection of Champa art anywhere. Opened in 1919 on the west bank of the Han River, it shows more than 300 sandstone, terracotta and bronze pieces from the fifth to the fifteenth century, arranged by site: My Son, Tra Kieu, Dong Duong. Most of what once stood at My Son is in these rooms. The walk continues to the Dragon Bridge, the Han Market and the pink cathedral.
Museum of Cham Sculpture, 60,000 VND, closed Mondays
Marble Mountains and the Son Tra Peninsula
Ngu Hanh Son is five limestone and marble outcrops 8 km south of the centre; visitors climb Thuy Son, the water mountain. The route takes in Tam Thai pagoda, the Huyen Khong cave with its shaft of daylight and the coastal viewpoints: 156 steps, or an elevator for 15,000 VND each way. Am Phu cave at the foot of the hill has a separate 20,000 VND ticket. The afternoon moves to the Son Tra Peninsula, where Linh Ung Pagoda and its 67-metre Lady Buddha look back at the city and red-shanked douc langurs live in the forest.
My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Ancient Town
My Son is the main Hindu temple site of the Champa kingdom and, like Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The brick towers in the Thu Bon valley open at 06:00; the early start avoids the heat and the coach groups. Foreign visitors pay 150,000 VND. The afternoon is Hoi An: the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Quan Cong temple, the merchant houses and assembly halls along the Hoai River. The Ancient Town ticket is 120,000 VND for foreign visitors, gives five entries and stays valid for up to three days.
Hoi An Ancient Town: one ticket, five entries, three days
Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Ba Na Hills is a resort on Chua Mountain at 1,487 metres, reached by a 5.8 km cable car. The Golden Bridge, held by two giant stone hands, is inside the complex and included in the ticket, as are the French Village and the indoor Fantasy Park. Non-resident adults pay 1,000,000 VND (≈ $38) for a ticket valid three consecutive days; children and seniors 800,000 VND. The park opens at 08:00; the bridge is quiet for about an hour and crowded after that.
Hue via the Hai Van Pass
Hue is a separate city north of the pass and a long but standard day trip from Da Nang. The road climbs the Hai Van Pass, stops at the old gate on the summit and descends past the Lang Co lagoon to the Perfume River. The day centres on the Imperial City: the Ngo Mon gate, the Thai Hoa palace and the Forbidden Purple City. Hue’s monuments sell single and combined tickets at the gate; ask your guide for the current rate. The return usually takes the tunnel to save an hour.
Hai Van Pass between Da Nang and Hue
Day Trips from Da Nang: Distances and Tickets
Hoi An, My Son and the Cham Islands are inside Da Nang city; Ba Na Hills is 30 km west; Hue is the only day trip that leaves the city. Since the merger with the former Quang Nam province the coast from the Hai Van Pass to the Thu Bon valley is one administrative city. The Cu Lao Cham islands, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, are reached by boat from Hoi An: 70,000 VND plus a 20,000 VND sanitation fee, boats from spring to early autumn. Entry tickets are paid at each gate and never included in the guide’s fee; see prices.
Prices: Guide Fees and Entry Tickets
The guide fee is per group: 50–70 € for a half day, 90–120 € for a full day. The band depends on the programme, the group size and the length of the drive; the car with driver is quoted separately. Dollar figures are approximate.
| Item | Price | Notes |
| Licensed guide, half day (4 h) | 50–70 € (≈ $56–79) | per group |
| Licensed guide, full day (8–9 h) | 90–120 € (≈ $101–135) | per group |
| Museum of Cham Sculpture | 60,000 VND (≈ $2.30) | 07:30–11:00, 13:00–17:00; closed Monday |
| Marble Mountains (Thuy Son) | 40,000 VND (≈ $1.50) | 07:00–17:00; elevator 15,000 VND per way; Am Phu cave 20,000 VND |
| Hoi An Ancient Town | 120,000 VND (≈ $4.60) | foreign visitors; 5 entries; valid up to 3 days |
| My Son Sanctuary | 150,000 VND (≈ $5.70) | foreign visitors; 06:00–18:00 |
| Sun World Ba Na Hills | 1,000,000 VND (≈ $38) | non-resident adult; valid 3 days; child/senior 800,000 VND |
| Linh Ung Pagoda, Dragon Bridge show | free | show Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 |
Conversions use the European Central Bank and Vietcombank rates; the guide quotes in euros and agrees the payment currency in advance.
When to Visit Da Nang
The dry season runs roughly from spring to the end of summer; the rainy season from about September to March peaks in autumn. Da Nang receives around 2,200 mm a year, most of it in October and November, when the Hai Van Pass can sit in cloud and Hoi An floods some years. Ba Na Hills is the wet-day programme, because most of it is under cover. Full-moon lantern evenings in Hoi An and the Da Nang fireworks festival fill hotels; book early for those dates.
Getting Around with a Guide
The city centre programme works on foot and by taxi; everything else needs a car. Da Nang International Airport is 3 km from the Dragon Bridge, so an arrival-day half-day tour is realistic. The Marble Mountains are 8 km south on the coast road, Hoi An about 30 km further. Cruise passengers land at Tien Sa in Da Nang or at Chan May on the Hue side of the pass; a Chan May pick-up is usually combined with the Hai Van Pass. The guide arranges the car with driver and quotes it for the route.
Driver-Guide or Guide plus Driver
In Vietnam the guide and the driver are normally two people. A licensed guide walks with you inside the monuments; the driver stays with the car, which matters at My Son and in Hoi An, where cars stop outside the Ancient Town. Some guides drive their own car for small groups, and some offer the Hai Van Pass by motorbike; ask when you write.
Private and Luxury Arrangements
A private guide costs the same per group for a family as for two people. For a longer stay the guide builds a programme across several days: Cham heritage one day, Ba Na Hills the next, Hoi An by lantern light, Hue with an overnight if you want the royal tombs as well. A private boat on the Hoai River or a cooking session in Hoi An is arranged with the guide at cost.
Guide Languages in Da Nang
English is the working language of most licensed guides in Da Nang, and the international licence card requires a foreign-language qualification. French, German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese-speaking guides exist in smaller numbers. For a language other than English, write to the guide first; the guide can usually point you to a licensed colleague.
Visa and Entry
Vietnam issues electronic visas through the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security; the official application sites are evisa.gov.vn and thithucdientu.gov.vn. Eligibility, validity and fees depend on your passport and change; check the official site and ignore look-alike sites. Da Nang International Airport is a listed entry point for e-visa holders.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a private guide in Da Nang cost?
50–70 € for a half day and 90–120 € for a full day, per group. Tickets and the car with driver are paid separately.
Can a Da Nang guide take me to Hoi An and My Son?
Yes. Both are inside Da Nang city since the merger with Quang Nam, and the international licence card is valid nationwide in any case.
Is Hue possible as a day trip from Da Nang?
Yes, as a full day of about nine hours by car over the Hai Van Pass. For the royal tombs as well, the guide will suggest an overnight.
How do I check that a guide is licensed?
Ask to see the international tour guide licence card; Article 65 of the Law on Tourism requires guides to wear it while working.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
No; every site on this page sells tickets at the gate. Ba Na Hills tickets can also be bought online and are valid for three consecutive days.
Write to a Licensed Guide in Da Nang
Send your dates, group size and the programmes you want; the guide replies directly.
Ask a Question
Prices and opening hours may change; confirm with your guide. See our terms of service and privacy policy.