Ba Na Hills & Golden Hands Bridge: full guide
The Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills, is a spectacular bridge in Vietnam that seemingly is held up by two giant hands and has been stunning tourists and visitors worldwide. It’s definitely one of the most Instagrammable & famous places on the internet, and it’s not hard to see why!
This gorgeous work of art is exceedingly unique and frankly, I couldn’t get enough of this place, I actually went twice! But there’s more to Ba Na Hills than the Golden Hands Bridge; Ba Na Hills, Sun World Amusement park is full of fun activities, from roller coasters, to 5D cinemas, free arcade games, the French village and giant buddha statues, there is something for everyone!
This blog post may contain affiliate links.
Quick Mini Guide To the golden hands bridge
Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini guide to the Golden Hands Bridge.
Golden Hands Bridge
The Golden Hands bridge is part of Ba Na Hills, an incredible theme park in the mountains near Da Nang.
Where to stay
There’s only one place to stay in Ba Na Hills and that is the Mercure Hotel Ba Na Hills, and you get early/late access to the Park.
If you want to stay in Da Nang, I recommend:
– Intercontinental Sun Peninsula Resort
– Pullman Beach Resort
Da Nang is about 45 minutes away and you can book an Uber.
Don’t miss…
- Golden Hands Bridge & Marble Mountain
- The fire breathing dragon bridge
- Motorbike tour of Da Nang
- My Khe Beach
- Basket Boats
Best time to go
November-April. It gets very hot from May onwards. To avoid the crowds, explore during the weekdays.
Stay connected
Buy an eSim with Airalo to get mobile data abroad! Life saver. Use code A&M3 for $3 off your first order.
You might be interested in some of my other Vietnam guides:
Here’s everything you need to know about Ba Na Hills Sun World and the Golden Hands Bridge; what time to go, best hotels, best tours and an itinerary of best things to do!
Why is Ba Na Hills famous?
Established by French colonialists in 1919, Ba Na Hills was previously a hill station high in the mountains and was a sanctuary from the heat in the below lowlands. The temperature in Da Nang can easily reach 40°C (104 °F), whilst Ba Na Hills is easily a breezy 17°C degrees (63°F).
It was once host to over 200 villas, each with their own spectacular panoramic views across the South China Sea or the expanses of countryside Central Vietnam is so well known for.
Over time it slowly deteriorated until it was bought out and transformed into the thriving theme park it stands as today. It’s perfect for families with kids should absolutely explore this fun amusement park, as its numerous activities and entertainments will delight children.
And it’s also great for big kids like myself; you will find that there’s plenty of things for adults to do; we were entertained for 3 days! Definitely worth visiting the Golden Hands Bridge in Vietnam!
The Golden Hands Bridge of Vietnam: everything you need to know
Often nicknamed ‘The hands bridge’, the Golden Hand Bridge was the ultimate sight seeing bucket list destination. It’s utterly stunning and should really be on everyone’s list if they come to Vietnam, especially around Central Vietnam!
The Golden Bridge has golden barriers which gives it its name; it’s suspended and is ‘held up’ by a pair of hands that emerge from luscious green forest and really is a spectacular sight to behold.
The Golden Hands Bridge was made in 2018 and ever since it was built it has been attracting visitors worldwide. The bridge is not hugely long; it’s 150m long and is 1400m above sea level. It overlooks Da Nang city and Hoi An and the beautiful coastline of My Khe beach.
Cable car times to The Golden Hands Bridge
You can only access the Golden Hands Bridge by cable car. The first cable car runs at 6am, but you will only be able to access the cable car station if you’re staying at the hotel in Ba Na Hills (read more below). The first cable car runs at 6, 6.30, 7, 7.30, 8 and every half hour until the park opens to the public. The Golden Bridge Vietnam is worth it!
Early Access to the Golden Hands Bridge
The hotel staff advised me that at 6 & 6.30am, the Golden Hands Bridge is often covered by mist, meaning there are no views and nothing to see, virtually. Therefore, we were advised to go at 7am, when the mist has cleared and there are few people.
If you’re looking to get to the Golden Hands Bridge before hundreds of other tourists, then the only way to really do this is to get early access to the park. You’ll need to visit early in the morning.
The only way to get early access to the park is by staying in the hotel: Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills. Have a look at the section below on how to book the hotel and get your ticket price included in the cost. It’s worth it to see the Golden Hands Bridge but it’s up to you what you prefer!
How many days do I need in Ba Na Hills?
You can definitely do Ba Na Hills and the Golden Hands bridge in one day, by purchasing a day pass or going with a tour.
There is so much to see and do at Ba Na hills, you could easily spend 2-3 days here, which is exactly what we did. Have a look below at the key highlights of things you should do when you’re there!
What is there to do in Ba Na Hills?
Ba Na Hills seems to be expanding in all directions, so there are new activities being built all the time. But there’s so much to do, we were there for 3 days and were never bored! Here’s a list of some of the things you can do:
- Golden hands bridge
- Bavarian Village
- French Village & St Denis Church
- Visit the Fantasy Park
- 3D, 4D and 5D cinemas!
- Multiple rides – try the Alpine coaster!
- The flying eyes theatre
- Visit the Grotte Season pool, complete with slides!
- Play on the arcade games (free of charge)
- Visit Le Jardin D’Amour Flower Gardens
- Visit Linh Ung Pagoda & The Giant White Buddha Statue
- Admire the incredible giant peacock & resplendent gardens
- Visit the Hoi An Gardens
- The Wax Museum (an extra charge for this, but you can often get discounts handed out to you by staff).
- Relax in the Rose Gardens
- Linh Phong Stupa – the spiritual pagodas and temples
- The rain sheltering teahouse
- The Belfry – for spectacular views at sunset
There’s plenty more, but that should be enough to be getting on with.
Tours to Ba Na Hills
There are plenty of tours that will take you to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Hands Bridge, collect you from your hotel and drop you off too.
It’s an excellent, stress free way of enjoying the amusement park and it can be done on a day trip, but I recommend staying over 1-2 nights if you want to enjoy the park during the early acess hours and evening access hours. No matter how long you’re visiting, you’ll be sure to have an amazing time!
Best hotel in Ba Na Hills
This, of course, has to be the only hotel in Ba Na Hills: Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills. And let me tell you, it’s stunning, and absolutely worth the stay. And in the grand scheme of things, it is very reasonably priced, in the best location, and you will get early access to many of the park’s attractions before it opens to the public.
We stayed in the Winston Churchill suite with the most incredible balcony that overlooked the French village and the Notre Dame. It actually looks like you’re in France, which is fairly confusing, surprising and yet wonderful! The hotel has an incredible restaurant too, I recommend trying the buffet and L’Etable, they do exceptional food!
It’s also worth noting that Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills.is rated as travel sustainable 2, meaning they have come a long way and have been working towards sustainability. Booking.com has partnered with sustainability organizations, like Sustainalize, that take into account five crucial aspects of travel sustainability.
Ba Na Hills Events & Festivals
Have a look at the below dates and see if they coincide with your visit, it’s always worth going when there’s a festival:
- The Flower festival – February 10th – September 3rd
- The Carnival festival – April – September
- The Wine festival – May 5th – May 20th
What time to go to the Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills
You can literally go at any time of year, it is excellent year round!
But if you’re looking at what time to go during the day, it’s best to go early morning or late afternoon. Most tours and most people leave the park at 3.30pm, so you might want to head there after this time if you’re looking to go with less crowds. You might start to get a golden sunset after this time. Alternatively, go early morning!
I was advised that even though it opens at 6 & 6.30am, the bridge is often covered by mist, meaning there are no views and nothing to see. We were advised to go at 7am, when the mist has cleared however, the park still hasn’t opened to the local public.
If you’re looking to go to the Golden Hands Bridge before hundreds of other tourists, then the only way to really do this is to get early access to the park. The only way to get early access to the park is by staying in the hotel: Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills. Have a look at the section above on booking the hotel and getting your entry included in your hotel price.
How to get to Ba Na Hills & The Golden Hands Bridge
The only way to access Ba Na Hills is via the cable car; and this is an excellent opportunity to admire the incredible views of the mountains in all directions and maybe even take a picture or two. The cable car pass is included in your ticket. If you’re staying at the hotel: Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills, the cable car & amusement park tickets are included in the price.
Da Nang to Ba Na Hills
This is around a 45 minute drive from Da Nang, and it’s very easy to get to. Book through a local tour, or order yourself a taxi or order a taxi through Grab. Grab is the Asian equivalent to Uber.
Hoi An to Ba Na Hills
This is around a 50 minute drive from Da Nang, and it’s very easy to get to. Book through a local tour, or order yourself a taxi or order a taxi through Grab. Grab is the Asian equivalent to Uber.
Ho Chi Minh to Ba Na Hills
You will first need to fly into Da Nang Airport, or you can get a 24 hour bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang. Then you will need to make your way to Ba Na Hills through the steps above.
Hanoi to Ba Na Hills
You will first need to fly into Da Nang Airport, or you can get an overnight bus from Hanoi to Da Nang. Then you will need to make your way to Ba Na Hills through the steps above.
Weather in Ba Na Hills, Vietnam
Ba Na Hills is located at the top of a mountain, and the weather in the mountains can be fairly changeable. In fact, the temperature is very different from Da Nang, which is only 45 minutes away; a change of 25°C, to be precise! Da Nang was around 40°C, whilst Ba Na Hills was easily 15 degrees at night. Da Nang was swelteringly hot, whilst Ba Na Hills was cool & breezy, and even chilly at night!
Weather in January:
Weather: Cool and relatively dry.
Average Temperature: 17°C (63°F)
Rainy Days: 4-5 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours.
Weather in February:
Weather: Cool and relatively dry.
Average Temperature: 17°C (63°F)
Rainy Days: 4-5 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours.
Weather in March:
Weather: Mild and pleasant.
Average Temperature: 19°C (66°F)
Rainy Days: 6-8 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours.
Weather in April:
Weather: Warm and increasingly humid.
Average Temperature: 21°C (70°F)
Rainy Days: 10-12 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours.
Weather in May:
Weather: Hot and humid.
Average Temperature: 24°C (75°F)
Rainy Days: 12-15 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours.
Weather in June:
Weather: Hot and humid.
Average Temperature: 26°C (79°F)
Rainy Days: 14-16 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours.
Weather in July:
Weather: Hot and humid with occasional heavy rains.
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Rainy Days: 15-18 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours.
Weather in August:
Weather: Hot and humid with occasional heavy rains.
Average Temperature: 27°C (81°F)
Rainy Days: 15-18 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours.
Weather in September:
Weather: Warm and decreasingly humid.
Average Temperature: 25°C (77°F)
Rainy Days: 11-13 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours.
Weather in October:
Weather: Mild and pleasant.
Average Temperature: 22°C (72°F)
Rainy Days: 6-8 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours.
Weather in November:
Weather: Cool and relatively dry.
Average Temperature: 20°C (68°F)
Rainy Days: 4-5 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours.
Weather in December:
Weather: Cool and relatively dry.
Average Temperature: 18°C (64°F)
Rainy Days: 4-5 days on average.
Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours.
You might be interested in some of my other Vietnam guides:
Quick links
| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
The incredible Quang Phu Cau incense village, Hanoi
The incredible Quang Phu Cau incense village is one of the most impressive sights in all of Vietnam and is…
Best Vietnamese coffee brands and shops
Vietnam has a huge coffee culture. I was taken aback by the sheer number of coffee shops and cafes in…
Hanoi Train Street schedule: Every amazing thing you need to know
Hanoi train street, in my opinion, is the greatest attraction in Hanoi and number one thing you should experience whilst…
13 Best cafes in Hanoi with pictures
On every street corner in Hanoi, Vietnam you’ll find either a café, or restaurant or both. Vietnam is renowned for…
25 unusual things to do in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam (hồ chà minh), formerly known as Saigon or Sai Gon, is honestly not what I…
Hue Things to do & travel guide; the great imperial city
If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam, make sure to include Hue Imperial City, also known as the Purple Forbidden…
Full guide: Hoi An Lanterns, tailors and beaches
Hoi An is my favourite city in all of Vietnam and is sometimes known as the City of Lanterns Vietnam….
What to do in Da Nang: The amazing My Khe Beach & more
Everything you need to know about Danang: My Khe Beach, where to stay in Da Nang, a photography guide and…
Best area to stay in Da Nang & things to do
Look no further for the best area to stay in Da Nang, Vietnam. I have just finished a month touring…
The amazing Ha Giang Loop: full guide
‘The Ha Giang Loop in Northern Vietnam is the most beautiful place in all of South East Asia.’ – literally…
Full disclosure! Some of the links here are affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission from every booking made. This is at no extra cost to you. It helps keep me writing and sharing my travel guides free of charge to you 🙂 Thank you for your support! Read our affiliate disclaimer here.
