Monkey mountain – Son Tra Peninsula: The “green lung” of Da Nang city

Son Tra Peninsula is known by another name – Monkey mountain, located 10 km from the city center of Da Nang, is a unique peninsula of Vietnam. This place is ideal for taking in the city’s view from above.

Wanting to get away from the bustle of Da Nang city and spend some time amid nature? Explore Son Tra Peninsula, there is only a few km away from the city center. This peninsula is an excellent hideaway, particularly for those seeking picturesque landscapes,  white sand beaches, primeval forests, and good places for chills pictures.

1. Where is Son Tra Peninsula? 

Son Tra Peninsula is in Tho Quang ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang city. This peninsula is located about 10 km northeast of the city center. It has an elevation of 693m above sea level and covers an area of 60 square km with a length of 13 km and a width of 5 km.

This peninsula is a primeval forest with stunning landscapes and the greatest diverse ecosystems. Most visitors to the peninsula are interested in exploring the Son Tra Nature Reserve’s flora and fauna, especially the unique beauty of the red-shanked douc langurs, birds, trees, and flowers,…

Standing on top of Son Tra Peninsula, tourists can get a bird’s-eye of the breathtaking panoramic Da Nang city views. Also, you can enjoy the fresh cool breezes from the sea and the vast space of luxuriant greenery. 

2. How to get to Son Tra Peninsula Da Nang?

There are many ways to get to Son Tra Peninsula, including renting a scooter, taking a taxi, or booking a tour through a travel agency. 

If you take a tour, you don’t have to drive yourself. And you will see the highlights of Son Tra. The drawback can be that you have less freedom unless you book a private tour.

An alternative to taking a tour is to rent a car with a driver for the day. It takes about twenty minutes to drive from Nguyen Tat Thanh street to Son Tra Peninsula.

Traveling by Da Nang private car is the best way to discover Son Tra Peninsula

However, the best way to fully appreciate this natural wonder is to rent a scooter in Da Nang or Hoi An and travel to the peninsula’s various marvels. Then you will have the independence and freedom to go wherever you want to unwind. Renting a motorbike in Da Nang is very affordable, costing around 100,000 VND for the whole day.

How to get to Son Tra:

Google Map directions: https://goo.gl/maps/zFVGva1eQgPRoD7r8

• From Hoi An: Drive along Non-Nuoc Beach – My Khe beach to Truong Sa street – Vo Nguyen Giap street – Hoang Sa street – Son Tra Peninsula.
• From the center of Da Nang city: Take the bridges such as the Dragon Bridge, Han River Bridge, and Tran Thi Ly Bridge to get to the coastal road and head northeast on Vo Nguyen Giap street to begin your journey to discover the peninsula’s hidden beauty.

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3. The best time to visit Son Tra Peninsula

The weather on this peninsula is mild year-round. As a result, you can come here at any time of year. But, the best time to visit this place is from March to September, when the weather is dry, gorgeously sunny, and the sea is calm enough to enjoy without fear of a storm.

Especially, Son Tra is most beautiful from April to June, when the forest blooms with a plethora of colorful flowers.

If you come here in the winter, stay healthy and safe because it will be foggy and difficult to get around.

>>> Remember to book rooms at Da Nang Hotel for the most memorable trip in Son Tra peninsula!

4. Things to do in  Son Tra Peninsula – Monkey Mountain

During your stay on Son Tra peninsula, you can visit many interesting places. Here are the top eight must-see destinations for the most exciting experiences:

4.1. Beaches in Son Tra Peninsula 

It is easy to find a nice, quiet beach in Son Tra. The beaches surrounding Son Tra peninsula that you should visit include But Beach, Tien Sa Beach, Da Den Beach, South Beach, North Beach. 

Generally, they are blue, clear, and safe, so you can swim, snorkel, or paraglider at one of these beaches. You can also go fishing, and catch sea snails and shells with the locals. 

• But beach – Bãi Bụt

But Beach is one of the most tranquil beaches on the peninsula. With clear blue water and a long stretch of white sand, But beach is an ideal location for visitors to admire the scenery, swim, and take part in a variety of other exciting activities such as diving to see the colorful coral reefs, skydiving, or windsurfing…

But Beach on Son Tra peninsula (Source: Collected)

• Tien Sa Beach

The beach is located on Son Tra Peninsula and offers peaceful and pristine views. If you come here, you can immerse yourself in nature with the blue sea, white sand, and golden sunshine or enjoy services such as kite flying, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, outdoor karaoke, rollerblading…

The beautiful Tien Sa Beach (Source: @kim_anh612)

• Black Stone Beach – Bãi Đá Đen

Da Den beach, on the north shore of Son Tra Peninsula, is incredibly pristine despite being only about a one-hour boat trip away from Da Nang city. This beach has many large black rocks intertwined or stacked together, creating stunning views. 

Da Den Beach – An attractive tourist destination in Son Tra Da Nang (Source: Zingnews)

Especially, there are many beautiful artificial lakes in the reef area that are shielded by large boulders, keeping the water green year-round. Furthermore, the waves here are very soft, making them ideal for tourists to swim or take part in fishing and snorkeling in groups. 

• Bai Nam Beach – Bãi Nam (South of Monkey Mountain)

The name comes from its position on the Peninsula. Nam Beach, also known as Nom Beach, is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Son Tra Peninsula Resort. If you go a few hundred offshore from Nam beach, you will see some stunning coral reefs. Besides, you can also take part in professional diving services.

South Beach on the Son Tra Peninsula Resort (Source: @anh.thu103)

• Bai Bac Beach – Bãi Bắc (North Beach of Monkey Mountain): 

Like South beach, North beach is named after its location on the Peninsula. From October to November, there are a lot of dark green seaweeds clinging to the rocks here. With the prominent green seaweed on the rocks, the beach is a charming place to visit.

North Beach is a charming place to visit when traveling to Son Tra peninsula in Da Nang

(Source: Vietnammoi)

4.2. Linh Ung Pagoda – Chùa Bãi Bụt

This pagoda is on a 20-hectare plot of land on Son Tra Mountain which has several structures, including the main hall, the lecture hall, the ancestral house, the library, the lunchroom, and the Arhat statue garden. Linh Ung pagoda is a hybrid of contemporary and traditional Vietnamese temple architecture.

The Lady Buddha statue, the tallest statue in Vietnam (67m tall), is the most important and visible feature of Linh Ung pagoda. It is supported by a 35-meter-high lotus-shaped foundation, making the total height of the statue over 100m. Inside the statue, there are 17 stories. Each storey has 21 Buddha statues. The Lady Buddha statue, which took six years to build, maintains the peace and spiritual life of the city, protects the local fishermen, and gives them the strength to fight the waves and wind.

From the pagoda, you will see a blue sea and sky, a long white sandy beach running around the road at the foot of the mountain glistening under the soft sunshine in the peninsula.

4.3. Ban Co Peak – Đỉnh Bàn Cờ (Chess Board Peak)

Ban Co Peak is about 700m above sea level – is known for its Confucius statue. This bronze statue of the great philosopher playing chess is a tribute to the buddha who had a significant influence on Eastern culture.

The road to Ban Co peak is narrow and winding, making riding to Ban Co peak a challenging experience. However, while going up to Ban Co Peak, you can enjoy the fresh air and the spectacular view of the coastal city and the peninsula. 

4.4. Douc Langur at Son Tra Peninsula 

Son Tra is the haven for many animal species such as Birds, Monkeys, and the rare monkey in Vietnam Redbook: Red-shanked Douc (Douc Langur), known as the “Queen of Primates.” So that is why in American Document Films, this place is called Monkey Mountain.

Red Shanked Douc lives in Son Tra National Park, is a very rare monkey that is shy and dislikes human interaction. Here, you can see that special ropes are hung over the road to make it easier for the monkeys to cross without being hit by a passing vehicle.

They feed in the early morning or afternoon to avoid humans and are always in flocks. Their food comprises young leaves that grow wild on the tops of tall trees. Remember to go quietly and keep a safe distance, so they know you are not a threat. Try to bring binoculars if you want to get a better look at this monkey.

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4.5. The thousand-year-old banyan tree

This Banyan tree is located 5 km from Linh Ung Pagoda. According to Da Nang people, the tree is now at least 1,000 years old. This tree has a 10m circumference and 25 new trunks that are almost 25m tall. Its root clusters have grown into new trunks that support massive structures from the center.

This is a popular destination for tree lovers, especially during the hot summer months. On clear days, you can also see Cu Lao Cham Island, Da Nang city, and Marble Mountain from his Old Banyan.

4.6. Radar House

This radar house is regarded as “Indochina’s Miraculous Eyes” – is used for civil aviation, the air force, and the navy. Standing in the radar observation room, you can take in the outstanding view of the China beach (American Document) or East Sea while also observing the Vietnamese army on duty.

You cannot go inside the radar house because it is a military area and is still used for territorial sovereignty protection, but there are many places on the mountain roads where you can see it from. And consider if you use drones in this area

Not far from the Radar House, you also stop at Vong Canh house, it is a stopover for tourists to explore Son Tra peninsula. From here, you can have a panoramic view of Son Tra peninsula, Lang Co Bay of Hue, and Hai Van pass.

4.7. Son Tra lighthouse

An elevation of 223m above sea level. This lighthouse is one of the 8 oldest lighthouses in Vietnam.

Because the road is not smooth and dangerous, this place attracts a lot of young people who go to visit often. From this lighthouse, we can see the beautiful colors of Da Nang, such as the blue of the sky, the white of the clouds, the blue sea, the green of the forest, and the pale yellow of the sand. This location is ideal for many couples taking romantic photoshoots and welding photos

4.8. Cape Nghe at Son Tra Peninsula Da Nang

Cape Nghe is on the Son Tra Peninsula’s southeast coast. This should be the first place that comes to your mind if you want to watch the sunrise. Not only is it a beautiful location with blue lakes overlooking the ocean, it also has the most beautiful sunrise view of Da Nang.

With over 42 different rare coral reefs, tour designers chose Cape Nghe to deploy sea diving services and this place has become one of the most appealing destinations in the tour around Son Tra peninsula. 

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5. What to eat at Son Tra Peninsula Vietnam?

Many travelers, spend their time visiting Linh Ung pagoda because of the short time and back to Da Nang center for lunch or dinner. If you have more time such as a day trip around the beautiful Son Tra Peninsula would be incomplete without enjoying delicious food that you should try:

• Da Nang Seafood

Visiting Son Tra Peninsula, you should not overlook the seafood. Fresh seafood such as lobster, grouper, prawn, octopus, finger snail, and red sea snail,… are available for your meals. The seafood here is abundant and diverse, but it is only available seasonally to ensure the dish’s freshness.

• Wild vegetables

The local people often collect wild vegetables that grow wildly around the mountains on Son Tra Peninsula. You should try some dishes that use these vegetables eating with garlic and snail and try with the fish sauce which enhances the flavor of the dish and leaves you impressed.

• A true destination for Vietnamese food – Citron restaurant in Intercontinental Resort

With traditional dishes from North, Central, and South Vietnam – one must-try is our delicious Hanoi-style Phở. You’ll also love My Quang from Da Nang, Hoi An chicken rice, and Saigon-style Banh Xeo.

This bright, airy space soars 100 meters over the landscape on the Intercontinental resort’s highest level and is punctuated with Bill Bensley’s design combining Vietnamese motifs with bright colorful details. Of special note: look up at the ceiling in the buffet area, where each of the backlit panels features a pen-and-ink drawing of one of Vietnam’s many indigenous birds.

Two thatched-roof private dining rooms are available for small groups of up to 8. And for the ultimate wow, book one of Citron’s outdoor dining booths, shaped like an inverted nón-lá, the iconic Vietnamese conical hat. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner with the best view in the house!

>>> Book voucher, combo, and tour to Da Nang to explore the beauty of Son Tra peninsula in the best way!

6. Tips to have a wonderful trip to Son Tra Peninsula

The most important tips for a memorable journey to Son Tra Peninsula include:

• Bring sunglass and wear shoes rather than flip-flops because you may have to climb over sand and rocks to photograph the outstanding views.
• The Cellular signals are not strong around Son Tra Peninsula. It is best to download an offline map, plan your trip, or rent a car with English speaking driver, he will guide you through some information, and not need a local tour guide.
• Around 18h00, you can see the entire city light up and take scenic photos while standing at the corner of Linh Ung Pagoda.
• Don’t rent a Scooter to go to 1000 yrs Banyan Tree, Radar house, or Ban Co peak. It is dangerous and you also see the direction board en route. 
• An SUV is recommended if you want to go to Ban Con peak and Radar House
• Clear all garbage to keep the Son Tra peninsula –  a lung green of Da Nang

Finally, there are many transport companies or travel agents who have tours of the Son Tra peninsula. As a result, for moving conveniently between attractions, you should consider booking a private car with Hura Cars as one of the best choices.

>>> Book a private car tour in advance to ensure a complete exploration of Son Tra peninsula!