Living in Da Nang as an expat: Sơn Trà or Ngũ Hành Sơn?

Da Nang is the easiest of Vietnam’s big cities to live in by the sea: a long city beach, an airport close to the centre, and a slower pace than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Most expats who rent here choose between two districts on the beach side of the Hàn River, Sơn Trà and Ngũ Hành Sơn. This is our first guide to them.

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Sơn Trà: the north end, under the peninsula

Sơn Trà runs from the Hàn River to the beach and north to the forested Sơn Trà peninsula. It is the closer of the two to the city centre, with the busiest stretch of beachfront, local seafood restaurants, and apartment towers along the coast road.

Ngũ Hành Sơn: An Thượng and the south

Ngũ Hành Sơn takes its name from the Marble Mountains at its southern end. Its northern edge, around An Thượng, is the nearest thing Da Nang has to an expat quarter: a grid of small streets a short walk from the beach, full of cafés, gyms, coworking spaces and restaurants. Further south it gets quieter, with villas and resorts along the coast.

Choosing between them

Both are by the beach, so the choice is about what is on your doorstep.

• Sơn Trà, if you want to be close to the centre and the river
• An Thượng, in Ngũ Hành Sơn, if you want to walk to cafés and the beach, and meet other expats
• Further south in Ngũ Hành Sơn, if you want quiet and space

What Nest has to rent here

In October, when this guide was written, Nest had only recently started letting homes in Da Nang, so the choice was small. Most of our homes there were furnished studios and one-bedroom apartments around An Thượng and in Sơn Trà, with a few larger homes. Ngũ Hành Sơn and Sơn Trà show every home we have today, with its rent.

Before you sign

The checks are the same as anywhere in Vietnam, plus one that comes with living by the sea.

• See the ownership document, the pink book, or a written authorisation from the owner
• Read the lease in a language you understand: the deposit, the notice period, repairs, the electricity rate and rent rises
• Salt air is hard on air conditioners and metal fittings, so turn every one on, and ask who services them
• Ask whether the landlord will register your residence with the police
• Photograph the home on move-in day, with the landlord there

Our guides to a lease written in Vietnamese and tạm trú, registering your address, were written for Hanoi, and apply in Da Nang too: the rules are national.

Where to start

See every Nest home in Da Nang, or start with a district: Ngũ Hành Sơn or Sơn Trà. The Da Nang page lists the areas we cover. Every Nest home is inspected in person, the owner is verified, and you never pay a tenant agency fee.

Want a closer look at one part of Ngũ Hành Sơn? Our guide to living in An Thượng covers the streets by the beach.