According to the municipal Statistical Office, there has been a steady rise in the number of tourists in the city in the first seven months of 2024, notably that of international visitors.
Da Nang welcomed 2.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in the period, up 34.7 % year-on-year, equivalent to the target set for the whole year. The number is projected to reach 3.5 million in 2024, equal to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level.
The office attributed this impressive growth to a series of events to attract both domestic and international visitors, especially the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2024 (DIFF), which took place from June 8 to July 13 which brought a tourism boom.
Along with that, there are also other 'magnets' that sustainably attract international tourists to the city, including the Sun World Ba Na Hills that lures seven out of every ten international tourists to Da Nang.
A place satisfying every traveller's desires
Sun World Ba Na Hills captivates international tourists for many reasons, as it can satisfy visitors from all walks of life, no matter where they come from.
For tourists from countries that are hot all year round like Thailand, Malaysia, or India, Ba Na is known as a temperate paradise in the tropical region, where visitors can enjoy cool weather across all four seasons.
The number of Indian visitors to Sun World Ba Na Hills reached 132,000 by the end of July 2024, accounting for nearly half of the total Indian tourists visiting Vietnam in the last seven months.
“Ba Na is like a fairyland to my family with the Golden Bridge and beautiful and splendid castles. The atmosphere is both cool and comfortable, allowing us to play all day without getting tired, feeling very refreshed,” said Muskan Tiwari from New Delhi.
Moreover, Indian tourists visiting Ba Na can also enjoy authentic Indian cuisine, as the resort features a dedicated buffet restaurant that serves distinctive food of Indian tourists.
Indian tourists are not only amazed by the iconic structures at Ba Na Hills but are also highly satisfied with services provided there.
For the Republic of Korea (RoK) - the largest international tourist source market for Vietnam, Sun World Ba Na Hills is popular since it goes along with the mindset of Korean visitors. They are drawn to the atmosphere of an ancient European town and pay attention to highly rated destinations on Instagram. According to the Financial Times of the RoK, for every three tourists in Sun World Ba Na Hills, one is from the RoK.
Yong Sung Ok, the Southeast Asia regional manager of one of the top travel companies in the RoK – Hanatour, said that Koreans have a particular fondness for mountains and cable cars.
"Personally, I think the most attractive aspect is being able to view the scenery from above," he said.
For many tourists around the world, the Golden Bridge at Sun World Ba Na Hills is a "dream" that can be conquered. Many from Europe and America have flown for eight or nine hours just to have a check-in photo at the Golden Bridge - a structure selected as one of the 100 greatest places in the world by the US’ TIME magazine, and praised by renowned online magazine Bored Panda as Vietnam's man-made wonder, and "one of the best known symbols in Vietnam, along with Ha Long Bay".
Since its debut six years ago, the Golden Bridge has maintained its popularity as it has just been introduced by Travel+Leisure as a must-visit spot for photo opportunities when travelling to Da Nang.
On Instagram - the world's largest photo-sharing social network, the number of tourists around the world checking in the Golden Bridge has reached nearly 30,000 posts. The hashtag #goldenbridge has hit159,000, demonstrating the global love for this iconic bridge.
Constantly renewed destination
"Ba Na Hills is a constantly renewed destination." That is the comment of many international tourists when they visit Sun World Ba Na Hills multiple times.
"What I love about Ba Na Hills is that every time I come back, I have a chance to experience something different. That's why every time I go to Da Nang, I always choose to visit Ba Na and never get bored," said Lee Seo Joon, a Korean tourist.
The most distinctive feature of Ba Na Hills lies with not only its iconic tourist attractions such as the Golden Bridge, French Village or the Helios Waterfall, but also the four-season festive atmosphere through world-class shows. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars to watch an exclusive show, visitors are able to experience international standard performances the whole day with just a cable car ticket.
This summer, in Ba Na Hills, tourists can enjoy a wide range of minishows by international artists, such as a skating performance at the central church square, a Beer King game and participation in the beer B'estival festival. Notably, Sun World Ba Na Hills is introducing a special show combining 12 types of art, featuring the performance of hundreds of international artists. It’s called Fairy Blossom which takes place at Noel Plaza square at 11 am daily (except Tuesdays).
The festival atmosphere at Ba Na Hills is also found in delicious German beers, which visitors can enjoy instead of travelling all the way to the distant Oktoberfest. This summer, for the first time, Sun World Ba Na Hills has introduced the highest craft beer brewery in Vietnam (1,487m) - a project nurtured for 10 years, where fresh batches of beer and impressively designed cans by the brand Sun Kraft Beer have been officially launched. The formula and brewing team are provided directly by Camba, a Bavaria brewery, with the raw materials for beer production carefully selected from among the best types of Germany, New Zealand and the US, ensuring that each batch of Sun Kraft Beer is brewed on the top of Ba Na with a delicious and an 'authentic taste'.
Even until nightfall, visitors are still amazed by Ba Na Hills with its captivating attractions when they can immerse themselves in the fire dance show and campfire activation performed by South American artists or dance the night away with glamorous Thai transgender beauty queens at the Cabaret Plus costume show. Alternatively, one can simply stay a peaceful night at Mercure Danang French Village Ba Na Hills, to take a leisurely walk along picturesque streets and to gaze up at the star-filled night sky.
With such unique experiences that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, it is not difficult to understand why Ba Na Hills is so attractive to foreign tourists. This magnet is still waiting for you to come and experience by yourself, to discover a Da Nang that not only has the most beautiful beaches in the world, but also brings a journey of endless joy on the peak of Ba Na.
