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An Honest Da Nang Digital Nomad Guide

An Honest Da Nang Digital Nomad Guide

The Da Nang digital nomad community is currently one of the fastest-growing in Asia and worldwide.

And if you are just starting your nomad journey and looking for a place where you can hang out with other digital nomads while getting some work done, you definitely might want to consider Da Nang. It's literally the place everyone is talking about right now.

I've spent 2 months living in Da Nang as a digital nomad and have gotten to know every corner of this fast-growing city while I was there. Here’s everything you need to know about being a digital nomad in Da Nang, to help you decide whether it should be on your radar as your next nomad destination.

My Experience Living in Da Nang as a Digital Nomad

Let's just say that I have mixed emotions about Da Nang.

On one hand, it's that place that has everything you can dream of: a beautiful long stretch of beach, a vibrant city vibe with those tall skyscrapers, it's clean, it has many restaurants and cafés of any kind. On the other hand, well... it's a bit soulless if I may say so, and doesn't have much history.

I decided to base myself in Da Nang as I had heard a lot about it. Many considered it among the best digital nomad destinations, and there was also the famous Da Nang (formerly Vietnam) Nomad Fest in town, so I thought it was the perfect chance to meet other nomads and explore this new destination.

I had never been to Da Nang before, although I had been to other places in Vietnam, such as Ho Chi Minh and Phu Quoc.

Beyond this vibe check not wholly passed, I must say that I still enjoyed my time in Da Nang overall. It's an absolutely great place if you want to get work done and can't be bothered to find good WiFi or places to work because there are so many in Da Nang! It's also great if you love to hang out with other nomads, as they are pretty much everywhere in the city.

Pros and Cons of Living in Da Nang

There is no need to say that affordability is one of the biggest pros of living in Da Nang. This big pro is followed by the sheer number of remote-work-friendly places and the variety of healthy food, which is what tends to attract most nomads and expats to this place.

This city also feels modern, and you won't have to give up any comforts you might have back home. It's super easy to find great apartments with modern amenities or even upscale hotels at a decent price. Those are the upside and downsides I found during my time in Da Nang.

Pros
  • Still very affordable for Western standards
  • It has beautiful beaches right in the city
  • Modern and clean
  • A lot of vegan and healthy food
  • An incredible variety of remote-work friendly places
  • Easy to get around by scooter
  • Great weather for half of the year
  • Big digital nomad community
Cons
  • It's still a city, so it can be noisy
  • Prices are rapidly rising due to the influx of expats
  • It can feel soulless, with no history
  • Not many attractions, if not a few tourist spots

Cost of Living in Da Nang

Let's start from the elephant in the room: cost of living. Da Nang is relatively affordable (for Western standards), especially compared, for instance, to most places like Thailand (including the most popular hub in it, Chiang Mai).

You can live comfortably with 1,000-1,300 USD a month or even less if you plan to live a frugal life. Of course, if you want, you could even live a more luxurious life and spend more (not recommended considering local standards), but the amount I gave you is just to give you an idea of how affordably you could live if you ever wanted to.

To give you an idea, my rent for a fully serviced apartment with all modern amenities like a washing machine and a kitchen in a hotel was a little over 500 USD a month.

To move around, you could walk to most places if you base yourself near the beach, but I personally opted to rent a scooter as I wanted to move around and be able to go from one side to the other. I spent a total of $60 for a whole month for a 125cc scooter.

As I had a kitchen in my apartment, I often bought food at the supermarket and my favorite was MM Mega Market. I was able to find a variety of fresh products and most of the Western food I could think of whenever I wanted to. Doing groceries wasn't cheap, I must admit, and we often would spend around $60-70 for two full bags of groceries, but you can always save money by buying fruits and vegetables in local markets instead, which is way cheaper.

When I wanted to try some local food, I obviously opted for some street food like the unmissable Bánh mì and Bánh bao and they can cost as little as $0.80 for a Bánh mì and $0.50 for a Bánh bao. They are pretty much everywhere in the city (and in the whole of Vietnam), so you can't miss them.

Of course, I tried many local Vietnamese restaurants where a meal would cost me around $8-15 max, while a meal of Western food in a medium restaurant would cost me anywhere from $15.

If you want to opt for healthy food, you won't be disappointed in Da Nang. Anywhere I went, it cost me anywhere from $5 to $8 max for most servings in the many vegan and vegetarian cafés around the city.

Best Areas to Live in Da Nang

While the neighboring Hoi An is certainly the most famous place on Vietnam's central coast, Da Nang is surely the fastest-growing and most modern.

It's the 5th most populated city in Vietnam with almost 1.2 million people living in it. Still, it doesn't feel like a big city and you can easily go from one side to the other by scooter and it won't take you more than 20-25 minutes.

The city is divided by the Han River into two parts: the beach side (east of the river) and the city side (west of the river). No need to say that the areas near the beach, especially My An and An Thuong, are the most popular among digital nomads and are overall preferred by tourists and expats in general (while also being the most expensive compared to the city). Why? Well, it's because of the beach, of course.

You have access to this huge promenade where you can walk, get some exercise, drink with some friends while looking at the sunset, play volleyball, and do many other water sports like surfing or even parasailing. You also have close access to the waterfalls and have an amazing view of the mountains while being surrounded by this incredible skyline.

If you want to experience the Vietnamese vibe and get a truly local vibe, though, you might want to choose the city side. That's where prices are lower and you also have parks with wider streets and all the amenities. I personally stayed on the city side as I found it more authentic and chose MTR Apartment for my stay, in the peaceful Cam Le district.

Other great areas to stay in the city are Khue My, which has a ton of green spaces and a more local feel, and Hai Chau, which offers a ton of amenities and is at the center of Da Nang, so you can't go wrong with it.

Internet in Da Nang

The internet in Da Nang is impeccable. You will have to try really hard to find a place with slow internet and it's not rare to find impressive speeds like 500MBps in download.

Many cafés offer free WiFi (make sure to consume quite often when you stay there!), so you could enjoy some good coffee while hanging out with the countless remote workers you will find working from their laptop like you.

Accommodations are the only exception to this great WiFi coverage around the city and they don't always have the best internet, unfortunately. Make sure to ask your Airbnb host to show a speed test or check out the hotel's reviews to avoid unpleasant surprises. That's my personal advice for it!

There are also plenty of coworking spaces if you want to make sure you get the right work environment, but expect to pay between 10-15 USD for a day pass.

Best Coworking Spaces and Cafes to Work from in Da Nang

Da Nang's reputation is especially great for cafés as there is an incredibly huge variety, and you can find many cafés for pretty much any taste.

There are also many coworking spaces if you prefer a quieter workspace, although I must say none had that wow factor for my taste, but you can certainly trust them to help you get deep-focus work done and hang out with other nomads as well.

Coworking Spaces in Da Nang

Laptop-Friendly Cafés in Da Nang

These are just my favorite cafés, but there are so many more!

💡
Pro tip: Get there early in the morning! They can get very busy soon and you might not find a space to work, so get there as early as you can to avoid jumping from one cafés to the other!

Visa Options + Digital Nomad Visa

Vietnam doesn't currently offer a dedicated digital nomad visa (yet!). However, many nationalities can enter the country on a visa exemption, which you don't need to apply for before. You will simply receive the visa on entry to Vietnam.

Americans, Canadians, and citizens of most EU countries can stay up to 45 days on arrival. Most people I've met enter Vietnam on a visa exemption and do visa runs to neighbouring countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The catch, though, is you must wait 30 days between visa-free visits.

Tourist e-Visa

If you don't qualify for visa exemption or want to stay longer and avoid visa runs, a great option is Vietnam's e-Visa. It allows stays of 30 days (single entry) or 90 days (multiple entries) for citizens of 80+ countries. You simply apply online via Vietnam's Immigration Portal, and approval comes in about 3 working days.

To be eligible for the Tourist e-Visa, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • Valid passport (6+ months validity)
  • Digital passport photo (white background)
  • Proof of travel insurance
  • $25 fee (non-refundable)

How to Find Communities in Da Nang

In Da Nang is fairly easy meeting people as there is a thriving digital nomad and expat community.

The best way to meet other nomads or expats is by signing up for social media groups on Facebook or WhatsApp groups or joining local Telegrams (that's what I did).

The best Facebook and WhatsApp groups to join are:

Another excellent way to get the full benefit of networking opportunities, meetups, workshops, and conferences is to attend the famous Vietnam Nomad Fest like I did. They have their own Telegram group in which you can literally find anything you can think of about Da Nang: places to work from, meetups organised by other nomads on the day, side events, coworking days... you name it!

Last time I checked, it has more than 300 people in it and everyone was super helpful and active, so my advice is to make sure to join it if networking and meeting like-minded people is your priority.

What is the Best Time to Live in Da Nang?

One thing about Da Nang: the season you come in can totally change your experience.

There are basically two seasons here: the dry season (February to August) and the rainy one (September to January).

If you want that classic “wake up, grab your scooter, work from a café, and hit the beach after” lifestyle, dry season is your friend. Sunny days, blue skies, warm ocean.

Rainy season is a different story. You’ll get days of non-stop rain, the odd typhoon warning, and streets that flood faster than you’d expect. It’s not bad if you like cozy café vibes or don’t care about being outdoors much.

When I stayed, I purposely chose the dry season, and honestly, I’m glad I did. It made exploring way easier and kept the whole vibe feeling light and fun.

🌞
TL;DR: If it’s your first time, aim for February to August. If you don’t mind rain and want fewer crowds (and slightly lower prices), late September to early December works too. Just pack a rain jacket and some patience.

Things to Do in Da Nang

Even though Da Nang sometimes feels a bit “new” and doesn’t have the centuries-old vibe of somewhere like Hanoi or Hoi An, there’s still plenty to keep you busy outside work hours. Here’s what I actually enjoyed while I was there:

Hit the Beach

This is the reason most people come. My Khe Beach is the big one, and for good reason: it’s wide, clean, and perfect for morning runs or just chilling after work. If you’re into surfing, there are a bunch of rental shops and surf schools right on the beach.

Take a Scooter Ride Over the Hai Van Pass

If you’ve seen “Top Gear” Vietnam, you already know. The Hai Van Pass is one of the most scenic coastal drives in Asia, and it’s only about an hour’s ride. Rent a scooter, pack some water, and go. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Check Out Marble Mountains

A cluster of five marble and limestone hills with caves, temples, and panoramic views of the city. The Marble Mountains are definitely touristy, sure, but still cool for a half-day adventure.

Golden Bridge & Ba Na Hills

You’ve probably seen the Instagram-famous “hands holding a bridge” photo... That’s here. It’s kitschy (think Disneyland meets Europe), but if you like unique spots, it’s worth ticking off the list.

Day Trip to Hoi An

My personal favourite. Hoi An is only 40 minutes away and feels like a different world—lanterns, old-town vibes, amazing food. A weekend there is an absolute must.

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Luca Mussari
Written by Luca Mussari

Digital nomad and co-founder of Freaking Nomads. After leaving a corporate job in London, I co-created Freaking Nomads to inspire others to embrace remote work and find happiness wherever they go.

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