Short answer: Tien Sa is Da Nang's main cruise port, about 10 km from the city centre. Hoi An is about 45 minutes away and Marble Mountains about 25 minutes, so even a 6-hour call gives you a proper day out. Of all the ports in Vietnam, this is the easy one.
How far things are from Tien Sa
- Da Nang city centre: about 20 minutes
- Marble Mountains: about 25 minutes
- Hoi An old town: about 45 minutes
- Hue: much further. If Hue is your main wish, it is usually easier when your ship docks at Chan May. See Hue or Hoi An from Chan May port.
Our guide and driver meet you at the ship, so you don't need to walk to the port gate.
What can you do in one day?
These are the tours we run from Tien Sa, with the usual length of the day. Check your ship's all-aboard time first, then pick.
- Hoi An farming and fishing (about 8 hours): Tra Que vegetable village, a basket boat ride, then Hoi An old town. Good for families and for people who like doing things, not only looking.
- Hoi An cooking class (about 8 hours): market, cooking, then you eat what you cooked, and some time in the old town.
- Hoi An old town: a walk with the guide, the Japanese Covered Bridge, old houses, lunch and a boat ride on the Thu Bon river.
- Marble Mountains and Hoi An (about 9.5 hours): caves and pagodas inside the hills in the morning, Hoi An in the afternoon. There are a lot of steps at Marble Mountains.
- My Son and Hoi An (about 10 hours): two UNESCO sites in one day. Only for long port calls, and My Son is very hot at midday.
- Da Nang city (about 9 hours): museums, Son Tra peninsula and the city, if you prefer to stay close to the ship.
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge (about 8 hours): a cable car up the mountain to the Golden Bridge. It gets busy.
All of them are private, so we can change the order or cut something if your time is short.
A real day from Tien Sa: John and JoAnn
In November 2026 John and JoAnn from the USA came off their ship at Tien Sa and did the farming day with us. In the morning they went to Tra Que village, put on farmer shirts and conical hats, and helped a local farmer plant herbs.
Then came the cooking class, and after that the old town: the Japanese Covered Bridge and the An Hoi bridge over the river.
On their feedback form they wrote: "Very good communication. Henry was excellent in making arrangements before and during tour." They also told us what to do better: "More frequent restroom breaks and water." That is a fair point for a long, hot day. On any of our tours you can ask the guide to stop for a toilet or to buy water at any time, you don't need to wait for the next planned stop.
A few practical tips
- Weather: October to December is the rainy season in Da Nang and Hoi An, and Hoi An can flood for a few days. Bring a light rain jacket. More in Best time to visit Da Nang.
- Heat: from May to August it is very hot. Bring a hat and drink often.
- Money: have some Vietnamese dong for small things. Not all places take cards.
- Shoes: you walk a lot in Hoi An, and Marble Mountains has many steps.
- Shopping stops: some Hoi An trips stop at stone or jewellery shops and you lose time. Ask any operator before you book. Ours only stop at shops if you ask.
- Visa: if you use an e-visa, choose Da Nang as your entry port.
Want help choosing? Send us your ship name, the date and your docking hours, and we will tell you honestly what fits. All our Da Nang tours are on the Da Nang shore excursions page, and Hoi An tours on the Hoi An shore excursions page.
