There’s a reason why Da Nang is dubbed FantastiCity. If you do a simple Google search for what is special about Da Nang, you will instantly understand why.
Da Nang is Vietnam’s fourth largest city and the largest in the Central region. The coastal city is a modern tourist magnet — for domestic and international travelers — that boasts golden and stunning beaches, bridges that represent its dynamic development, charming locals and everything in between. Literally lying between the capital Hanoi and the southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang is also the destination where the past and present harmoniously blend. The best of both worlds as they say. Not to mention the city’s an hour’s drive to the quaint, old town of Hoi An.
From its theme parks to high-rise residential properties, to limestone caves and Buddhist grottos, it was no surprise when Da Nang came in third on the list of the 2022 10 best cities in Southeast Asia, ranked by New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.
If you’ve been to any spots in Da Nang or rode the cable cars to the mountain parks and hills, you might think you’ve seen it all. But unless you flew over the beautiful city, there’s more to see.
Here, we will give you a broader perspective of the FantastiCity! — say a 365 degrees experience, by air, on top of everything?
‘Love at first sight’
When Alex Castañeda first came to Vietnam in 2016, his original plan was just to stay for a month. Six years later, he is still here “loving every moment and experience in this amazing country.”
Alex spent his early years in his hometown in El Paso, Texas, United States. Naturally curious and an avid traveler, Alex has gone through several cities in Europe before he made his way to Asia. When he arrived in Vietnam, he stayed for more than three years in Hanoi but driven by his desire to know and see more, he found a home in Da Nang. “You can call it love at first sight,” he said. “I just knew this was the city I wanted to live in.”
True to his declaration of love for the coastal city, Alex didn’t just settle in the country. He wanted to do more. And although he revealed that prior to coming to Asia, he was unaware of Vietnam’s beautiful landscapes, delicious food, and kind-hearted people, now he’s seen it all… and he wanted the same for every tourist visiting the city.
Alex is a hodophile (someone who loves traveling) and his goal is to “make Vietnam a top travel destination in the world and for people to discover all the wonders this country has to offer.”
This is where DaNang 365 enters. Alex launched his company in 2020, just before the global pandemic halted almost every operation in every city. However, that didn’t stop him and they just resumed operations for about two to three months. While the tourism and travel industries are slowly recovering, Alex and his team at DaNang 365 remain hopeful.
Helicopter tour in Da Nang and Hoi An
While COVID-19 has disrupted travel plans and tourism, Da Nang is still an important tourism hub located close to several UNESCO Heritage sites. To cater to a diverse set of visitors in the ‘new normal,’ tourist facilities are continuously improving to meet international standards.
“AMAZING!!!!! Recently went on the helicopter tour with DaNang 365. It was incredible. Definitely one of those "bucket list" things for us. The captain of the helicopter was really helpful and pointed out all of the great sights around Son Tra & the My Khe beach. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour!!”
The exact words from one of DaNang 365’s passengers.
DaNang 365 focuses on providing tourists with the best experiences available in the city and beyond. They offer unique tours that will leave lasting memories and focus on creating exciting events that involve both locals and foreigners. On top of that, they intend to be the go-to site for all the information related to the coastal city such as news, updates, events, and activities.
When asked why he launched the tour company, Alex said it’s because of how amazing Vietnam is “but only very few people around the world have noticed Vietnam as a potential destination.”
Since the operations just resumed, Alex wanted to focus on specific services for now. And it goes without saying, the helicopter tour slots are selling like hotcakes to both locals and foreign tourists.
“We have two different options,” Alex explained. “One tour takes you around Da Nang and the other one includes both Da Nang and Hoi An. A truly wonderful and unique experience. Not many people have ever experienced the feeling and rush of traveling in a helicopter, so it is no surprise that all of our customers leave with a big smile on their faces.”
Whether you’re traveling with your family or a group of your friends, or even as a couple or with kids, Alex guaranteed this is absolutely the best way to explore the central part of Vietnam.
He added: “Our second best-selling tour is scuba diving in Cham Islands. Just like the helicopter takes people through an adventure by air, this tour brings people to an underwater world. This a great tour for couples or just a group of friends.”
If you’re interested to experience the magic from above or immerse yourself underwater, you can book your slots here. But really, you don’t have to choose one, you can do both adventures.