For one or two short rides in Da Nang, a ride-hailing app such as Grab or Xanh SM is the cheapest and simplest option: fixed price in the app, no haggling, cars within minutes in most of the city. A metered taxi is the fallback when you have no data.
A private car with driver makes sense for a day with several stops, such as Son Tra, the Marble Mountains and Hoi An, where you would otherwise book three or four rides and wait between them. Full-day hire runs roughly 45 to 70 US dollars depending on the car, without a guide or tickets.
Car, driver and guide in one booking
Our private tours add a licensed local guide and every entrance fee to the car, and the driver waits at each stop.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursSee the tour →What are the options for getting around Da Nang?
Da Nang has four practical ways to move between sights: ride-hailing cars, metered taxis, a private car with driver, and a rented motorbike. Most visitors use two of them: an app for short hops, and a car for the one long day of the trip.
| Option | Typical cost | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grab or Xanh SM car | about 50,000 to 80,000 VND, centre to Marble Mountains | Single rides, short distances | Waiting for a car back from quieter stops |
| Metered taxi | a little more than the apps | No data, no app | Use a known company and check the meter runs |
| Private car with driver | about 45 to 55 USD a day (sedan), 55 to 70 USD (7-seat) | A day with three or more stops | Driver speaks basic English; no guide, no tickets |
| Rented motorbike | about 150,000 VND a day | Confident riders only | Traffic, heat, and parking at every stop |
Prices were checked in September 2026 from operators and published fare guides; they move with fuel prices and demand.
When is Grab the better choice?
Grab, or Xanh SM with its fixed-fare electric cars, is the better choice when your day has one main stop. Central Da Nang to the Marble Mountains is a 15 to 20 minute ride, and the fare is known before you get in. Coming back is usually as easy as opening the app again at the gate.
The app also works well for the airport, for dinner and for the beach. The fare is paid in the app, by card or in cash, and the driver needs no English beyond confirming your name. For the practical details of that one ride, see how to get to the Marble Mountains.
When is a private driver worth it?
A private driver is worth it when you link places that are far apart. The Lady Buddha on Son Tra is north of the city, the Marble Mountains are south, and Hoi An is another 20 km beyond them. By app, that is three or four separate bookings, each with a wait, and a long ride back at the end of the day.
With a car for the day, the driver waits while you visit, your bags stay in the car, and you set the timing. That matters at the Marble Mountains, where reaching Huyen Khong cave between about 9:00 and 11:00 is the difference between seeing the beams of light and not.
What a hired car does not give you is a guide. Drivers usually speak basic English, entrance tickets are extra, and the driver will not explain the caves, the shrines or the inscriptions on the rock.
What does a private tour add to a private car?
A private tour is a private car plus a guide, the tickets and a plan. On our tours that means a licensed local guide who speaks fluent English, the entrance fees for the Marble Mountains, the elevator and Am Phu cave already paid, and a route timed around the light and the crowds.
It also means no detour to a marble showroom. Some drivers and group tours stop at one; ours do not, and we write that into the booking.
Linking Son Tra, the Marble Mountains and Hoi An?
Two private days with car, licensed guide and every ticket included, and the driver waiting at each stop.
Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone Carvers5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern Light10 hoursSee the tour →Grab or private driver: quick answers
Is Grab available in Da Nang?
Yes. Grab works across Da Nang and to Hoi An, and Xanh SM runs fixed-fare electric cars in the city. Both show the price before you confirm the ride.
How much is a private driver in Da Nang for a day?
A car with driver for a full day in Da Nang costs roughly 45 to 55 US dollars for a sedan and 55 to 70 US dollars for a seven-seat car, based on published operator rates in September 2026. Entrance fees and a guide are not included.
Do private drivers in Da Nang speak English?
Most speak basic English, enough for pickup times and stops. They are drivers, not guides, and will not explain the sites.
Is it safe to take Grab in Da Nang?
Grab is widely used by visitors and locals in Da Nang. The app shows the driver, the car and the route, which is why most travellers prefer it to hailing a taxi on the street.
Car, guide and tickets in one price
Choose your group size and the price covers the day: pickup, private car, licensed guide, every ticket and water. Free to cancel until 3 days before.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursfrom$39/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$135BOOK →2 guests$140BOOK →3 guests$150BOOK →4 guests$155BOOK →See the full tour page →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursfrom$89/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$265BOOK →2 guests$295BOOK →3 guests$325BOOK →4 guests$355BOOK →See the full tour page →Ride and car-hire prices were checked in September 2026 from operators and fare guides and vary with demand.