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Sunworld Amusement Park is a very strange (but quite typical for Asian countries) Theme Park. It is noticeably devoid of rides. It is in a crazy location. It is very opulent and extravagant. The entry price is very expensive for Vietnam and its probably not worth it unless you make a full day of the theme park; BUT there are a few worthwhile attractions here such as a very very high cablecar, a stunning bridge called the Golden Hand Bridge, a traditional french village and a few good rides.
The opulence of this place is incredible and they are still building more. The weirdest thing is that there isn’t a huge amount to DO but plenty to wander around and admire.
Top Tips for Visiting Sunworld Amusement Park:
If you decide to visit Sunworld Bana Hills and pay the huge entrance fee its probably to see the Golden Hand Bridge. Don’t get me wrong this place is very impressive but its still a lot of money and time out of your way to visit a bridge that is completely covered in tourists. I recommend making a full day of it (the complex is open from 7:30am until 10pm) as there are many other parts of the complex that are worth seeing while you are there anyway and you can make your day much more relaxed and comfortable by following a good plan. There are also some benefits to staying for a long day which I will go through in the ‘What to Expect’ section below.
Another thing to be aware of is that children under 1 metre enter free but there really isn’t a huge amount for them to do. The main drawcard for kids is the indoor arcade area which has a play area and arcade rides just for young kids. Ideally you want to bring enough adults so you can take turns spending time with the young kids in the arcade and visiting the rest of the park.
Where to stay:
I recommend staying in Da Nang or Hoi An – although it is possible to stay in a hotel in Sunworld itself you are far away from any other activities, stuck paying overpriced prices for food from the restaurants here and you don’t even get your cable car tickets for free. I recommend La An Central Boutique Villa in Hoi An as a good mid-range option and Paris Deli Danang Beach Hotel in Da Nang for something a bit more luxurious. There are tons of other options on Booking.com in both these locations too. Just do Sunworld as a day trip.
Getting there and away:
Sunworld Amusement Park is about 40 minutes drive from Da Nang or 1 hour drive from Hoi An. Da Nang is a major city with a busy airport with flights all over the country and Da Nang Train Station also has trains travelling the length of the country.
Getting around:
The best way to get to Sunworld is to hire a private driver. I suggest making use of a transfer between Hoi An and Da Nang but you can just hire a driver for the day to get there. Although there are plenty of tours available they require you to be back at a certain time and its best to not have a strict deadline while you are here right in the busiest part of the day. We hired Mr. Tim (Private Car with Driver – Watsapp +84 (0) 775 518 084) who we found online to take us from Hoi An back to Da Nang with a stop at Sunworld – he waited for us and continued to Da Nang when we were ready.
Food:
The food is pretty overpriced so make sure you expect to spend a bit of money and maybe take a few snacks in your bag to tide you over until mealtimes. The German Beer Hall is a good central spot to get a drink and a light meal after many of the other restaurants are closed around 6pm.
What to bring:
I suggest bringing a light jacket as it is much cooler up in the mountains. Also as mentioned above pack some extra snacks so you don’t need to stop for food all the time; and take your camera – this is a fascinating place that is worth snapping some memories of.
What to expect:
The complex is open from 7:30am until 10pm so I recommend you arrive as early as possible and stay until evening. BUT many of the eateries and rides etc. close up much earlier than 10pm and/or are closed due to weather and there isn’t really any information provided about this.
Arrive when you can in the morning (the earlier the better as many tourists are not morning people or are relying on tour buses) and making your first stop the Golden Hand Bridge especially as its just off the first cable car (which takes approx. 20 minutes). Then you have seen it once in case things get hectic in the evening – take lots of photos if their aren’t many people and enjoy the views but usually this place is pretty busy. Once you have checked the bridge out I would head straight up the next cable car to the top of the mountain and go on the outdoor rides. As you are so high up the mountain these are often shut down in ANY adverse weather conditions – when we were there it was just a bit of rain so get on these while you can even if the queues are long.
After you have had enough of the outdoor rides you can explore the indoor rides and arcade and the french village and get some lunch at one of the many eateries here. Have a proper sit down lunch as snacks are all that will be available later in the evening.
Here’s the really important bit – all the day-trippers are trying to leave around 5pm so the cable car line becomes out-of-this-world long. Don’t wait in this line – go and have a drink and dinner, spend some more time at the arcade or wander the complex and then try heading down the cable car after 6. The whole hall in the photo below was filled with people waiting in line to go down in the cable car at 5pm.
When you do eventually saunter to the cable car when there is no line, if you have time stop again at the Golden Hand Bridge. It’s really quiet here in the evenings and you are likely to catch the bridge right at sunset for breathtaking views.
Erika xx
THE ONLY ERIKA IN THE VILLAGE 