Da Nang Vietnam   Dan Nang's newer side, Central Vietnam coast. Photo by Fa2f Vietnam Travel Guide | Vietnam Main Attractions | Vietnam Beaches Da Nang (also known as Danang) is a major port city and not a pretty sight. It's on the South China Sea coast, at the mouth of the Han River. The city has almost nothing of interest to tourists but it is reasonably close to a number of attractions. The Imperial City of Hue is a couple of hours north via the lovely Pass of Clouds, while gorgeous little old Hoi An town and the My Son ruins of Cham civilisation are just a short drive south. In addition the Marble Mountains offer caves, buddhist temples and panoramic views. Huge and war-famous China Beach is nearby and a fine little museum of Cham sculpture completes the picture. Da Nang is transport hub for all Central Vietnam so it's an inevitable tourist transit point, though most tourists choose to stay over in either Hue or Hoi An.

The Han River Bridge at Da Nang during a festival.
Photo by Dragfyre

 

Danang Han Market.
Photo by Dragfyre

 

 

Da Nang's Museum of Cham Sculpture.

The Museum of Cham Sculpture was established in French colonial times to preserve beautifully carved remnants of the 12C Champa kingdom that was based 70kms west of Da Nang at My Son. See below for more information.

 

Linh Ung Pagoda, Marble Mountains
Photo by Dragfyre

 

 

China Beach, a popular US drop zone during the Vietnam War.

China Beach was the name given by the Americans to this sector that in fact comprises two beaches, Non Nuoc and My Khe, that now host resorts, beach facilities and bikini-clad russian girls rather than attack helicopters, wild-eyed US Marines and Viet Cong in black pyjamas.

 

Lang Co fishing village, which at this point looks better from a distance.

Lang Co offers the undemanding beach-seeker palm-lined sand with a clear, azure lagoon on one side and a 10 km stretch of beach on the other, though the sand is unmanicured and has an unfortunate tendency to collect trash.
The beach, like Danang, is at its best from April - July.

 

My Son temples built by the Champa, or Cham Pa.

Situated in a valley an hour's drive from Da Nang, the magnificent and still partly overgrown My Son Hindu temple complex was built as a religious site and burial place by Champa kings who ruled what is now Vietnam from the 7th -17th centuries.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered by many to be one of the best preserved ancient sites in Asia, matching up to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Burma, and Borobudur in Indonesia, though much, much smaller than the first two and in worse condition than all three. Still, My Son is at least partially embedded in luxuriant vegetation which gives it a lost world, you're Indiana Jones feel.

 

 

There are at least 70 structures in various stages of decay or renovation at My Son.
Photo by Andrea Schaffer

 

 

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