According to one tourism industry local, Da Nang has been asleep for 15 years. And while the city's cyclos still move along the leafy avenues at a sleepwalker's pace, there is definitely some stirring going on. Glossy new apartment complexes and shopping malls line the riverfront, where the scent of new paint seems to mingle with the salty harbour air. Some of the city's more important avenues have been widened, while buildings and hotels are continually being torn down and rebuilt -- don't be surprised if you show up somewhere to check out a room, and find the lobby covered in scaffolding. The name Da Nang will have a familiar ring to anyone acquainted with America's military action in Vietnam, as it was home to one fifth of all US servicepeople, and a transit or R&R spot for most of the rest, making it one of the most occupied -- and heavily defended -- cities in South Vietnam. Eventually however it fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975 with hardly a bullet fired. Most visitors who pass through Da Nang are on their way to Hoi An, one of Vietnam's premier tourist attractions. Those who linger are most likely seeking sun at gorgeous China Beach. There's more to Da Nang than just the beach, though. Da Nang boasts the excellent Cham Museum, which is a great primer for a visit to My Son further to the south. The city also has a large Cao Dai temple, a pleasant riverfront boulevard, and wide leafy boulevards. There are some good options for eating, drinking, and getting down in the evenings, which are likely to expand as the city does. The immediate area includes attractions like Marble Mountain, Monkey Mountain and the Ba Na Hill Station. More about Da nang : |