Da Nang and My Son (two days)
DA NANG We are a young family (with primary school aged children) and needed a tour that would be fun for the children and still interesting for us. We had a fantastic tour of Da Nang with our guide Lam (the best tour guide you could hope for!). We were collected from our accommodation in Hoi An in the morning and after the trip to Da Nang we had local coffee and a trip to the market. It was great to get away for a bit from the touristy areas in Hoi An, and Lam was great helping us buy some things at the market that we needed. We then went to see the impressive and beautiful Lady Buddha and temples at Monkey Mountain. Afterwards we went to the beautiful and sacred site of Thuy Son (water mountain, of the five mountains named for the elements “Ngu Hanh Son”). The site is known also as Marble mountains. We explored the caves and temples and took many beautiful photos, it was breathtaking. Lam provided so much interesting information about the sites and had a lot of fun with the children, which was great because if the children aren’t interested tours can be hard work! He also recommended a great place for lunch in Da Nang. I would recommend this tour if you are staying in Hoi An – it’s close by and had some unmissable sites to see. MY SON We were not sure if we would take another tour from Hoi An, but after our fantastic tour of Da Nang we asked if Lam could take us to My Son later in the week. Luckily he was available, and we took a half day trip to My Son (beautiful mountain). This tour was completely different, exploring the remaining ancient ruins of the Champa people from 4th to 13th century. Our tour was scheduled by the company for an afternoon departure which was ideal, as by the time we arrived at My Son it was almost deserted and we avoided all the bus loads of tourists from the morning. It was also much cooler to walk around. Our children really enjoyed this tour and learnt so much about the champa people and the war which destroyed so many of the temples 40 years ago. Because we were there later in the day we could take so many photos of the ruins with no other tourists in the way!! Lam is a wonderful guide, and our children were sad to say goodbye at the end of the day. He is very professional and kind, and his friendliness made our tours so enjoyable. THANK YOU! We would definitely recommend travelers consider tours of Da Nang and My Son, not just Hoi An, as they are all so different and represent different parts of the history and culture of the area. — Traveller: samkmb from Tripadvisor
A Complete Guide to Visiting the City of Da Nang, Vietnam
Surrounded by sandy beaches and located near the Buddhist pagodas and caves of the Marble Mountains, the once small town of Da Nang is a growing, bustling port city lying halfway between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south. As the third largest city in Vietnam, Da Nang is a great place to visit in its own right and not just as a stopping point to nearby attractions such as Hue Imperial City, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Despite its large urban population, Da Nang life runs at a slightly slower tempo than frenetic Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Perhaps it’s the isolated beaches that invite quiet meditation, the friendly people, or the lighter traffic on the streets; whatever it is that makes Da Nang so enjoyable, you should plan a few days to explore the delights this city has to offer. History of Da Nang, Vietnam da nang a travel guide Da Nang lies within the former kingdom of Champa, a culture heavily influenced by Hinduism brought from India. Even today, the Cham culture’s exhibited in the architecture, food, and Chamic languages still spoken throughout the region. In the 10th century, the Dai Viet (cultural Vietnamese) began an inexorable sweep from Northern Vietnam south into the Da Nang area and beyond, eventually conquering the Champa leaders and taking over their territories. While a small village existed on the site beginning in the 14th century, Da Nang wasn’t settled as a seaport until the 17th century, when it began attracting traders from Europe and Asia. Despite its trade and the area’s beauty, it was still a backwater town until Napolean III annexed it for the French Empire in 1862, and in 1889, the French colonial government renamed the seaport Tourane (or Turon). As French influence and power grew in Vietnam, the seaport also expanded and grew until it became one of the five major cities of French Indochina, included among Hanoi, Saigon, Hai Phong, and Hue. French colonial architecture, food, and fashions layered atop the Cham and Dai Viet influences already present in the city and surrounding area. When the French left Vietnam in 1954, the country declared independence as a nation. Da Nang was the scene of many battles Da Nang was the scene of many battles during the Vietnam War (the Vietnamese call this war the American War). It was the first landing site of American troops in March, 1965, and the scene of many bloody conflicts throughout the ten years of the war. Despite the conflicts and setbacks suffered by the city and its people, Da Nang has flourished in the years after the war. Industry and manufacturing play a major part in its growth, and tourism is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the city. Best Time to Visit The weather is ideal from April through September, with the ocean regulating and cooling the city during the hottest summer months. Winter, from the end of September through January, is still mild in temperature, but rain showers are an almost daily occurrence during this monsoon season, along with occasional fierce storms coming off the South China Sea. If you plan on visiting Da Nang in winter, be sure to pack an umbrella. About Da Nang Da Nang is situated at the mouth of the Han River that exits from the East Vietnam Sea. On the north, Da Nang hugs the Da Nang Bay, while the long waterfronts of the east and south border the Han River and the Song Cam Le River. In Da Nang, you’ll find gorgeous white sand beaches, superb vistas, a wide range of restaurants and eateries, plenty of shopping, and tons of culture and special sites to visit. Within the city and the surrounding area, you’ll recognize the Cham, Da Viet, French Colonial, and modern Vietnamese and global influences that have helped shape this seaport into a city that is friendly towards visitors while successfully preserving its own heritage. City authorities have launched a multi-year campaign designed to make Da Nang the most modern city in Vietnam by the year 2030. It’s an exciting time to visit! From the iconic Dragon Bridge to the wild beauty of Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang will make you glad you came. Attractions near Da Nang Marble Mountains Each of the five craggy peaks that make up the Marble Mountains, located nine kilometers (5.5 miles) south of Da Nang and near the China Beach coastal road, is named after the element it is said to most closely resemble: water (Thuy Son), wood (Moc Son), fire, (Hoa Son), metal or gold (Kim Son), and earth (Tho Son). Though each peak is topped with a pagoda, only the largest mountain, Thuy Son is open to visitors. Within Thuy Son lies a series of caves, tunnels, and sanctuaries originally dedicated to Hindu gods and later turned into Buddhist temples and sanctuaries. Visitors can enter the cave system and traverse a series of tunnels, stairs, and paths as they wind through the various caverns up to the summit of the mountain. The caverns and grottoes are filled with religious carvings on the marble walls as well as numerous statues of Buddha. At the base of the mountains lie villages whose residents specialize in marble carvings and statues. Until recently, the marble they used actually came from the Marble Mountains, but marble is now shipped in from nearby provinces in order to preserve the integrity of the mountains. You can get to the Marble Mountains by bus or taxi from Da Nang for a very reasonable price. The entry fee to the caves is around 18,000 Vietnamese dong (VND), or less than one U.S. dollar. An elevator is available for those who have difficulty walking up hills or climbing stairs, but be prepared for a workout if you want to get to the summit. Son Tra Mountain (Monkey Mountain) Escape the
Gerne wieder ….
Wir waren auf einer Kreuzfahrt und haben für unseren Landausflug in Da Nang einen privaten Guide gesucht. Gefunden haben wir diesen in Quan, einem jungen und aufgeweckten Mann, der uns alle Wünsche von den Augen abgelesen hat. Er und sein Fahrer haben den Tag sehr individuell gestaltet und sich immer wieder nach unserem Befinden und unseren Bedürfnissen erkundigt. Neben touristischen Attraktionen hat Quan uns auch sehr Ursprüngliches gezeigt. So bleibt uns der Besuch in einem authentischen Kaffeehaus und das Mittagessen in einer Strassenküche in bester Erinnerung. Neben Da Nang haben wir auch Hoi An besucht und wären gerne länger geblieben, wenn wir nicht zurück an Bord gemusst hätten. In Quan haben wir am Ende des Tages einen neuen Freund gefunden. Es war ein perfekter Tag! — Traveller: CHStony05 from Tripadvisor
We Fell in Love with Viet Nam and with our guide “Soong To” / Xuan Tu
Just returned last week from a Crystal Cruise where likely our best highlight was the day we spent In Da Nang and Hoi An. Through much pre-cruise research for each of our stops we booked several independent tours so that our group of four could have our experiences tailored to just what we wanted to see in each city. Looking at all of Soong To’s Trip Advisor reviews and having had several emails back and forth we knew we had to book with Soong To! The promptness of her communications in addition to her skilled English and thorough details throughout our planning process gave us the confidence that we were in store for a great day. Soong Tu picked us up with her driver promptly at our port holding a sign with our name at the planned meeting spot. She arrived well before our boat had even docked as she mentioned traffic is always unpredictable. We could see that as the owner of her own company she takes great care and responsibility for any one of her bookings whether she leads the tour or whether one of her associates do. We followed the script of our pre-determined tour by heading to Da Nang. Her passion for guiding us in her native country was palpable. When Soong To saw a gathering of fisherman and their wives at a beach along the way she had the driver stop and we got out to see their wives collecting and selling their catch. What an great unplanned experience to see locals pulling over on the highway getting off their motor bikes to shop fresh fish. Our second stop was the town of Hoi An. She showed such enthusiasm teaching us the history of “her city” and showing us the streets and sites where she grew up and continues to live. This stop allowed us some desired shopping (with Soong To’s bargaining skills) but also was full of historical information she shared as we walked. As an important aside, not only does Soong To have an excellent command of English but she has such a wonderful sense of humor and intelligence. Soong To is very culture savy (we are from the US ) and it was immensely enjoyable discussing cultural issues through the day. She knows all of the popular American songs and television shows so we had lots of fun singing in the car as well! Lunch was as locals do and Soong To brought us to a wonderful street side restaurant for an unbelievably delicious lunch. She even arranged for delivery of a Vietnamese type sandwich we had talked about wanting to try earlier. She had those brought from another specialty location just to make sure we tried the best! Our last stop was at Marble Mountain and the Lady Buddha which I will spare details about but will say that Soong To took us through every nook and cranny of the caves while detailing the war history behind the site. On the way back to the ship we pulled over to receive iced Vietnamese coffee she had her cousin purchase and deliver to us roadside. By the end of the day we felt we were leaving a very dear friend and we sincerely offered up mutual future visits to each others homes. Do not skip the opportunity to get to know Xuan Tu’s home with her as your guide. We can’t wait to go back and visit our new friend. — Traveller: lucky1sue from Tripadvisor
Xuan Tu really knows her stuff!
From reading reviews & seeing clients photos, we knew that we wanted Xuan Tu (pronounced Song Tu) as our guide. She is as beautiful inside as she is outside. And really knows her information on the area. We opted for a private tour. Xuan Tu met outside the cruise port gate as promised. At this time Xuan Tu was training a young man she called Xuan One, (haha) so we were a nice foursome inside the spacious van. On to Hoi An. Xuan Tu was loaded with so much history to tell us on the way. But first, Xuan Tu wanted to take us for a Banh Mi sandwich that celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain raved that was the best he has ever eaten! It was Banh Mi Phuong in Hoi An. A very tiny restaurant with long lines. The bakery for the baguettes is next door, after eating we went there to check it out & were offered another fresh hot baguette. The fragrance of the fresh bread baking was wonderful! They stopped baking about 11:30 am. After our Bahn Mi culinary adventure, we crossed the Thu Bon River to Cam Kim Island where you will experience the Authentic Viet Nam. Visiting a carpentry village with its apprentices, watched wooden boat builders and learned about the history of the shape of the boats. Then visited a local home where families make rice paper, noodles. They start with the rice, shell the husk, grind the rice, mix it with water for the batter. Then they use the husks to fuel the fire where they cook the rice paper & noodles. (If I got the order right). A lot of work goes into this. I even got to make rice paper – it’s a fun experience. We met and took photos with the family and the grandma who is in her eighties. Then enjoyed some treats they prepared for us. Enjoyed the culture with locals who speak little or no English and lead a basic life style little changed over the years. Everyone was very nice to us. Then onto learning about the woven mats by traditional methods, this is what they still sleep on. I was given a chance to try my hand! They are a lot of work and takes hours to make just one mat! Returning to Hoi An we embark on our short walking tour of this charming Old Town, including visits to a temple, old houses with a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese & Portuguese influences, some dating back to 1780 and not forgetting the famous Japanese Bridge built in 1719 built without any nails. Most of the time we left the beaten track and visited an old merchant house which is now in use by a local artist. Loved the silk lanterns all over the town. It must be so Beautiful all lit up at night. I wished we had more time to shop – but I did manage to buy one silk Pashmina, about $5.00 US. Lots of Knock Off Northface products were a big item there. On our way back to the ship, Xuan Tu pointed out a few of the US hangers left over from the war, they were the only evidence of the Viet Nam war we saw. Saw Marble Mountain, from the road, but didn’t have the time to visit. You won’t go wrong with Xuan Tu as your guide. — Traveller: Linda K from Tripadvisor