Adventures, anecdotes and advice from three months exploring Hanoi
A large and densely-forested peninsula jutting into the sea north of Danang, much of Sơn Trà is an officially-protected wildlife zone. Exploring the peninsula makes for an easy day trip from the city, provided you have your own motorbike. And if you keep your eyes peeled, you might just spot some of the peninsula's most famous residents: the endangered Red Shanked Doucs.
The world's greatest collection of art from the ancient Kingdom of Champa is found in Danang's Museum of Cham Sculpture. Dating from 1915, this museum is small but well-organized, with sandstone sculptures that provide a fascinating look into the history of Central Vietnam.
Vietnam's third-largest city might also be its most unassuming. Found between Saigon and Hanoi, Danang has none of the charm of its big brothers. But that's not really the city's fault. Danang was a major theater during the American War, because of its strategic location, and was almost completely destroyed.
Five large hills look completely out of place along the otherwise-flat coastline between Danang and Hoi An. These are the Marble Mountains, each named for a different element: Thủy (Water), Hỏa (Fire), Thổ (Earth), Kim (Metal) and Mộc (Wood). They were once mined for rock, and a number of stone workshops are still found in the area, but today the mountains are a popular tourism destination.
For such a small city, Hoi An has a surprisingly rich food culture. There are dishes here which you can't find anywhere else in Vietnam, and an abundance of great restaurants and street stalls in which to try them. If in doubt, head to the central market, where a delirious hall of food stands is serving up any specialty you could possibly hope for. https://youtu.be/B4rHD5lPh2k Cao Lầu If you believe the local legends, Cao Lầu is a…
Hoi An began life as a port for Chinese traders, the more successful of whom built stately city homes for their families. Many of these ancient houses have survived the trials of time, flood and war, and can today be visited as part of Hoi An's ticket scheme. We made it to five.
Just across the Thu Bồn River river from Hoi An, Cam Kim is an island known for its traditional crafts and quiet way of life. We spent a morning biking around the island, enjoying the escape from Hoi An's crowds.
About an hour southwest of Hoi An, is the archaeological site of Mỹ Sơn: the religious and ceremonial center of the Champa people, who once ruled central and southern Vietnam. With ruins dating between the 4th and 13th century AD, no less an authority than UNESCO describes the monuments of Mỹ Sơn as "unique and without equal in Southeast Asia".
Until the end of the 18th century, Hoi An was Vietnam's main port-of-call, and home to a large number of foreign traders. Above all, the city was popular with the Chinese, many of whom established a permanent presence among the Vietnamese. Communities from the various regions of China built Assembly Halls: social and religious buildings in which they could congregate and worship their ancestral gods.
The small city of Hoi An, just south of Danang, was once Vietnam's principal port of trade, and one of the most important in all Asia. Those days are long past, but the town's rich history is kept alive in the ancient quarter. Houses, communal halls, temples and bridges have remained in miraculous condition, and today, Hoi An is regularly hailed as the most beautiful city in Vietnam. We'd be spending a week here.
