Quang Nam and Da Nang

Quang Nam is the province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is best known for cinnamon as found in Tra My and Saigon and ginseng which is found in Ngoc Linh. There are plenty of UNESCO World Heritage sites in this area such as the ancient city of Hoi An, My Son, and Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands). Da Nang is the main city in the northeast of the province.

Da Nang is the third largest city in Vietnam located between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Located in Quang Nam, it once served as the capital center of the Hindu Champa Dynasty.

Danang was the first city to be invaded by the French in which most of the inspired architecture continues to exist today. It was also referred to as the “Saigon of the North” because of its foreign presence and influence. It was one of the friendliest cities for those who seek adventure and entertainment, particularly for those soldiers stationed in the area. However, for many years, starting in 1975, the city became hostile to any foreigners because of their unresolved anger towards those invaders who controlled them. In fact, it was utter chaos with looting, pillage, and rape. This was due to the area also falling into the hands of communism. It lasted for many years, causing the area to be banned for tourism. This all changed in the 1990s when the Vietnamese government sought foreign investment and tourist development in the area. Now that it’s a tourist attraction, the city continues to develop everyday with more resorts, shopping areas, etc.

Getting there:

Anyone can get into the area of Da Nang and Quang Nam by basically all modes of transportation: planes, trains, boats, and automobiles. Getting there by plane via the Da Nang International Airport is the most common because it is located within the city. Trains and buses are relatively cheap and take about 2 to 4 hours to get there depending on what tickets you buy and what kind of service you use.

Climate:

The temperature of Danang can reach up to about 90 – 100 degrees in the summer months and can be very dry. Typhoons and other tropical storms generally occur in from late September to early November.

China Beach – This is a former destination for the American G.I.’s (and thus named for the American television show in the 1980s discussing this area as well as the trials of the Vietnam War). Today it is composed of house owners, statue shops and other artisans. It retains the reputation as having the most beautiful beaches in all of Vietnam.

Cham Museum --- Founded in 1915 this historical museum houses a collection of Hindu sculptures created by the Cham people. They are made of sandstone and depict many of the infamous Hindu gods such as Shiva, Ganesh and lingam fertility icons.

My Son Sanctuary – This is a beautiful area surrounding by temples and tours with tour guides and education on the Cham people by observing one of their native dances. In addition, you will be able to go shopping, get a food massage, attend a cooking class, have lunch, and cruise around the area on a boat and visit and village full of wooden sculptures. It’s best to take a tour of the sanctuary on a minibus early in the morning with a group of 8 people. But besides the education, it is also very charming and scenic.