Introduction
Danang is Vietnam’s fourth largest city. There is not really much to
visit. It is busy, noisy and colorless. Yep, an industrial town.
This
is the reason why many tourists only visit the Cham museum and have
their stay in Hoi An instead of Danang. If you want to stay close to
Danang then I recommend China Beach.
Getting there and away
Train
Railwaystation on the Haiphong street.
The reunification express Hanoi-HCMC stops here.
Plane
Domestic flights
Airport (3 km from citycenter)
Vietnam Airlines booking office in Danang, Tran Phu 35, tel. 811-111
Flightschedules : see general info 1 or click on the link to their site.
You
can also take a taxi to Hoi An directly for a fixed price of 10 US$.
You can probably find tourists to share a taxi. Taxis to the center
cost 2 US$, and taxis to hue cost 30 US$.
International flights
From 31/10/99 onwards, Thai Airways has direct flights 3 times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (8 am) from Bangkok.
In 2000, Cathay Pacific will also start direct flight to Danang from Hong Kong.
Talks about flights from Malaysia and Singapore are under way.
Bus
Local buses
Intercity bus station (3km from citycenter)
Tourist bus
Tourist
busses pass by at the Cham museum or the marble mountains for a short
visit when they are travelling to Hoi An or Hue. It’s possible to get
on the bus there but you will have to notify the agency the day
before.
Taxi
Taxi Huong Lua : tel. 828282
Coming from Laos
Coming from the Lao Bao border is a rough ride and certainly not for
the frail-boned traveller. Guards are friendly, there are, however,
some scams to watch out for (Info from Steve Mitsos):
-
The money changers: they take either dollars, baht or kip for dong. One
thing's for sure, you'll be ripped off if you exchange any money. If
you need dong it is best to exchange only small amounts. The rate for
US dollars on 1 January 1999 was approximately 13,800 dong. I was given
about 6,500 for each dollar that I exchanged.
- Once you cross
into Vietnam, the town is several hundred metres further up the road.
Usually there will be a motorcycle offering to take you. Agree on a
price before you accept this service (no more than 5000 dong, which is
extremely generous). I paid 25,000.
- Lao Bao is a small town
with next to nothing except money dealers and it is natural and
instinctive to catch the first available means of transport to the
coast, i.e. Hue or Danang. To show too much eagerness to get out will
almost certainly result in a bloated ticket price. I paid 150,000 dong
which is almost US$11 for passage to go to Hue. Not only was the cost
too high (normally 20,000 for locals) but they dumped me off at Dong
Ha, where the bus terminated
Accommodation
Bach Dang hotel, Bach Dang 50, tel. 823-649 (28-80 US$)
Faifo hotel, Haiphong 120, tel. 827-901 fax. 827-972 (47-125 US$)
Hai Au hotel, Tran Phu 177, tel. 822-722 fax. 824-165 (35-65 US$)
Hoa Sen hotel, Hung Vuong 103-105, tel. 824-505 fax.829-001 (20-70 US$)
Danang hotel, Dong Da 5, tel. 834-662 (25-75 US$)
My Khe Guesthouse, My Khe beach, tel. 836-125 (18-48 US$)
Orient hotel, Phan Chu Trinh 93, tel. 821-266 (45-55 US$)
Royal hotel, Quang Trung 17, tel. 823-295 (70-120 US$)
Song Hang hotel, Bach Dang 36, tel. 822-540 (20-80 US$)
Restaurants/cafés/internet
Cafe scout, Tran Phu 113, large open-air watering hole in the centre of town.
Can Restaurant, Bach Dang 74, seafood specialties beside the river.
Christies Harbourside, Tran Phu 112, Western menu (pizza, pasta, seafood).
Hana-Kim Dinh restaurant, Tran Phu 112, Vietnamese and Asian cuisine.
Yellow river restaurant, Tran Phu 38
Thanh restaurant, Bach Dang 76, seafood and western dishes.
Vinh Hung restaurant, Tran Phu 14 B, restaurant and café with tour and sightseeing info.
Bank/post/hospital Bank
Vietcombank, Le Loi 104, tel. 821-955
Hospital
Hospital C (Benh Vien C), Hai Phong 74, tel. 821-480
Postoffice
Postoffice, Bach Dang 71
To do
Cham museum (recommended)
A small museum with an
exposition of the Cham art and sculptures from different regions in
Vietnam. You will get around in about 30 minutes.
Where ? at the Nu Vuong and Bach Dang street
Price ? 20.000 VND
Cao Dai temple
Where ? Hai Phong street, close to hospital C
Around Danang
Marble Mountains (11 km from Danang)
It’s an
area made up of five limestone hills (Kim Son, Tho Son, Thuy Son, Moc
Son, Hoa Son) each with caves, pagodas and shrines.
Thuy Son is the main hill with two entrances (40.000 VND).
Up there are some nice pagodas, caves with shrines inside and viewpoints on Danang, China beach and the other four hills.
At the bottom of the hill are several marble factories, souvenir shops and budgetrestaurants.
The
Sinh Open tour bus stops for 45 minutes here. This is hardly enough to
climb all the way up and literally run down again. BTW, we did it and
the view was not that good.
China Beach (11 km from Danang)
The
beach lies next to the marble mountains (walking distance). A good
place to stay instead of Danang city. Quiet area, no tourists (only
Vietnamese) and a beach of course.
The Furama Beach resort
used to give good deals, but now that Danang airport has become an
international airport, tourists come from everywhere, so the good deals
are finished.
Restaurants
A few just in front of the entrances from the hill Thuy Son (marble mountains).
Accommodation
A lot of basic guesthouses ,one hotel and two "resorts". Everything lies along a small street parallel to the beach.
Non Nuoc Seaside resort: together with the Dong Hung hotel the best accommodation you can get at the China Beach.
Dong Hung hotel:
- Room with TV, fridge, AC, fan and bathroom (15 US$)
- Or only AC, fan and bathroom (12 US$)
- Or fan and bathroom (10 US$)
- Prices are to high contrary to what you get.
-
Restaurant : They call it a restaurant. Half the menu is unavailable,
and what is available is euh….creation of the day. You know it by now,
- Not recommended.
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