The former Cham capital of Cha Ban (also known as Vijay and Quy Nhon) was located 26km north of Quy Nhon and 5km from Binh Dinh. While of archaeological importance, there’s very little to see for the casual visitor. However, there are several interesting Cham structures dotted around the area. Cha Ban, which served as [...]
Its seaside appeal and tidy, litter-free streets make it the kind of place that affluent Vietnamese couples choose to retire to, spending their final days watching the ocean and walking the promenade. For foreign visitors its attractions are less obvious, though it’s certainly a good spot to sample some fresh seafood. Its sprawling layout and [...]
The eponymous capital of Quang Ngai province is something of an overgrown village with no obvious attractions, so most visitors only drop by for a spot of grazing at lunchtime. The few travellers who venture here come to pay their respects to the victims of the most famous atrocity of the American War. Perhaps it’s [...]
Why Go? Vietnam has an incredibly curvaceous coastline, and it is in this region that it is at its most alluring with vast tracts of coastline backed by towering sand dunes and cliffs. More and more of the voluptuous beaches along this stretch are being set aside for large tourism projects, but there are still [...]
The elegant Cham towers at Chien Dan (Chien Dan Cham; Hwy 1; admission 12,000d; 8-11.30am & 1-5.30pm Mon-Fri) are located just outside the town of Tam Ky on a wide open field; the only other building nearby is a small museum. Dating from the 11th or 12th century, each kalan faces east. Many of the [...]
Formerly called Simhapura (Lion Citadel), Tra Kieu was the first capital of Champa and remained so from the 4th century to the 8th century. Today nothing remains of the ancient city except the rectangular ramparts. A large number of artefacts, including some of the finest carvings in the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Danang, were found here. [...]
The site of Vietnam’s most extensive Cham remains, My Son (admission 100,000d; 6.30am-4pm) enjoys an enchanting setting in a lush jungle valley, overlooked by Cat’s Tooth Mountain (Hon Quap). The temples are in poor shape – only about 20 structures survive where at least 68 once stood – but the intimate nature of the site, [...]
Thanh Ha This small village has long been known for its pottery industry. Most villagers have gradually switched from making bricks and tiles to making pots and souvenirs for the tourist trade. The artisans employed in this hot, sweaty and painstaking work don’t mind if you come for a gander and a chat, though they’re [...]
Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, but the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent. Whether you’ve as little as a day or as long as a month in the [...]
Nui Son Tra (Monkey Mountain) Jutting out into the sea like a giant pair of Mickey Mouse ears, the Son Tra peninsula is crowned by the mountain that the American soldiers called Monkey. Grandly overlooking Danang to the south and the Hai Van Pass to the north, it was a prized radar and communications base [...]
Nowhere in Vietnam is changing as fast as Danang. For decades it had a reputation as a provincial backwater, but big changes are ongoing. Stroll along the Han riverfront and you’ll find gleaming new modernist hotels, apartments and restaurants are emerging. Spectacular new bridges now span the Han river and in the north of the [...]
A hill resort inherited from the French, lush Ba Na (per person 10,000d, per motorbike/car 5000/10,000d) has refreshingly cool weather and gorgeous countryside views. Established in 1919, the resort area once held 200-odd villas, but only a few ruins remain. Until WWII the French were carried up the last 20km of rough mountain road by [...]
The Hai Van (Sea Cloud) Pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son mountain range that juts into the sea. About 30km north of Danang, the road climbs to an elevation of 496m, passing south of the Ai Van Son peak (1172m). It’s an incredibly mountainous stretch of highway – you may have seen [...]
Lang Co is an attractive island-like stretch of palm-shaded white sand, with a crystal-clear, turquoise lagoon on one side and 10km of beachfront on the other. As a beach resort it’s more geared to Vietnamese day trippers than Western travellers, but if the weather’s nice the ocean is certainly inviting (if you stay away from [...]
A French-era hill station, this national park (Vuon Quoc Gia Bach Ma; 054-387 1330; www.bachma.vnn.vn; adult/child/under 6yr 40,000/20,000d/free) reaches a peak of 1450m at Bach Ma mountain, only 18km from the coast. The cool climate attracted the French, who built over a hundred villas here. Not surprisingly the Viet Minh tried hard to spoil the [...]
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