Da Nang is the gateway to the World Heritage Road in Central Vietnam, the third largest city, because of its convenient air and sea connections. Located about halfway between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south, Danang is at the heart of the ancient Kingdom of Champa, home of the Cham civilization who ruled the region for over 1,500 years. There are many impressive cultural attractions within a two-hour drive from Da Nang, including the World Heritage sites of Hue, Hoi An, and the My Son Valley. Closer to the city are the Marble Mountains, Son Tra Peninsula, Hai Van Pass, Ba Na resort and Danang Beach.
8.45. It’s very ideal to refresh your mind by breathing the cool wind during the drive to Hoi An through 45 minutes. Here we are! Hoi An ancient town with the blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese architecture! Start exploring the ancient town by crossing over the old wooden slats of the Japanese covered bridge. More than 400 years have passed and the covered bridge has always been a good shelter for passers by escaping from the rain and heat. On the northern side of the bridge is a Japanese pagoda to protect sailors. You can see the statues of two dogs located at the western end of the bridge and two monkeys at the eastern end. It is said that the construction started in the year of the monkey and finished in the year of the dog, according to Chinese calendar. Other legend said that the statues on the bridge might have been put there by the Japanese to control this monster, since the dog and the monkey are sacred animals according to their Totem religion.
9.20. Imagine life over one hundred years ago at meticulously-maintained Tan Ky House which was constructed almost two centuries ago as the house of a Vietnamese merchant. It has always been lovingly preserved and now looks almost exactly as it did in the early 19th century. The design of Tan Ky House shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof
10.00. Before heading for lunch at nice restaurant, there’s another interesting place to go, Phuc Kien Pagoda, which was built in 1692 by Chinese Phuoc Kien merchants. It has since been restored and enhanced many times. Because it was used for worship as well as for meetings by the Chinese from Phuoc Kien Province, this construction is now called the Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall. The Holy Mother and the Goddess of the Sea, Thien Hau, are worshipped in the main sanctuary. The Phuoc Kien ancestors and the God of Prosperity are worshipped in the sanctuary behind the main one. This temple is architecturally unique with its artistic ornaments and beautiful statues. The Chinese architectural style combined with Vietnamese workmanship has enriched it with Hoi An’s cultural character.
10.30. Any trip remains incomplete without shopping. Shopping in Hoi An is such an exotic experience, then you simple cannot afford to miss it. The city of Hoi An is small that it can easily be explored on foot. Filled with several shopping destinations, scattered all over the city, shopping would give you a perfect accompaniment on your trip. World’s some of the best quality silk is available in Hoi An. Not only clothes but you would also find several apparels and home decors, like wall hangings and lampshades made of silk. You can also pick up the beautiful silk lanterns, which comes at very reasonable rates.
The other shopping items include artifacts, antiques, small bonsai plants, junk jewelries, marble statues, and small hand-crafted gift items. There are beautiful paintings available in Hoi An. If you don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on purchasing these masterpieces, you can go for the printed versions, which come at a much lesser price.
14.00. After lunch and rest, now it’s time to drive back to Da Nang. On the way back, we will spend time on visiting Marble Mountain which was one of five mountains located south of Da Nang and stretched from the coast inland or westward. Today these five mountains have Vietnamese folk lord names of: Water, Metal, Wood, Fire and Earth.
16.00. Perhaps no one comes to the Five Marble Mountains without paying a visit to Hoa Hai Fine Arts Village, where nationwide and worldwide famous marble handicraft works are produced. Many gardens of statues have their back to the mountains. So, the overall artistic spaces of these gardens are arranged skillfully thanks to the outside landscape. You will be very interested in and surprised by the artistic stone works exhibited here.
Polished statues, lively toy animals, and petite and sophisticated presents with both traditional and modern motives that were produced here have been taken to most parts of the world by visitors. The happiness with the completed works, the admiration of connoisseurs and also the benefits from the job have united the people of this fine arts village in their careers.
17.00. We will end up our trip by having a bath on Non Nuoc Beach. The water was a beautiful mix of turquoise and blue, framed by white sandy beaches with powder soft sand.
20.00. Come to Da Nang, you will never feel bored. With the coming of night, another kind of activity begins. The streets are now full of colorful lights. The air is cooler and life becomes more leisurely. People now seek entertainment. Many visit the cinemas, parks and clubs. There are a lot of bars, clubs, discotheque for relax. Come and make friend!
