I wriggled uncomfortably trying not to elbow the passenger next to me as we pulled into a crowded bus station. After nine hours of a nine-seater van with 15 people in it, countless stops, and ceaseless beeping of the horn we finally arrived to Đà Nẵng from Qui Nhón. Đà Nẵng is the main travel stop before Hội An, and we opted to spend a few days here waiting for Sam's mail. It's located in between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and is the third largest city in Vietnam, but is not quite as impressive as HCMC. The rainy weather that we faced, for the first time in Vietnam, prevented us from appreciating the beach- which is what Đà Nẵng is (mostly) famous for.
Đà Nẵng
My overall impression with Đà Nẵng could be described as ambivalent. I wouldn't rush back, but I didn't hate it either. Honestly, compared to other Vietnamese cities it was quite boring. There were a few highlights though, and I listed them below!
Places to eat:
85 Design Café
This was a cute café made out of boxcars! Totally a hipster's dream come true. However, the coffee and matchas were also delicious, and since this was only a block from our first home in Đà Nẵng, we came here most mornings to do a little work and get caffeinated. I think it's made of four boxcars, and doesn't look extremely secure from the outside, but I didn't detect any instability while inside.
Family Indian Restaurant
This restaurant was amazing. It was definitely more of a special occasion meal as it is more expensive than we typically spend at one meal. It seems as though Indian food is particularly good in this area, and we had to really restrain our selves to not eat here daily. Funny story, Sam grew up in a primarily Indian neighborhood in New Jersey, but never took advantage of the Indian food available! He didn't know that he loved Indian food until now, and now we can't resist.
Mỳ Quảng 24/7
The first time we saw this noodle joint, we realized that the name does not reflect their hours. By 9pm they were indeed closed, not open for 24 hours. But we were intrigued so we came here the next day, and we were not disappointed. Delicious Pho requires an aromatic broth, melty noodles, meat that isn't chewy (something both Sam and I hate), and crunchy bean sprouts. This Pho had it all.
There was not a lot of street food options we found, but there were some great little bakery stalls that we had bánh baos at often enough. We saw some cute cafés but they weren't comparable to the cafés we saw in Da Lat, and they were a bit more pricey.
Things to do:
Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng)
I actually didn't realize this was where the Dragon Bridge was located until our taxi drove by it as we were going to our Airbnb! The Dragon Bridge is a really neat combination of art and construction; its easy to tell its made out of basic construction materials, yet it is extremely artistic. At night it lights up in different colors, and even breathes fire!!! The timing of the fire breathing appeared to be rather erratic, and we only saw it once at 3:56pm.
Marble Mountain
We were really debating whether or not to do this, mostly because the weather was not pleasant while we were in Đà Nẵng. But we decided to go, gratefully with our raincoats in hand. We rented rusty bikes from our hostel, and rode the 6 miles there. The initial cave is really fascinating, and there are crazy steep stairs up to a small view point. I was shocked that no one fell down the one-foot-wide stairs with people edging around each other. There were small marble buddhas all over the walls, stuck into every crevice that would allow it.
Then we (meaning I convinced Sam) opted for the stairs over the elevator up the stairs to see the rest of the mountain. It was a very unique place, and was quite cool. I wouldn't call it a "do not miss," but if you've got the extra time- its worth it. I believe it is a monastery, but unlike other monasteries we've been to there were no monks, gongs, or incense burning.
Waterfront (river & ocean)
Walking around here was a real treat, as it was clean and beautiful. With the dreary weather we were able to walk a lot without getting terribly hot- or sunburning. The ocean side has a beautiful boardwalk, which I haven't seen in Vietnam. It was easy to walk for miles with the angry gray ocean on one side and the sprawling hotels on the other. Along the River Hán was very cool too, with lots of beautiful decorations for Tet (Vietnamese new year), and stunning bridges in every direction. Along the river there were more coffee shops, and Vietnamese coffee is always a treat. We actually ended up spending a little over a week here because we were waiting for a package for Sam (it arrived very late but safely!), and most of our days were filled by walking along the waterfronts. Despite the rain, it was an enjoyable city that appears to be rapidly developing- so who knows what it will look like in a few years!
Hội An
I've got to say, I loved Hội An, but the sheer amount of tourists was incredibly overwhelming. At night it seems as though buses bring in thousands of tourists into what is actually a small town. It is PACKED. Think Times Square but a quarter of the size and the same amount of people. I understand why so many people come at that time- the lanterns glow reflecting off of the yellow buildings and paper lanterns lit by candles float down the river. It's stunning. I'm really torn because it seems like this charming small town is soon to be destroyed by tourism. There are huge highways being built in the countryside, and theres a large golf course rumored to be built soon. I'm afraid that the small town vibes that make this place so appealing will soon be a thing of the past. Important to add, it is a much more expensive place than your average Vietnamese town.
Places to eat:
Rosie's Café
I saw the sign, and I felt like I was in a café in Brooklyn. This café is really special. Its in an alley way, and I don't really think you'd find it unless you were looking for it. They serve western foods, but it is all so delicious. It really helped cure a bit of homesickness for me, as they served avocado toast and oatmeal- two things I've been missing a lot from home! I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone visiting Hội An. There's two little cats, Chili and Ketchup, who add to the sweetness of this café.
Ganesh Restaurant
Fabulous Indian food filled with both Westerners and locals. Two naan, two samosas, a main dish, and drinks usually ran us around $10-$15 which is way more than we usually spend at one meal, but it just couldn't be beat. I know its not "authentic" Vietnamese food, but it is damn good comfort food- give it a shot. No pictures because we were always too busy eating to even think of taking a photo.
Reaching Out Tea House
I actually stumbled upon this place, even though it is in a very central location. It's a cute tea house that only employs deaf people, which was extremely cool. I was unable to communicate, and quickly realized as I tried to eavesdrop, that the Vietnamese sign language is pretty different than the ASL I know. It was still a really special experience, and the tea was fantastic.
Street food
Also important to mention: Hoi An Roastery, which is a major chain here, is totally overrated and overpriced. I tried it twice to try to figure out why they were all so crowded with great reviews online- you can get better coffee from the street vendors for literally half the price. There was also this great café that Sam and I had delicious tarts at, but we couldn't find it the next day. We walked up and down the streets we thought it was on, and couldn't find it again- it was really odd.
Things to do:
Palmarosa Spa
Thanks to my mama for funding a spa day for my birthday! This is a gorgeous spa, and it was such a treat. Sam and I both got 90 minute massages and then I had my first facial. It was a really luxurious experience, and really wasn't pricy at all. For the whole experience it was $60, including some fancy soaps I bought. This was Sam's first ever massage too- such a treat. I would go back here daily if I could!
Ancient Town
Full disclosure, I don't fully understand what you need tickets for in the Ancient Town, but Sam and I didn't buy tickets for anything and were able to see everything. This may have also been due to the fact that we were here during Tet (Vietnamese New Year), and a lot of monuments are free during this time. This area is extremely charming with yellow buildings and thousands of glowing lanterns everywhere. The food and trinkets are plentiful, and you can get a dress or suit made for you in several shops. However, in the evenings, this area is a madhouse. There are far too many people for my comfort, and it feels a little claustrophobic. Go before 3 and after 8 to avoid the crowds.
Countryside
"Countryside" as I like to put it. From a Montana girl, this wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was interesting nonetheless. There are rice paddies with water buffalos and cows and farmers in non las (Vietnamese conical hats) littering the lush fields. Beware for the aggressive farmers who offer to let you ride their buffalos, but only at steep price. We managed to avoid this, but we saw some other tourists who weren't so lucky.
An Bang Beach
This is by far the best beach I've been to in Vietnam. It is clean, pleasant, and the weather was perfect for sunbathing. Sam said that the water was too cold, but I'm not a big swimmer so I didn't get in. There are also a lot of great restaurants on the water, but we were there during Tet, so they were mostly closed. Such a relaxing, clean beach- I'd go back to Hội An just for this.
Shopping
Hội An is really known for its shopping scene, so I wasn't surprised when Sam and I left with our bags a bit heavier. While we opted not to get any suits or dresses made, we did both get shoes. Sam got a pair of "Birkenstocks" and I bought a pair of Chelsea boots. You can get these custom made, but since we found shoes in the stores that fit perfectly, we didn't do that. Both were handmade with leather, and cost us $20-$50 each!
TLDR; Spend one day in Đà Nẵng, and see the Marble Mountain and the Dragon Bridge. Hội An is absolutely stunning, but the amount of tourists make it overwhelming very quickly.
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