INTRIGUING: The Pagoda at the Marble Mountain. There are two ways to the top – by steps and by lift.
WHEN the offer to visit Da Nang came up, my first reaction was joy … then bewilderment.
I knew nothing about the city. Asked about it, a friend of mine started talking about Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – nothing about Da Nang.
My impression about Da Nang came mainly from the Rambo sagas in the 1980’s and the TV series NAM: Tour of Duty. These movies showed American soldiers lying on the beach, taking a helicopter ride over paddy fields, firing machineguns or carpet-bombing with Da Nang – and Vietnam as a whole – as the backdrop.
Through information from some colleagues who had been to Vietnam, I began to picture what it was like to be in Da Nang. I imagined a gazillion of motorbikes on busy roads, a melee of honking bikes, chaotic traffic and pedestrians dashing across the streets. This bedlam was ingrained in my mind as I braced for an ‘eventful’ sojourn to Da Nang.
Discovering the city
When we arrived at Da Nang, there were hardly any vehicles to be seen, let alone roaring motorbikes. Only a few bikers were around, honking to warn pedestrains of some on-coming traffic. A bit of a nuisance but all for a good cause. On the whole, the bikers were well-behaved and cruised at moderate speed.
As the largest city in Central Vietnam, Da Nang is well-connected by air, sea and road. During the Vietnam war, it served as a military base for both Vietnamese and American forces. Scars from a war-torn past are still visible but they have not stopped Da Nang from becoming a commercial and education hub and a holiday destination in Central Vietnam. The English language is hardly spoken but can be understood in Vietnamese accent!
Da Nang is strategically linked to three Unesco (United Nations Educational, Sciences and Cultural Organisation) sites – the ancient town of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary and Hue. Moreover, the villages with attractive stone carvings, depicting Da Nang’s past and present, are also popular tourist attractions.
Majestic marbles
Stone carving is one of the oldest professions in Da Nang, having been practised for the past 300 years. Exquisite works can be seen at the Marble Mountain in Ngu Hanh San, south of Da Nang City. Unfortunately, our visit to the Pagoda at the Marble Mountain had to be called off due to heavy rain.
The trip to Buddha Bay was amazing. The scenery from 2,000 feet above sea level was breathtaking. At the top of the temple stands a 26-metre tall statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Kwan Yin) facing the South China Sea in the distance.
According to our tour guide, Nguyen Van Hung, the temple at the Hai Wvan Pass has existed for over 300 years. He said the place was built to last and had been resotred many times without modifying the original structures.
Beautiful beaches
Da Nang has 10km of beautiful beaches, including the famous Nun Nuoc Beach, about 3km north of the city. Most of the foreign-owned resorts and hotels such as Hyatt-Regency Resort and Spa, The Nam Hai Resort, Pullman and Furama are found along the coast.
Bamboo boats (shaped like bowls) can be seen riding the waves from the beach. Called Thuyen Tung (pronounce Twin Tung), they are an iconic symbol of Vietnam’s culture. It is said these boats were invented in 1925 by the villagers in an attempt to evade exorbitant taxes. Today, they are used to catch squids after dark and also as a mode of transport, shuttering fishermen to and from fishing vessels anchored in deep waters.
During our visit, it was winter (in Vietnam, the Monsoon season is called winter), so it wasn’t a good time to walk by the sea.
RIVER FRONT: A river scene in Da Nang.
Champa civilisation
This great civilisation and long lost empire was wiped out by a great force – Nature. Achaeologists believe the structures of the Champa building were put together without using bricks or mortar. How they were actually built remains a mystery today. Only about 20 towers survived US carpet-bombing during the Vietnam War. They now serve as monumental relics of Champa.
Nguyen Dynasty
Between 1802 and 1945, Hue was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty and also the capital of Vietnam until the communist government made Hanoi the capital. (The present capital is Ho Chi Minh City).
Hue houses the Imperial Citadel within which is the Forbidden City (similar to the one in Beijing) where only the emperors, their concubines, eunuchs and those close to the throne were granted access. Trespassers were put to death.
Built in the 19th century, the place is made up of a main entrance called Ngo Mon Gate, the Palace of Harmony as well as the Forbidden City. The main gate leads to the administrative area (Palace of Supreme Harmony or the Throne Palace) where the coronation and other important meetings used to be held. Here, most of the original items, including furniture, four red lacquer columns and the throne, are carefully preserved.
In the Forbidden City’s private quarters, some structural damage, caused by the Vietnam War, can be seen. The sheer size of the place gave us ample time to explore and fully appreciate its grandeur.
Ancient town
Pronounced Ho Yarn, Hoi An is a quiet town with an idyllic air befitting its status as an ancient settlement. The striking feature about the town is that it still maintains a 300-year-old building in pristine condition.
Hoi An town is well-known for its silk (hand-made) lanterns. Tourists come from all the world to see how they are made and purchase authentic local handicrafts. Making lanterns is one of the oldest traditions in this town. Hoi An is also famous of its silk embroidery.
Everything about the town reminds one of its status as a major international harbour in Southeast Asia where traders from countries such as China and Japan weigh anchor and help turn the old city into a melting pot of cultures and styles.
I began the trip without knowing a single thing about Da Nang but by the end of it, was raring to explore every inch of this lesser known Vietnamese city. As they say, the best experience happens when you travel off the beaten path. Very true.