Overview
I've decided to lump together the three major tourist destinations in central Vietnam not to diminish the importance of each individual city, but to paint the picture of how to spend an excellent time in a very unique and less visited part of the country.
Unlike the major cities of the north and south, the central Vietnamese cities seem to roll along at a slower pace. The streets are less crowded, the culture seems a bit more intact and it’s much harder to find English speakers.
Danang is the defacto biggest city in central Vietnam. It is home to modern buildings and one of the coolest bridges you will find anywhere in the world.
The dragon bridge has become a symbol of Vietnamese modernity, and a testament to Asian ingenuity. Its golden dragons run along the highway for almost half a kilometer and at night they are illuminated in bright track lights that change colors every few minutes.
Danang Dragon Bridge
While being a large city, Danang has held onto its old-world charm. You will find a vibrant street culture and an openness to the city that you just can’t find in the larger hubs.
Set 80 km to the north is Hue, an ancient capital of Vietnam and home to some of the most impressive and beautiful Chinese influenced architecture in the country. Hue oozes history, and with its varied past, there are tons of things to check out during your time there.
Just 20 km outside of Danang to the south also sits Hoi An, lovingly called “Ancient Town”. Hoi An has gained notoriety within Vietnam in the last few decades as a large tourist destination for a few different reasons. The first is their cheap textile industry. Many people travel to Hoi An to have custom made shoes, suits, dresses and more; for unbelievably cheap prices. Since most of the clothing we buy in the West is produced In Vietnam anyways, why not grab a designer item of clothing at wholesale price!
Imperial Chinese Palace Hue
Hue Fortress
Hoi An is also known for its Chinese architecture, boat trips and markets, making it one of our favorite places in the country. Walk among the old yellow Chinese houses and you will find ancient Confucian schools, hidden market halls and more stores than you know what to do with. The sheer amount of goods they have available to buy in Hoi An is impressive and if you are a shopper, there is no better place in the world to spend that hard-earned cash.
To get the bigger picture of how these cities connect and where they, Danang and Hue are only about 80 Kilometers away from each other, only a 1-and-a-half-hour bus ride that snakes along the Vietnamese coast. This region is about 11 hours north of HCMC and around 9 hours south of Hanoi, making it the perfect stopping point while between the two major cities.
If long buses sound terrible, and we admit that at times they are, flights via Vietnam Airlines or VietJet are normally around $50-80 one way. Buses are normally around $20. We would argue however, the best way to see Vietnam is by renting a motorbike and making your way from city to city. While this sounds confusing and challenging, it is easily the most epic way to see the country.
If you don’t think you want to spend 1000 kilometers on a motorbike, we would recommend at least doing the ride from Hue to Danang, an 80 kilometer stretch that has been deemed as the most beautiful road in Vietnam. We will cover how to do it and why in a later section.
Is It Cheap
Yes! All of these cities are cheap, with the exception of some things in Hoi An, being the largest tourist city in the region. A hostel will cost around $10 dollars a night and most food between $2-3 dollars.
Hoi An House
Riverside Hoi An
What to Do
Rent a Motorbike and Cruise Hai Van Pass
Hai Van Pass is a one lane mountain road that cuts through the rolling Vietnamese hillside along the coast between Hue and Danang. In recent years it has become a “must do” experience while in central Vietnam and we can attest to this.
The path is gorgeous as it winds through lush, green scenery and along turquoise water coastline.
While you can see this via but, the only proper way to experience the path is on motorbike. This may sound daunting but it is easier than it seems. All hostels in both Danang and Hue are partnered with motorbike companies for this exact reason. You pay the hostel at the front desk to arrange a bike for you at a specific time.
Once you are ready to go, the bike will be waiting for you, keys and all. There are pretty little rules on driving in Vietnam, so don’t be surprised if they give you the bike without instructions of how to use it. It’s kind of a “lets just wing it” situation.
Coming out of Danang you will drive on a highway north for about 30 km before leaving the main road for the pass, which winds up a mountain, by a small ‘pit stop’ town and then back down to Hue. The drive takes around 2 hours but we recommend taking a bit more time to get the most out of your experience.
Please: Wear your helmet and be aware of your surroundings; driving a motorbike is no joking matter and if you are not careful, bodily harm will happen.
Explore Fortresses and the Imperial Chinese Palace in Hue
Hue is a miraculous city. Directly in the center of the older part, old being thousands of years old, stands an ancient Chinese Palace adorned with gardens, royal houses and more. A true sight to behold, the palace is really like nothing you will every see being outside of China.
Built for what seems like millennia ago, you can really explore every part of the palace and the grounds, which certainly adds to the unique experience.
Just before you head into the Palace, The Hue Fortress and an outdoor museum of Vietnamese War relics will catch you eye. The city of Hue has saved planes, tanks, cars and misses as a reminder of the victories won during the Vietnam War or what they call the War of American Aggression.
The fortress is a newer addition to the Imperial Palace area having been finished in the mid 1800’s. It has become a symbol of national pride and the most noteworthy thing to see during your stay in Hue.
Go Shopping Hoi An
As we have said earlier, Hoi An is full of shops and ready and willing to sell just about anything to tourists. The outskirts of the town are filled to the brim with textile and clothing shops, and aggressive sales people trying to get you to buy custom clothing.
The quality of the items they make are actually pretty high, so don’t be deterred if you are truly interested in that Armani Suit you have been wanting. The saying “Same, Same but Different” is something you will hear time and time again during your trip to Asia, and the suits in Hoi An certainly live up to this saying.
If you are not in the market for custom clothing, the interior of the city is filled with all kinds of stores, from fake designer bags, to tourist items, to Chinese style hats and foodstuffs. Whatever you are looking for, Hoi An has got it.
Explore the Marble Mountains
The Marble Mountains sit just south of Danang and the best way to get there is by the ridiculous city bus. We say ridiculous because this bus is loud, old and will turn your mind upside down as to what you consider to be the standards of public transportation. Just trust us.
The mountains made mostly of limestone and marble are home to Buddhist sanctuaries along with Vietnamese War tunnels and caves from the war.
Banh Khoai
What To Eat and Drink
Bun Bo Hue: Traditional central Vietnamese noodle soup that features rice noodles, beef broth, lime and chile. It is also normally served with blood cake so if trying something a bit out of the box is something you want to do, this soup is definitely for you!
Banh Khoai: Like a thicker version of Banh Xeo typically found in southern Vietnam, Banh Khoai is a small fried rice flour crepe normally filled with shrimp and bean sprouts.
Banh Nam: Steamed flat rice savory cake with a mixture of fried ground shrimp, pork and scallions pressed into the surface before it’s wrapped in banana leaves, steamed and served with nuoc mam pha.
Banh Beo: These are steamed rice cakes, about the size of a silver dollar, that come five pieces to an order, topped with dried shrimp, pork cracklings, shallots and herbs and served with nuoc mam pha.
Sinh To: Either a fruit smoothie or a dessert that features yogurt, various glutinous rice products and red beans.
Transportation
Within the cities, we would say that taxis are easily the most efficient way to get around besides walking. Danang is large, so we would recommend taking a taxi whereas Hue and Hoi An are smaller and more walkable.
The cities typically have city buses, but as with public transportation in Asia, its sometimes easier to just pay a bit more to take a taxi and arrive to your destination in one piece.
Coastline in Central Vietnam
Hai Van Pass
Clubbing and Nightlife
The nightlife and clubbing scene in central Vietnam is certainly different than what you will find in Hanoi and HCMC. The bars are smaller and less crowded, the people go home earlier and there are way less options when it comes to what to do. That being said, the bars and clubs that are open at night are some of the funnest that we found in the whole of Vietnam.
Smoky, crowded and loud are probably the best adjectives to describe the bar scene in Danang and Hue. Don’t be surprised to be pulled aside by some locals, asked to dance and drink with them all night and of course take a selfie here or there.
My Travel Essentials For An Asian Backpacking Trip
Below you'll find a list of my must bring backpacking items. I have gotten this list down to my essentials through trial and error over 4 years of living in a backpack. I hope you'll find these items helpful on your journey!
►Main Backpacking Backpack: https://amzn.to/3vUHdik [Amazon]
►Great Front Facing Duffle-bag : https://amzn.to/3SjK6Ra [Amazon]
►Quick Dry Towel : https://amzn.to/3uarxH8 [Amazon]
►Multi Country Charger Adapter : https://amzn.to/3Ul37p0 [Amazon]
►Refillable Water Bottle : https://amzn.to/48SnG0n [Amazon]
►Padlock : https://amzn.to/3SdyYp7 [Amazon]
►Earplugs : https://amzn.to/498xTpl [Amazon]
►Power Bank : https://amzn.to/3SyXP8e [Amazon]
Travel Photography & Video Favorites
If you're interested in creating your own video content on your trip, these are some of my favorite items I've had. They work, they're effective and besides the Sony Aa7C, they aren't going to break the bank either!
►On the Go Video | Go Pro Hero 12 : https://amzn.to/3u38oHh [Amazon]
►Photography | Sony A7C : https://amzn.to/3u1Y6ap [Amazon]
►Portable Tripod | https://amzn.to/42ojHqc [Amazon]
►Lavalier Microphone | https://amzn.to/3SbL41U [Amazon]
►Drone | https://amzn.to/47TCwSY [Amazon]
►Portable Monitor | https://amzn.to/3Hzv2dg
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