Welcome to Central Vietnam
Home of Dalat, Hué, Hoi An, and My Son!
Many visitors make the mistake of skipping the beauties of the central region of Vietnam, a shame, because four of Vietnam's most significant historical sites are there.
Da Nang hosts the region's international airport, but many travelers elect to stay in Hué or Hoi An, cities more picturesque than the relatively plain airport city.
The Nguyen Dynasty Tombs along Hué's Perfume River are not to be missed; the pretty town of Hoi An is one of Vietnam's treasures; and, the Champa structures of My Son, dating from the 4th-11th century, comprise Vietnam's largest archaeological zone.
Further south,nearer to Saigon,is the beautiful hillside town of Dalat.
Central Vietnam Top 6
-
1) A walking tour through the old town of Hoi An is memorable.
Untouched by the AmerViet War, its wonderful old buildings are still intact, and it's a thriving artist's community as well.
-
2) Hué is a charming city best traveled by xiclo.
Its citadel still contains some old structures well worth seeing, and the remarkable Nguyen Tombs are just a short boat ride up the Perfume River.
-
3) Although damaged by war, there are still enough Champa monuments in My Son to make this one of Vietnam's most significant historical sites.
My Son visits can be easily arranged in a one-day tour from Hué.
-
4) Da Nang, while not worth an overnight stay, does have one of Vietnam's best museums, the Cham Museum.
If you're going to visit the temples at My Son, you'll want to visit the museum in Da Nang, where the best sculptures from My Son are housed.
Plan on seeing the museum in the morning, on your way to or from the Da Nang airport.
-
5) The DMZ (demilitarized zone), running the width of Vietnam north of Da Nang, was the scene of several of the AmerViet War's most famous battles.
Khe San and Hamburger Hill were just two that made the world's headlines.
You can take one or two day guided tours from Hué that will show you some of the most significant areas.
You'll want to ensure that the Vinh Moc tunnels, in the eastern part of the zone, are on your itinerary.
- 6) Dalat is a cool respite from Vietnam’s heat, and well worth a visit. Here, you can tour Bao Dai’s old villa, visit architect Dang Viet Nga’s exceptional hotel and cafe ’Crazy House‘, and take a picturesque walk through a street of dilapidated villas, glorious reminders of the past.
Getting to Da Nang, and to Hué, from the airport
Da Nang's international airport is served by Vietnam Airlines, which has daily flights from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok, typically with a stopover first in Saigon or Hanoi.
From Bangkok, PB Air offers direct flights to Da Nang on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Minibuses and taxis are available to take you into Da Nang.
Hué is served by the Phu Bai airport, 15 km south of the city, but hosts domestic Vietnamese flights only.
Taxis into town cost roughly $10 USD.
Getting to Dalat
Dalat is a south central destination best visited from Saigon by air or bus. Several buses and two flights leave each day from Saigon.
