Central Vietnam People & Culture

very nice (french looking) place with a great choice of vegetables respectively vegetable patchs. the trip by bus to Da Lat is a little bit stressful because of winding and bumpy street and a lot of stops for taking with (working) people.

Do the Mama Han boat trip. Its a hoot. You'll meet lots of people, eat fantastic food and drink great booze (in a rubber ring in the ocean if you're lucky). Highly recommended. Also, try the Nha Trang Yacht Club for a nice place to hang out in the evening, although when I was there we noticed a sea of rats on the beach underneath the stilts...

If you are coming from the North, beware... the people here are not nearly as friendly as they are up north. Maybe because it's a beach town, I don't know, but I was surprised.

If you dont keep firm and bargan, you'll end up penniless! Hoi An people are hard core about ripping tourists off!

Mui Ne is a strange little town. There is a great beach with lots of people parasurfing all day long, and nice little restaurants with good food, but not much else. The town caters to elderly German and Russian tourists, so the nightlife leaves a little to be desired if you're under the age of 40. However, if you want to just relax in the sun and be left alone, this is the place for you.

Motorbike taxi is the cheap and easy way to get around and if you are looking for a recommendation try the corner of Hung Vuong street and Tran Cao street, look for Mr Dung. I was travel on my own and I had a fabulous time. Mr. Dung will take you everywhere and be prepared for some free History lessons too.

Hué
Former capital of the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, the royal city of Hué is situated on the country's central coast, midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It is a serene place, a small city of canals boasting splendid historical sights, and is dominated by its massive Citadel, and the former Forbidden Purple City. Most of its beautiful imperial architecture was destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, when the North Vietnamese launched an attack on the south, yet despite a tumultuous history it retains much of its cultural identity and has been recognized as a Cultural World Heritage Site.

Hué is also an important center for Buddhism and hundreds of temples and pagodas exist around the city, such as the Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most famous structures in the country. The Perfume River lies between the city and the remains of the mighty Citadel with many attractions along its banks. Sampan boat trips on the river offer an enchanting way to see the main sights in and around Hué, including the splendid tombs of the Nguyen emperors a few miles south of the city.

If you want to have fun on a good evening party on the beach, go to the Sailing Club, the first restaurent on the main street of Nha Trang, passing along the sea, in direction of the harbour.... Good music, good food and good bucket...You will enjoy!!!

If you want to hike out of Da Lat don't worry about organizing a guide before you go. There are plenty of great locals willing to show you their area and definitely don't miss out on sleeping in the locals houses!

The Art Cafe in Dalat serves the best PUMPKIN SOUP I've ever tasted and the owner is hilarious! Let me know if you'll be travelling to Dalat because I have a few pictures I would like to give to the owner. And when you're in Dalat, DO spend a week on the back of a motor bike with one of the easy riders! That was probably one of the best and most fun things I've done in Viet Nam.

I didn't have time, but there are many Vietnamese motorcyclists who speak very good english who take people around Dalat on their bikes. They aren't very expensive and can tell you a lot about the area.

It's a nice seaside town that you can get to by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. Definitely go with one of the PADI certified scuba places and opt to try scuba diving or snorkeling. It's relatively cheap there and you can see lots of bright fish and some decent coral. Just don't forget your sunscreen. Also skip monkey island (Phu Quoc) and go to Chan Chan.

Take a trip to the my son ruins, make sure to see the japanese covered bridge, theres some markets around the area where you can get amazing art work and pottery, rent a bike, its fun and you can go out to the beach and around the town.

Avoid most hotels listed in LP or other guidebooks. Service and maintenance have gone out the window as westerners flock straight to them. Nha Trang is bursting with US$20-30 rooms and most places dont completely fill up except for Tet and heat waves.

Hoi An is a beautiful city in Vietnam, just south of Da Nang. The Old Town of Hoi An is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you want to hike out of Da Lat don't worry about organizing a guide before you go. There are plenty of great locals willing to show you their area and definitely don't miss out on sleeping in the locals houses!

If you fly here, take a $10USD taxi ride to Hoi An.

Resorts are going up everywhere; the only real reason to visit Da Nang apart from it's close proximity to key war sites for Americans... Hoi An is fab and a close drive...