After a short flight from Nha Trang, I arrived in Vietnam’s fourth largest city by population – Da Nang. Located in Central Vietnam, almost everything here is different from Saigon. From the weather, which is much cooler, but rainy in January, to less litter on the streets, to the people. I learned from a local guide that people from Northern Vietnam tend to move to Canada while those from the South, which was allied with the USA during the war, tended to move to the USA.
Being a lover of all things French, I was especially on the look out for French influences on Vietnamese culture during this trip. It was interesting to learn and see French influence from the language, Vietnamese uses the Latin Alphabet which is a huge plus for travelers because you can recognize things like Banh Mi, to baguettes, again Banh Mi.
Upon arrival, we headed to My Son, Hindu temples located about 30-40 minutes by car from Da Nang. Where as Po Nagar is located in the middle of a city, My Son is located in the middle of the jungle, and has a more “lost city” vibe to it.
Another plus of heading to My Son, is that you drive through the Vietnamese countryside to get there. In Saigon, taking day trips, I wanted to see the Vietnamese countryside but was always disappointed in the pollution, litter etc. It was a relief to finally see some beauty travelling through the Central Vietnam countryside.
We stayed at the Grand Sheraton resort which is outside the city center. The room had a great view of the beach. Just like Nha Trang, the waves looked rough.
Next stop Hoi An
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