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Da Nang (occasionally
Danang; in Vietnamese: Đà Nẵng) is a major port city
in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast
of the SouthEast Asian Sea at the mouth of the Han
River. It is the commercial and educational
center of Central
Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible
port and its location on the path of the North-South
Railway also makes it a hub for transportation. It
is located within 100 km of several UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, including the Imperial
City of
Huế, the Old Town of Hội
An, and the Mỹ
Sơn ruins.
The city was also known as Tourane or Turon during
the French colonization of Vietnam.
Đà Nẵng is listed
as a first class city, and has a higher urbanization
ratio than any of Vietnam's
other provinces or centrally governed cities. The
tourism sector is a vital component of Da
Nang's economy. Its status as
a trans-portation hub for Central
Vietnam and
its proximity to several UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, including the Imperial City of
Huế, the Old Town of Hội
An, and the Mỹ Sơn ruins fuels much of its
tourist activity.
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Mỹ
Sơn is a
remarkable archaeological site dating back more than a
thousand years, in Quang Nam Province.
Located in a remote forested valley some 70 km west of Đà
Nẵng, this former capital and religious center of the Champa
kingdom once contained in excess of 70 style temples and
stupas. Although badly damaged by bombing raids in the
1960s, the site still has more than 20 structures and was
declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in
1999. Many statues, sculptures and reliefs recovered from Mỹ
Sơn are kept in theMuseum
of Cham Sculpture, near the Han
River in the
heart of Đà Nẵng. Dating from the fourth to the 14th
centuries, the sensual artwork on these works depicts daily
activities as well as Hindu and Buddhist religious themes.
The museum itself is housed in a beautiful French colonial
style villa with open-air courtyards, fruit trees and
bougainvillea.
The Marble
Mountains are
rocky limestone outcrops jutting out of the beach just south
of Đà Nẵng. Paths lead to the top of the forested cliffs,
affording spectacular views of Non Nuoc Beach and
the East Sea.
The caves nestled in the cliffs were originally inhabited by
the Cham people. Later, Vietnamese under the Nguyễn Dynasty
built numerous pagodas amongst the caves. Today, the Marble Mountains are
home to various artisans producing sculpture and artwork at
its base.
Non Nuoc Beach is a white
sandy beach on the outskirts of Đà Nẵng is renowned for
both its spectacular beauty and for its history as an R&R
destination for American troops during the Vietnam
War, when it was known as "China Beach". Today, the
beach, along with My Khe beach to the north, are home to
expensive resorts, surfing and entertainment facilities.
Bà Nà Hills is
a mountain resort with a 5 km-long cable
car system
which carries guests up to Bà
Nà's peak at
1487m above sea level. Visitors will enjoy the cool climate
at the summit due to the elevation difference.
Son
Tra Mount, just some miles away from downtown with some
wild streams and resorts along the seaside. |
