Travel Highlights from Danang & Hoi An

After 2 days in Hue, we were ready to continue our tour of South Vietnam.  We drove the Hai Van Pass which is the quickest route to Danang and Hoi An through the mountains. It is a lovely drive on a sunny clear day with a few nice stops for photos. 

We enjoyed our afternoon pit stop at the Marble Mountain which is a series of 5 limestone and marble hills that are named after the 5 elements: metal, water, fire, earth and wood.  When we arrived, we took a short elevator ride up to the mountain to explore an ancient cave within. Several Buddhist sanctuaries are also found within the mountain.  It was a quick tour but very impressive to see huge buddha statues as well as how the locals turn marble into incredible sculptures.  There are several marble stores near the mountain with incredible artwork, if you are in the market for elaborate sculptures that is.

That afternoon, we checked in to a high-class beach resort called Sunrise Premium Resort in Hoi An.  The best part of this hotel is the swimming pool and the ocean view; but beware, the ocean in this area isn’t really for swimming. Prices within the resort are pretty high and it’s 10-15 minutes driving from the town of Hoi An which was a disappointment for us.  If we ever go back to Hoi An, we will definitely stay in or near the city center as it’s quite a unique, quaint and fun town! 

Our favorite day in Hoi An was spent on a day trip to My-Son holy land to see the remains of the Champa Kingdom.  Most of the temples have all been restored by UNESCO so they are not in their original form; however, the restored temples are gorgeous, and the area still has that ancient feel.  We enjoyed walking around the grounds and the photos are lovely as well.  Plus, we had the opportunity to see some traditional Champa dancing which happens daily. 

Aside from visiting My-Son Holy Land, we had such a great time strolling around in the Ancient City of Hoi An. In this town, the shopping is never ending!  Most of the boutiques offer custom tailoring so that you can have a shirt, suit or dress made for you at unbeatable prices!  I was quoted $25 for a custom-made jump suit!  I will always regret NOT having a few custom items made for myself. During our visit to Hoi An, we ate at several wonderful restaurants but our favorites were Morning Glory and Miss Ly’s!  We especially enjoyed walking the town at night because the town is even prettier after dark.  Reason being, the streets are lined with quaint shops and covered in colorful paper lanterns.  Tourists even release candlelit lanterns into the river in honor of their loved ones.  When visiting the southern part of Vietnam, Hoi An is a town NOT to be missed.