We began our five-day trip to Da Nang and Hoi An with a mind numbing 5am start on Friday 28th April. Arriving into the city, I immediately observed the difference between the coastal sprawl of Da Nang and the motorbike choked capital of Hanoi. The roads were wider; the streets were cleaner and the sky was blue and smog free! Whilst in Da Nang we rented a motorbike and visited the Lady Buddha statue, located on the Son Tra Peninsula, and Monkey Mountain (which manifested into a slightly terrifying trip up as at one point the bike stalled and we started rolling backwards towards the cliff edge.) Afterwards, we drove the 40-minute coastal route direct to Hoi An. Despite being small, in the evening the town radiated with the glow of silk lanterns hung across every street, shop, restaurant, and bridge, while small candles lit up the river running through the centre. During our stay, we explored the shops and local historical sites, including the Japanese covered bridge, the old house of Quan Thang, the Tran Family’s Chapel, The Museum of Hoi An and the nearby My Son ruins. On returning to Da Nang to catch our sleeper bus back north, we took the hike up Da Nang’s Marble Mountains to be met by some incredible views of the city below. A perfect place to spend our final day.
By Rebecca Ellen Mutton
