Danang
Travel Information
 Da
Nang was the landing point of both the French and the Americans
during their stints in Vietnam. When the French established a garrison
in Da Nang (then called Tourane), more soldiers died from disease
than the associated fighting in establishing the garrison. There
is now a small cemetery dedicated to them.
During the Vietnam War, Da Nang was the home to one fifth of all
US servicemen based in Vietnam. This made Da Nang on of the heaviest
defended cities in South Vietnam, yet it eventually fell to the
North Vietnamese in 1975 with hardly a bullet fired.
Da Nang marks the halfway point between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
and was the first place to organize its own local communist party
committee. The city is fairly featureless, and if you are coming
from the tranquil setting of Lang Co, Hoi An, or anywhere for that
matter, Da Nang is an extreme disappointment. It is a busy, dusty,
colorless city, the fourth largest in Vietnam, and one of the largest
business centers. Unless you are in Da Nang for business, chances
are you will pass straight through. Da Nang does have a fascinating
Cham Museum that contains an excellent collection of Cham art. However,
the main reason for staying in Da Nang is in the surrounding region.
China Beach, the Marble Mountains, Hoi An and My Son are all within
striking distance of Da mange, though it is more pleasant to stay
in Hoi An and visit these sights.
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