Da Nang

First off, we got our laundry back, all clean, dried, and folded. And, I managed to get a picture of the water buffalo as we left Hoi An today.

Not too much other action on an obscenely warm day. It was in the upper 40’s with the heat index, so not a whole lot of desire to do too much outdoor activities. We left Hoi An for Da Nang late morning, about 26 km away. The drive between the two cities follows a long stretch of beach with several huge resorts by all the usual suspects - Hyatt, Sheraton, Melia etc...

We got to our hotel in Da Nang late morning and cooled off in our room for a bit before deciding to risk the weather and see if we could find a place on the beach to relax. We walked along the shore for a distance (warm water on our feet, sauna like breeze - it didn’t exactly have the desired cooling effect) until we stopped at a beachside stand for refreshments. One dollar for a can of cold beer, shade, and a stiff breeze coming off the water did wonders for us. We sat there for a couple hours pondering life, mortality, and the meaning of our existence (uh-huh, the only thing on my mind was drinking my beer fast enough before it got warm) before deciding to trek back to the hotel and the a/c.

Da Nang is by far the most modern Vietnamese city we have been to. A lot of newer buildings and tree-lined boulevards exist and new construction is going up everywhere. It has, over the past decade or so, built itself up as the tech hub of Vietnam. This is the first area in Vietnam where I’ve seen any type of luxury vehicle. Any automobile is considered a luxury item here. A new imported vehicle is subject to a 70% tax and the larger cities charge a further 15 - 20% registration fee.

Indian for dinner tonight. Two really good Indian meals here, who would have thought.

A full day in Da Nang tomorrow before flying to Ho Chi Minh City in the evening.Read more