Central Vietnam Explorations

Karlee
Sep 13, 2018
3 min read

Updated: Dec 13, 2019

We started our Vietnam Journey in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is the biggest city in Southern Vietnam. From there we had many stops along the coast as we made our way North. We spent a lot of time in central Vietnam exploring various towns and cities starting with Danang Vietnam. Danang was a large city that has both an inland city and a beach town. We chose to stay near the coast since we had already explored many cities in Vietnam. Unfortunately, we just missed the surf season in Danang, but the beach was still great to enjoy and cool off after long days of exploring with small waves and white soft sand.

From the beach town in Danang you can easily rent a motorbike and head for the mountains! The closest mountains are Monkey Mountains and marble Mountains. This was my first time after three years if traveling to Asia I got my very own motorbike and explored around and learned to drive in the hectic country of Vietnam! If you have ever been to Vietnam or any Asian country in general, you will understand how big of an accomplishment it is to be able to drive here and survive being on the roads! Monkey mountain was very beautiful. There are many lookout points and a beautiful pagoda and Buddha known as The Lady Buddha. It is free to visit, and a must see! The views are gorgeous and the pagoda and Buddha are spectacular! We spent a lot of time exploring this small mountain range and taking in the views from the various lookouts and small hikes you can do!

Hoi An was our next destination while exploring central Vietnam. Hoi An is about one hour from Danang city center. We spent an evening exploring the colorful Hoi An. The small town is lit up by red and orange lanterns and you can by small lanterns, make a wish, light them and let them go in the nearby river that goes through the small town. The town is so cute with a lot of little shops, local food, bar scene, and a nice beach. Hoi An is one of the best places to go shopping Vietnam as they offer great prices and is a main hub for making clothes and art. I don’t do a lot of shopping while traveling despite the cheap prices in Asia because we are backpacking, but I couldn’t resist in Hoi An! Also, if you are feeling up to some water sport action, you can go scuba diving or book a snorkeling trip from Hoi An as well. They will take you to a nearby island to enjoy the day underwater and enjoy the pristine island!

Hue was the next central coastal city we explored while traveling in Vietnam. To get to Hue from Danang we took the famous Hai Van Pass over to Hue. It takes about three hours to get to Hue from Danang by motorbike. Expect to take a little longer if you want to stop and enjoy the beautiful Hai Van Pass and all the lookouts and viewpoints. The drive is so beautiful on the way to Hue, you are driving up and over and cutting through beautiful green mountains with awesome coastal views! Hue was an awesome city to explore. The nightlife was super fun, there are many different streets with a ton of fun bars and clubs to hop from! A long the river there is also a lot of different markets selling anything from art, food, clothes, and little odds and ends. It is always fun to explore the different markets in each city and country since they all vary. During the day we explored many different temples and UNESCO world heritage sites and the Thien Mu Pagoda. There is a lot to see and do in Hue, and there are also a few beaches that are very popular like Lang Co Beach!