The busy seaport of Danang in central Vietnam is the country’s fourth-largest city. The French named the city Tourane after it succeeded Hoi An (Faifo) as a vital deep water trading port in the 19th century. More recently, Danang was made famous in the Hollywood film “Good Morning Vietnam”. A short drive from downtown takes visitors to the splendid beaches of Non Nuoc (China Beach), My Khe and Tien Sa. Danang is also the gateway to World Heritage sites: My Son, Hoi An and Hue.

Cham Sculpture Museum

The museum was established by French academics in 1916 and contains the largest display of Cham art anywhere in the world with more than 300 artefacts ranging from the 4th to the 14th century. With a beautiful setting, the complex is open land in design, providing an environment in which the artefacts can be exhibited to their best advantage. There are numbers of rooms including My Son, Tra Kieu, Dong Duong and Thap Man, each dedicated to a different period of Cham art dating from the 7th to the 15th century.

Han Market

The colourful market is located right in central city, at the intersection of Hung Vuong St. and Tran Phu St., all day long busy with sellers and buyers in and out, and goods of all kinds. A lively and cheerful atmosphere permeates the marketplace from vendors in conical hats sitting on the ground with their small baskets of little fruits and vegetables to salespeople at their big well-stocked stands. It is a nice place for shopping as well as snap-shooting.

Marble Mountains

They consist of marble hillocks by the sea. Each is said to represent one of the five elements of the Universe and named accordingly: Thuy Son (water), Moc Son (Wood), Hoa Son (Fire), Kim Son (Metal) and Tho Son (Earth). The largest and most famous Mount Thuy Son has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Also an important religious spot for Cham, the peaks became havens for communist guerrillas during the war owing to their commanding view of Danang airbase. Mount Thuy Son is a popular pilgrimage site, especially on days of the full and sliver moon and during the Lunar New Year. It is located about 8km southeast Danang.

Non Nuoc Carving Hamlet

On the southern side of Thuy Son, the hamlet is a few meters west of beautiful Non Nuoc Beach. The marble carvings made here by skilled artisans would make great gifts for tourists to send home; even it is entertaining to watch the carvers at work. A wide variety of articles are sculptured in marble, including Buddhist and saint statues, sacred animals, Cham-style statues, etc.

Non Nuoc Beach

It stretches for many kilometres north and south of the Marble Mountains. During the Vietnam War, American soldiers were airlifted here rest and relax’ resort celebrated in rock songs before being returned by helicopter to combat. It is now quiet sandy beach with some surf and at times a strong cross current.