Entree Kibbles: 8 Days Itinerary to Danang (The City of Bridges) & Hoi An (The City of Lanterns) in Vietnam

Within two years since the reopening of international borders, I have been to Vietnam three times! First was six days in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2022 and second was seven days in Hanoi in April 2023.

Those two cities were situated in the southern and northern of Vietnam. In March 2024, I 'conquered' central Vietnam and the two cities of interest were Danang (The City of Bridges) & Hoi An (The City of Lanterns)!

Both have their charms; with modern Danang being Vietnam's fifth largest city, the gateway to Hue, capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, and blessed with a magnificent coastline, amongst others.

Hoi An, on the other hand, is a well-preserved trading port with over 400 years of history. Most remarkable was the old town, where numerous lanterns were hung outside the shops, across and along the ancient streets! Do make it a point to stay at least one or two nights!

With 4,382 files (including photos and videos), I know this would take a long time to clear, especially when I still have the balance of seven days from the Taiwan trip I returned from in January this year! Good luck to me!

Day One

- The Wonderfall @ Changi Airport

- Tai Wah Pork Noodle @ Changi Airport

- Dreamscape @ Changi Airport

- Enchanted Garden @ Changi Airport

- Sunflower Garden @ Changi Airport

- La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa

- Morning Glory Original Restaurant

- An Hoi Bridge

- Hội An Night Market

Day Two

- Wet Market Surrounding Hoi An Market

- Carpets of Red Flowers

- Hoi An Village Experience Cycling Day Tour

-- Water Buffalo Experience

-- Vietnamese Cemeteries

-- Coconut Basket Boat

-- Cook Your Own Banh Xeo

- Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen

- Bà Mụ Temple

- FeFe Roastery

- Ni Spa & Massage

- MANGO MANGO

Day Three

- Japanese Bridge

- Bánh Mì Phượng

- Cho Hoi An (Market)

- Guan Di Temple

- 25s Cafe & Brunch

- Mót Tea House

- Faifoo Central Restaurant

- Hoi An Memories Land

-- River Cruise & Lantern Release

-- Impressions Bridge

-- Hoi An Impression Theme Park

-- Hoi An Impression Show (VIP Seating)

Day Four

- Đình Ông Voi Village Hall

- White Rose Restaurant

- Maison Marou Flagship Da Nang Cafe

- Haian Riverfront Hotel Da Nang

- Destiny Spa & Massage

- Cho Han (Market)

- Ngu Pho - Chả Cá Hà Nội

- Dragon Bridge

- Son Tra Night Market

-- Lobster Seafood Dinner

Day Five

- Nguyen Van Troi Walking Bridge

- Sun World Ba Na Hills

-- Alpine Coaster

-- Fantasy Park

-- French Village

-- Brasserie Restaurant

-- Spiritual Zone

-- Golden Bridge

-- Le Jardin D'amour Flower Garden

-- Linh Ung Pagoda

- Bánh Mì Cô Tiên

- Seoul Cắt Tóc Spa

- Thien Kim Restaurant

- Dragon Bridge Show from Hotel

Day Six

- Chingo Dental

- Alluvia Chocolatier

- Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe

- Da Nang Cathedral (Pink Cathedral)

- Cho Con (Market)

- Mr Anh Vietnamese Restaurant

- Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple

- Son-Tra Marina

- My Khe Beach

- Han River Bridge

- Up Close Dragon Bridge Show

- Ca Chep Hoa Rong Statue

- Outdoor Children's Market

- Anchor Restaurant & Beer

Day Seven

- Bà Liễu Mẹ Souvenir Shop

- Trình Cà Phê (Cafe)

- Da Nang Fresco Village

- Salon 3 Man (Haircut for Alex)

- Bông Food & Drink

- An Long Temple

- Bánh Bèo Tâm

- Bridge of Love

- Lobster Seafood Dinner

- Fried Banana

- Thien Huong Spa

- Dua Ben Tre 190 (Dessert)

Day Eight

- I Love Banh Mi

- Da Nang International Airport (DAD)

Day One (04 March 2024)

Singapore - Danang - Hoi An

Cutting to the chase where my mind was blown away by The Wonderfall at Terminal 2 of Changi International Airport! The 17-meter tall digital waterfall was definitely a sight to behold, for both locals and foreigners!

After checking in our luggage and clearing immigration, it's time for brunch! Understanding that I would not be having local food for the next few days, I decided to go for Tai Wah Pork Noodle in a food court at the transit area.

Always factor in extra time if you are departing from Changi Airport; for terminal 2, there were other attractions in the transit area that would be worth paying a visit to; for example, Dreamscape with its LED sky ceiling (first photo), the outdoor Sunflower Garden (second photo), and Enchanted Garden (third photo)!

Flight was delayed by more than 30 minutes and I was worried as I had paid for local airport transfer at Danang, and according to their terms and conditions; the wait would be a max of 90 minutes.

Thankfully, the wind was in our favor and we touched down at Danang International Airport at 3.54pm, with a slight delay of just 14 minutes. Immigration clearance was also quite quick and the bulk of our time was spent waiting for our luggage!

Got in touch with the driver for our local transfer and off we go to another city; Hoi An! I actually don't like to change hotels when I am overseas as it can be such a hassle with the luggage but I have heard from numerous sources, including friends, that staying over at Hoi An is a must when one visits Danang! p.s. I can see our Danang hotel from the above pic.

Arrival at the charming La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa, which commanded an almost perfect review score of 4.9 from over 237 reviewers on Google! Blessed with a gym and a pool, I strongly recommended the hotel as service was literally 5-star, far exceeding the expectations from both of us!

Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the literal City of Lanterns and my eyes were drawn to the century-old buildings and the hundreds, if not thousands of silk lanterns dotting the streets.

A popular activity among travelers was releasing the lanterns on water and letting them float down Thu Bồn River. Like the release of sky lanterns in Shifen at Taiwan, I believe this contributes a lot of rubbish and not eco-friendly at all. At least for such water lanterns, it's easier to find and dispose / recycle them.

Dinner first, at Morning Glory Original Restaurant! This was recommended by a friend who did an extensive research but didn't manage to dine there when she came. I shall eat on her behalf!

An Hoi Bridge, an important crossing that connects visitors to the An Hội island, where the largest night market of Hoi An was located. In addition, it's filled with drinking holes, with many pubs along the main stretch facing the old town.

Nguyen Hoang Night Market, also known as Hoi An Night Market was only about 50 meters away from An Hoi Bridge. If I have to be honest, and I am, night markets in Vietnam aren't the same when compared to night markets in Thailand.

Here, the stalls sold almost the same stuff and it felt like there were just a few players. Nothing particularly stands out and it got boring after a short while. By the way, this is coming from someone who visited almost every night.

Ending the night with a 30-minute massage at La Charm Hoi An Hotel. It was not too bad although I have a strong preference towards the "cracking" Thai-style massage. And the tea was served cold!! Why?!

Day Two (05 March 2024)

Hoi An

Caught the sunrise on my room balcony at about 6.00 am! I do have a time-lapsed video which would be shared in the future when I update the trip progressively.

It's time for exercise and since La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa was just a few hundred meters walk from the old town; it's a given for me to have my morning jog along the ancient streets and lanes! I did have my eyes glue to the ground as it's not rare to find little nuggets of surprises on the floor; 'presents' from the dogs.

I even chanced upon a thriving wet market near Cho Hoi An Market, with fresh produce tidily placed on the tarred road. Visited mainly by locals, with the occasional camera-toting foreigners, do be mindful of the motorbikes which required some space to ride between the stall vendors and you!

Along the Thu Bồn River, I noticed carpets of red flowers at the base of some of the trees. They intrigued me and I believe they only blossomed in the morning, with the road sweepers removing them shortly after since I don't see them when I walked past in the afternoons.

Embarked on our Hoi An Village Experience Cycling Day Tour; booked via La Charm Hoi An Hotel, this cost 700,000 dong (about S$38) per person and worth every single penny! Led by Hoang, our friendly and funny guide, we started by collecting a bike and riding it to the expansive padi fields!

Aside from gaining knowledge about rice-farming, we also had the opportunity to "work" with Say, the 7-year-old water buffalo (and sit on it), plough the field, take a ride on the coconut boat made from bamboo, cycle past cemeteries, and make my own banh xeo! Lunch was included too!

After taking a shower back at La Charm Hoi An Hotel, we signed up for the free bicycle rental provided by the hotel and made our way to Hoi An Old Town again! There were other day trips we could have joined but our purpose for this trip was more for relaxation.

Our first stop: Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen! Do you know that Hoi An is known as the banh mi capital?! Even though this BBQ banh mi I had was the best in Vietnam, I am afraid it still lost to Singapore's Banh Mi Saigon! However, how to compare when one was 30,000 dong (S$1.60) and the other was at least S$8.00?!

Traditional Vietnamese coffee time, at FeFe Roastery! As expected, the intensely strong Vietnamese coffee did a great job jolting me from my sleepy mode! What I enjoyed most was their thick and creamy avocado smoothie, priced at 85,000 dong (about S$5.00)!

One advantage of chilling out at FeFe Roastery; it had a great view of Bà Mụ Temple, which had a most unusual façade, and shockingly, there's really nothing behind it, except for a school! So where's the temple?!

Back to the hotel and went for a 90-minute Ni Spa Massage at, well, Ni Spa & Massage! Located next to La Charm Hoi An Hotel, we were spoilt with so many things for just 460,000 dong (S$25) per person; hot towels wiping me down, passion fruit drink, a plate of mango cubes and even a free pouch as present!

I missed the sunset but the night was still young; let's go and soak in the lovely nightscape of Hoi An old town again! Personally, I wanted to take some time-lapsed video of the river scene. Maybe I should strongly consider investing in a drone but on second thought, maybe not, as I am already busy with so many photos!

How should we end the night? Downed a bottle of Vietnamese beer on the second level of MANGO MANGO, where I could indulge in another time-lapsed video of an elevated view, with the restaurant's close proximity to Hoi An Night Market.

Day Three (06 March 2024)

Hoi An

Jogging again as the March weather in the morning was so cooling, and chanced upon a group of ladies in Ao Dai posing in front of the Cantonese Assembly Hall, built in 1885.

The most recognizable landmark of Hoi An was the Japanese Bridge that had a history of over 400 years, and featured on the back of 20,000 dong currency note! Sadly, it was closed for major renovation since 2020 but we could still see the works in progress. Expected completion was said to be end 2023 but I think it would still take a long while.

As the banh mi capital, it's not right I would stop at just one banh mi in Hoi An! Today, we shall try Bánh Mì Phượng; more expensive than Madam Khanh and honestly speaking, the banh mi at the veteran Madam Khanh store was still a notch better.

Quan Cong Temple - honoring the Chinese God of War, Guan Yu, this religious abode was established in 1653 and actually required a ticket to enter; which I didn't know as there wasn't anyone around.

Exploring the interior of Cho Hoi An Market. Rebuilt in the 2000s, the longish market was divided into three sections; cooked food, dried products / souvenirs, and the wet market. The wet market extended beyond the building, at the area I jogged past on day two.

Weather was hot and I required a cup of Vietnamese coffee to perk me up! A search on Google Map brought me to the nearby 25s Cafe & Brunch! Sitting on the second floor, where we were the only customers, it was so comfortable with English songs from the 80s-90s accompanying us.

Thirst wasn't quenched and we proceeded to Mót, a teahouse said to serve a signature Mót's Tea that most people were drinking! Presentation was worth at least S$5 but it only cost us 18,000 dong (S$1).

After spending a few hours lazing at La Charm Hoi An Hotel's pool, sleeping and me working on some work emails, we took GRAB to Faifoo Central Restaurant which had a review score of 5.0 on Google Map!

I was disappointed with the two mains ordered and my feedback was gamely shared with the owner; who promised to rectify in the future. She also removed the two mains from my bill, despite my insistence to pay. Just on that count, I guess my next visit to Hoi An shall warrant a revisit to Faifoo Central Restaurant!

Our second "tour" for the Danang trip; to Hoi An Memories Land where we paid for a S$60.80 combo, via Traveloka, that included boat ride, entry to the theme park, VIP seat at the Hoi An Memories Show, and the release of water lanterns.

Hoi An Memories Land was built on a standalone island with only two access points; the one we took required walking across the Impressions Bridge! Known as the half moon bridge, it stood out with its ever-changing LED lights and see-through glass flooring in the middle!

The theme park was mind blowing good if you love to take photographs (see how humongous that moon was)! Do keep in mind that it's more a cultural theme park rather than one filled with rides and games.

Mini-shows / performances would also be held in the theme park from about 5.00 pm plus till 7.00 pm. Issue was that we took the boat ride and could only catch the performances from 6.30 pm. Not that big an issue for me as the shows were always crowded and I prefer to roam elsewhere to take photographs.

Opting for the VIP seats was the best decision I ever made; we were at the topmost section of the spectators' seating, where it was sheltered, there were fans, seats were cushioned and each of us was also served with a fruit platter and a bottled water!

Hoi An Memories Show was spectacular and I would say it's a must-watch for every traveler in Hoi An! The outdoor set itself was colossal at over 25,000 square meters and the show, featuring more than 500 actors / dancers, had excellent choreography and light effects that traversed the 400 years of Hoi An history.

Last segment of the 'tour' to Hoi An Memories Land; releasing the water lanterns while we were taking the boat ride back Hoi An old town. Frankly, not something I would pay separately for unless I have kids with me.

A smaller scale night market near Cho Hoi An Market; I am unsure if it was the timing since it appeared a lot quieter than Nguyen Hoang Night Market. Similar items were sold though.

Ended the night by slowly strolling back to La Charm Hoi An Hotel, while enjoying the sights and sounds of Hoi An on our last night in this beautiful place.

Day Four (07 March 2024)

Hoi An - Danang

Woke up at 7.30 am for my last morning jog at Hoi An Old Town, and it was a surprisingly low 23-24 degree Celsius; making it so nice for the cardio workout while I explored the small little lanes that I missed out for the past few days.

Đình Ông Voi Village Hall; the elephant statues piqued my curiosity and I stepped in to take some photographs, only to be greeted by an elderly gentleman who kept mumbling in Vietnamese and eventually waved me out. *confused*

White rose dumplings can only be found in Hoi An and the original can only be found at White Rose restaurant! For a restaurant, it only had two dishes on its menu; reflecting their utmost confidence to survive with just two items! p.s. I will come again.

After saying goodbyes to La Charm Hoi An Hotel, we boarded the local transfer arranged by the hotel, and returned to Danang! En route, our car drove past The Marble Mountains; well known as a tourist attraction, I didn't pencil it for this trip as Alex is likely not keen.

Arriving way ahead of the official check in time at Haian Riverfront Hotel Da Nang, we dropped our luggage at the concierge and walked over to Maison Marou Flagship Da Nang Cafe! Marou might ring a bell for those who had visited Vietnam as it was a reputable brand renowned for their chocolate! p.s. their hot chocolate was incredibly rich and yummy!

Checking in to our Riverfront Deluxe room at Haian Riverfront Hotel Da Nang! I took such a long time to decide which hotel to stay at Danang and decided on Haian mainly because of their pool (honestly it's just a bigger bathtub) which overlooked the most recognizable bridge in the City of Bridges!

Badly needed a massage and I went for the 60-minute body massage that provided free hot stone therapy! Massage was alright; I was more stunned with the all-pink attire comprising of top, bottom and slippers! Guess I just required a pink hairband to complete the look.

Visit to Cho Han Market, the most famous market in Danang although it was said to be more for tourists, similar to Ben Thanh Market at Ho Chi Minh City.

Not knowing what to have for dinner can be frustrating but fate brought us to Ngu Pho - Chả Cá Hà Nội, where we rekindled our love and affection for the Hanoi grilled turmeric fish!

Danang is known as the City of Bridges and this Dragon Bridge was the one I mentioned to be the most recognizable! Opened in 2013, the 666-meter bridge appeared like an enormous dragon jumping in and out across the Han River.

Spotted Haian Riverfront Hotel Da Nang on the Dragon Bridge! You can actually see the pool level, which was lined with a purplish, blue light just one floor below the roof.

Most popular night market in Danang - Son Tra Night Market! Even though the items don't seem to have much difference from those at Hội An Night Market, there was a better vibe and variety.

The food section appealed to us the most! Aside from the stall operators jostling for businesses, it was the staggering amount of lobsters on display that made our eyes go wide! A simple mind calculation on the pricing for the combo stopped us in our track.

We settled for this corner stall, where an arm's length lobster cost us just 700,000 dong (about S$38) and included cooking (in our case, grilled with cheese and onion oil sauce), six river prawns, two scallops and four bamboo clams. Deliciously shiok as everything was so fresh! p.s. Slept with a heavy yet satisfied tummy.

Day Five (08 March 2024)

Danang

An advantage of staying around Han River in this part of the city was the provision of spacious river promenade that made it so much more pleasing for city jogging!

Cable bridge in the picture was called Tran Thi Ly Bridge but I would like to bring your attention to the simpler, yellow-painted Nguyen Van Troi Walking Bridge that was built in 1965, and had since been converted to a bridge disallowing motor vehicles.

After a shower, breakfast at the hotel and a 80-minute coach ride, we reached the destination of our 3rd tour for this trip; the day tour to Sun World Ba Na Hills, "advertised as Da Lat of the Danang province", that cost us S$70.09 per person!

A few rides on the cable car system were necessary to get to the hills, which were about 1,500 meters above sea level, and were formerly the site of a hill station and resort founded by the French colonists back in 1919.

Giving you a heads-up, it's huge and a day trip was grossly insufficient to check out Ba Na Hills. I did regret not spending a night here but well, this is an excuse for me to visit again soon!

First thing we did; paid an extra 70,000 dong (less than S$4) per person for a thrilling ride on Alpine Coaster (similar to Luge in Sentosa)! Your ticket allowed you access to two tracks but we only did one as we didn't know. Even if we were aware, I don't think I would want to spend my previous time queuing!

Fantasy Park - a theme park bound to excite the kids and teenagers. Sadly, we only had about three hours and waiting in line for rides and attractions was just too stressful, with a risk that the rides and attractions might not even be good.

We did manage to check the "Back to Jurassic" exhibit which really nothing to scream but although it could have caught the attention of those kids with a deep interest in dinosaurs and harbor hopes to be a paleontologist.

Amazing French Village - the atmosphere was definitely European, despite the many Asian faces. For someone who has never been to France, or any other parts of Europe, this was an eye-opener. p.s. the globe was like a copy of the globe from Universal Studios!

Lunch beckoned and we had ours at Brasserie Restaurant! A seafood pizza and lobster spaghett should do justice for the Italian eatery recommended by our Mee, our tour guide! And I am glad we heeded her recommendation.

Time to burn the calories! And here we were; at the spiritual zone that so contrasted with the French Village, which was just a stone's throw away, with its temple, pagoda, drum tower etc.

Maybe the above photograph would give you some perspectives; taken on top of the drum tower, that had a robot that rang the bell every few minutes, it had buildings from the spiritual zone, the French Village and the Medieval Fair.

Look out for the performances along the way! There were so many more photographs that I took but I didn't want to clutter this post! Hence, do keep a lookout for the separate post(s), for Sun World Ba Na Hills!

Golden Bridge, also known as the Hands of God, is now the most iconic structure for Sun World Ba Na Hills! A lot of foreigners, including me, purposely made a trip just to check it out! Breathtaking aside, the only issue with this 150-meter long that was opened in 2018, was that there were too many people!

It would be worth your while to check out the surroundings of the Golden Bridge! There was the lovely Le Jardin D'amour Flower Garden and if time permits, you could even pay extra for access to Debay Wine Cellar which hailed from the time the French colonized the country.

Next to the Garden, just a short walk away, would be Linh Ung Pagoda! Built in 2004, it boasted a 27-meter tall statue of Gautama Buddha, and was said to be one of three mountain temples that protect Danang City from natural disasters!

Making our way back to the grand entrance of Sun World Ba Na Hills! My verdict after visiting; I need to stay at least one or two nights to fully check out the area! You may argue Ba Na Hills is similar to Genting Highlands but it just didn't feel as commercialized, and Ba Na Hills felt more like a massive theme park.

After freshening up back at Haian Hotel, we went in search of food again. Banh mi again at Bánh Mì Cô Tiên; interestingly, there wasn't any BBQ banh mi and I went with their best seller! Sedap!

Pampering time at Seoul Cắt Tóc Spa; offering a concept not that different from Spa Salon Galaxy Sài Gòn in Ho Chi Minh City, this was of a much lower standard with no change of clothes, uncomfortable seat and pretty much a rushed affair.

Hungry again and we chose Thien Kim Restaurant; commanding a review score of 4.6 from over 2,000 reviewers on Google Map, it was a filling meal for just two of us, and it only cost S$23!

Do you know that the Dragon Bridge had a show every night from Fridays to Sundays?! From the comfort of our room at Haian Hotel, we were able to catch the fire spewing dragon show! It was just small balls of fire given our distance and for a closer experience, you can also take on a cruise experience! I counted about ten cruise ships in the above photo!

Day Six (09 March 2024)

Danang

Waking up a bit late meant I had to forgo my morning jog as the sun was too glaring! However, I can't stand lazing in the hotel. While checking out the surroundings of Haian Hotel; we decided there and then to have my first, overseas dental experience at Chingo Dental! Scaling and polishing cost me an unmatched 300,000 dong (about S$17.00)!

Remember Alluvia Chocolatier at Hanoi?! You can find the shops at Danang too, and there were so many samples! Try and buy the ones that really appealed to you! For me, it would be the 70% dark chocolate and the milk chocolate!

Coffee at Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe; this branch in Danang had superior customer service compared to its branch at Hanoi! With such great service, I splurged quite a bit on their boxes of premix three-in-one coffee.

Da Nang Cathedral, known affectionately as the Pink Church, was inaugurated in 1924, meaning it would be celebrating its 100th birthday this year! Built in the "typical Gothic architectural style", the main bell tower was 70 meters tall, and other names for the cathedral included Tourane Church, Sacred Heart Church of Jesus and Rooster Church.

Alex had no interests in places of worship; instead, I found him intrigued with a bunch of Vietnamese uncles who were playing Chinese chess right outside the cathedral.

Mee, our tour guide for our day trip to Sun World Ba Na Hills, told us that Han Market was for foreigners whereas locals would shop at Cho Con Market! With that in mind, we embarked on a 1.2-kilometer walk, under the mid-day sun, to the Cho Con! Crowded it sure was but, noticeably, a lot more locals.

Lunch at Mr Anh Vietnamese Restaurant; where we were brought back to Hoi An, the City of Lanterns! What's nice? The old school fried shrimps for sure, and that the meal with fried rice, vegetables, beer was priced at just S$21.00.

Took GRAB to Son Tra Peninsular, where we paid homage to another Linh Ung Pagoda, which had a 67-meter tall statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, known in Vietnam as Lady Buddha! Newest of the three Linh Ung Pagodas, its inauguration in 2010 meant a complete, triangular protection for Danang against natural disasters.

Although near to Linh Ung Pagoda (Son Tra), we had to take GRAB to Son-Tra Marina as Alex was adamant he wasn't going to walk! Said to give the Santorini vibe, it would have been a nicer experience if the weather was cooler.

Fishing boats against the backdrop of blurry buildings along the beach! Look closer and you would notice a few of them were actually the coconut boats that we encountered during our Hoi An Village Experience Cycling Day Tour! According to our guide then, coconut boats were also used as rescue boats by the fishermen.

Powered paragliding! I almost signed up for a paragliding experience in Danang but decided to opt out as Alex wasn't willing to join me! :( I need a more adventurous travel companion!

My Khe Beach; at one time listed as the world's most beautiful beach! While the beach was 10-kilometer long, the unbroken sandy coastline stretched for 35 kilometers and its southern end was near Hoi An City!

Jogging in the evening! Good thing about jogging is that I can see so many things yet burn a lot more calories than walking! Opened in the year 2000, the Han River Bridge was like an ever-changing beacon at night, with pulsating lights illuminating the skyline. A trivia about this bridge, traffic would be stopped in the dead of the night to allow the bridge to "swing" so that ships can pass through.

After a shower, I began walking again; this time towards the Dragon Bridge. Time was 8.27pm and I was seriously hoping that the crowd had yet to congregate at the dragon's head. Why, you asked?

Remember the Dragon Bridge show? It's scheduled at 9.00 pm from Fridays to Sundays, and I wanted to record some close-up actions, of its scalding hot fire breaths, and its cooling water sprays!

I actually didn't know about the water sprays until Mee, the tour guide for Bana Hills, mentioned that anyone who got wet from the dragon's water sprays would get hitched! For me, I am just glad I didn't station myself right in front of the dragon's mouth!

Ca Chep Hoa Rong Statue - Singapore has a mythical half lion, half fish animal called Merlion. In Danang, there's a half fish, half dragon version and this particular one measured 7.5 meters high. Like our beloved Merlion, it 'vomits' too.

Walking past an outdoor Children's Market, where kids (and adults) can partake in painting the plaster statues, riding the kiddy rides or just relaxing by the river with drinks and snacks from the nearby mobile stalls. Ended the night with supper at Anchor Restaurant & Beer!

Day Seven (10 March 2024)

Danang

View of the Dragon Bridge and the Ca Chep Hoa Rong Statue from our room at Haian Riverfront Hotel Da Nang! Given the nice weather, I pulled myself out of bed and jogged towards My Khe Beach; a distance of 3 kilometers!

Since it was our last full day in Danang, I didn't plan for anything except to buy some sesame cake from a souvenir shop called Bà Liễu Mẹ. Thanks to the shop, we got to know of this Trình Cà Phê that was somewhat hidden in an alleyway yet crowded with locals!

Visiting the Da Nang Fresco Village; by far, this would be my least favorite as they were all over the narrow lanes and the paintings were also not maintained, with a few, flaking and some, faded. A strong contrast from my most recent experience at Painted Animation Lane in Taiwan.

Typical of Alex, a haircut in a foreign country is a must and the salon selected was Salon 3 Man! For 70,000 dong (about S$4), he got a crew cut, a facial, shave and a hair wash! How is that possible?!

A random pet shop, two cute dogs! Even though Vietnamese are known to eat dogs, it's not hard to see that more and more locals were keeping dogs as pets, with many walking them in the mornings and evenings.

Sweating like hell, we stepped into Bông Food & Drink for a cold beverage! I went with kumquat and salted plum tea which totally relieved the heat in my body!

An Long Temple - small it sure was but it had so many stunning sculptures; I just had to go in and take photographs! With a long history stretching back to 1657, it was rebuilt in 1961, and underwent a few major renovations in 2002, 2010 and 2016.

Recommended by the Great Kon, we patronized Bánh Bèo Tâm and I was deeply fascinated with leave wrapped banh uot! The gelatinous kueh with prawns was unforgettably, and unexpectedly delectable!

After a shower and a rest (for Alex) back in Haian Riverfront Hotel, we hit the streets again! Next to Ca Chep Hoa Rong Statue and near Dragon Bridge, you would find a Bridge of Love where even the lights were in the shape of a heart!

The grilled lobster meal we had at Son Tra Night Market was so memorable; we had to return for our last dinner in Danang! This time, we chose another stall and selected a 600,000 combo with two lobsters, scallops and prawns. Unfortunately, they were not as fresh and as good as the ones we had on Day Four. :(

I did manage to indulge in this fried banana stall outside the night market! Taste was similar to those in Thailand, albeit in a longer form that we almost mistaken as our Singapore's youtiao.

After an hour oil body spa massage at Thien Huong Spa, I let loose my discipline to lose weight and indulge in a serving of avocado cream ice cream at Dua Ben Tre 190 that was just 30 meters away from Haian Hotel. Such a stomach-filling night.

Day Eight (11 March 2024)

Danang - Singapore

No jog on our last day since our flight was at 11.50 am! Alex's intention to have coffee at Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe was dashed as the coffee making machines were spoilt, and he had to make do with a roadside cafe nearby.

The banh mi lover in me still hoped to have another banh mi in Danang and the one that was opening soon was this "I Love Banh Mi" near Han Market! Even before the eatery opened for business, there was already a line formed!

My grilled pork banh mi had a killer look and the moment I sank my teeth into the bread, I was taken aback as the taste didn't correspond with its appearance! The thought going through my brain was "this was more subway than banh mi"!

Disappointment aside, it's time to give my luggage a last check before we checked out from Haian Riverfront Hotel. It's not a not bad stay but Alex was keener to stay across the river next time as he felt the other area, where Son Tra Night Market was located, was more happening.

Took GRAB to Danang International Airport as hotel transfer was ridiculously expensive! Nothing much about the stores in the transit area; do note that everything was charged in US dollars and to take an example, a Marou chocolate bar cost US$8.50 in the airport, about S$11.43, and outside the airport, the same bar was priced 110,000 dong, about S$5.97.

How close was Da Nang International Airport to downtown of Danang City? To give you some context, if I draw a line from Haian Riverfront Hotel to Danang International Airport, it was less than 2.5 kilometers! Above picture was taken right after departure, and the 67-meter tall Lady Buddha from Linh Ung Pagoda (Son Tra) didn't seem that far!