Short trip to Central Vietnam - 2nd night + 3rd day

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Just a short weekend trip to satisfy my (recurring) travel addiction...

2.5 days, 4 different airlines (Tiger/Vietnam/Jetstar/Lion), 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Hue & Hoi An), 2 big cities (Danang & HCMC), X attempts to cross a road with non-stop traffic, and 1790 photos (I only uploaded the best 10%)

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After walking for the whole afternoon in Hoi An, I made my way to the bus station. I lost my way while looking for the bus station, and by the time I reached the bus station the sky was already dark. I was approached by a motorbike driver, who claimed that the last bus to Danang had gone. In the end I had to spend the next 30 minutes of my life hanging onto the back of a motorbike with my backpack on my back and a flimsy helmet on my head... Throughout the journey the motorbike driver sped past scores of vehicles on narrow and poorly-lit roads. The speedometer of the motorbike was not working, but I guessed the motorbike reached a speed of around 100km/h at some points... (At one point, when my motorbike overtook another motorbike, I saw the speedometer on the other motorbike showing 90+ km/h...)

After reaching Danang, I checked into my hotel, put down my luggage and took a rest (to recover myself after the 30 minute hair-raising motorbike ride). After my nerves returned to normal, I went out to have a night walk around Danang - the 3rd largest city in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. There's not many attractions in Danang, especially at night, but somehow I'm still very impressed by the city, thanks to the pleasant riverside promenade, dazzling light decorations along the streets, and the healthy nightlife (not as exciting as HK, Bangkok or Singapore, but still more vibrant than I expected, as I saw quite a number of cafes, karaoke outlets, discos, internet cafes, and street markets...)

On the next day (the 3rd day), I walked to Danang airport (which is just 2km from downtown) and took a morning flight back to Ho Chi Minh City. I had 2-3 hours to spare in HCMC before my flight to Singapore, so I quickly made a trip to the Jade Emperor Pagoda. (I have visited HCMC in 2006 but missed the Jade Emperor Pagoda, so this time I decided to visit it at all cost.) I also visited the nearby Tran Hung Dao temple and Van Tam Park, before doing my last-minute grocery shopping in Parkson Department Store and jumping into a taxi to the airport...

It had been a short and fast-paced trip, but I'm glad that I managed to accomplish quite a lot of activities within 2.5 days. It's a pity that I didn't have time to visit more sights in the vicinity, but I believe I will definitely visit the area again, and this time I will probably bring my family members or friends along, so that I can share the beauty of Central Vietnam (esp Hue & Hoi An) with them... When it comes to Vietnam, most of my friends only know Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Now it's time to let them know what's in store in Central Vietnam....

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Photos

Taking a rest in my humble hotel room in Danang
(after a hair-raising 30-minute motorbike ride from Hoi An to Danang)

Danang's Cao Dai temple
(Cai Dai is a unique Vietnamese religion with influences from Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Taoism)