Da Nang & Hoi An

Following our visit to Saigon we flew to the central part of the country - this was the coolest area that we visited. Da Nang is a city located just south of the 17th Parallel (the line that divided communist North Vietnam from South Vietnam) and it's right on the beach. We stayed at an incredibly gorgeous resort right on China Beach, where most of the American troops made landfall and entered the country during the Vietnam War. Our resort boasted the largest spa in the country - yeah DK got a full body massage (I'll leave it at that). Here's a shot of the beach:

 Definitely not what you picture when you think of Vietnam...
Due to our limited time, a jam packed itinerary, and rainy weather I didn't really have the opportunity to enjoy the beach as much as I would've liked to.

While in Da Nang you also visit Hoi An (about a 1/2 hour drive). Hoi An is a World Heritage Site, as the ancient city used to be the largest port in Southeast Asia and was the capital of the Cham Dynasty. Hoi An is THE SHIT. It's real old school - with awesome open air markets and they do not allow cars/vehicles in the downtown area. If you don't believe me just check this sign and the picture of the streets of Hoi An:

The markets were really cool to walk through - the colors and aromas were magnificent (pause). They had separate sections for everything: fruit, spices, herbs, fish & poultry.

Walking through Hoi An was amazing - you really felt like you were back in the 1st Century; in a simpler time. Either that or you were just really stoned... like this chick: