The city of Danang (?à N?ng) in central Vietnam is located on Vietnam’s coast on the South China Sea,   halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and is well-known for its laid-back charm and beautiful beaches.

With a history that includes origins from the Hindu Champa Dynasty, more than 3,000 years ago, Danang was the first place invaded by the French in colonial times, and the city still boasts some lovely examples of French colonial architecture. There are also many relics from the Vietnam War era. Pretty China Beach, in Danang, draws Americans, eager to visit the ruins of the American military base and helicopter hangars there.  Today, Danang is undergoing rapid development and growth.

Ba Na Hills Mountain Resort, west of Danang, was once a former Vietnamese and French getawayt for the wealthy, and boasts beautiful forests and views over the South China Sea and the Lao Mountains. Cham Island, in the South China Sea is also popular  for cruises and swimming and snorkeling. Visitors to the Linh Ung Buddhist Temple in Bai But, on the Son Tra Peninsula, can snap photos of  a 180-foot statue of "Quan The Am," a lovely, misunderstood woman was raised to the rank of divinity by the Emperor of China.