Da Nang is a bustling city of 1.2 million located halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It is rapidly developing as a tourist destination, attracting visitors for its vast beach, fascinating culture, delicious cuisine and affordable prices.
 

Da Nang beach extends for 30 miles. Looking south, one sees the new developments of high end resorts.

Looking north one sees the Son Tra peninsula, a nature preserve with rare flora and fauna, scenic viewpoints and home of the Linh Ung Pagoda and gardens.

Da Nang is famous for its Dragon Bridge which crosses the Han River and connects central Da Nang with the beach zone. The bridge spews fire from its mouth every weekend evening.
 

In the Ba Na Hills is the scenic Golden Bridge pedestrian bridge with its giant hands holding up the structure. This is a replica in front of a restaurant.

The roads in Vietnam are crowded with a variety of vehicles, but despite the seeming chaos, traffic flows smoothly and safely as drivers are very mindful of each other and of pedestrians.
 

The Da Nang Museum showcases natural and social history, including the Revolution and the US involvement in the area.

The Museum of Cham Sculpture was established by French archeologists to preserve the intricate works of art of the Champa kingdom, (2^nd to 14^th centuries) found at the My Son ruins.

Located in the grounds of Linh Ung Pagoda, Lady Buddha was sculpted by artists in Non Nuoc marble village. It is a 17-floor temple housing 27 Buddha Statues for worship. (Phu'o'ng Huy, Wikimedia Commons)

Da Nang, like other areas of Vietnam is reviving traditional arts, architecture and practices that were lost during the war.
 

About 30 minutes from Da Nang lies Hôi An, a UNESCO heritage site recognizing the ancient architecture of more than 800 buildings in this former trading port.
 

Boat tours take passengers on the Thu Bon River to a coconut grove and around small islands. A popular tourist attraction is viewing the river at night when the boats and shoreline are alit with lanterns. 
 

Hôi An has several beautifully preserved temples, guild halls, merchants' homes, family chapels and memorial assembly halls. Many house museum collections.
 

Hôi An's Ba Mu Pagoda is one of the most scenic, with its symbolic architecture of Cam Ha Cung and Hai Binh Cung beliefs.

The interiors of the temples and assembly halls have ornate gates, columns, fountains, statues, murals, shrines, pottery and historical archives.

Near Da Nang lie the Marble Mountains. There are a number of shrines and temples at the summits and in the caves below them.

A two-hour scenic drive north of Da Nang lies Huê, the capital of ancient Cham and Viet dynasties. A myriad of historical sights can be seen along the banks of the Perfume River.

The most significant site is the UNESCO Heritage recognized Imperial City complex, with its palace, passageways, residences, pagodas and royal tombs.

It is customary for wedding couples to take wedding photos in historical attire at historical locations.

Huê's Thien Mu pagoda, built in 1601, is the tallest religious structure in Vietnam.

At Thuy Xuan Incense Village, artisans continue the 700-year-old tradition of hand-crafting incense sticks. The shops have become a tourist attraction as a place for photographing selfies.
 

There are 7 Royal tombs in Huê, the most ornate being the tomb of Khai Dinh, who reigned from 1916 to 1925 as the final emperor, and was largely viewed as a puppet of the French.

Lap An lagoon is a stunning brackish water lagoon framed by the mountains of Bach Ma National Park, and the Lang Co Bay.
 

The long coastline is home to fishermen who net their catch from their "basket boats."