NOTES
© 2008 maps.com
SHOPPING FACILITIES The main shopping areas in
Danang are found along Hung Vuong Street and at the Con
Market 11.75 miles (19 km) from the port as well as the Han
Market on Tran Phu Street 11.25 miles (18 km) from the port
and the Con Market.
In Hué, the main shopping areas are along Le Loi Street and
the Dong Ba Market on Tran Hung Dao Street. The specialties
of the area include silk clothing, ceramics, lacquerware and
marble sculpture. Hué is known for producing the finest
conical hats in Vietnam. The city’s specialty are “poem hats”
which, when held up to the light, reveal black cut out scenes
sandwiched between layers of translucent palm leaves. Some
tourist oriented stores and street merchants may accept U.S.
Dollars. Most stores allow the use of major credit cards.
Danang
Gulf
of
Siam
South
China
Sea
M A L A Y S I A
P O R T
E X P L O R E R
Hue - Danang
I N D O N E S I A
Chan May Port
V I E T N A M
LOCAL CURRENCY The unit of currency in Vietnam is
called the Dong (d). There are no coins currently in use. Notes
are available in the following denominations: 200, 500, 1,000
and 5,000.
GENERAL INFORMATION Centrally located
between historic cities, the working port of Chan
May is the gateway to Danang, Hoi An and Hue.
Hue is an approximate 75 minute drive from Chan
May port, while Danang is an approximate 1.25 hour
drive.
POST OFFICE AND TELEPHONE FACILITIES The
General Post Office in Danang is located at 46 Bach Dang
Street at the corner of Le Duan Street. Postal services are also
available at the port on most occasions. In Hué, the GPO is at
8 Huong Hoa Tham Street.
Danang is a major port city in South Central Vietnam
on the coast of the South China Sea. It is one of the
5 independent municipalities in Vietnam, with a
population nearing 1 million. Originally known as
Cua Han – Market of the Han – and later renamed
Tourane by the French in 1787, Danang has meant a lot
of things for a lot of people. For some, it’s the history
of the war. For others, the spectacular scenery and
the friendliness of the locals is the most interesting.
Danang is quickly becoming a major destination
resort with tourists from Europe, Australia and the
U.S. looking to find a retreat similar to what Phuket,
Pattaya, Bali and Tahiti once were.
In both Danang and Hué, the local Telecommunications Center
can be found within the General Post Office. Collect overseas
calls will need to be placed by a Vietnamese operator. Dial the
following access numbers to use a personal calling card:
AT&T: 1.201.0288
MCI: 1201.1022 - service is only available from local post
offices
Sprint: Not available
TRANSPORTATION Taxis may be available at the pier,
but most are not metered. Taxi drivers will, for the most part,
accept local currency and the U.S. Dollar. Fares need to be
negotiated with the driver before departing.
The Ancient Capital of Hué, is bisected by the
Perfume River (Huaong Giang). Hué began to swell
with tourism in 1993. The tourism related industry is
the leading generator of currency in this historic city
that was severely damaged during the Vietnam War.
The population of Hué has now exceeded 350,000.
TOURIST INFORMATION The Danang Tourism Office
(#6 on map) is located at 158 Phan Chu Trinh. A Hué City
Tourism Office can be found at 18 Le Loi Street in Hué.
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Good morning/afternoon – Xin chao (Buoi sang)
How much? – Bao nhieu?
Thank you – Cam on
You’re welcome – Khong co chi
Please – Lam on, vui long
Where is the toilet? – Phong ve sinh?
The official language is Vietnamese, which is a combination
of Chinese, Thai, Cham and Mon-Khmer. English and French
are widely spoken.
T H A I L A N D
This information has been compiled for the convenience of our guests and is intended solely for that purpose.
While we work to ensure that the information contained herein is correct,
we cannot accept responsibility for any changes that may have taken place since printing.
© RCCL 2008. All rights reserved.
HISTORY Established in the second century, Danang was the nucleus
of Champa, a state heavily affected by India. The Kingdom of Champa’s
boundaries extended from Hai Van Pass in the north to Vung Tau in the
south along the center of what is today central Vietnam. When Marco
Polo arrived in Champa in 1285, he found a civilization of people that
he described as idolaters and broad forests which yielded a kind of dark
wood. The architecture of Champa was very advanced and samples of
their workmanship can still been seen today in their temples made of
red brick. The ruins of one of their most famous temples can be found
at the Mi Son archaeological site in the outskirts of Danang. In 1856,
Napoleon III sent an expedition to Vietnam to convince the Emperor to
allow trade to proceed with Vietnam. When the Vietnamese resisted,
the French built a fortress in Danang and fighting commenced between
the two factions. Danang was eventually conquered by the French and
the city was not liberated from them until 1954.
Hué was once under the control of the Kingdom of Champa and was
later overtaken by the Viets from the north in the 14th century. A
Vietnamese Princess later married a Cham King and Hué became a part
of Vietnam. The Vietnamese moved their capital to what is now called
Hué around 1687 and continued to expand into Cham territory. Hué was
the capital of Vietnam until 1945. The city was the site of extremely
heavy fighting between U.S. forces and the North Vietnamese Army
during the Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) Offensive in 1968. Much
of the ancient city was damaged. The people of Hué have worked hard
in recent years to rebuild and restore their city to its former glory.
labeled only in Vietnamese.
3
B ac h
uy Cap
Tr a n Q
g K ie t
Ly T h u o n
Ho Chi Minh Museum also known as Bao Tang Ho Chi
Minh is located on Nguyen Van Troi Street. It has three
sections where you can see various weaponry of the Vietnam
War from the U.S., China and the former Soviet Union. Here
you will also find a replica of Ho’s Hanoi house.
4
D ang
Cao Dai Temple or Chua Cao Dai, was built in 1956. It is
the largest such structure outside the sect’s headquarters in
Dy Ninh. There are more than 20,000 Cao Dais in Danang and
this is their centerpiece. Located at 35 Hai Phong Street, women
enter on the left, marked “Nu Phai” and men enter the temple
on the right, marked “Nam Phai.” Remember to remove your
footwear before entering.
Ly Tu Tr o n g
teu
r
DANANG POINTS OF INTEREST
China Beach was a “rest and relaxation” area during the
war and was made popular by the U.S. television series
of the same name, although the “real” China Beach (My Khe
Beach) is some 3 miles (5 km) north. In December 1992, China
Beach was the site of the first international surfing competition
to be held in Vietnam.
2
2
ng
Tr
un
g
Nu
o
Vu
The Citadel is a large moated and walled area that used to
enclose the entire city. Its 23 foot (7 meter) high walls were
originally built of earth, but were covered with bricks in the
1820’s. The Imperial City is in the Citadel and was built in
the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in
Peking.
South
Duo
Ba ch D an g
P h an C h u Tr in
h
an
g
Di
Ye
rs
Ho
Lao
Ngu
V uong
Pham
eu
in
Tra n Q u o
c To a n
inh
Within Hué
Phu T
u
China
5
3
1
Sea
Hun g Vuo ng
Le D
Hoi An is a beautiful Vietnamese town, about 2 hours drive
from Chan May Port. It sits on the banks of the Thu Bon River
near the South China Sea. It was basically untouched during the
Vietnam War and retains its centuries old Vietnamese, Chinese,
Japanese and European architecture. The most famous landmark
in Hoi An is the Japanese Covered Bridge which is thought to
have been built in the 16th century, but could be older.
6
g
Vu o n
T r i eu N u
Da Nang
Airport
Beyond Central Danang
Phan D
in h P h
ung
ito
29-3 Park
Phu
Pas
5
Danang Cathedral or Chinh Toa Danang, was built for the
city’s French residents in 1923. Today, it serves a Catholic
community of 4,000. The architecture is interesting as are the
medieval-style stained glass windows of various saints. Danang
Cathedral is located on Tran Phu Street.
Tra n
a
Ly T h
Le Loi
Khai
i Minh
m
Ledo
Hung
i a Tu
Ngo G
Tha
g Hoa
Chi Lang
Stadium
iem
Ich Kh
Hoan
Thon
4
at
g Nh
i Thanh
Nguyen Ch
en Th
Tr
ong
Hai Ph
n
ain Statio
Tr u n g
Quang
Ye n B a i
g
Nguy
an
ng
1
The Cham Museum is considered the best sight in the city.
It is located where Tran Phu and Le Dinh Duong Streets
meet. This museum houses the best collection of Cham art to
be found anywhere in the world. It was founded in 1915 by the
École Française d’Extrême Orient and has a priceless exhibit
of Cham sculpture. Many of the sandstone carvings (altars,
garudas, lingas and images of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu) are
without equal. A guide is needed here as most exhibits are
© 2008 maps.com
Da
Th
ng
o
Do
Ca
The Forbidden Purple City was off limits to all but the Imperial
Family and its entourage. There are 60 buildings situated within
20 courtyards. Fighting during the TET Offensive virtually
ruined the complex. Of note are two Mandarin Palaces, the Dien
Canh Can and the Reading Book Palace which are currently
being restored.
The Royal Tombs, including the Tu Duc Tomb, are located
4.25 miles (7 km) from Hué and was once the Royal Palace of
Tu Duc, who ruled Hué more than 100 years ago. His tomb was
constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc was the longest
reigning Emperor (1848 – 1883) and lived a luxurious lifestyle.
He supported 104 wives and numerous mistresses, but had no
offspring. No one knows the exact location of his burial.
SHORE EXCURSIONS To make the most of your visit
to Hue, Danang, Chan May Port and surrounding areas, we
suggest you take one of the organized Shore Excursions. For
further information consult your Shore Excursion brochure or
contact the Shore Excursion desk. When going ashore, guests
are advised to take with them only the items they need and to
secure any valuables.
LOCAL CUSTOMS Bargaining: Bargain in either the local
currency (Dong) or the U.S. Dollar. Bargaining should be good
natured – smile, don’t raise your voice or argue. In some cases
you will be able to get a discount of up to 30%. Prices tend to be
fixed in most large stores, but smaller shops will negotiate.
Tipping: Tipping is becoming increasingly expected in Vietnam,
although it is not usually required. Government run hotels and
restaurants generally add a 10% service charge.
Dress Code: Light cotton clothing is suggested. T-Shirts, shorts
and jeans are suitable in most cases. For women, longer dresses
and pants are the norm. The Vietnamese on the whole are very
tolerant, but a show of too much skin is taboo. When visiting
temples be sure to dress more conservatively. Slip on shoes (not
open toe) are the easiest to get in and out of.
Avoiding Offence: Displays of emotion – from affection to anger
– are considered crass and rude. Never show anger, regardless
of the situation as most Southeast Asians abhor conflict. Don’t
touch the head of anyone, including children as it is a sign of
disrespect. The feet are considered to be unclean. When seated,
don’t point them in anyone’s direction.
Local Cuisine: The Vietnamese are particularly fond of seafood,
but prepare chicken, beef, pork and vegetable dishes equally
well. The proper way to eat is to take rice from the large shared
dish and put it in your rice bowl. Using your chopsticks, take
meat, fish or vegetables from the serving dishes and add them to
your rice. Do not stick your chopsticks vertically into a rice bowl
and leave them there as this is a classic Buddhist death sign. Pho
is the Vietnamese name for the noodle soup that is a special
favorite at breakfast. Lau, fish and vegetable soup; Bun Thang,
rice noodles with fried egg and prawns; Ech Tam Bot Ran, frog
meat soaked in batter and fried; and various vegetarian dishes
are the most popular.
Drink Specialties: Vietnamese coffee is served French-style,
brewed at the table. Vietnamese tea is inexpensive, but not
particularly tasteful. Nuoc Dua (coconut milk) can be sweetened
with sugar and is excellent on a hot day. So-Da Chanh (lemon
soda) is the most prevalent. Coca-Cola and Sprite can usually be
found as well. Imported beer is fairly cheap in Vietnam. Imports
such as Heineken, San Miguel and Tiger are available in hotels
and marketplaces. The local brew is 333. New local brands are
emerging quite rapidly. Bottled water is recommended.