Da Nang is the major port of central Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, the area served as a large US air force base. Physically located halfway between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Da Nang is close to key historic sites from the Cham Dynasty. Near Hoi An, southwest of Da Nang, is the My Son Sanctuary, the remains of the Champa civilization, a Hindu-based culture that dominated Vietnam from about 400 to 1300.  Today, Hoi An and My Son are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The area was heavily damaged during the Vietnam War but great efforts are being made to restore the area and enhance tourism. Many artifacts from My Son have been removed to Da Nang to the Museum of Cham. About nine miles south of Da Nang are the Marble Mountains with the five peaks named for the five elements of the Buddhist world (fire, water, earth, metal, and wood). The views are spectacular, and for those who cannot climb the some 900 steep steps, there is an elevator to the top for a small charge. Some sixty miles north of Da Nang is Hue, the imperial capital from the 1600s until 1945, and a UNESCO World heritage site.

Within Da Nang, the Museum of Cham houses the most renowned collection of Champa sculpture and artifacts, including some 300 terra-cotta and stone figures dating from between the 600s and 1400s. The Champa civilization was a Hindu-based culture that existed in Vietnam from about 400 to 1300. Tours can be taken out of town to the historic sites of Hoi An and My Son, with more than 70 brick temples built to Hindu gods. Visitors may go to the stunning My Khe Beach (China Beach), a 20-mile long beach made famous as an R&R spot for American soldiers during the Vietnam War, as well as the TV series of the same name. See the dragon-shaped bridge across the Han River which breathes fire and water on weekend evenings. The pink Da Nang Cathedral, built by the French in 1923, is a Catholic church known for its bell tower and distinctive rooster weathervane.

Regional cuisine specialties include banh beo (steamed rice cakes with shrimp). Bargain for goods at the Han Market. Typical souvenirs include silk clothing and accessories, Vietnamese coffee, lacquerware, woven cloth, and non la (conical Vietnamese hats).