To many, China Beach is a familiar television drama, but for the thousands of American G.I.s who spent their leisure time on these beaches it was an area which provided the much needed respite from war torn Vietnam. Here they came to swim, surf and relax on the golden sands. Locally, China Beach is known as My Khe, and today, in peaceful times, it is a destination where people come to de-stress. Now, with memories of the war left behind, the beach is a favourite with foreign tourists.

The area has some interesting places. For instance, the lively beachfront, the Marble Mountains, the Tony Furama beachfront and the Cham museum nearby all add to the appeal of China Beach. However, many tourists still prefer the neighbouring beaches of Hoi An and Hue.  The local administration is now trying to increase the popularity of China Beach as a tourist destination and to control the persistent beggars who bother visitors on the beach.

According to several travel books the drive from Danang to Hue is one of the most picturesque drives in Vietnam. It is a steep climb through this mountainous region and one can quickly see the bowl-shaped bay of Danang from the top. A number of hairpin bends later you reach the Hai Van Pass.

This pass was created by a ridge from the Truong Son Mountain Range that extends to the coast. This region was the ancient boundary of Vietnam and the Champa kingdom. Later this pass formed a natural boundary between North and South Vietnam. When there are no clouds you can see views of both North and South Vietnam. However, this is rare and the pass has a cloud cover most of the time. Indeed, Hai Van means ‘Sea of Clouds'.

My Son, located in Southern Vietnam, was a centre for spirituality, learning and worship during the heyday of the Champa Kingdom. This sanctuary is nestled in a valley surrounded by hills on all sides. The My Son Sanctuary epitomised the peak of the Cham culture especially during the reign of King Bhadravarman.

It is an architectural marvel and consists of a large complex of religious monuments which originally consisted of more than 70 structures. Sadly, today only the remnants of 25 of these structures remain. The builders of My Son were the aristocrats of the Champa Kingdom, who were significantly influenced, culturally and spiritually, by India. Today the site has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site - wisely so as this site urgently requires conservation efforts.

The Dien Hai Citadel is located in Thach Thang Ward of Hai Chau District in Danang. It was built in 1813 in the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyễn Dynasty  and was formerly called the Dien Hai Fortress. Later, the structure was rebuilt in brick on a high mound in 1832, the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam. The Dien Hai Fortress came to be known as Dien Hai Citadel in 1835.

Later, during Emperor Thieu Tri's reign in 1847, the perimeter of the citadel was expanded with a wall measuring five metres in height surrounded by a three- metre deep ditch. The citadel has two gates, one opening to the south and the other to the east. Inside the citadel is the Hanh Cung, or the royal step over place, and Ky Dai, or a high pole platform. There is also a storehouse for food storage and for storing ammunition. A canon emplacement can also be found in the citadel.

The citadel is built in the Vauban style of architecture. Vauban was a French architect who revolutionised military architecture and designs of citadels and fortifications not only in France but in other parts of Europe and far off places as well. The Dien Hai citadel recalls the struggle of the Vietnamese people, and particularly of the people of Danang against French colonists. The Dien Hai citadel played a major role in the defeat of French invaders in the struggle of 1858-1860.  The citadel is now classified as a historical relic by the Ministry of Culture and Communications and a stele was erected in 1998 to commemorate the event.

The Cham Museum is located in Danang, at the intersection of Trung Nu Vuong and Bang Dang Street, and is one attraction in Danang you must not miss. It was built in 1915 with support from the French Far-East Research Institute in Vietnam. It has a collection of artefacts from various sites of the erstwhile Champa kingdom. The building was designed by two French architects, Delaval and Auclair, and incorporates styles used in the Champa towers and temples.

The artefacts displayed at the museum are sculptures and decorative pieces used in temples and towers. The artefacts are classified into those which date from before the year 1000 and those after this period. One of the interesting pieces is the Tra Kieu Altar which was used for the worship of Lord Shiva.

The base of the altar has scenes from the famous Indian epic Ramayana, some of which depict Lord Rama's wedding to Sita, the princess of Videha. There are other sculptures made during the period when Buddhism was dominant. In all there are nearly 300 sculptures collected from different sites of the Champa kingdom.

Located in Hoa Vang province, Ba Na-Nui Chua is a two hour drive from Danang. With an altitude of 1,487 meters above sea level, it is a part of the Truong Son mountain range. What makes Ba Na an attractive place to visit is its salubrious climate. Neither too hot nor cold, Ba Na's average temperature ranges from 17 to 20 degree Celsius.

However, locals joke that there are four seasons in one day up in the mountains, that is, spring in the morning, summer at noon, autumn in the afternoon, and winter in the evening. Ba Na has vast tracts of unspoilt forest cover; it is a natural reserve of valuable biodiversity. The Ba Na-Nui Chua Nature Reserve has documented 61 mammal species, 178 bird species and 17 reptile species along with 543 species of vascular plants, but it is probable that these are modest numbers. The forest has various species of the pine tree family. The vegetation interests tourists and scientists alike.

The region has immense potential for cultivation of plants and herbs used in traditional medicine. The mountain top offers a spectacular view of the South China Sea. Surrounding Ba Na to the west is the Truaong Son range, to the north is the peak of Hai Van Mountain and to the east is Danang city. You can view the Han River and the Ngu Hanh Son or Marble Mountains.

Danang City and miles of rice fields can also be seen from the top. No wonder then that the French took a fancy to the place and developed it as a resort where one could come to relax.  They built a number of villas and castles, all geared to house visitors coming to relax in these pleasant environs. A curious fact about the Ba Na Mountain is that the summit has a flat top.

The Son Tra peninsula is another must-see tourist destination. It is a mere 10 km drive from downtown Danang. The peninsula has magnificent beaches, charming rapids and thick primeval forests. The Son Tra peninsula is surrounded by the Da stream, Bai But, Bai Bac, Bai Nom and 20 other streams, which provide clean water. The Son Tra spring water is also a resource for export. The alluvial plains are extremely picturesque and the Bai But and Bai Nam beaches have some interesting coral sites.

The SonTra peninsula has a lot of potential as an eco-tourism destination as it is home to a variety of flora and fauna. No wonder then that the government has recognised its potential and classified it as a National Park. The area is rich in animal life and various species of monkeys, sea-turtles and tortoises can be found here. The flora found here is also very diverse.

From the top of the peninsula one can see the Han River flowing along. The top of the peninsula is a flat piece of land and is known as the Chessboard peak. It is densely covered with a variety of trees. The peninsula also forms a natural barrier protecting Danang from storms originating from the sea.

The ancient village of Tuy Loan is located 15 km southwest of Danang City. This is where the 300-year-old Tuy Loan Communal House is located. The communal houses in Vietnam are primarily used to worship gods and deities, which are known to protect the village or town. The Tuy Loan Communal House was also used for the same purpose. In the past the house was also used to conduct ceremonies ushering the season of spring on the 14th and 15th of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

The house measures 110 square metres and is made of brick walls and tiled roof. Outside there are images of dragons flanking a moon and flying dragons, which are encrusted with remains of broken pottery. The interior is divided into three sections. There are also two lean-tos (structures with a single-pitch roof attached to the side of the structure as a wing or an extension). The Communal House has four rows of jack tree wood pillars, each of which has six pillars measuring 2.5 to 4.5 metres in height. The pillars against the walls are embellished with pumpkin shapes. The roof beam has a dragon's head and there are designs showing floating clouds, and flowers such as daisies and peonies.

During the American war this house was the place where the local people showed their solidarity and opposed the Americans and the puppet regime of Ngo Dinh Diem. In 1999, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture and Communication recognised the Tuy Loan Communal House as a historical and cultural relic.