Phan Rang city – and the bus driver started laughing

Going by Train From Danang we stopped in Nha Trang (the beach and party location in Vietnam) for one night. And it is exactly what is stated and we were happy to head on the next day.

The cozy beach of PhanRang. Except from a few Russians you only met curious locals here.

The cozy beach of PhanRang. Except from a few Russians you only met curious locals here.

Our idea of kite surfing lead us to Phan Rang. Conditions there were supposed to be better than in Mui Ne and a kite school should be located at the Beach. When our bus arrived in Phan Rang the driver announced „Phan Rang city“ looked at us and started laughing. Obviously wondering what two backpacker wanted in this small industrial city. We headed for a small Guesthouse close to the beach (taxi driver kept a generous tipp when we could pay they exact amount).
There really isn’t much to this place, but two sweet landlords, a 6km long beach with a hundreds of tiny round fisher boats, a little cafe with great coffee and hammocks and a old lady preparing great spicy omelet in bread in a mobile kitchen. Oh and a few russian tourists. Unfortunately there was no kite school to be found otherwise we would have loved to stay for a couple more days.
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What to do, when there is nothing to do but to relax.

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The only place that also served something else than seafood.

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Toms little new friends – crab is called Tom in Vietnamese. Wonder we he likes them so much.

The roads of Danang

The most modern skyline of Vietnam - Danang

The most modern skyline of Vietnam – Danang. I admit it’s hard to see on this picture.

The actual reason we stopped in Danang was the Vietnam Special of BBC’s show ‚Top Gear‘. Jeremy, James and the Hamster end up driving motorbikes through Vietnam over what they say one of the most beautiful passes. And this special one is close to Danang and needed of cause also be explored by Tom via a motorbike. Whether it is great for driving is not me to judge but the view over Danang is very nice.

The ocean cloud pass not only deserves it names it also provides some crazy road design to have fun on a motorbike.

The ocean cloud pass not only deserves it names it also provides some crazy road design to have fun on a motorbike.

While in the possession of a motorbike we decided to also make a little tour to Hoi An. Stopping at the beach, having fresh but expensive fish while viewing the fisher man and get scammed  for fixing a flat tire – but what to do in the middle of nowhere.
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The spherical fisher boats of south Vietnam. We assume they are so round so they are not affected by wave independent of the position in the sea.

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If you don’t have a boat – simply fish at the beach, or collect some crabs.

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As if I asked them to pose for the picture :).

Hoi An felt a bit like Pingyao in Vietnamese. A village of beautiful though neglected colonial buildings, touts and many western tourists. If anybody (I just can think of one Danish manager.) needs to learn to say ’no‘ the touts here definitely will teach you this lesson or you will end up bank robed.
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New paint would definitely destroy the historic charm of the colonial buildings.

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The touts hidden as nice old ladies in fisher boats wait at the promenade pier to catch a few dollars from the western tourists. Anyway it gives such a lovely picture.

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Aside from the old center of Hoi An with it;s many boutiques this little city remains a fisher village. You just have to go around the corner.

In Danang we learned about a typical dish if this region. Roasted chicken with rice. The tiny street restaurant we went to did such a good job that we had dinner there twice.
I am not a fan of making pictures of food, but when you come across roasted chicken with rice I want you to be able to recognise it. Yummy

I am not a fan of making pictures of food, but when you come across roasted chicken with rice I want you to be able to recognise it. Yummy