17 destinations in the Centre
The Centre is a narrow strip of land between the Truong Son range and the East Sea, where the mountains almost touch the sand: from the citadel of Hue to the highlands of Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot, by way of the seaside towns along the coast.
This is the region of heritage. The Imperial City of Hue, the Ancient Town of Hoi An, the My Son Sanctuary and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, with some of the largest caves in the world, are all UNESCO-listed; Da Nang is the gateway and links these sites within a few hours by road.
Further south, the coastline unfolds through Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang and Mui Ne: turquoise bays, fishing villages and still unspoilt beaches. To the west lie the Central Highlands: Da Lat, cool all year round, Pleiku, Kon Tum and Buon Ma Thuot, with their coffee, their communal houses and the Space of Gong Culture.
The climate of the Centre differs from that of the two ends of the country: sunshine and dry weather from February to August, with rain and typhoons concentrated between September and December, especially around Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An. The highlands are cooler than the coast, with a dry season from November to April.
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Hue
The imperial city of the Nguyen on the banks of the Perfume River View the destination → -
Da Nang
A young, lively seaside city, the Dragon Bridge and the Son Tra Peninsula View the destination → -
Hoi An
The lantern-lit old town on the banks of the Hoai River View the destination → -
My Son
The ancient Cham sanctuary nestled in a lush green valley View the destination → -
Phong Nha
Caves in the heart of primary forest View the destination → -
Quy Nhon
A still unspoilt coastline, the fishing village of Nhon Ly and Ky Co beach View the destination → -
Pleiku
The red-earth plateau, Chu Dang Ya volcano and Bien Ho lake View the destination → -
Kon Tum
The communal houses of the highlands and the Mang Den pine forest View the destination → -
Nha Trang
A blue bay, islets and the Cham towers of Po Nagar View the destination → -
Da Lat
The city of a thousand flowers in the highlands View the destination → -
Mui Ne
Dunes, a fishing village and the sea breeze for board sports View the destination → -
Buon Ma Thuot
The coffee capital, Dray Nur waterfall and gong culture View the destination → -
Tuy Hoa
The basalt columns of Ganh Da Dia and beaches that are still very peaceful View the destination → -
Bay Mau Coconut Forest
A forest of nipa palms at the mouth of the Thu Bon River. In a basket boat, you weave between the fronds and watch the villagers cast their nets and spin their boats round and round. View the destination → -
Japanese Covered Bridge
A 17th-century tile-roofed wooden bridge linking the Japanese quarter to the Chinese quarter, the emblem of the old town. View the destination → -
Tra Que Vegetable Village
A market-gardening village on the edge of the Tra Que lagoon, where the soil is still fertilised with seaweed and aromatic herbs are grown the traditional way for the whole of Hoi An. View the destination → -
Cham Islands
An archipelago off Cua Dai, a biosphere reserve with quiet beaches and coral reefs, 20 minutes away by speedboat. View the destination →
