TheCentral Coastis a region ofVietnam.

Cities

• 1Chu Lai– Has a large airport that serves Quảng Ngãi and Tam Kỳ
• 2Da Nang– Vietnam's fifth largest city with lots of tourists, where the beaches are the main attraction
• 3Dong Ha
• 4Dong Hoi– A sleepy beach and seaside town with all the necessary infrastructure; laid back, authentic and genuinely friendly, with at least half a dozen hostels, convenient for accessingPhong Nha Ke Bangnational park.
• 5Hoi An– A trading port with a UNESCO World Heritage listed old city and pedestrian-friendly shops and cafes
• 6Hue– The former imperial capital and a popular tourist attraction
• 7Khe Sanh
• 8Lý Sơn
• 9Nha Trang– A popular beach town
• 10Lang Co– A fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32-km beach
• 11Quẚng Ngãi– A sleepy town and off the beaten tracks, known for the My Lai incident during the Vietnam War, with lots of cultural and historical sights
• 12Quy Nhon– The inexpensive and tourist-free alternative to Da Nang, yet off many people's radar and therefore still a tranquil and authentic, lively and pleasant city with a much (among the locals) hyped beach. Good for a break between Nha Trang and Hoi An.
• 13Tam Ky
• 14Thanh Hoa
• 15Vinh

Other destinations

• 1Cham Islands(Cù Lao Chàm) – 7 islands that are 17km (9 nautical miles) offshore to the East of Hoi An river-ocean inlet
• 2DMZ
• 3My Son– UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of temples built by the ancient Champa civilisation, located close to Hoi An
• 4Na Meo– A border crossing town
• 5Phong Nha Ke Bangnational park – Caves, caves, caves
• 6Van Phong Bay– Includes a 25-km long peninsula called Hon Gom and the islands Hon Lon (Big Island) and Hon Ong (Whale Island), one of the few places on the Vietnamese coast that remains semi-natural, after the decision to abort a container port project.

Understand

This region is likened by the Vietnamese to the bamboo pole connecting the baskets of north and south. TheTruong Son Mountains,stretching all the way to the coast betweenHueandDa Nang,have traditionally divided the country in two in terms of weather and dialect, although the actual demarcation line during the Vietnam War was slightly higher up at the 17th parallel to the north of Hue.

Climate

Jul-Nov is the typhoon season, so it's wise to check the forecast a few days before your planned visit. Typhoons form in the Pacific, east of the Philippines. In some years, they curve north toward Taiwan and Japan and leave Vietnam in peace. In other years, they cross the Philippines and run straight into central Vietnam, causing flooding and wind damage. The threat of typhoons is one factor that has limited economic development in the central region relative to the north and south.

Get in

By plane

Many airports along the Central Coast connect withHanoiandHCMC— north to south:

• 1Vinh Airport(VII^IATA) nearVinh
• 2Dong Hoi Airport(VDH^IATA) nearDong Hoi
• 3Phu Bai International Airport(HUI^IATA) nearHue
• 4Da Nang International Airport(DAD^IATA) nearDa Nang— has many international connections
• 5Chu Lai Airport(VCL^IATA) nearQuảng Ngãi
• 6Phù Cát Airport(UIH^IATA) nearQuy Nhon
• 7Tuy Hoa Airport(TBB^IATA) nearTuy Hoa
• 8Cam Ranh International Airport(CXR^IATA) nearNha Trang— has a few international connections

By train

There are train stations at most above mentioned cities and towns; like Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Dong Hoi, or Da Nang, and Hué. The closest railway station to Hoi An is 17 km away; Trà Kiệu.

By road

TheHai Van Tunnelbetween Danang and Hue cuts 20km and a good hour off travel time between the two cities, and bypasses the dangerous and scenic Hai Van Pass. The toll for the tunnel for an ordinary car is 25,000 dong, a price well worth paying, especially if you're prone to carsickness.

Get around

• By motorbike for close–by destinations and to explore the surrounding areas
• By train to go from city to city
• By tourist bus (aka open tour bus) to go from ho(s)tel to ho(s)tel

See

The south gate of the citadel

• TheCitadel of the Hồ Dynasty,aUNESCO World Heritagelocated some 40km north ofThanh Hoa

Go next

• Northern Vietnamto the north
• Vietnam's Central Highlandsto the west
• Southern Vietnamto the southwest

North Central Coast