Luxury holidays in Da Nang

Situated midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang sits on of a long, thin peninsula stretching from Nui Soon Tra (Monkey Mountain) in the north to China Beach and Marble Mountains in the south. The city has traditionally been left off the sightseer trail – and it’s all the better for it, missing the hawkers and other tourist traps common in Vietnam’s bigger cities. In recent years, Da Nang has benefited from big-scale spending on tree-lined boulevards, beachside resorts and glittering high rises; ornate French architecture recalls the city’s colonial history. Soak up the rays on Da Nang’s picture-perfect beaches before delving into some culture at one of the city’s excellent museums (the Museum of Cham Sculpture is a must for history buffs). Further afield, the awe-inspiring Nui Soon Tra (re-named Monkey Mountain by American soldiers for its Mickey Mouse-esque shape) is an imposing sight, with spectacular ocean views from the summit. The five Marble Mountains, named after the five natural elements, lie to the south of the city. Thuy Son is the largest and most popular of the Marble Mountains, holding several natural caves which host early Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries.