Surprising Danang

Danang was initially not an intended destination. With Hue at its north and Hoi An south, also Danang being a city, there isn't much sights that are tempting for a stay. It was only a stopover to catch a train to HCMC later on. However as our fellow travellers to Halong Bay highly recommended a train ride from Hue to Danang on the way to Hoi An, we decided to give it a shot. After all, it's either a bus from Hue to Hoi An or we do a detour from Hue to Danang, before heading to Hoi An. The train ride came highly recommended as the railway track skims its way along the beaches, where buses will not passed by. With this trip, we have the opportunity of experiencing the soft sleeper, hard sleeper and soft seats via the Reunification Line. Grin.

Our intended brief stopover at Danang didnt begin well. Due to some miscalculation on the conversion rate, we agreed for a taxi ride from Danang Railway Station to Hoi An. The ironic thing was that both of us miscalculate. As I had this nagging thought, I took out my trusty calculator and start counting in the cab. Darn, it was too expensive. The taxi driver said that he would charge us by the meter but maximum payable is 300k VND. We must've missed the last zero or something that we agreed to it. Upon calculation, it would set us back about RM 75!!! The open bus ticket is only around 5 USD and this was a cab, it wasn't any golden carriage. Upon telling the taxi driver that we wanted to get down or go to the bus station, the taxi driver told us there is no bus station in the city, even after we showed him the map! It was a relief after he finally let us off, we paid him for the distance travelled, of course. We were dropped at Duong Le Loi (Read: the street name are similar in so many towns/cities)

Danang City

With us a bit far off the bus station now as from the map the main bus station is a few hundreds meters behind the railway station, we decided to look for guesthouse to buy the open bus ticket to go to Hoi An. Anyway, an incident led to another, we were taught by a receptionist of a hotel, Queen to take public bus. She didn't even once ask us to buy the open bus ticket which was more expensive. Not only that, she allowed us to deposit our backpacks without any charge despite we were not lodging at their hotel. From the bad experience with the cab driver, there is HOPE in Danang. Not only that, when we were crossing the road, a lady even motioned us to follow her. For the past 7 days in Vietnam, 5 stops, not even once someone took care of us when crossing the road (exception to Dr Bui as he's a friend)

Since transportation to Hoi An was settled, we decided to roam a little in Danang after lunch, also to wait for the Cao Dai Temple to allow visitors. We walked to Han River to kill time have a look.

Han River, picture taken under a shade of a big tree. Central Vietnam is already warm

Thereafter, we make our move back to Cao Dai Temple as it is only open after 3.00 pm.

The main building of Cao Dai Temple

Inside the main building

Note the sign on top? Ok, here's an enlarged one.

From Lonely Planet:
Van Giao Nhat Ly means "All religions have the same
reason"
Behind the letters is the picture of the foundres of five of the
world's great religions - (L-R:) Mohammed, Laotse, Jesus, Buddha and Confucius

An interesting temple, worth a stop in Danang for.

From intended to go straight to Hoi An from the train station to wrong calculation for a cab fee, leading to a longer linger in Danang, meeting kind Samaritan and an interesting Cao Dai Temple. Its a nice surprise indeed. :)


Oh yah, I just have to do this... :P
For the coke collectors, here you are, Coke from Vietnam, all the way from Danang City.

Side note: I wrap my shoes in plastic bag to avoid the rain just now. I felt like a big-feet-rabbit somehow. Maybe cos the plastic bag was in white.

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