[Da Nang Travel Diary] Day 1 Afternoon: The Classic Route & Souvenir Shopping♪

Xin chào! We are Yuki, a Japanese husband, and Ngoc, his Vietnamese wife, living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. On this blog, we share information about moving to and living in Vietnam, as well as travel information from all over the country. If you come across an article that catches your interest, please follow us first! ♪ This time, continuing from last time, we introduce the afternoon of Day 1 of our Da Nang trip. This is the classic route around Da Nang city, so if it's your first time visiting Da Nang, please try visiting the spots and shops introduced here. Sightseeing in Da Nang city starts with "Han Market"!

The Da Nang city sightseeing begins at "Han Market." Han Market is an indoor market squeezed between Tran Phu Street and Bach Dang Street, and many travelers visit it throughout the day.

Han Market is located in a tourist area, so many travelers visit, but about 80% of the shops are basically aimed at locals. I wanted to buy coffee beans and dried fruits as souvenirs too, but they were just left out in the open air, so I felt a bit hesitant to actually eat them... ( ;∀;) Still, it was a market full of the lively energy and spice aromas so typical of Southeast Asia, so as the first sightseeing spot of my Da Nang trip, I was very satisfied! Check Han Market on the map Took commemorative photos at "Da Nang Cathedral"! Lots of Chinese tourists!

On the city sightseeing tour you can book through a travel agency, the route covering Han Market, Da Nang Cathedral, and the Museum of Cham Sculpture seems to be the classic choice. And no wonder — these three sightseeing spots are all located on the same Tran Phu Street. After walking about two minutes south from Han Market, Da Nang Cathedral soon came into view.

They're all Chinese people. It's seriously amazing (´∀｀). I think it was probably a tour group, and it was really impressive. Still, I was impressed that when taking commemorative photos with the church in the background, everyone properly formed a line and waited their turn.

I did quite a lot of research online before coming to Da Nang. Among the places I found, one that was especially popular in reviews was this shop called "Hoa Lan." Also, this place carried a snack brand that I absolutely wanted to buy as a souvenir, so I had already decided I was definitely going to visit♪ I got some YUGOC snacks!

YUGOC is a brand born in Ho Chi Minh City that offers traditional Vietnamese sweets and specialty treats from various regions as souvenirs. I've been living in Ho Chi Minh City for a long time myself, but I'd say there's probably no local resident who doesn't know YUGOC (Yugokku)... it's that famous.   Since I actually live here locally, I don't really need to buy souvenirs, but my husband's parents are currently visiting Da Nang, so I decided to get these as souvenirs for them! ♪ By the way, what I bought was Vina Crepe (traditional Vietnamese cookies), Banh Trang (a street-food snack), and cashew nuts (wasabi, tom yum, and coffee flavors) — three boxes of each! (^^)/   YUGOC also offers hotel delivery for travelers. It's great that you can have it left at the reception desk! YUGOC official website: https://yugoc.com/ YUGOC | Vietnam Travel Souvenir Online Shop - We deliver to your hotel. Welcome to the YUGOC homepage.For Vietnamese travelers, we sell Vietnam's specialty natural foods via online ordering. Our main products are "raw honey," "macadamia nuts," and "alcohol." We deliver to your hotel at your specified time. We have stores across the country in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang. yugoc.com Check Hoa Lan Souvenir and Coffee Shop on the map        Skip the Cham Museum of Sculpture and let's go to the burger shop instead ♪

Originally, we would have gone to the Museum of Cham Sculpture, which was just a stone's throw away, but since our route this time doesn't include a stop at My Son Sanctuary, we skipped it. Instead, since we were absolutely starving, we searched on Google Maps and found a burger shop called "Burger House" and went there. Huh, there were zero customers... we thought, but right away two groups of Korean customers came in (^^♪

The reason we were drawn to this restaurant is simple — the price! At other places, a carefully crafted burger costs over 1000 yen! But here, we could eat one for just 600–700 yen ♪ The thick 100% beef (probably) patty burger was incredibly juicy and so satisfying to eat! Check Burger House on the map A must-try spa in Da Nang with super high reviews — "Panda Relax Spa

This is the thing I was looking forward to most today. I looked it up online afterward, and apparently it's better to go to a spa before eating (-_-;)   There is another shop called "Panda Spa" in the same row, and it seems to be a sister shop. Both apparently have the same menu, but this time I booked Panda Relax Spa. Check Panda Relax Spa on the map Great atmosphere, great price, great service

The reason I chose this spa is simply that the atmosphere was so wonderful. Even though it's right in the heart of the Mike Beach area, the price for a full 2-hour course was only around 6,000–7,000 yen. Tips are included, so there's no need to worry about any trouble. This time, I chose a facial and oil massage, while my husband and child went with foot massages.

This vibe, huh ♪ It has this indescribable, ethnic minority kind of feel? Personally, I absolutely love this Southeast Asian atmosphere.

Foot massages are done here. The body massage room is similarly set up. The staff's service was great, and the therapist was friendly and very kind to us. Of course, the massage technique itself was excellent too, and nobody pressured us for tips (which, personally, was my biggest worry). By the time we finished at the spa, it was already dusk, and we were already hungry.I feel like I had just eaten, but that's the charm of a spa, isn't it ♪ My whole body got detoxed! I booked through "Tabi Spa," a Vietnam travel booking site, and they said the return shuttle was free anywhere in the central city area, but since I wanted to walk around the surrounding area, I decided not to use it. If you're heading straight back to your hotel, using it is a great option ♪ I always use Tabi Spa whenever I travel to Vietnam!Just a quick heads-up (^^)/ When booking a local tour, Klook works fine too, but when it comes to spa reservations, Klook is kind of lacking, or rather... they are cheap, sure, but there aren't really any menus I like (one or two menu items are dirt cheap, but it seems like they set the rest of the menu at regular price).   Tabispa Official Website: https://tabispavn.com/store/panda-relax-spa/ Reservations | Basic Information for Panda Relax Spa (Da Nang) | "Panda Relax Spa," located in the bustling My Khe Beach area covered by Tabispa Da Nang. It's a popular spot that draws travelers from all over the world, offering international-quality service.Summary and next preview... Everyone, men and women alike, should experience a spa at least once! Living in Japan, you don't often get the chance to experience a spa, but Vietnam, even within Southeast Asia, still has low prices, and spas are very inexpensive there. Some men might shy away, thinking "I think I'll pass," but if a man tries it even once, he'll definitely be satisfied.     Coming up next... Exploring Da Nang on the night of Day 1! Exquisite seafood and a stroll through town. Next time, we'll take an evening walk on Day 1. If you're planning a trip to Da Nang, you're probably already agonizing over "which restaurant should I eat at" even before you leave Japan. Next time, we'll introduce some spots where you can enjoy delicious seafood. We'll also share some tips from a local resident's point of view, so be sure to check it out! Hẹn gặp lại! ※ This means "See you again!" in Vietnamese (^^)/