Life in Da Nang

In Da Nang, eating food is inevitably accompanied by drinking beer. While Vietnam is home to some of the world’s most steadfast drinkers, Da Nang outperforms either Saigon or Hanoi when it comes to beer consumption. Unlike Saigon, Da Nang people start early, and unlike Hanoi, they finish late. If you Read more…

People who come to Vietnam on holiday are often inspired to learn more about this country’s sad but beautiful history, and there’s actually quite a few books about Vietnam out there. Here’s a few of my favorite books about Vietnam. Books About Vietnam The American War in Vietnam My favorite Read more…

While tourism in Da Nang is no longer considered ‘off the beaten path’, it is by no means ‘touristy.’ There’s still plenty of places you can go where you can meet and interact with real locals, who are genuinely curious about your life, where you’re from and inevitably your marital Read more…

When I lived in Taiwan, people were always asking me “Can you speak Chinese?” Now, I’m white, and I certainly don’t ‘look’ like I should be able to speak Chinese. In Vietnam, where I actually can speak Vietnamese, I almost never get asked. But in Taiwan, where I couldn’t speak Chinese, Read more…

Da Nang has great seafood, no doubt about that. But ordering seafood in Da Nang can be a bit tricky: navigating the restaurant scene, knowing what’s good, figuring out what it costs, how to order, and things like that. In a previous post, I gave an overview on Vietnamese food and eating Read more…

The other day in Da Nang I was on receiving end of a totally unexpected act of kindness. It was around 9 pm, and my girlfriend and I were hungry, so we hopped on the bike to grab a quick snack. I pulled out of our neighborhood and onto the main street, clicked the Read more…

Last week my cousin and her friend came out for a visit. They only had a week, and they wanted to see and much as possible, so I thought “Why not hop on the bike and drive north?” Here’s a few of the highlights from our Da Nang to Hanoi Read more…

Considering it’s long history if being invaded by other countries, Vietnamese people are surprisingly kind and generous towards foreigners. Just the other day, I was asking about the tea in a restaurant and where I could buy it. The lady patiently explained what this particular tea is called, how to ask Read more…

Despite the increasing number of expats in Da Nang, it seems people here still aren’t used to hearing a foreigner speak Vietnamese. Here’s a few of my favorite reactions I get when trying to order food. The Interview Me: (in Vietnamese) Can I have a bowl of noodle soup please? Waitress: *gasp* Read more…