Vietnam’s fourth-largest city is a busy seaport and booming commercial centre. During the American-Vietnamese war it was the nerve centre of the US military machine; it was here that the first American troops landed in March 1965. The city is part of a long, thin peninsular and is located on the western bank of the Han River. It is far enough north to be outside Vietnam’s tropical zone and so has a pleasant climate all year round.

This whole area was once part of the ancient Cham Kingdom and there is an internationally renowned museum in the city. Founded by the French in 1915 its collection of Cham artefacts and sculpture is the finest in the world. Danang cathedral, built in 1923, serves a catholic community of around 4,000 and there is a convent of 100 nuns next door. Just outside the city is famous China Beach where US soldiers were sent for rest and relaxation. A short drive away are the Marble Mountains, five large rocky outcrops which have been used as places of Buddhist pilgrimage for centuries.