New Horizons In Beautiful Danang Vietnam
Business Traveler|March 2016

Forty years after the war’s end, Danang displays new-found luxury alongside an abundance of local charm.

Jenny Southan
New Horizons In Beautiful Danang Vietnam

"Every Marine in 1 Corps got to spend a few days at China Beach at least once during their 13-month tours,” writes journalist Michael Herr in his 1977 book Dispatches, a visceral, personal account of the Vietnam War.

“It was a place where they could go swimming or surfing, get drunk, get stoned, get laid, get straight, groove in the scivvie houses, rent sailboats or just sleep.”

It was on the sandy shores of Danang that 50 years ago the first US ground troops arrived at the start of the long, bloody conflict, striding from their boats through the warm waters of the bay, located midway down Vietnam’s S-shaped coastline.

You only have to read Dispatches to get a sense of just how senseless the ensuing ten-year war was, one in which 58,000 US soldiers were killed, and three million Vietnamese perished, two-thirds of them civilians.

Against this background, you can appreciate how rapidly the country has rebuilt itself, and the incredible capacity of the local people for forgiveness.

These days, Danang is a thriving port city of over one million people. Down by the surf, fishermen mend their circular basket boats, just as they have always done, but all along the seafront promenade, glitzy karaoke bars, golf courses and luxury hotels are arriving at an remarkable pace.

Among local brands such as the luxurious Naman Retreat and Fusion Maia, there’s a Pullman and a Hyatt Regency. A Sheraton will open in 2018.

Vietnam remains a Communist country, but economic reforms have opened it up to the market, resulting in improved living standards and huge strides in development.

Last year, it welcomed 7.8 million visitors from overseas, while much improved relations with the US saw more than $36 billion generated in bilateral trade between the two nations.

Denne historien er fra March 2016-utgaven av Business Traveler.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra March 2016-utgaven av Business Traveler.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BUSINESS TRAVELERSe alt
Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
Business Traveler US

Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights

United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Business Traveler US

Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products

Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
Business Traveler US

The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it

There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Golden Age
Business Traveler US

Golden Age

Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Business Traveler US

The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons

Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Crystal Palace
Business Traveler US

Crystal Palace

Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
East Meets West
Business Traveler US

East Meets West

Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Bigger.Better.
Business Traveler US

Bigger.Better.

American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
High Style
Business Traveler US

High Style

A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Art History
Business Traveler US

Art History

A venerable Seville hotel doubles as a museum celebrating the culture of Andalusia.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024