I'd say to fly into Da Nang, taxi to Hoi An and spend 2 days then by bus or car to Hue city for 3 days, much more to see in Hue then on by train to Ha Noi.

Drifter

www.vnfrom.blogspot.com

Or you could fly into Hue, explore Hue for a couple of days, take private car to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass (as opposed to the tunnel which is very boring), then go from Hoi An to Da Nang to get on the train.

On the train take food and drinks as very little is available on the train, and don't expect it to be all shiny and comfortable. Also take loo paper or equivalent, and soap, as both run out in the toilets very early in the piece.

hi,

you wil be arrive in Da Nang by flight, so just stay in Da Nang gor 1 night, then catch local bus to Hoi An and stay here for 2 nights.Afterthat, catch the tourist bus to Hue with 50,000 VND( 2 depature/day: 8am and 2pm everyday), another idea that u can rent private car to Hue city with US$55=1,000,000 via Hai Van pass!

As a general rule, flights into Hue cost more than flights into Danang. Vietnam Air operates some wide bodied planes into Danang - the A332 as well as the smaller A320. Only smaller planes use the Hue airport. The city of Danang is not a tourist town - there is China Beach close by. Most tourists prefer Hoi An just down the coast - 45 min south of the airport. Hue is great for history buffs and those interested in Hue's universities and cuisine - I much prefer Hoi An's resort feel and the beach there is very nice/tropical.

We would suggest three days in Hoi An, would be ideal for your husband with the locals and nearby beach. On day four get a car and driver to go to Hue, arriving early afternoon. Day five do the tour of the Emperor's Tombs and Citadel and the following day fly or train to Hanoi.

Personally I didn't like Hue very much. It is very much a city to visit if you enjoy history and seeing the old citadel and the tombs. I don't mind seeing temples etc but it was very tiring and took a long time to see everything. Perhaps if I had the interest it would have been different.

We passed Danang by car going from Hue to Hoi An and had a gorgeous lunch of Mi Quang there-really tasty and well worth trying. The Hoi An version is not the same. China beach is nice and I would split my time between there and Hoi An, although more time in Hoi An is better.

In Hoi An I recommend the Morning Glory restaurant, wonderful food and a great private cooking class. Red Bridge is great for a group cooking class that is more fun. Hopefully the weather will be good for you to enjoy the beach also.

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