Da Nang is a coastal city in central Vietnam known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port. It's a popular base for visiting the inland Bà Nà hills, located to the west of the city. Here the Hải Vân Pass has views of Da Nang Bay and the Marble Mountains, 5 limestone outcrops that are home to pagodas and caves containing Buddhist shrines. Nowhere in Vietnam is changing as fast as Danang. For decades it had a reputation as a provincial backwater, but big changes are ongoing. Stroll along the Han riverfront and you'll find gleaming new modernist hotels, and apartments and restaurants are emerging. Spectacular new bridges now span the Han river, and in the north of the city, the landmark new D-City is rising from the flatlands.