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Hanoi to Danang

 
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LaMottaVSKeane



Joined: 08 Jun 2011
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:34 am    Post subject: Hanoi to Danang Reply with quote

I've worked in Hanoi for over a year and while I've loved the place I feel it's time to move on. I have a possible opportunity to work in Danang but undecided.

Has anyone worked in both cities? How do they compare?

I know its more quiet and less polluted which is good. But how quiet is quiet? How's the social life?
I do like my Viet culture but what's the ex-pat scene like? Any decent bars/restaurants?

Essentially... Is it dull? I'm not a mad raver or dirty sexpat but I do enjoy some good nights out!
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vabeckele



Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:24 am    Post subject: Hanoi and Danang Reply with quote

Danang is great for seafood, when you get to know the places, the food is fresh and tasty. Unfortunately, after a while the choices of different dishes becomes quite dull after a while. The fresh produce of fruit and veg may offset this though. And it is all cheaper than in HN.

I do not really go out at night too much, but the places to really go full out are limited to a handful. I have also found that the expat scene in Danang to be cliquey - Hoi An seems to be a lot friendlier when it comes to expats, but that has only been my experience. You will probably know every expat here within a couple of weeks if you get plugged in and it will only be a handful. That in itself can be tedious - I was told there are only about 10-15 Brits here teaching English, if that.

If you are not working for one of the 3 or 4 major chains here then both wages and working standards are far below that of Hanoi's.

I love Danang but I think it will take a lot more time for it to be a place it wants to be. Danang will also be a valuable experience of what the local people are like in a less chaotic environment and one will be able to reflect on what some of the core issues are in regards to the development of this country, without the added confusion of pollution, traffic and noise.

If I was in my 20s I would prefer a 6 month gig over the year.

I would advise you to take a break from city life for a while, take a breather, enjoy the climate and fresh food and if it gets too boring, move on.

Oh, right now the rainy season has started to show itself, no flooding as in Hanoi but it can rain solid for a week, but that kind of rain will only last for about a couple of months; around Dec - Feb I guess is when it is the wettest.
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ExpatLuke



Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 744

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've worked in both and have been enjoying Danang at least 10 times more than Hanoi. I didn't even dislike Hanoi that much. But Danang has that great small-town, beach-town feel to it.

If you head out to any of the popular bars, it's easy to meet expats. It's really a smaller community, so everybody knows everybody. You can head to any bar and meet friends.

Basically, you can do all the same things you could do in Hanoi, but there might be less variety in Danang. There's bars, clubs, the beach, movie theaters, cheap food, nice food, parks, etc. The perks are that the traffic is not as crazy, and you really feel like you can breathe and relax at the end of the day.

If you've been offered a job with enough hours, then I recommend you take it. It's a whole new Vietnam, and one I've enjoyed much more than both Hanoi and HCMC.
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kbot5



Joined: 18 Nov 2011
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with everything expatluke says. I've been here for a couple of months now and I'm still really enjoying it. I'm in my late twenties and plan on spending a year here, maybe more (when decision time comes, we'll see). I like that I live in the heart of cafe/market/restaurant culture but still have a beautiful beach a few km away.

I like that DaNang isn't a huge tourist destination, and when I want to spend time in Hue or Hoi An, they're a stone's throw (but I always end up craving to come back to DaNang). The people are nice, curious in a nonintrusive way, and usually willing to lend a hand to a foreigner.

I spent a short time in Hanoi and it was just too busy and noisy for me. Moto drivers don't lay on their horns here like they do in the big cities, and they're more courteous on the roads. If you've got a job, come on down! I'll buy you a beer.
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watfordfan



Joined: 24 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: Vietnam

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rainy season isn't much fun though Sad

Been in Danang for 4 years, and it has changed dramatically in that time - far more options for the expat in terms of jobs & eateries. Cost of living is way beneath that of Hanoi or HCM. And the arrival of AirAsia flying direct to KL has made life a lot easier & cheaper for when you want to escape (or need to do a visa run!).
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