It was the promise of a drag night that drew you out of Da Nang’s official ‘tourist zone’ and brought you to Q-bar &#; LGBT (Queer) Community Bar. You leave the entanglement of lights, mopeds and smells unique to Vietnam behind a busy highway that acts as a portal between two distinct atmospheres; Things become considerably more residential. You wonder if this is going to be another situation where google maps leads you astray
You spy a friendly, purple, glow amongst a quiet leafy street. You enter an open intend living room, garnished with evidence of queer identity festival. Somewhere cozy, familiar. A space to feel protected in. Even as an empty bar and the queer part of your identity that’s been overlooked for the last couple of months, feels proficient to bloom.
Two beers in and the bar fills with a vibrant gathering of people. Suddenly you’re surrounded by drag kings, queens and their supporters, eager for the darkness to kick off. When it does, the living room aesthetic of the bar morphs into a space you imagine is reminiscent of an underground drag night somewhere in Brooklyn. It’s fresh, but also a familiar landscape connected to queer spaces around the world.
It’s hard to find the words
Ba Na Hills Da Nang Vietnam
Da Nang is kms ( miles) south of Hanoi and kms ( miles) north of Ho Chi Minh. Distances measured by road. Not surprisingly then it is normal to go to Da Nang by atmosphere. Da Nang is the commercial hub for core Vietnam, being the largest city in the region.
Being the largest urban area in the central region, Da Nang is on the National Route 1, a major highway that runs from top to bottom in Vietnam. Similarly there is a station stop on the North South Railway too.
The city is famous for its sandy beaches, creature a favorite tourist destination for locals and foreigners alike. Moreover it was a French port so it has the added attraction of having French influence in architecture and style. The French called Da Nang “Tourane” or “Turon” during their colonial rule.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites within kms of Da Nang
Within kms (62 miles) you can discover various UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
One such site is the Imperial Capital of Hue. A former capital of imperial Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty, it is a walled city. A moat surrounds the walled city, offering protection. In the center is a citadel. Within the walls there was a place to home the royal fami
Our bumper gay travel instruction to Vietnam has everything LGBTQ travelers need to know including the country's top gay scenes, leading things to do, same-sex attracted tours, safety tips, and more.
Motorbikes, lush beaches, motorbikes, limestone karsts, motorbikes, ridiculously tasty food, more motorbikes, rice terraces… and did we mention the motorbikes?
That's our takeaway of Vietnam summed up in one sentence. We fell in love with Vietnam and think it's such a rewarding destination for same-sex attracted travelers, offering a vibrant gay scene in Saigon, a wealth of cultural history to discover, organic wonders like the remarkable limestone karsts of Halong Bay, and one of the best cuisines in all of Asia. The Vietnamese people will also charm the pants off you – smart, savvy, charming, super energetic, and can't give a flying monkey's whether you're direct or gay!
Oh and the part about motorbikes? They're everywhere! Almost everyone in the country uses one, which makes crossing the road in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City an experience in itself!
We spent a month traveling in Vietnam, starting in the south in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), working our way north to Hanoi (the
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