TheLoneRider
a seeker in search of Easter Eggs
Da Nang, Vietnam

Goodbye Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Dec 8, 2018

Goodbye Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Location: Da Nang, Vietnam

Goodbye Xiaomi
After working-out on the beach, I inadvertently left my Xiaomi phone. I was saddened by that loss. That phone was special to me. Two years ago, when I lost my LG phone, my universe handed me the exact amount I needed to buy that Xiaomi phone - 800 Ringgit (I was in Malaysia then). I have always regarded that phone as a special gift to me from my universe. I cared for it. I had a special bond with it. It served me well. Now it's gone. What my universe gives, it takes away too...for reasons I still don't see (since my eyes were already straining and I still could not keep away from my phone, perhaps I needed to lose it?). I try to keep the balance of my mind while this sadness lingers.

Goodbye Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

FPT ShopFPT Shop
After asking around with the locals for a reliable phone shop, I kept being pointed out to FPT Shop. They said I might pay a little more but it's DaNang's foremost phone shop - service and reliability is topnotch. I tried making a barter pitch for a replacement phone - Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus. They responded positively after a few days. Negotiations are still underway.

Ending Thoughts
Should we shake hands on a deal, I would be out of Vietnam and unable to use the phone. Perhaps that's also part of the grand design. Oh well, it would be a good reason to come back to Vietnam anyway. In the same way I lost a hotel deal in order for me to discover a much better hotel deal, perhaps this is my universe telling me I needed a replacement. I would also see this as a new beginning with FPT Shop. It's a big company with branches across Vietnam. Growing with them is synergistic.

--- TheLoneRider
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Next stop: Thich Nhat Hanh in Hue, Vietnam

Xiaomi Phone Stories

  1. Goodbye Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Dec 8, 2018
  2. Getting my Xiaomi Redmi Note3 Smart Phone Aug. 9, 2016

Google Map

Da Nang (city), Vietnam

important places in Da Nang IMPORTANT PLACES

Da Nang International Airport Da Nang International Airport

hotels in Da Nang HOTEL

Sea Sand Apartment and Hotel - walk to the beach, newly opened, everything brand new, spacious units 402
46 An Thuong 3, phuong My An, quan Ngu Hanh Son, 550000 Da Nang, Vietnam

restaurants in Da Nang RESTO | bars in Da Nang BAR

CohibaR Da Nang CohibaR - Cuban resto bar, Salsa nights, DJ music, great BURGERS!
6 An Thuong 3 (1.81 km), 550000 Da Nang, Vietnam

delicatessens in Da Nang DELICATESSEN

M.Z. German Delicatessen M.Z. German Delicatessen - meticulously handcrafted by a German butcher using high quality ingredients available in Da Nang
38 Phan Tu (0.34 km), Da Nang, Vietnam

electronic gadgets in Da Nang ELECTRONIC GADGETS

FPT Shop Danang FPT Shop Danang - phone, laptop, tablet, accessories, SIM card, Apple, Huawei, Oppo, Samsung, Xiaomi
7-9 Nguyen Van Thoai, Bac My Phu, Son Tra, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam

DA NANG BLOGS

  1. 30-Day Mini-life in Danang, Goodbye and Thank You Dec 8, 2018
  2. The Universe Provides Dec 8, 2018
  3. Pampered Living at Sea Sand Apartment and Hotel Nov 14-Dec 8, 2018
  4. Thich Nhat Hanh in Hue, Vietnam Dec 7, 2018
  5. Goodbye Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Dec 8, 2018
  6. Beer, Burgers and Friends at CohibaR DaNang Nov 25 - Dec 6, 2018
  7. Friendship, Beer and Sausages at the German Deli Nov 20 - Dec 1, 2018
  8. Beach Yoga in DaNang, Vietnam Nov 17, 2018
  9. Danang Wall Art Nov 8 - Dec 8, 2018
  10. The Wonderful People I met in Danang, Vietnam Nov 8 - Dec 8, 2018
  11. Revisiting DaNang, Vietnam Nov 8, 2018
  12. Backpacking Da Nang, Vietnam Jan 12-16, 2015

USEFUL INFORMATION

Da Nang International Airport (DAD) to Downtown Da Nang
  1. the airport is practically on the edge of the city center about $3 by cab. Taxis from the airport taking you to the city will try to charge you VND 10,000 "airport fee" in addition to your fare. Don't pay it. The passenger coming in to the airport already paid for this. But drivers don't pay this when going out. We were victimized by a Mai Linh taxi in this manner.
FYI / Tips
  1. Da Nang doesn't seem to have a backpacker area like Bangkok's Khaosan Road. The establishments are spread out within the city but most of them are lined up along the river between Han River Bridge and the Dragon Bridge
  2. XeOm or moto taxis are cheap and not aggressive
Hanoi to Da Nang
  1. plane - Jetstar takes you there in 1 hour, 15 mins. Da Nang Airport is just on the outskirt of the city center...about $3 by cab
  2. bus - a bus may take 15-16 hours from Hanoi's Giap Bat station
  3. train - the Reunification Express makes a stop in Da Nang
How to Get around Da Nang
  • there are no tuks-tuks in Vietnam but you can rent a motorcycle, take a cab or hire a XeOm single motorcycle
  • most of the places within the city center can be reached by foot - recommended as you see more of the city on foot than on a motorbike
  • still, the best way to see Da Nang is on a bicycle. VND 50,000, it is not as cheap as Cambodia ($1), but it's still not bad. Or, you can check-in at a hotel that offers it for free - like Sanouva Hotel
Things to do, Places to go in Da Nang
  1. Lady Buddha - a 67m white marble statue on the slope of Monkey Mountain, similar to Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer
  2. Linh Ung Pagoda - same location as the Lady Buddha. Built in the 18th century and rebuilt by Minh Mang, the second ruler of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty
  3. Cham Museum - world's largest collection of Cham artefacts from the 7th to 15th century
  4. Danang Museum - free admission. Depicts life in Central Vietnam from 14th century
  5. Marble Mountains - see marble making at its finest together with an assortment of fine marble handicrafts. You can also explore the area for its many tunnels, caves and grottos
  6. Monkey Mountain - at 693MASL, it offers a stunning vista of Da Nang. You'll pass by the Lady Buddha on the way to the top
  7. My Khe Beach - fine white sand beach that stretches all the way along the eastern coast of Da Nang going to Hoi An
  8. Man Thai Fishing Village - a fishing village still using traditional methods
Da Nang Cost Index
  • VND 12,000 1.5 liter drinking water
  • VND 300,000 one hour body massage
  • VND 10,000 banh mi (baguette sandwich)
  • VND 25,000 noodle soup with meat
  • VND 10-12,000 coffee
  • VND 50,000 bicycle rental, 1 day (not readily available)
  • VND 30,000/kilo laundry
  • VND 380,000 sleeper bus to Da Nang from Hanoi (as of 2012)
  • VND 100,000 dorm bed
  • VND 200,000 double bed in a fan room, shared toilet
  • VND 3,000 internet cafe
  • VND 80,000 taxi from airport to city center by the river
  • VND 460,000 Jetstar flight from Hanoi to Da Nang (no baggage)
  • VND 150,000 seafood pasta in a decent restaurant
Vietnam FYI / Tips / Dos and Don'ts
  1. Hanoi Grapevine HCMC Update - for the latest events in Vietnam
  2. Vietnam establishments will not accept US dollars, unlike Cambodia. You have to use Vietnam Dong (US$1 = Vietnam Dong VND 23,255 = Php 53.20 as of Aug 1, 2016)
  3. Vietnamese smokers will smoke in air-conditioned establishments, air-conditioned buses packed with people including women, children and babies. They also smoke inside hospitals with no smoking signs.
  4. Vietnam ranks almost the same as Thailand and Cambodia for cheap price. Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia cost more
  5. internet speed is generally fast and reliable but during important events like Tet holiday, election, etc., it slows down
  6. Vietnamese generally do not speak or understand much English. It will be a challenge.
  7. best to dress appropriately, not revealing too much skin (Saigon is an exception - the ladies there set the trend in very short shorts)
  8. remove your shoes when entering a home or place of worship
  9. ask first before taking someone's picture. If they say no, don't persist or offer money
  10. best to carry your hotel's business card with you when going out. You can just show it to the cab driver or XeOm driver if they don't understand English
  11. leave your valuables, passport, travel tickets, etc. with the hotel's safety deposit box
  12. when lying down, don't point your feet or the soles of your shoes to anyone or to a family altar
  13. carry only enough cash for your needs that day
  14. don't lose your temper in public - Vietnamese people are warm, generous and polite. They look down on people who lose their composure
  15. don't take pictures of military installations - you can go to jail
  16. refrain from taking videos of minority people until permitted to do so
Lesser-Known Vietnam Destinations
  1. Phu Yen Province - by the beach
  2. Hoa Binh Lake - locals' alternative to Halong Bay
  3. Ninh Binh - Trang An Grottoes, Tam Coc, Mua Caves, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Van Long Nature Reserve
General Travel Tips
  1. arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
  2. put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
  3. avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
  4. power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!
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