Coke and Kodak are everywhere, but thankfully, not yet the Big Mac.

Call me a romantic, but the Forbidden City in Hue has a more contemplative feel to it than its larger scale Beijing cousin. The refined simplicity in the humid, yet cool, tropical gardens of the Forbidden Purple City, gave the former Emperor a truer place to meditate.

For a $5 entrance fee, you will find less tourists, a slower pace, and an interesting display of knick-knacks in the restored pavilions.

Tours can be had from Hue to the DMZ for $15 (6am depart), and to Hoi An for $3 (8am).

You can try your luck with local transport, but you will pay more than the Vietnamese, and probably more than the tourist minibuses.

It's all about your bargaining skills.

$ First to Danang:
(Anything from 10,000 to 40,000 Dong per person; we finalized at 50,000 for two). We're not a Lonely Planet guide...... remember that prices change fast in these countries.