Where to Go in 2026: The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing

It’s a fresh new year and this month on Unpacked, we’re diving into Afar’s Where to Go in 2026 list—but this year’s picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

Places like Da Nang, Vietnam’s fifth-largest city and a coastal destination long beloved by Vietnamese travelers that’s now drawing international attention with new luxury hotels, airline routes, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Liz Provencher, a food, drink, and travel writer who spent several weeks exploring Vietnam in 2025. Liz shares why Da Nang offers the best of both worlds: a bustling city with motor taxis and night markets, plus 40 miles of coastline, one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam, and regional dishes you literally cannot find anywhere else.

Transcript

Aislyn Greene: I’m Aislyn Greene, and this is Unpacked, the podcast that unpacks the world’s most interesting destinations and the deeper stories behind travel. Happy New Year, everyone, and welcome back!

This month we’re wrapping up our exploration of Afar’s annual Where to Go list and this year’s list, if you’ve been listening, is a little different because in 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and help expand visitation to other parts of the world. We released our full list of 24 Emerging Regions and Overlooked Cities in December, as well as 8 Unpacked episodes featuring the writers who traveled to and shared our favorite new places.

My guest today is Liz Provencher, who wrote about Da Nang, Vietnam. Liz covers food, drink and travel, and Vietnam had been on her list forever specifically for the food, so she spent several weeks exploring the country earlier this year. Classics like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were on the itinerary, but she wanted to spend time in a smaller city, too, and friends kept telling her “Go to Da Nang.” It’s the gateway to Hoi An, that beautiful UNESCO site about 30 minutes south. But Da Nang has its own pull now. Five airlines added routes in 2025. There are 40 miles of beaches and one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam. It’s appealing more to the luxury travel set as well. Mandarin Oriental and Nobu are both opening hotels there in 2026.

In this episode, Liz shares what it’s like on the ground and of course, what to eat. From turmeric noodle soup in the morning to all the goodies at night markets after dark.

Liz, welcome to Unpacked. It’s so nice to meet you.

Liz Provencher: Yes, so nice to meet you, too. Thank you so much for having me.

Aislyn: Yeah. Thanks for being here to talk about Da Nang, Vietnam. So what brought you to that part of the country?

Liz: Yeah, I went on a really incredible trip to Da Nang and then also to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam earlier this year in April. And so Vietnam as a whole had really been on my travel bucket list for so long. I cover food, drink and travel and really love to report on the intersection of those two. So Vietnam has such a rich food history and culture, and there’s so many, you know, iconic dishes that have made their way over stateside, like pho and banh mi and things that people love in those categories. But there’s also a lot going on in the food scene in Vietnam that hasn’t quite traveled.

I had heard so much about Da Nang from different friends and, you know, other people, colleagues that have recommended it. And it’s a really interesting place. So it’s the fifth largest city in Vietnam, and it’s right up against the coast. And so, you know, it’s a big urban center, but it also has that nature and coastal energy as well. And so I think that having that mix of, you know, spending time in major really bustling cities that Vietnam is known for and then also getting out into nature a bit is what drew me there.

Aislyn: Because you said in the story that you were surprised by that combination of urban life and nature. So what does it really feel like to be on the ground there?

Liz: I think the population is about 1.2 million. And so as you can imagine, you know, it has skyscrapers. It has those, you know, famous streets that Vietnam is known for, these bustling streets with motor taxis zipping all around. And then you have, you know, busy night markets and lots of like, street food culture and all of that happening. But it’s pushed right up against the water. So you’re right on the coast of the South China Sea, and the city has 40 miles of coastline that are just stunning beaches and then also some coastal rainforests around there too. So the juxtaposition of the two is really fascinating.

Aislyn: So you could go like have a beach day or a rainforest day and then come back and eat incredible, like street food at night.

Liz: Absolutely.

Aislyn: And I’m guessing that the seafood then is pretty amazing, given that it’s a coastal city.

Liz: Totally. Seafood definitely is a big focus in Da Nang. And so oftentimes if you’re at a market or just wandering the streets, you know, you’ll see a lot of seafood that’s just really simply prepared, just grilled street side and really just they’re staying true to the product as is. And then, you know, you’ll also see dishes like phở, bánh mì, bánh xèo like some of those real Vietnamese classics.

But because Da Nang is on the Central Coast, there’s also some regional dishes there that are pretty unique to that city. So Mì Quảng is a, it’s a turmeric noodle soup and it’s typically eaten for breakfast. It’s like, you know, people are having it first thing in the morning and it’s pretty simple. It’s noodles, and then that, like rich turmeric broth and then it’s topped with shrimp. A lot of times in Da Nang because it is on the coast, but also chicken or pork or sometimes even frog. And then it has also a crispy rice cracker that is served on top. So you have this like cozy noodle soup and then that texture component of the rice cracker on top that’s really, really delicious.

Aislyn: That sounds phenomenal. And just what I want. Like as we’re heading into the winter season, did you have it for breakfast?

Liz: I did, and we went to this incredible, really small shop. And I think we arrived super early in the morning. It was like just after 8 a.m. they had just opened. And you know, you pull up and you just see dozens and dozens of motor taxis pulled up, and everybody is sitting on stools and, you know, having a bowl before heading off to work or, you know, whatever the day holds. So it’s really fun.

Aislyn: That sounds lovely. All right. Well, from there, what are some of the other specialties that you might eat throughout the course of the day?

Liz: So there’s another soup that’s really particular to outside of Da Nang is Hoi An and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And it’s this really beautifully preserved ancient city that has really interesting architecture and lots of great temples that have made it a huge tourist destination.

But if you are a food lover, it’s also really well known for a soup called cao lầu. And it actually can only be made in Hoi An because the noodles need to be made with water from this particular well that is in Hoi An that has been there for centuries and centuries. They also used the ash from this tree that grows on the Cham Islands, which are off the coast of Hoi An. And so it is like the most hyper local dish I can imagine. Um, and so it’s a really, really special thing to try when you’re in Hoi An.

Aislyn: I can see why that is a dish that has not been exported, because how could you, if it needs to be made with these very specific ingredients. Yeah.

Liz: No you couldn’t. So it’s. Yeah, it’s really fascinating.

Aislyn: Well, I’m curious to know because you mentioned that, you know, Da Nang isn’t necessarily the city that most people think of when they go to Vietnam. So how does it kind of fit into this larger picture of the country, and is it kind of evolving, would you say, as a destination?

Liz: Da Nang, along the Central Coast, was always a bit more of a destination for Vietnamese citizens, like they would visit as a vacation destination, because it’s along the coast and, you know, because it’s right in the center of the country. It also made it a bit easier for people both from the north and the South to visit for trips.

Aislyn: You said you went in April. Would you recommend that someone travel at that time of year, or when do you think it’s best?

Liz: I think April is like the tail end of the high season. So normally people say November through April is the best time of year, and that’s during the dry season where, you know, temperatures are a bit more moderate.

Aislyn: So yeah, maybe avoid that kind of humid time of year. So what would you recommend to a traveler who’s visiting for the first time?

Liz: As cliché as it has become to say, I think that Da Nang is really a destination that has something for everyone. And, you know, as I was saying, with this juxtaposition of city life and then more nature and beach opportunities, there’s really a lot going on.

So I would say definitely visitors need to take advantage of the beaches. There’s forty miles of beautiful, beautiful coastline. And then there’s also a lot of nature. If you get a bit off the coast as well. So in the north part of Da Nang is an area called the Son Tra Peninsula, and it’s a nature reserve. So it’s a protected area of land. It’s one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam. And so it’s a really like, you know, it’s a rare habitat there. And it’s known as one of the last places in the world where you can see these endangered red‑shanked douc monkeys. Um, and they are they’re very cute. And so if you can do some hiking around that area or explore a bit, that’s also a huge tourist draw as well.

So in addition to all of the great nature opportunities in Da Nang, another huge draw of the area is taking a day trip to Hoi An, which I mentioned is this UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s an ancient city and it’s a really, really beautiful place for a day trip from Da Nang.

Aislyn: Yeah. How do you get there? Is it by bus or train?

Liz: It’s about a 30 minute drive, so you can take a taxi or if you’ve, you know, have a vehicle there, you can get there pretty easily by car.

Aislyn: You mentioned in your story that there’s some kind of cool news for 2026. Do you want to share some of the things on the horizon?

Liz: Yeah, absolutely. So some of the biggest news in the travel world with Da Nang is that 5 airlines, including Emirates and Philippine Airlines, launch new routes that connect Da Nang to other cities in Asia. And so I think that’s going to be huge for drawing new visitors to the city.

And then additionally, on the transportation front, there’s a really, really gorgeous luxury train service called The Vietage Train by Anantara and that runs along the coast of central Vietnam. And so it connects Da Nang to a handful of other major cities, which really just helps it become, you know, an even more popular destination.

Aislyn: Yeah. And when you say luxury train, like, what are we what are we talking about?

Liz: It really is. It’s Orient Express meets Vietnam. You know, really, really stunning train cars with full service. And, you know, you can spend a couple of days traveling and having your own, you know, place to stay with all of the amenities you would expect.

Aislyn: That sounds like a delightful way to kind of travel down the coast. I love being on the train in general. That’s the right speed for me. So yeah. How cool.

Liz: Yeah, absolutely.

Aislyn: Um, and then in terms of hotels on the ground, like once you get to Da Nang, where did you stay and where would you recommend that travelers stay?

Liz: When I was there, I stayed at the InterContinental Hotel in Da Nang. And that hotel is really special because it’s located within the Son Tra Peninsula. So that, um, protected nature reserve that I mentioned. And so the hotel is, you know, it’s the only property that was allowed to build in that area. And so they, you know, work really, really hard to stay sustainable and offer a lot of programming around the nature opportunities there. So they offer different tours to see the monkeys and things like that that are really cool.

But in addition to that, the hotel is really notable because when the Michelin Guide came to Vietnam, they awarded the restaurant at the InterContinental Da Nang the first Michelin star that was outside of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities. So it’s really, really special from a food and beverage standpoint. And then also for, you know, fans of design, it’s very cool as well, because the property was designed by Bill Bensley, who’s a really famous architect who’s known for his style, that’s super whimsical and, you know, playful and a bit over the top. And more recently, he has been in the news because his property in Thailand was the hotel that this recent season of The White Lotus was filmed at. So that was very fun for me as well. And I actually watched the finale of The White Lotus from my hotel room in Da Nang, which was very exciting.

Aislyn: Yes, I love it. That’s amazing. What a full. It’s like a wonderful, kind of like meta moment.

Liz: It’s so funny.

Aislyn: Yeah, that’s really cool. And so is this, like, the nature preserve? Like, could you stay there in this hotel and still access the city, or is it kind of like, base yourself there for a couple of nights, explore kind of the nature aspect of the city, and then go stay in another hotel and kind of immerse yourself in the nightlife?

Liz: You can do both. This area is really well connected to the rest of the city. So it would be, you know, maybe a 15 minute drive or something. It’s really it’s not far at all, but it does feel really tucked away. So you kind of do get best of both worlds where you, you know, it’s on its own little private cove. And so you feel like you’re tucked away into nature, but you have the city at your fingertips.

Aislyn: Were there other hotels that you were notable that you feel like are interesting for people who are looking for certain things?

Liz: There are a few hotels that are opening within the next year that are also really exciting. So, um, the Nobu brand is opening a hotel along the beachfront that’s going to be, once it’s complete, it’ll be the city’s tallest building, actually. And so that’ll be complete in 2026. And then another luxury hotel, the Mandarin Oriental brand, is also opening a new hotel early next year.

Aislyn: Those are big openings for the city. I mean, that seems like it’ll put Da Nang on the map in a different way for people.

Liz: Huge. Yeah.

Aislyn: Well, Liz, to kind of wrap things up, do you have any final words of wisdom for other travelers who are planning a visit to Da Nang?

Liz: Yeah, definitely. I first would say go. Um, it’s a really. Yeah. Da Nang is a really, really special place, and I think it’s the perfect addition to a trip to Vietnam. So if you’re headed to Hanoi and or Ho Chi Minh City, I think that, you know, it’s a great stop along the way and can kind of show you all of the different ways that Vietnamese cities can present. And like I said, I think it also really showcases both the stunning nature of Vietnam and, you know, all of the really beautiful natural elements of the country, as well as the bustling city life that I think most people think of when they think of Vietnam. So it’s a great way to kind of see both aspects of the country in one destination.

Aislyn: All right. Well, there’s Where to Go 2026. Thank you so much for joining us today. It’s been really, really wonderful to chat with you.

Liz: Yes. Thank you.

Aislyn: We’ll see you on the train.

Thank you so much for joining this special Where to Go episode. In the show notes, we’ve included links to all the places Liz recommended, as well as to her website and social handles.

And if this is your first time listening to one of our Where to Go episodes in the show notes, you’ll also find links to our past and future episodes, which we will continue to roll out in this first part of January. Happy travels!