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We had a 5-day trip in Vietnam and stayed at Sheraton Grand Da Nang Resort. When my husband said that this would be our accommodation, I was looking forward to our trip because it is a five-star luxury resort and according to our tour guide, this is one of the best hotels in Da Nang so we would enjoy our stay. 

Of course, before our trip, I already knew what to expect but when we arrived, napa-wow pa rin ako, true to its name, the resort is grand. I’ve been to a few Sheraton hotels or resorts and this is the biggest that I visited so far. If you are in Vietnam, you will notice that their hotel or resort rate is much cheaper compared to the Philippines rate. 

Since we arrived late, the connecting room was no longer available so yung 2 reserved rooms namin, magkaiba ng floor; one room on the second floor and one room on the third floor so we ended up staying in one room. Ayaw maghiwalay sa pagtulog. I think once lang natulog si hubby doon sa isang room, nung nag dinner sila ng colleagues niya. Ayaw ko na kasi bumangon para magbukas ng double lock ng room. And para hindi kami hintayan sa bathroom na may bathtub, nagpupunta si hubby sa isang room. hehehe!

After check-in, the staff ushered us to our room via golf cart so medyo malayo-layo rin ang lakad from our room to the lobby. 

This is the room on the second floor with a partial sea view. 

This is the room on the third floor Deluxe Pool View King. The two rooms are pretty much the same, we have a king-sized bed and the bathroom has a separate shower, bathtub, and toilet. 

The room includes complimentary breakfast at Table 88 but since we stayed here for 5 days, I will share our breakfast meals in a separate post. I already blogged about our International Dinner Buffet at Table 88 before. 

Since the weather was not good, we were too lazy to go out so we just ate at the hotel for lunch and dinner. (room service). There are few restaurants inside the hotel, there is La Plage, Table 88, Poolside, Tea Lounge, and The Grill. 

This resort is nestled on Non Nuoc Beach so you have a beach and pool. But during our stay, we were not able to swim on the beach because of the bad weather. 

Sheraton Grand Da Nang is popular for its infinity pool because it is the longest pool in Da Nang about 250 meters long. Sa laki niya, pwede nga magkayak. 

If you have kids in tow, there are classes that you can join like a cooking class, pizza-making class, lantern-making class, and others. There is a mini water park and playroom too. 

Fitness, spa, and golf are also available but we did not visit. 

35 Truong Sa Street, Hoa Hai Ward, 

Ngu Hanh Son District, 

Danang, Vietnam, 550000

We were supposed to purchase Klook vouchers but someone already arranged a tour so we decided to just join. At first, we only availed the Day 3 Tour because we knew that we couldn’t make it on Day 1 Tour. But after some consideration, they allowed us to join. 

Manila to Ho Chi Minh City via Philippine Airlines - 2hrs and 45mins  

Layover 5hrs and 25mins   

Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang via Vietnam Airlines - 1hr and 20mins   

My husband booked our flight with the help of a travel agency but when I checked the Vietnam Airlines website, they also have flights from Manila to Da Nang with one layover at Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City. So this is another option if you are planning a trip to Vietnam. 

Browsing our ticket, one thing I noticed is the Handcarry Allowance which is up to 10kg because most airlines' limit is 7kg. 

Handcarry Allowance - up to 10kg 

Baggage Allowance 30kg 

Upon our arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminal 2, we need to claim our luggage and walked to Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminal 1 for our domestic flight. I am thankful that their domestic airport is only within walking distance unlike in Manila. 

We had more than 5 hours of layover but fortunately, when we went to Vietnam Airlines Counter, the staff allowed us to check in so we were able to explore Saigon without luggage in tow. 

Our Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang flight was delayed for 25 minutes and our boarding gate was changed too so when you travel, it is really important to pay attention because flight information can be changed. 

Airline staff provided wet wipes to all the passengers. This is a domestic flight and there are no snacks, they only provided bottled water. 

Our flight was smooth and we landed safely in Da Nang Vietnam. 

Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City via Vietnam Airlines - 1hr and 20mins  

Layover 4hrs and 10mins  

Ho Chi Minh City via Philippine Airlines - 3hrs  

Our flight was a little bit delayed but it was still fine because we have more than 4 hours layover in Saigon. 

We had the same experience with our Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang flight and the only difference is the “in-flight streaming entertainment”, I don’t know if all domestic flights have this perk but I did not see the flyer on our way to Da Nang. 

Our flight is more than an hour only so watching a movie is not an option because I won’t be able to finish it. 

Upon our arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, we need to ride a bus to reach the gate.

There was no direct flight from Manila to Da Nang so to make our life easier, my husband booked our ticket via travel agency. He purchased our ticket four months before the trip but despite that, our airfare is still not cheap. In fact, this is the most expensive airfare ticket that we purchased for an Asian trip because there was no seat sale, we booked via a travel agency and we rode two airplanes. 

Vietnam is just a few hours away from Manila but because there is no direct flight from Manila to Da Nang, we need to ride two airplanes; one international and one domestic flight. From the time we left the house until we reached Sheraton Grand Da Nang, we’ve traveled for more than 14 hours so it was really a long day for us. 

We had an early flight and fortunately, our flight is on time. There was no monitor on our seat so for entertainment, we used “myPAL Player” app to watch movies. 

It’s been a long time since our last international trip via Philippine Airlines so I was surprised when they serve the food. What!?!, nasa paper na lang yung meals nila. The taste of the food is just okay. Nakakadisappoint lang kasi hindi naman budget airline ang Philippine Airlines so bakit kaya nagkaganito, malayo ito compared sa Bangkok, Thailand trip namin. 

On our way to Saigon, I’m happy to see part of the Mekong River; it is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. This river flows through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Mekong River is the third longest river in Asia and the 12th longest river in the world. 

After a few hours, we landed at Tan Son Nhat International Terminal which is the Ho Chi Minh City Airport; we passed immigration, got our luggage, and looked for Foreign Exchange Kiosk. We exchanged some US Dollars for Vietnamese Dong and we also bought a sim card for 300,000VND. 

From International Airport Terminal 2, we need to transfer to Domestic Airport Terminal 1 for our Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang flight and it was a long walk. We have more than 5 hours of layover and looking at the Domestic Airport, there is nothing to do. We immediately looked for the Vietnam Airlines counter and we were so happy because we could already check in so we were able to go to Menas Mall Saigon Airport. 

You can already see this mall from the airport, during our trip there are only a few shops that are open so we went straight to the 5th floor where the Menas Food Village or Yum Food Village is located. This food court offers traditional Vietnamese dishes, international cuisine, and fast food. 

My son ordered Beef Pepper Rice at Pepper Lunch for 95,000VND and my husband ordered Lau Thap Cam or Asian Hot Pot at Saigon Bistro for 160,000VND. Softdrinks in can is 20,000VND. Since we frequent Pepper Lunch, one thing I noticed is the price because if I will convert it to Philippine Peso, hindi nalalayo sa Pilipinas so Vietnam is a budget-friendly destination. 

I was excited to try the Asian Hot Pot but unfortunately, it was not a clear soup and I can’t take spicy food so I went to Pepper Lunch and ordered Beef Pepper Rice too. Hindi yata nagkaintindihan sa pag-order. 

What is nice about this food court is the view, you have a nice view of the airport while eating. We took our time eating while waiting for our next flight. 

Two hours before our boarding, we went back to Domestic Airport and passed Security Check. Our flight was delayed by 25 minutes and the boarding gate has been changed too. 

It was our first time on Vietnam Airlines and upon seated the flight attendant gave wet wipes to all passengers. No meals for this flight and we only got bottled water. 

After 1 hour and 25 minutes, we landed at Da Nang International Airport, from sunny weather in Saigon to cloudy and rainy weather in Da Nang. 

From the airport to Sheraton Grand Da Nang, we availed hotel transport service. Travel time is more than 30 minutes.