About an hour. Once outside the doors of Nam Long or Nam Long Plus, a few steps to your left will find you in Riverwalk Park. Turn right to stroll along the river, past the Tam Toa cathedral ruins, the ocean fishing fleet on the far side, the “hanging nets” of river fishermen, and the recent great bridge over the Nhat Le River (links Dong Hoi with the quaint fishing village of Bao Ninh). Continue past the bridge, keeping the river on your left and the Citadel and its moat on your right, about 2km to the city public market, a “real” market where everything is fresh (often still alive!). Watch boats unload fish that family members sell in the market. Now turn right, walking west a couple blocks where the historic Quang Binh Gate welcomes visitors to the city. You are now on Route 1A, the highway artery that runs nearly the length of Vietnam. Head back north through the citadel grounds, past a museum where outdoors a Russian built Mig 17 faces an American A-1 fighter. Turn right again and walk through the Quang Binh “Mini” Gate back to the river where you retrace your footsteps back to either Nam Long hotel. Download a printable copy of the tour map here.
