Where We Be
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| One of many evocative views on the way from Hue to Hoi An. A private car lets you enjoy the scenery. |
| Danang, Vietnam |
| The drive along the central coast of Vietnam is a pretty one even on a misty day |
| Lovely flowers added color along the way |
| Lang Co Beach near Hue offers golden sand, crashing surf -- and almost no people (at least in April) |
| A series of hairpin turns eventually brought us to Hai Van Pass. The pass forms a distinct boundary between north and south Vietnam. The French built fortifications here, which were later used by South Vietnamese and American soldiers. |
| Nearby is Marble Mountain. At its base is a huge store selling -- you guessed it -- marbles and marble statues |
| At the entrance to Marble Mountain we paid a nominal fee and started to climb. We needed the full hour allotted by our driver to cover all the sights sprinkled over this small mountain park. |
| There are plenty of pagodas and statues to see -- and steps to climb |
| From the top of Marble Mountain you get panoramic views of Danang and China Beach |
| Bird's-eye view of Danang with its rock outcroppings and pagodas |
We paid $53 for a private car to take us from
Hue to Hoi An, which let us stop at beaches and
enjoy the ocean and mountain scenery instead
of passing through a tunnel that would have cut
out most of the views. In fact, the drive to the
top of Hai Van Pass, full of hairpin curves and
fine overlooks, is one of Top Gear’s “Top 10
Ocean Drives.” The whole journey with stops
takes 5 or 6 hours and is worth it in our opinion.
Along the way we stopped in Danang. After
visiting China Beach, where American soldiers
went for R&R during the war, we visited Marble
Mountain. This popular tourist spot is chock-full
of pagodas, gardens, statues, and caves to
explore. Our favorite cave was Huyen Kong; a
fine mist hung in the air, through which a shaft
of light shone down on a well-placed Buddha
statue. If you make the climb all the way to the
top of Marble Mountain, you're rewarded with
panoramic views of Danang and China Beach.
Hue to Hoi An, which let us stop at beaches and
enjoy the ocean and mountain scenery instead
of passing through a tunnel that would have cut
out most of the views. In fact, the drive to the
top of Hai Van Pass, full of hairpin curves and
fine overlooks, is one of Top Gear’s “Top 10
Ocean Drives.” The whole journey with stops
takes 5 or 6 hours and is worth it in our opinion.
Along the way we stopped in Danang. After
visiting China Beach, where American soldiers
went for R&R during the war, we visited Marble
Mountain. This popular tourist spot is chock-full
of pagodas, gardens, statues, and caves to
explore. Our favorite cave was Huyen Kong; a
fine mist hung in the air, through which a shaft
of light shone down on a well-placed Buddha
statue. If you make the climb all the way to the
top of Marble Mountain, you're rewarded with
panoramic views of Danang and China Beach.
| A long descent from Hai Van Pass brought us to Danang. Our first stop was My Khe Beach, aka China Beach, where American soldiers went for R&R during the Vietnam War. |
| As we began the climb to Hai Van Pass, we could see Lang Co Beach spread out below us |
| Linh Nham Cave with its oval entrance offers a cool respite from the heat |
| Huyen Khong Cave with its misty light shining down upon a Buddha statue was our favorite |
| We thoroughly enjoyed the natural wind tunnel effect at this well-placed bench on a hot afternoon |
