Vietnam TravelTravel Special FeaturesVietnam - A Coastal JourneyDa Nang City - The Pass of Ocean Clouds

Da Nang City - The Pass of Ocean Clouds

Thirty kilometers north of Da Nang, the Truong Son Range, the rugged mountains that run from north to south for much of Vietnam's length, send a steep spur east, towards the sea. This is the most scenic stretch of coastal road in Vietnam since, as Highway 1 snakes up over the pass at a height of 500 meters, it offers soul-filling views of the shimmering blue waters of Da Nang Bay to the south, rimmed by slivers of gold.

In the 15th century, this rocky ridge, which rises 1,000 meters above sea level, formed a natural border between the kingdoms of Dai Viet and Champa. Once a boundary between kingdoms, these sheer cliffs also serve as a climatic barrier. In the winter, cold northern winds hit the northern face of the ridge, creating a shroud of cool, damp air, which has lent the pass its name, Hai Van, or “pass of the Ocean Cloud.”

As the road descends towards Da Nang, the air turns sultry. Far bellow, the calm waters of Lang Co Lagoon shine with the intensity of a Blue Curacao cocktail, drawing visitor’s thoughts to the ocean. For those who love to swim, this is the start of Vietnam’s beach paradise - a stretch of coast where long golden crescents of sand shine like new moons against the blazing blue sea.

The best beach begins seven kilometers southeast of Da Nang. This long beach is actually comprised of several small coves, the most popular of which, My Khe, lies in the shadow of rocky Son Tra (Descending Angels) Mountain. From May to July the crystal waters lie calm; during other times, the waves are fierce. While this may be bad news for bathers, it's a boon to surfers. Non Nuoc beach, the beach just to the north of My Khe, was the site of Vietnam's first surfing competition in December 1992.

Should you tire of postcard-blue waters and powdery sand, the Marble Mountains offers a fine break from doing nothing. A local legend claims that these five limestone hills were formed when a giant egg, laid on the beach by Turtle God, broke into five pieces. Each of the five hills is said to present one of the five elements of the universe: Thuy Son (water), Moc Son (wood), Kim Son (metal), Tho Son (earth) and Hoa Son (fire).

At 107 meters, the hill symbolizing Water is both the highest and most interesting of the five, since its limestone innards are riddled with natural caves and narrow passages, their sides worn smoothly by the passage of generation of pilgrims. A sacred site since Cham times, Thuy Son's biggest cave now hosts a serene, seated Buddha. The Buddha has plenty of company, both from tourists and pilgrims and from the statues of Hindu, Taoist and Confucian deities honored in smaller nooks and crannies. The mountain's peak, meanwhile, offers one of the most awesome views in Vietnam: reddish hills backed by a dazzling expanse of blue.

Near Marble Mountain, carvers sculpt the locally-hewn rock into statues. Buy one of these little carvings and you can, quite literally, take a piece of the sacred mountain home with you.

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