Hải Vân Pass, Vietnam
Our morning started with a tasty breakfast accompanied by syrupy strong, black, Vietnamese coffee in the open lobby of the homestay, where Oliver gleefully played with the owner’s tiny and very friendly dog called, seemingly ironically and to all of our amusement, “Batman”. Following breakfast we met up with Katharina’s Easy Rider motorcycle driver and guide, Long, as well as the motorcycle rental agent dropping off another bike for Oliver and Gabriel to ride. After dealing with our luggage and saying a regretful goodbye to our amazing, but all-too-brief, homestay hosts (Moon and Sam), we hopped onto the bikes and started our 130+ km, all day journey from Huế to Hội An, where we would have a chance to unwind with a much anticipated three night stop after several great, but abridged, stays since Hanoi.
To say that the motorcycle adventure was a highlight so far would be an overwhelming understatement. After an initial couple of sprinkles on the way out of town, the warm blue sky shone through wispy cirrus and cottony cumulous clouds as Long led the way, navigating through the busy streets of Huế and then winding through dried rice paddies, open fields, small towns and along the banks of streams, rivers, bays and eventually along the coast of the stunningly blue South China Sea. Along the way we took some welcome detours and had a chance to visit a small fishing village, enjoy swimming in a deep and crystal clear pool below a cascading waterfall in the mountains and taste the freshest seafood (and strangest looking seaweed) at a rural and weather worn waterside restaurant.
Before dropping into Da Nang we decided to opt for the highly recommended scenic route, taking the Hải Vân Pass, going up and then down from sea level to about 496 meters (1627 feet, for our American contingent) over 21 very windy kilometers through the Annamite Range. As we made the climb from sea level the climate shifted rapidly from beach and jungle to rain forest, forcing us to pull over and hastily don rain jackets and pants that Long thankfully had in his panniers. No sooner had we put the rain gear on, we approached and then crested the summit, after which the rain just as suddenly ceased, the clouds parting and bathing us with warmth and bright sunshine (drying us out with spectacular swiftness). Incredible and vibrant colors surrounded us as we descended the pass, enjoying stunning views of sandy beaches, tropical jungle, open turquoise waters and the glistening shimmer of the windows of the many high rises in Da Nang appearing in the distance.
After dropping from the mountains into central Da Nang, we enjoyed the buzz of navigating traffic and the many intriguing river and oceanside scenes (with a few modern bridges captivating our attention). Just south of Da Nang we made our way to the next pit stop in the “Marble Mountains”, a series of five marble and limestone outcroppings named after the five elements (fire, water, wood, metal and earth). The area is replete with stone shops selling an endless selection of marble carved into various buddhas, deities, animals and just about anything else imaginable. The shopping wasn’t an especially appealing draw, especially considering the inherent logistical challenges of hauling marble with us on our journey. However, the exploration of Mount Thủy (water mountain) beckoned to all of us with its sleek steel and glass elevator juxtaposed by the stone stairway winding up to temples, caves and a sweeping view of the other mountains and the Da Nang coastline bordering the area. Opting for the stairs and expecting to only spend a few minutes investigating the area, we were surprised to find that we enjoyed navigating through the many paths, pagodas and intriguing statuaries dotting the mountain from bottom to top.
After finding our way back to Long and our bikes, we made the final push, enjoying another scenic half hour ride along the coast before arriving at our home for the next three nights in Hội An, a beautiful and bustling UNESCO world heritage city where the Thu Bồn River meets the shores of central Vietnam.
