Da Nang
Hai Van Pass
Hai Van is the breathtaking high road we took from Huế to Da Nang. The twisting, turning pavement takes you through a lush, bright green mountain range. Waterfalls, mountain goats and visuals of the beautiful blue ocean below show the true beauty of Vietnam, a perfect combination of mountain and ocean, as you summit and descend the pass.
Total, our journey was only about 50 miles between Huế and Da Nang and the panoramic scenery stole our hearts as we leisurely made the drive to take it all in, lasting around 4 hours.
Dropping into the valley below we passed by large trucks stuffed to the brim with pigs, piglets, and ducks (all separate trucks). It’s hard to say where the animals came from, perhaps farming is a driving force of Da Nang’s economy. However, the tall skyscraper buildings and miles of perfectly manicured palm trees that greeted us as we entered the city said otherwise.
I’d relate the city of Da Nang to Honolulu – beachy vibes with tall buildings, scattered resorts, and tropical plants.
Where to Sleep
1812 Boutique Hostel
We slowed to a stop as we approached our hostel, kicked our motorcycles into neutral, rolled them up on the sidewalk and hustled into the hostel reception (wiggling a slight potty dance simultaneously – the downfall of a long ride).
Our goal was to hit Marble Mountain at sunset and our 4 pm arrival was pushing the time frame since the tourist spot was still another 10 kilometers away plus a hike to the top of Linh Ung Pagoda!
The hostel employee checked us in, then took us up not one, not two, but three flights of stairs (in all of our hostel stays we have coincidentally been on the highest floor of every place we’ve slept) to the dorm room which functioned as our “home” for the next two days.
Hurriedly, we dropped our bags on our pod-style beds (fancy, eh?), took a quick potty break, then hopped on Thelma & Morning Glory for a smooth getaway to Marble Mountain.
What to Do
Fortunately when we arrived at the base about 15 minutes after leaving the hostel, a perfect amount of daylight left to catch the attraction and the sunset, we like to call it, “speed touring.” The street was lined with marble and jade shops, a bit of “tourist central” if you ask me, but the shop closest to the entrance offered parking for 10,000 Dong or .50 cents USD so I can’t complain.
At this point, we felt half-starved and needed a quick, portable snack. Conveniently there was a lady selling Nem and a type of rice paper “pizza.” We snagged a couple of her pizza rolls (I’d call them Asian-influenced Totinos but more fresh) and headed for the stairs.
The sun was starting to set, fast, and in our hustle we accidentally bypassed the unassuming ticket office (whoops) and proceeded to huff it up the numerous flights of mossy, stone stairs as tourists of all sorts walked downwards past us in the opposite direction.
After 10 minutes of climbing, sweating, and climbing some more, we reached the summit called Heaven’s Gate and we’re all too happy to pop open a cold one and cheers to making it for sunset!
Turns out it was a blessing in disguise we got there so late in the evening because we were able to marvel at the marble statues, formations, and pagodas illuminated by colorful lights, without having to fight through a crowd for a picture or even a simple glimpse of the attractions.
Moments We Won’t Forget:
This little Vietnamese girl helping out with the family seafood restaurant:
Waking up at 5 am to watch the sunrise over Da Nang on top of Monkey Mountain (yes, we saw 4 adorable monkeys too!) :
Enjoying a bowl of breakfast Pho at the locals only Han market food stalls:
Sean found a mommy and baby frog that would not detach from each other:
And this little fella who crawled over the shower door while I was mid-shampoo:
What to Eat
Mì Quảng is a Vietnamese noodle dish that originated from Quảng Nam Province in central Vietnam. We read about this dish on a fellow traveler’s WordPress blog. The most enticing factor of the meal aside from the mouthwatering ingredients was the price, 25,000 Dong or $1 USD for an entire, filling meal!
The dish is made with a wide rice noodle. Turmeric is added during the cooking process to give the yellowish color you see in our photo. The broth underneath the good stuff is made by simmering the meat of choice (chicken, pork, shrimp) in the water (bone included in the simmering and eating process). Our dish was traditionally topped off with fresh roasted peanuts and sliced green shallots, yum!
Street food and mouthwatering meatballs on sticks:
This popular snack of crispy rice tortilla, honey, sesame seeds and peanuts, yes please!
And last, fresh coconuts at sunset on My Khe Beach:
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
-Confucius
