From Hué to Hoi An

There are a few ways to get from Hué to Hoi An, including coach, private car and minibus. We decided to take the minibus as it stops at various places of interest along the way. We were collected from our hotel at 08:30, and were happy to be on the bus, rather than out in the pouring rain. After about an hour, the rain had stopped, and our first stop was at a place with great views of a lagoon. After a few photographs, we were on our way again.

The Hải Vân Pass “traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range that juts into the South China Sea” (Wikipedia). On our way up, we stopped to take photographs of Lang Co Beach, which several people have told us is the most beautiful beach in Vietnam. On the way to the top of the pass, the guide told us stories of the ghosts of people who have died in accidents while travelling on the pass, and that local people are reluctant to drive there at night due to them. I have no idea whether or not that’s true.

The views from the top of Hải Vân Pass were excellent, and we were lucky that it wasn’t foggy, as it apparently often is. In addition to the scenery, a Vietnamese couple were having wedding photos taken, and they were just about finished when the rain started again. There was also a group of cyclists making their way up to the top, which is definitely something we would like to do in the future.

The next stop was the Marble Mountains near Danang. The guide pointed everyone on the bus towards the stairs and lift used to reach the top of Thuy Son (Water Mountain), which is the highest of the five mountains. As his pointing skills weren’t great, most of us ended up in a place called Am Phu or Hell Cave. The cave has two flights of stairs; one ascending to heaven an the other descending to hell. Not knowing what was in store when we ventured inside, it was quite a creepy place to find ourselves!

Having exited Hell Cave, we took the steps up to the top of Thuy Son. There are several pagodas and statues on the way up, and spectacular views from the top. We made our way back to the minibus and were driven to Hoi An.