Pyae Sone Aung

Journey 03 · Vietnam · September 2025

Da Nang & Hai Van Pass

Two days in central Vietnam — the Lady Buddha on Son Tra, My Khe after dark, and the ride north over the Hai Van Pass.

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Distance
63 km
Days
2
Season
September 2025
Bike
Rental scooter
Central Vietnam, Vietnam
Central Vietnam, Vietnam 20 September 2025

Two days in central Vietnam, riding from Da Nang to the Hai Van Pass.

The first afternoon was Son Tra: the Lady Buddha above the trees, the courtyard and the hall, then the coast road with the sea on one side and the green hill on the other. In the evening, My Khe — the beach still busy, the city lit up behind it.

The next morning was the ride north: the bay, the sign on the sand, and then the pass itself — hairpins, goats, a wooden shack, and a chair with a view. The top was all cloud and blue water, and the road down to the north.

02

The film

Ep. 5 · 56:40 Episode notes
Still from “Ride to Hai Van Pass”

Ride to Hai Van Pass

A two-day ride from Da Nang — the Lady Buddha on Son Tra, My Khe after dark, and the climb over the Hai Van Pass.

Hai Van Pass, Da Nang

03

Photographs

15 frames Full archive
A tall white Lady Buddha statue standing above the trees, with mountains behind The Lady Buddha Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra A stone courtyard with clipped bonsai trees and a pagoda roof The courtyard Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra A gilded Buddha statue surrounded by flowers inside a temple hall Inside the hall Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra A stone gateway and steps lined with potted plants The gate Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra A green headland dropping into a blue sea under a wide sky The Son Tra coast Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang A beach at night with the lights of Da Nang behind it My Khe after dark My Khe Beach, Da Nang A colourful high-rise skyline lit up at night The city at night Da Nang A circular sculpture spelling Da Nang on a wide beach The Da Nang sign Da Nang Bay, Da Nang A tall patterned tower rising above the beach The tower by the bay Da Nang Bay, Da Nang Goats and a wooden shack on a rocky hillside A stop before the climb Hai Van Pass, Da Nang A rider sitting on a wooden chair overlooking the sea A chair with a view Hai Van Pass, Da Nang A hairpin bend on the Hai Van Pass with a yellow centre line The climb Hai Van Pass, Da Nang Da Nang Bay seen from the Hai Van Pass The bay from the pass Hai Van Pass, Da Nang A wide view of the coast and mountains from the pass The view north Hai Van Pass, Da Nang An old stone wall and railing above a green valley The old wall Hai Van Pass, Da Nang
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04

The route

  1. 01 Dragon Bridge Start under the dragon, then east to Son Tra.
  2. 02 Linh Ung Pagoda The Lady Buddha, the courtyard and the hall.
  3. 03 Son Tra coastline The road along the peninsula, with the sea below.
  4. 04 My Khe Beach The beach after dark, with the city behind it.
  5. 05 Da Nang Bay The sign on the sand and the long road north.
  6. 06 Hai Van Pass The climb begins: goats, a wooden shack and a chair with a view.
  7. 07 Hai Van summit The old wall, the bay and the road down to the north.
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