Hai Van Pass Travel Guide & Things to Do, Best of Danang, Vietnam

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Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is an approximately 21 km long mountain pass on National Route 1A in Vietnam.

Hai Van Pass traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range that juts into the South China Sea.

Hai Van Pass, Danang, Thua Thien Hue, VIetnam

Hai Van Pass was a physical division between the kingdoms of Champa and Dai Viet.

The Hai Van Pass crosses over a spur of the Trường Sơn (Annamite) Range.

The pass is renowned for its scenic beauty.

Hai Van Pass has been of major strategic importance in this history of Vietnam.

Hai Van Pass is crossed by two main transport routes: Vietnam's main north–south highway.

Hai Van pass overview

Hai Van Pass or also known as May Pass or Ai Van is one of the world’s most beautiful roads, famous not only for its impressions and obstacles but also for its natural and mighty beauty.

The Hai Van Pass, located on the mountain branch of the Bach Ma chain, connects Thue Hien Hue Province and Danang City (part of the Truong Son chain). This 20-kilometer-long pass is 500 meters above sea level. The name Hai Van derives from the fact that the top of the pass is always cloudy, and the bottom of the pass is surrounded by a vast blue ocean, thus, Hai Van translates as “cloud and sea”.

How to travel to Hai Van Pass?

There are currently two routes through Hai Van Pass: the road trench and the Hai Van pass road. The road trench through Hai Van Pass is open every day, except between 3 and 4 a.m., when it is cleaned, repaired, and serviced. If you want to see the breathtaking scenery of Hai Van Pass, you should travel through the pass road (not by the road trench).

You can see a full overview of a large mountainous and ocean area of Thue Thien Hue province and Danang city from the top of Hai Van pass, and when you arrive, you will have the opportunity to take the most beautiful photos that mix blue sea and green mountains.

The only way to get from Danang to Hue and vice versa is via the Hai Van pass, which also allows you to see the magnificent natural landscape of central Vietnam. It takes a long time and is very difficult to complete Hai Van Pass because the underground river appears inside the mountains at this point, and the working conditions in the underground trench are also very harsh.

Hai Van Pass is about 40 kilometers north of Danang and 60 kilometers south of Hue. While exploring Hai Van Pass, you can visit Lang Co Beach, which is still considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Hue Vietnam because it is located near not a large mountainous area, making the landscape very unique and different from other beaches in Vietnam.

Hai Van Pass is not far from Danang, Hoi An, or Hue, you can take a bus, rent a car, catch a taxi, or even ride a motorbike or bike from Danang, Hoi An, or Hue to get there. Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach are also two places where almost all tourists stop to take photos and admire the scenery that combines mountain and sea. When you stop at Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach, don’t forget to try the seafood because this area is famous for its seafood. The seafood at Lang Co Beach is available in many provinces and cities throughout Vietnam.

Best time to travel to Hai Van Pass

The best time to visit Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach is from April to July because this is the dry season in Vietnam’s central region; after this period, there is often a lot of rain and the weather is a little cold. This is one of the most famous sites that you must see if you are traveling from Danang or Hoi An to Hue.

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