Tour of Vietnam 2023 | Day 15 | Huế – Da Nang | 139 kms

It was a rainy morning. I woke up around 6 am, got ready by 7 am, had my coffee, loaded my luggage onto the bike, and donned my rain gear. I started the bike after 7:30 am and first visited an abandoned water park recommended by the hostel owner, for which I paid 116,000 VND for one night’s stay.

At the park, I spotted a huge dragon I wanted to photograph. When I arrived, the entrance was closed with a sign saying ‘NO VISITORS.’ Undeterred, I entered through a side path and found it completely empty. I quickly took my photo before returning to the barricaded entrance.

I entered ‘Da Nang’ into Google Maps and quickly hit the highway toward my destination. It rained the entire time, creating a hazy, misty environment that limited visibility. I had to focus more on the road due to the rain, frequently cleaning my visor. I rode almost non-stop, only pausing to refuel and snack on my homemade energy bars. I hoped the rain would let up as I traveled further south.

Around 10 am, I arrived at the renowned Hai Van Pass, where mist cloaked the mountains. As the clouds parted, I glimpsed the blue sky, providing a much-needed view of the pass without obstructions. This route is a favorite among visitors to Vietnam. Riding through the pass was wonderful, with the misty mountains enhancing the experience. I stopped several times to take photos. At the summit, the view was stunning, featuring a curved beach and the sea, with the mountains framing the scene. Local shops at the viewpoint offered photo booths for capturing the pass, requesting that visitors make a purchase in return. I used one of the booths but left without buying anything.

As I descended the pass, I reached the outskirts of Da Nang, where tall buildings were visible from afar. The weather remained cloudy, prompting me to skip Bana Hills. The high ticket price and the misty conditions would prevent me from enjoying the tourist spot fully. Instead, I decided to check in and explore the city itself.

I first went to my bike agent because my bike needed repairs. However, a complete fix would take until tomorrow, which I didn’t have since I wanted to continue my journey. I expected the bike to be serviced while I explored the city and returned to me the same day, but it wasn’t as I had hoped. Instead of a Royal Enfield showroom, I ended up at a Harley Davidson workshop. Due to time constraints, I decided to skip the lengthy process and opted for a quick fix at a local mechanic. We agreed that they would work on the front and rear brakes and slightly reduce the steering cone set play, which had been a major issue during my trip. The mechanic assured me the bike would be ready for pick-up by 3 PM. In the meantime, my agent Huyen provided me with an alternate bike, a Brixton 150cc, to explore the area.

I dropped her on the way to her cafe. The bike was feeling very underpowered after driving the ‘Himalayan’ bike.

I drove my Brixton 150cc to the summit of the ‘Son Tra’ mountains in Da Nang, gradually climbing the incline. The sky was clear, and I paused to observe photographers capturing the endangered ‘Delacour’ langur—an experience I was fortunate to witness firsthand. They were too far away for a mobile shot, so I continued my ascent. I hoped to enjoy a panoramic view of the city, but halfway up, I was enveloped in fog, which persisted until I reached the top, obscuring the view entirely.

I could barely see 2 meters ahead, so I came down and found the same people photographing the langurs, this time closer and in a different spot. I noticed their innocent eyes, brown-furred legs, and whiskers. I captured a photo with my mobile camera, felt satisfied, and then moved down the mountain to my next point of interest: the ‘Lady Buddha’ statue. It was just a 10-minute ride away, located on the other side of the ‘Són Tra’ mountains. I parked my bike and climbed the stairs to the entrance.

The statue was tall and visible from a distance as I approached. Its imposing white structure attracted many visitors, who were busy taking photos. At the base, a door led to a shrine where people offered prayers. I then visited another temple in the complex, which featured the same architecture as the previous ones. After spending some time there, I returned to the parking lot and continued along the road by the Son Tra mountains.

The coastal road provided stunning views of the sea to my left. Unfortunately, the circuit around the Son Tra mountains was blocked by a landslide. I enjoyed the scenery and, on my return, saw dusk settling over the city. By around 5:30 pm, it had started to drizzle, and I realized it was too late to collect my bike. I went to Huyen’s café to pick her up, and together we rode through the rain to the mechanic. By the time we arrived, I was soaked again. I said goodbye to Huyen and promised to provide feedback on the serviced bike.

I returned to the hotel completely drenched and had to change into dry clothes again, hanging my wet ones on the staircase railings and in the laundry room below, as there was no space in the room. After freshening up around 7 pm, the hostel kindly arranged transportation for the volunteers to Dragon Bridge. I was too tired to bike there, fearing I’d get wet again and having to carry my heavy helmet. The dragon fire show started at 9 pm, and we left around 7:15 pm. I visited the street market opposite the bridge before the show. By the time the fire show ended, I had already finished dinner, trying seafood specialties for the first time, including giant lobster, octopus, scallops, and large shrimp.

I enjoyed a grilled meal paired with a cold beer after sampling some local street food that resembled tacos but was made with rice paper instead of corn. I found a spot where I could see the dragon breathing fire. The event occurs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, lasting about 10-15 minutes, starting at 9 PM. A large crowd gathered on the bridge and near where I stood. Watching the dragon breathe fire felt almost lifelike, as if a real dragon were perched on the bridge.

The bridge is named ‘Dragon Bridge’. After the fire show, the dragon sprayed water, causing those near it to disperse. For this reason, I was advised to stay away from the dragon during the event.

I continued my shopping, picking up my pre-selected items, including coffee and almond chocolates for my loved ones. Craving something sweet, I had a chocolate pancake before taking a bike taxi back to my hostel in the drizzling rain. My umbrella proved useless, but fortunately, the bike taxi driver had a raincoat that kept me dry. I returned to my bed after 11 pm, with plans for the next day to visit Hoi An, just a short distance away. I went to sleep without setting an alarm, but I was concerned; the weather forecast predictably called for more rain, and I was growing fed up with it.