En route to Hue via the Hai Van Pass

We set off early on our minibus to our next destination; Hue. We drive through Da Nang, Vietnam's third city, and a major hub due to its central location. We drive past and over the spectacular Dragon Bridge and the head north towards the Hai Van Pass over the Truong Son Range.

There are good views from the summit of the pass, down to Da Nang in the south and up to Lang Co Lagoon in the north. There are many old bunkers at the top of the pass, both French and American (the TV series Top Gear featured it in an episode on Vietnam in 2008). The bunkers were used by American forces during the Vietnam War, as it is an important trade route. There is now a tunnel option to the high pass route for large vehicles, such as lorries and coaches.

We stop off at the Lang Co Lagoon for coffee before continuing on to Hue, arriving in time for lunch at the Elegant Restaurant; Helen and I share two local Hue traditional meals - fried pancake with shrimp and pork, and Nem Lui, minced pork with a lemon grass skewer. Both are lovely, especially with a local Hude beer.Read more