Hai Van Pass

The Ocean Cloud Pass, Vietnam's most celebrated coastal road, climbing 500 metres over the mountain spur that divides Hue from Da Nang, with a Nguyen-era gate at its summit.

Hai Van, the Pass of Ocean Clouds, crosses the spur of the Truong Son range that reaches the sea between Lang Co and Da Nang and has marked a climatic and historical frontier for centuries: the old boundary between Dai Viet and Champa, and later the northern edge of Da Nang's warmer weather. The 21-kilometre road climbs to nearly 500 metres in a series of hairpins, each opening onto views of Lang Co Bay to the north or Da Nang and the Son Tra peninsula to the south. At the top stands Hai Van Quan, the fortified gate built in 1826 under Emperor Minh Mang and restored in 2024, alongside French and American-era bunkers. Since a tunnel opened in 2005 the road carries little heavy traffic, which has made it a favourite for motorbike riders, jeep tours and the drive between Hue and Da Nang. Check the weather: the summit is often in cloud, and a clear day transforms the crossing.