The Hai Van Pass and the train from Da Nang to Hue

The Hải Vân Pass — the "pass of the ocean clouds" — separates Da Nang from Hue in more than geography. One side is subtropical; the other slides into the monsoon climate of central Vietnam, which is why it can be sunny in Da Nang while a wall of fog sits on the summit. When the Top Gear crew drove these 21 km, they called it "one of the best coast roads in the world," and it has been on every travel list since.

There are six ways across, and they differ a lot on price, speed and scenery. Only four actually go over the pass — motorbike, easy-rider, private car and jeep tour. The train runs a little lower, along the slope, but the views are just as good. Buses and most taxis dive through the tunnel under the mountain and show you nothing.

A regular train ticket starts at 60,000 VND (~$2.40), and the 100 kilometres take 2.5–3 hours, taking in Lang Co Bay, rice fields and mountain tunnels along the way. Here is the honest rundown of every option — but first, what is actually up on the pass itself.

The Hai Van Pass — 496 metres above the South China Sea

• Da Nang train station (Ga Đà Nẵng): Trains to Hue — from 60,000 VND (~$2.40)
• Hai Van Pass summit (Đèo Hải Vân): 496 m — Viewpoint, old bunker, cafés
• Lang Co Bay (Vịnh Lăng Cô): One of the world's most beautiful bays — Beach, seafood
• Hue train station (Ga Huế): End of the route — 2.5–3 h from Da Nang
• Imperial Citadel (Đại Nội Huế): Entry 200,000 VND (~$8) — Allow 2 hours
• Thien Mu Pagoda (Chùa Thiên Mụ): Symbol of Hue — Free entry

The pass climbs to 496 metres and runs 21 km along the Truong Son range, the spine that splits Vietnam into a coastal strip and an inland one. Until 2005 everything — trucks, buses, motorbikes — crawled over the hairpins. Then a 6.28 km tunnel opened and commercial traffic went underground, leaving the pass to those who come for the views. Traffic up top is light these days.

The majority of transport now takes the tunnel, which leaves the Hải Vân Pass… to two-wheeled vehicles and the occasional oil truck (both of which are not allowed through the tunnel)Tom Divers, Vietnam Coracle, 2024

At the summit stands the old Hải Vân Quan gate — a stone fort built under the Nguyen dynasty in the early 19th century to guard the passage between the north and south of the country. Next to it is a French bunker from the First Indochina War. The gate has been restored and now has an official entrance and viewing terraces; entry is paid, so check the fee and hours on site. From the terraces a panorama opens over Lăng Cô Bay and the sea — on a clear day you can see for tens of kilometres. There are a couple of cafés where coffee runs 20,000–30,000 VND (~$0.80–1.20), plus a few souvenir stalls.

How to cross the pass — 6 ways

Every option strikes a different balance of price, speed and scenery. Here is the honest comparison:

Grab, ordinary taxis and scheduled buses take the Hai Van tunnel under the mountain — fast, but zero views. One catch: if you book a car specifically for the pass, agree up front that you go over the old road, not through the tunnel, or the driver will default to the tunnel. Jeep tours and easy-riders go over the pass by definition.

A word on direction. The classic run is Da Nang to Hue, so the pass lines up with the trip to the old capital and, on the train, the sea views fall on your right. Photographers often argue for the reverse, Hue to Da Nang: climbing from the Lang Co side the bay reveals itself more dramatically, and the afternoon sun is behind you rather than in the lens. The difference is small — pick whatever suits your logistics.

The Reunification Express — a legend of Vietnamese rail

"Reunification Express" is the name for the trains running the Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City line: 1,726 kilometres, over 30 hours end to end. The French built the railway in the early 20th century; it was wrecked during the war and rebuilt after the country reunified in 1976.

Between Da Nang and Hue SE-series trains run several services a day each way; check the timetable with Vietnam Railways. This stretch is reckoned the most scenic on the whole line: the track hugs the coast, dives into tunnels and re-emerges over Lang Co Bay.

Classes of service

• Hard seat — wooden benches, the cheapest option, from 60,000 VND (~$2.40)
• Soft seat — reclining chairs, from 184,000 VND (~$7.40)
• 4-berth cabin — bunks with mattresses, from 300,000 VND (overkill for 3 hours, but handy on longer routes)

Tickets are sold at the stations and through 12go.asia and vexere.com. In high season (December to February) book 3–5 days ahead.

The Heritage train — a tourist train over Hai Van

The Central Heritage Connection is a tourist train between Da Nang and Hue. Panoramic windows, comfortable seats, an audio guide. Journey time is about 3 hours, a touch longer than the regular service because the train slows down on the most scenic stretches.

Check the fare when booking: in September 2026 the seller's site showed 9 USD in its header and 400,000 VND one way in its timetable. You can book at huetodanangbytrain.com or through Klook.

What to see along the way

Lang Co Bay

Lăng Cô Bay joined the club of the world's most beautiful bays back in 2009: white sand, turquoise water, fishing boats. From the train window you get about 10–15 minutes of it — enough for a dozen photos. On a motorbike you can drop down to the water and linger.

Next to the bay is a fishing village where people come for seafood. Grilled prawns start at 80,000 VND (~$3.20) a plate.

At the summit

The Hải Vân Quan gate and the French bunker, the viewing terraces, the panorama over Lang Co. This is the main stop on the route, so every coach and jeep tour rolls in and it gets busy around midday. The viewpoint is the best photo spot, and there is a café with coffee for 20,000 VND. Give yourself 30–40 minutes.

Suoi Voi (Elephant Springs)

Suối Voi is a set of clear, cool freshwater pools and small waterfalls in the jungle at the foot of the pass on the Hue side, about 14 km short of Lang Co. The name comes from a large elephant-shaped boulder. Entry is a token fee; check the amount on site. It is a niche stop: easy to fold into a motorbike ride or a car-with-driver day for a cooling swim after the hot climb, but you won't see it from the train and it is a detour off the main road.

Hue in a day

If you came from Da Nang on a morning train, you have 6–8 hours in Hue before the return service. The bare minimum:

• Imperial Citadel (Đại Nội Huế) — entry 200,000 VND (~$8), 2 hours to walk it
• Thien Mu Pagoda (Chùa Thiên Mụ) — free, 30 minutes
• Lunch — bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle soup) from 30,000 VND (~$1.20) at Dong Ba market

The royal tombs (a separate ticket for each, check prices on site) will eat another half day — that is for anyone staying overnight. With one more day, add the mountains and waterfalls of Bach Ma National Park, between Hue and Da Nang.

Over Hai Van by motorbike or easy-rider

This is the classic travel-blog move: rent a motorbike in Da Nang and ride the 21 km of hairpins above the sea. In good weather it really is one of Vietnam's best rides. But there are caveats the blogs tend to skip.

Renting in Da Nang: from 150,000 VND/day (~$6) for an automatic, from 200,000 for a manual. Rental shops line every tourist street. Ask for a helmet with a visor and check the brakes before a mountain road.

The route: head north out of Da Nang on the QL1A to the fork by the tunnel, then follow the sign for the pass (the old road). The climb is 30–40 minutes and the views start straight away. Stop at the top for photos and coffee. The descent to Lang Co is another 20 minutes. Many riders use a luggage-transfer service: the shop drives your backpacks to Hue or Hoi An by car while you ride the pass unweighed — worth it if you are moving on rather than looping back.

There are no gas stations on the pass itself… if you make sure you brim your tank before you set off, you should be able to make it all the way between Danang and Hue on one tankTom Divers, Vietnam Coracle, 2019

Easy-rider — the pass without the handlebars

Not confident on the switchbacks but still want the pass itself? An easy-rider is a local driver who takes you over on the back of their bike (or in a car), stopping wherever you point. You get every view and every photo while someone who rides this road daily handles the hairpins and the trucks. Reckon on from 700,000 VND (~$27) for the Da Nang–Hue leg with stops, and it usually includes your luggage. It is the sweet spot between riding yourself and a dull tunnel transfer.

If you're not sure of your skills on mountain roads, take an easy-rider or the train. Seriously — this is not the place to learn.

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Practical tips

Best time to go: February to May. Clear skies, little rain, great visibility. From October to January the pass is often lost in cloud.

Where to buy train tickets

• At Ga Đà Nẵng station (no markup, but a queue)
• Via 12go.asia — about a 15% markup, but it is online and in English
• Via vexere.com — a Vietnamese aggregator

What to bring

• A camera or a phone with a full battery — you'll be shooting constantly
• A jacket for the summit — the wind is strong even in summer
• Water — they sell it on the pass, but at a markup

Common mistakes

• Taking the bus and expecting views — it goes through the tunnel, so you'll see a wall
• Renting a motorbike with no mountain-road experience
• Not booking the Heritage train ahead — in peak season tickets can run out

FAQ