[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":167},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-en-\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhai-van-pass":3,"related-en-\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhai-van-pass":115},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":89,"extension":90,"meta":91,"navigation":109,"path":110,"publicationDate":93,"seo":111,"sitemap":112,"stem":113,"__hash__":114},"content\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhai-van-pass.md","Hai Van Pass, Vietnam: the most beautiful mountain road in the world?",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":81},"minimark",[9,13,16,19,24,27,29,33,36,45,48,53,57,60,62,66,75,78],[10,11,12],"p",{},"I had done my research. Read several travel blogs; Top Gear even did a segment on it. \"The most beautiful coastal road in the world.\" So I was fully hyped when I got on the motorbike in Hue.",[10,14,15],{},"It let me down. Not badly, but still. I think the Ha Giang Loop had spoiled me a bit with its views, and the Hai Van Pass simply could not compete. Or maybe I should have managed my expectations better (or maybe I am just being a whiner).",[17,18],"hr",{},[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"what-is-the-hai-van-pass","What is the Hai Van Pass?",[10,25,26],{},"The Hai Van Pass is a mountain road that runs along the coast from Hue to Da Nang, about 20 kilometres over the ridge separating the two cities. You can ride it yourself on a scooter. Because I am a bit of a chicken and do not fully trust Vietnamese traffic, I went with an easyrider. That is a local guide who takes you on the back of his bike.",[17,28],{},[20,30,32],{"id":31},"how-it-went","How it went",[10,34,35],{},"The beginning was genuinely beautiful. Along the coast, a few good viewpoints, great weather. We stopped at a small waterfall (Suối Mơ) where we took a quick dip. With the sun on your face and the sea below you, there is not much to complain about.",[37,38],"dual-image",{"alt1":39,"alt2":40,"caption1":41,"caption2":42,"src1":43,"src2":44},"Beautiful view we were hoping for","View we actually got","Expectation","Reality","Gemini_Generated_Image_dfx9owdfx9owdfx9_m2cbo3","IMG_8310_izvguu",[10,46,47],{},"Then it got worse. What should have been the highlight of the route turned out to be a massive stretch of sand. A huge resort is being built on exactly the stretch of coast with the best views. That is a real shame. The guy running the cafe at the top of the pass was not happy about it either. His view is ruined, his customers have gone. The locals find it just as bad as the tourists.",[49,50],"single-image",{"alt":51,"src":52},"Pagoda on Marble Mountain","PXL_20260118_084501068_r5v9w6",[20,54,56],{"id":55},"marble-mountain","Marble Mountain",[10,58,59],{},"After the pass we were taken to Marble Mountain, a cluster of rocky outcrops on the edge of Da Nang filled with marble sculptures and temples. Some of the statues were genuinely skillfully made. A nice extra stop and a good way to round off the day if you are continuing to Da Nang or Hoi An anyway.",[17,61],{},[20,63,65],{"id":64},"is-it-worth-it","Is it worth it?",[10,67,68,69,74],{},"If you have already done the ",[70,71,73],"a",{"href":72},".\u002Fha-giang-loop-informatie","Ha Giang Loop",": no, skip it. That route is 100 times more impressive. Just take the faster inland road between Hue and Da Nang and use that time for something else.",[10,76,77],{},"If you have not done the Ha Giang Loop or you enjoy scenic rides: yes, it is definitely a fun day. Just know that it probably will not be the highlight of your Vietnam trip. Plan it as pleasant transport between two cities, not as the experience of a lifetime.",[79,80],"related-articles",{},{"title":82,"searchDepth":83,"depth":83,"links":84},"",2,[85,86,87,88],{"id":22,"depth":83,"text":23},{"id":31,"depth":83,"text":32},{"id":55,"depth":83,"text":56},{"id":64,"depth":83,"text":65},"The Hai Van Pass has a big reputation but does not always deliver. Honest review of the coastal route between Hue and Da Nang.","md",{"slug":92,"updatedAt":93,"country":94,"type":95,"activeBreadcrumb":96,"readingTime":97,"headerImage":98,"headerImageAlt":99,"headerText":100,"headerDescription":101,"tags":102},"hai-van-pass-vietnam","2026-05-21","vietnam","route","Hai Van Pass",4,"PXL_20260118_063121344.MP_dpj96i","View of the coast at the Hai Van Pass, Vietnam","\u003Cspan>Hai Van\u003C\u002Fspan> Pass","Top Gear called it the most beautiful coastal road in the world. I was hyped. Reality was a bit more nuanced.",[94,103,104,105,106,95,107,108],"hai-van-pass","hue","da-nang","scooter","reistips","easyrider",true,"\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhai-van-pass",{"title":5,"description":89},{"loc":110},"en\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhai-van-pass","SBuusBO_-A8t4lqWQNQ3StmWMwYFfVHNK8F9Var25Pc",[116,135,154],{"path":117,"title":118,"description":119,"publicationDate":120,"meta":121,"_score":83,"_type":123},"\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhue\u002Fgraven-van-hue","The best imperial tombs of Hue (and which ones to skip)","Seven imperial tombs, three are worth it. Which tombs in Hue should you visit and which can you safely skip?","2026-05-18",{"updatedAt":122,"country":94,"type":123,"activeBreadcrumb":124,"parentBreadcrumb":125,"readingTime":126,"headerImage":127,"headerImageAlt":128,"headerText":129,"headerDescription":130,"tags":131},"2026-05-20","place","Imperial Tombs","Hue",6,"PXL_20260117_060922834_xr0vjg","Imperial tomb of Hue Vietnam with stone statues and archway","The \u003Cspan>tombs\u003C\u002Fspan> of Hue","The tombs of Hue with some interesting facts",[94,104,132,133,134],"history","backpacking","travel-tips",{"path":136,"title":137,"description":138,"publicationDate":139,"meta":140,"_score":153,"_type":143},"\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fha-giang-loop-informatie","Ha Giang Loop: everything you need to know before you go","The Ha Giang Loop is one of the most beautiful motorbike routes in Asia. Season, operators, 3 or 4 days and what you really don't want to miss.","2026-05-07",{"slug":141,"updatedAt":142,"country":94,"type":143,"activeBreadcrumb":73,"readingTime":144,"headerImage":145,"headerImageAlt":146,"headerText":147,"headerDescription":148,"tags":149},"ha-giang-loop-informatie","2026-05-11","practical",7,"photo-1682134900019-73bfd00d8289_cmfayp","Winding mountain road through green valleys in Ha Giang, Vietnam","\u003Cspan>Ha Giang\u003C\u002Fspan> Loop","The most beautiful motorbike ride in Vietnam. What you need, what it costs and why you should just do it.",[94,150,151,133,134,152],"ha-giang","motorbike","north-vietnam",1,{"path":155,"title":156,"description":157,"publicationDate":120,"meta":158,"_score":83,"_type":123},"\u002Fen\u002Fvietnam\u002Fhue","Things to do in Hue, Vietnam: tips for the old imperial capital","Hue gets skipped by most travellers. That's a mistake. Citadel, imperial tombs, an abandoned water park and the best noodle soup in Vietnam.",{"updatedAt":122,"country":94,"type":123,"activeBreadcrumb":125,"readingTime":159,"headerImage":160,"headerImageAlt":161,"headerText":162,"headerDescription":163,"tags":164},5,"photo-1778136443484-d054436fabba_hqgcpf","Bronze lion statue at the Citadel of Hue Vietnam","Things to do in \u003Cspan>Hue\u003C\u002Fspan>","The imperial capital most backpackers skip. Their loss.",[94,104,134,165,166,133],"culture","food",1780999736761]