4-day trip: Hue, Hoi An - Day 2

See Day 1 here.

Today was an indescribable day with amazing moments around every turn. Here's an attempt at writing a memory, knowing that words will not express the emotions or feelings accurately.

We rose early for the 4th day in a row. I worked early on Saturday, Mike on Sunday, Monday we had a plane to catch. Tuesday, after arriving in Hue the previous day, on our little 4-day holiday from the usual in Hanoi.

Day 2: Tuesday.

We rose early, ready for breakfast. I have a thing about booking at B&B's - it makes the first meal of the day easy. And unimpressive, in this case. Once again, this hotel disappointed.

We ordered bacon, bread and butter, and poached eggs. The bread was the usual bahn mi Vietnamese bread roll (similar to hotdog roll) - luckily it was very fresh. The bacon was one single strip of bacon for each of us. The eggs... Imagine scumpled white paper in water. Imagine it a bit more jelly-like. Tada!

We proceeded to MotorVina, signed our contract, attached our bag to the bike with the bungee cords we'd brought, jumped on, and went. We filled up at the petrol station and I whipped out the trusty Google Maps for directions.

At 1: The Abandoned Waterpark.

We drove straight into a very closed gate. No access. A random guy on a bike, probably security, came out from inside, and offered to take us to the park for 50 000 VND. We didn't know the way, really wanted to go, and (still) wasn't in the mood for haggling so we accepted. We followed him along some funky pathways until we realised we were actually inside the park. We passed many random statues and he left us close to the famous dragon, where we left our bike with a Vietnamese woman and her stall for 5 000 VND.

A fantastic place, entirely worth seeing. We were alone and it was a perfect time, early in the morning on the day before Halloween. Not as large as expected, but fantastic nonetheless with shattered glass littered across the floor and run down by wear and tear. Human-sized statues of creatures such as an octopus. Access to stairs that lead straight into the dragon's mouth, providing a beautiful view of the area.

I also found a plant I'd only seen once since being introduced to it 20 years ago, the Kruidjie-roer-my-nie. The leaf blades close in on themselves when you touch them, and I've been touching any and all leaves that look similar for the last 20 years in searching for it.

After that, 2: Can I Drive?

What a great time to learn how to drive the bike than with open space, protective gear, and a good teacher. He taught me the basics and I started the bike eagerly. I proceeded to almost drive into a plant on the side of the road. It's leaves poked my face as a went back to first gear and actually drove okay for a little bit. I even went to second gear! 

After a struggle to stop, Mike got on the back and we slowly drove forward, until we had to turn left. This did not happen. We slighted left straight up a hill. It didn't end badly, we just slowly reversed back down and went along again.

Then we reached a right where we had to go uphill, beside some cows. I turned well but then the bike stopped just before the uphill. With gentle nudging and calming breaths I was ready. I went to first, added gas, let go of the break... And we went straight into a ditch and fell over. 

We're both fine, but my knees are bruised and Mike burned a little on his one leg. Motorbikes are heavy.

He drove further.

On the way, 3: Road to Lang Co beach

Nothing interesting to describe, everything to see and experience. A great ride, not many cars on the road, with weather neither too hot or too cold. Mike and I wore long-sleeve shirts to protect against sunburn. We stopped for more gas and found that it was not necessary yet.

At Lang Co beach we had lunch, enjoying the view and the sound of the ocean.

4: Hai Van pass

A must-do for every traveller! The Hai Van pass connects Lang Co to Da Nang. It was the closest thing I've seen to South African mountain drives. It wound this way and that, up for most of the beginning. The views were breathtaking - not only of the ocean and coast, but also of the mountains and flora. It was green and blue as we went, and we were lucky to still have continuous clear skies. 

Off-course to 5: Ba Na Hills, Sun World

Before we reached Danang, with GPS in hand I directed us towards the Ba Na Hills, where we wanted to visit Sun World and see the famous golden hands bridge. We were in for a surprise. Mike had expected only the bridge. I'd expected something along the lines of rides. Both of us were awed.

Upon entry the park is rather... Boring. There are construction sites going on around the area, the parking is a 4 minute walk from the entrance, and it looked like just some more old buildings. Entrance was 700 000 VND per person, and Mike and I actually stepped away and spoke about this before buying it. It seemed a steep price for what seemed to be an exceptionally bland "theme park".

Walking through the entrance we were immediately a little more at ease. It was clear that a lot of time and effort was put into making this place beautiful to see and experience. The gardens are amazing to behold.

It was about 2 pm when we entered, and the lack of people did not aid our confidence. Turning the corner at the entrance to the cable car put more people in view, but still very little.

The cable cars do not stop in their rotation, but simply slows down so that people can enter at either side. A woman offered one car that was almost about to ascend to us, and Mike jumped in immediately. I had about 2 seconds to decide to follow him, or be left behind. Luckily, the decision took me only 1. Please see this photo that I attempted to take but could not, as it was the same second Mike jumped on the car.

This was the most amazing, romantic, calm and peaceful ride I have ever been on. (To such an extent that he spoke of 'missed opportunities'). The ride lasted over 15 minutes, with calm music playing, and our sight being that of the entire landscape of the mountains, Da Nang, and the ocean. It only improved as we went further upwards. It is such a long ride that there are even motion sickness bags provided in the car. Truly, words cannot express the emotions or wonder that we felt, simply going up towards Sun World.

We soon realized that the entire 'bland' section of beautiful gardens and old buildings had only been the entrance. Up here, in Sun World, there was another world entirely.

We entered in the area that was themed after France, with French music playing calmly. Being the day before Halloween, the park was additionally themed accordingly, with a pumpkin garden, Halloween themed decorations and food, and entertainers on stilts dressed as typical Halloween characters. And there, in case it was not clear, were all the people.

We did not spend too much time looking around as it was already halfway to 4pm and we needed to find the golden bridge while the sun was still shining. Later we also found out that all attractions and food places close at 5pm. So off we went, hunting for the entrance to the next cable car - this time, the one that connects the area we were on with the Golden bridge area. We found it by following another lady and and then a tour group. Slightly hidden entrance when trying to find it on their map!

We had to stand in line here, but finally got to the other side. Not as romantic a ride, with 8-10 people on the same cable car. The area with the Golden bridge is small, but pretty nonetheless. It was difficult to take a photo between the people, often having to wait for someone else to complete their photo session before moving. We were third 'in line' for taking a photo about 3 steps onto the bridge. The other attractions are nice, with a mosaic tunnel of arches and statues of limbs and heads to compliment the bridge's hands.

We walked back over the bridge and back up on the same cable car to return to the French Fantasy area we had come from. There were some attractions we did not want to miss.

We entered a Fantasy building to do all that seemed interesting, from a 4-story drop ride, through mirror mazes, to shooting lasers on a ride as competition (Mike won by more than double my score).

Upon exiting we were hungry and the previous food stalls were calling even louder. ... Or not, since they had closed. It was now just past 4:20pm. We had to settle for overpriced hot dogs. Luckily, they were delicious. With everything closing down, entertainers gone, the sun setting and the air cooling down fast, we returned to the cable car that returns to the entrance. 

There we stood in queue, filed into a cable car with 8 other people and a sleeping child, and spent a not-so-romantic-but-still-beautiful ride down.

We left Sun World knowing that we had to return, properly, for a longer amount of time. There were many more areas we did not see, many rides we did not experience. Plus, it had pretty much become one of both my and Mike's favourite places in the world to go to as far as theme parks are concerned.

Time for 6: First glance of Hoi An

My knees hurt from the morning's fall, Mike's butt hurt from the awkward bike seat, and we still had a ways to drive. Not much was planned, except that I was definitely planning to go over the romantic bridge in Da Nang. The lady we had hired the bikes from had said there was a popular myth attached to it, so it seemed a must-go-over.

Da Nang did not impress. It was Hanoi, next to the ocean. The traffic was crazy, all the same, except perhaps a little more organised with cars and bikes tending to stay more on their alloted sides than in Hanoi.

The romantic bridge was pretty, but not fantastic at night time, with some lights. More fantastic was the sight of the Dragon bridge just next to us, lighted green for the night.

We drove up to the coast, turned right, and set course straight for Hoi An. We could not see much of the beach on the way, plus, there were buildings between us and the ocean for most of the way. Keep that in mind when you look at a map.

We drove past the marble mountains but could see nothing - I told Mike we'll have to go there our next trip.

We arrived in Hoi An at close to 7pm, and drove straight to the company we had to hand our bike into. It was less than 10 minutes walk from our hotel, so we had dinner before going to check in.


See Day 3 here, and Day 4 here.

**A note on where we stayed: We stayed at CoCo Riverside Homestay. The host is amazing. She offered us tea and coffee when we arrived in the late evening. Her breakfasts are good. She brought something that we'd forgotten into town for us before our bus arrived. It's homey, our room had a very nice shower head, and the view over the lake is beautiful when seated outside. She also has a very friendly cat, named Mieu-Mieu.