My friends and I just had the most amazing trip to central Vietnam where we stayed in Hoi An and Da Nang. The star of this area is Ba Na Hills of which its pièce de resistance is the Golden Hands Bridge. So let me start with this charming hill resort and its attractions.
Built as a resort town for the French in 1919, Ba Na Hills now welcomes visitors from all over the world. Getting there is one of the highlights, as you soar up the mountainside in a spacious cable car with views of the sea in the distance, and tumbling waterfalls and woods below. It is beautiful at any time of year even though it may be foggy or rainy on some days.
The park has several attractions on different levels, all connected by cable cars across the mountains. I would think that European tourists will find the French village there not authentic but domestic and international tourists seem to enjoy walking around it and taking lots of photos. There are castles, beautifully-manicured gardens, sculptured statues, shrines and verandas with gorgeous mountain views. There is also a theme park with rides and a roller coaster.
We were there to admire the breath-taking views mostly and of course, visiting the majestic Golden Hands Bridge.
Here are some tips if you are planning a trip to Ba Na Hills:
- Dress to potentially experience four seasons in one day. During the rainy season (Sep-Oct), bring an umbrella. We even brought our raincoats but when we visited in early March, it was a clear sunny day with dancing clouds in the sky welcoming us.
- The place gets packed, so buy tickets online in advance to avoid queues.
- Go there early – we left our abode at 7.30am and got there at 8.15am to take the cable car.
- When we got to the iconic bridge, there were hordes of tourists who got there earlier than us!
- Wear walking shoes – there will be a lot of walking but take your time, do not rush. Bring a hat and wear sunscreen.
- Plan to stay for at least six to eight hours if you intend to tour most of the attractions.
- When you arrive at the drop off point by car, take a complimentary shuttle bus to the cable car station. You then take a cable car ride up to the Marseille Station which is the stop for the iconic bridge.
Enjoy an exciting cable car ride to the top
The only way up to Ba Na Hills is via the cable cars, so your ticket includes a round-trip ride.
Here are some interesting facts:
- CNN ranked this infrastructure among the 10 most impressive cable-car systems in the world.
- It has set two Guinness World Records as the world’s longest non-stop single-track cable car that stretches over 5,800m and the highest cable car in the world at over 1,300m.
- The cable car route has 94 cabins and can carry up to 1,500 passengers an hour.
- The system was built to European standards and is safe as well as reliable.
- Each cable car can seat up to 10 people, and due to the long queues, the staff tries to get as many as possible into each car, but guests can wait for the next car if they wish to sit with their own group of friends or family.
There are various cable lines and stations, depending on where you want to reach. I recommend that you start at the famous Golden Bridge, so take the Hoi An ground station to Marseille Station.
We were rewarded with a picturesque ride boasting breathtaking views of the surrounding hills and forests, you are practically riding through the clouds. Once we burst through the clouds at the top of the mountain, that view was unlike anything I have ever seen!
The ride is about 20 minutes long and it is not for the faint-hearted, that is according to me. I was a bit scared so I did not sit facing the downward scenery but upward instead. When I rode down, I also did not dare to look downwards so I sat on the opposite side.
A world-famous bridge wins hands down
The first landing on the cable car features the incredible Golden Hands Bridge, which took social media by storm in when it opened in 2018. This architectural marvel gets extremely crowded and busy with visitors jostling or queuing up to take the best shots.
The 150m pedestrian bridge loops back around to itself and has two giant hands, constructed of fibreglass and wire mesh, designed to appear like stone hands cradling the bridge amidst the clouds
The views from the bridge are spectacular on clear days, and but it can be misty and moody on foggy on some days. When we visited, we were lucky to have clear blue skies with no rain but it got hot and humid after mid-day.
A medieval French village with a modern twist
The French Village is a replica of classical and romantic France, through a string of peculiar architectural clusters: the square, cathedral, town, village and inns.
To visit the French Village, you take another short cable car ride from the Marseille Station to the Louvre Station, which is named after a glass pyramid tower that reminds visitors of the famous Louvre Museum.
Surrealistic and classical sculptures
Ba Na Hills also features beautiful structures and sculptures that seem to come from a surrealistic world and from Greek mythology. You can see these statues at every corner and lining up the steps or staircases or fountains.
There is even a stone-carved man holding up a castle and you can also come across another giant stone hand jutting out from the side of the mountain.
Theme Park
Theme parks may not be to every traveller’s taste and we skipped it. For those who love theme parks, there are thrilling rides and even a roller coaster. The Fantasy Park entertainment area is divided into three floors so there is plenty to enjoy.
There are plenty of restaurants and cafes, so you have many choices of food and beverages to choose from. There are also inns and hotels on the hill for those who wish to stay overnight.
What we did not get to see
As we spent so much time wandering through winding lanes to discover amazing views of the valley and, of course, took so many photos, we missed two other attractions which we will visit next time!
The Gardens
We did not have the opportunity to visit the Gardens but we managed to view the tulip gardens that were located at the end of the Hands Bridge. We were lucky to see the tulips in full bloom as the season was ending in March.
I read that there are many lovely, landscaped gardens, and you can hop on a funicular train to get to Le Jardin d´amour, which comprises nine different gardens designed in different styles.
See the spiritual sites
Vietnam is synonymous with spiritual structures adorning mountain tops. Ba Na Hils boasts one of the biggest Buddha statues in Vietnam, which sits serenely on a five-meter wide circular base and is 27 meters tall. Other spiritual locations on the Hill include a monastery, shrines, and cathedrals.
Goodbye Ba Na Hills and Hello Hoi An
Now I must sort out my photos on Hoi An and Dan Nang to include in my next article as I am still thinking of the amazing ride on the cable car. I have taken a few cable car rides around the world including Switzerland and but the Ba Na Hills cable car is the best due to its stunning views and you are riding amongst the clouds.
