A contender for the most famous road in Vietnam, the Hai Van Pass is a short but scenic route winding around a mountainside above the East Sea, on the central coast. Đèo Hải Vân – Ocean Cloud Pass – is famous for a number of reasons: as a geographic and political boundary between ancient kingdoms; as a climatic divide between the tropical south and the subtropical north; and as a strategic military post during times of war, both ancient and modern. But, most recently, the Hai Van Pass is famous, quite simply, as a great road trip linking the popular central Vietnamese destinations of Hoi An, Danang, and Hue.

For Vietnamese and foreign road-trippers alike, the Hai Van Pass is a favourite ride, its fame bolstered by the popularity of the Top Gear Vietnam Special (2008), in which the presenters waxed lyrical about the pass, inspiring a generation of travellers to take to the road on two wheels and hit the Hai Van Pass. Although it’s certainly not the greatest road in Vietnam, the Hai Van Pass is still a lot of fun to ride, with excellent views, light traffic, and easy access from several cities.

Source: asianwaytravel