An Update
It’s been another amazing couple of weeks. We returned this morning, July 5, from an anniversary trip. It is almost unreal to think that it was a year ago that we sat for hours on end waiting for our marriage approval. And ultimately saying our vows in a beautiful little ceremony on a rooftop in Da Nang. Yet here we are, a year in, and it has been one of the best years of both of our lives. We spent the last five days exploring a series of UNESCO marine wildlife reserves. Eight Vietnamese Islands in the South China sea, isolated for months out of the year due to typhoons and massive swells which inhibit transportation to the islands.
One ferry a day travels from Hoi An to the main Island. Leaving the mainland at 8 am, it travels to the main island and then returns. It was an isolated experience filled with the freshest seafood I’ve ever had and snorkeling on some of the most beautiful and unmolested coral reefs I’ve ever experienced. But all of this is a story for another day. This story is about a monastery in the clouds, an amusement park on a mountain, and a world stranger than fiction. So without further delay I give you “Ba Na Hill Station – The Roof of Da Nang”.
BA NA HILL STATION – THE ROOF OF DA NANG
Two things I have learned about Asia in my travels. One, the highest place in a region is referred to as its roof. Two, European colonizers referred to their mountain top retreats that were in the surrounding areas of their colonies as Hill Stations. For a few examples, Mt. Everest is the roof of the world. And Doi Inthanon, the tallest mountain in Thailand, is the roof of Thailand, and so forth and so on.
Most former European Colonies have Hill Stations. In many instances unsettled until Europeans arrived. As they often only served as places to cool off from the brutal summers. Usually un-farmable and difficult to reach. Vietnam has five former colonial Hill Stations, two of which I have visited. Ba Na, which we are visiting again today, and the city of Da Lat, that Diem and I visited a month or so ago.
The country that holds the record for most Hill Stations is of no surprise to me, India. India has 100’s of former British Hill Stations. Used by the British to cool off from the brutal Indian summers. After the revolt of 1857 however, the importance of Hill Stations in India increased as a place to retreat from more than just the heat.
The Night Before
It was decided that we would be journeying to the incredible Ba Na hill station on the morrow. But tonight we would take a walk through the neighborhood and enjoy a few unique delicacies. I just love walking around the neighborhood at night. The Christmas lights that fill the trees, the families, as ourselves, enjoying the cool reprieve from the blistering heat of the equatorial sun. Couples riding up on their motorbikes and ordering a quick snack. Then riding off to some beach side night picnic, or to just sit with friends on the ubiquitous plastic stools that line the sidewalks.
The Incredible Edible Egg
Not far from our apartment sits a little corner street vendor. She offers an interesting snack known as a Cambodian egg and various fruit beverages. Essentially the egg is punctured without destroying the shell. The egg is removed and combined with spices and seasoning, then poured back into the shell. The egg is then grilled over an open fire awaiting its hungry purchaser. Served with seasoned lime salt and fresh herbs, we ordered a plate with a few glasses of freshly sweetened coconut milk.
We sat on the sidewalk in the cool night air and enjoyed our snacks. The neighborhood was alive and vibrant. A very different scene from the one we left many weeks ago at the conclusion of the lockdown. I could live here forever, and one day I may. Diem and I have made the decision that though we may spend the next decade or more in the US, the endgame will always be Vietnam. Though I digress. The night was perfect, the air was sweet, and sleep must come early. For tomorrow will be a journey into a world beyond the clouds.
An Early Morning
We awakened to the bright sun long before seven. The idea was to be at the base station as early as possible. We wanted to maximize our time atop the Hill Station. Diem, in her traditional conservative Vietnamese values, dressed the girls to the nines for the beginning of our day. If nothing more than for the perfect picture to exhibit the start of our busy and adventurous day. After all, conservative beauty must be maintained in the dragon kingdom. And, I must admit, they were absolutely adorable.
The Áo dài
The girls were dressed in traditional matching Áo dài. If you have ever seen a Vietnamese woman in the quintessential Vietnamese formal attire, it was probably an Áo dài. It is, in my opinion, one of the most elegant and beautiful formal dresses in all of traditional wear from anywhere in the world. And its history is both interesting and internationally influenced. Developed from the áo ngũ thân, the formal wear of the last Imperial age of Vietnam.
The modern design was developed on the fashion runways of Paris in the early 20th Century. One can’t help but notice the influence of the former French overlords. A beautiful costume that combines European design with Vietnamese tradition and conservative values. It is such an iconic and unique symbol of Vietnam that it exists in every facet of culture to this day. Enter a luxury hotel, attend a traditional performance, drop your children off at school, or even enter a modern mall, you will more often than not be greeted by a woman dressed in a traditional Áo dài.
The Base Station
We loaded the SUV we had booked for the day, and made our way west out of Da Nang. It appeared that it would be a wonderful day as it was a relaxing quiet ride to the base station. A friend of Diem’s and her son had joined us, and we were expecting a rich, fun filled day of exploration. The base station was just as I had remembered. A towering citadel, only a few years old, but designed to invoke imagery of the ancient lords of Vietnam.
We took sometime to explore the base camp. It is full of beautiful architecture, coy ponds and hanging gardens. The grounds are filled with stone bridges, sculptures, and a large amount of traditional Vietnamese imagery. After getting some great shots we headed to the ticket booth to purchase our spot on what may be the highlight of the visit to the top of the mountain.
Ba Na Cable Car
I’ve spoken about the cable car before. European parts, Austrian and Swiss built, and it currently holds four Guinness world records. But two of them stand out. It is the longest cable car route in the world at 5,771 meters or 3.59 miles. In addition it has the greatest elevation change from departure station to destination station at 1,369 meters or 4,449.47 feet or .85 of a mile. It is a truly impressive ride. We made our way towards the departure station and awaited our steel and glass box that would take us into the clouds.
The ride up was as magnificent as I remember. Rising swiftly from just above sea level, the destination station sits at roughly 1487 meters or 4,878 ft above sea level. To put that into perspective, that height is just over the height of BrassTown Bald, the tallest point in the state of Georgia. Which in that case is many, many miles from the ocean. Here the height is reached 20 kilometers or just over 12 miles from the sea. It offers some amazing views to say the least.
The Golden Bridge
High atop the mountain just off the cable car sits the famous Golden Bridge of Da Nang. A beautiful arch that stretches out off the mountain top overlooking Da Nang Bay and the South China sea. We stumbled through a gallery area, a domed building connecting the bridge entrance with the cable car station, and walked out onto the bridge. Even with international tourism completely shutdown in Vietnam, the bridge was still packed with day trippers as ourselves.
It is no surprise really, as the Ministry of Tourism has ordered the slashing of prices to tourist destinations such as this, by as much as 70 percent. However, this of course only applies to Vietnamese nationals, I had to pay full price. I didn’t mind. It was great to see the bridge filled with those whom the mountain top was always in view, but often out of reach. So with a bit of humor and calculated movements, we waded through the countless selfies and group photo ops that had coalesced on the now famous bridge.
Going Down to Go Up
The bridge is a forced walk. You can not get to any other part of the mountaintop without first crossing the bridge. Across the bridge you have two options. The gardens of Ba Na, which we visited last year, complete with restored French villas. Or another cable car to a higher peak on the mountain. We didn’t make the higher levels of the mountain top last year, so we would focus our efforts there now.
We would need to board another cable car, only much smaller, and we would climb a reasonable distance further up the peak. But first we would need to take a funicular. The cable car station to the next height was on a flat outcrop on the side of the mountain. It was lower than our current elevation, so a short ride down the mountain to the next cable car station was required.
The Funicular
This was the first time I have ridden a funicular. In fact, I had only ever heard of one once before. Discussed briefly in a Bill Bryson book titled “Notes From a Small Island”. A funicular is very European. Essentially a cabled train car that runs on a track and connects two points separated by a steep elevation. It is by definition a counterbalance system, whereas two cars connected by cables move opposite each other. At the midway point in the track it splits into two parallel tracks to allow the two cars to pass.
Given the nature of the car in steep terrains, the cars are designed in a step formation to allow one to stand upright whilst traveling steeply downhill. We rode only a short distance to the next station, but the elevation change was impressive. At the bottom of the funicular track I stopped to take a picture of the top funicular station. It almost seemed to be directly above us a hundred feet or more. It put into perspective the steepness of the descent.
Onward and Upward
The next cable car was cute, small, in a circular seating arrangement and yellow. We loaded the car and headed off towards the next station. The cable car terminates in a restoration of a French Village near the summit. As we rose in the mountain, and came ever closer to the station, the scene turned into something out of a fantasy novel.
The technologically modern cable cars, complete with music and information, were heading into an image on the mountain that seemed frozen in time. It was a striking contrast, beautiful, intriguing, and unexpected. We made our way into the station and disembarked onto the lower section of the summit known as the French Village.
A Brief History
The first recorded exploration of the mountain top comes from French archives dating to 1901. The then Governor General of Indochina, Paul Doumer, commissioned Captain Marin Debay to search for a cool mountain top. The purpose was to establish a retreat for French colonial aristocrats to escape the coastal jungle heat.
It would take many years of difficult exploration of the area around Da Nang before a suitable sight was discovered. With dense, steep mountains, the search was slow and laborious. It was 18 years after the search began before the first tourists escaped to the cool reaches of Ba Na in 1919. Building massive French Villas and constructing the buildings in a French architectural style, the colonists built a French town on a mountaintop in central Vietnam. It would grow to be the shining retreat in Southeast Asia. Rivaling the famous retreats of Le Bockor (Cambodia), Cap Saint Jacques in Vung Tau, Tam Dao, and even Sa Pa .
A Rapid Decline and Meteoric Rebirth
The war years however, would see the retreat all but forgotten. The once beautiful and luxurious villas would fall into ruin and by the mid 40’s the retreat was abandoned. The jungle would retake the mountaintop and it would fade away into the annals of French colonial history. That is until the mid 90’s when Vietnam began its efforts to raise its status to global player in both economy and tourism.
A committee was established to determine the feasibility of reclaiming the ruinous sight and turning it into a tourist attraction for the new era. Sun Group, a Vietnamese amusement park company, took on the task in 2007. In another historical oddity, Sun Group was one of Vietnam’s first private startup companies, established out of the understanding that Vietnam needed to privatize the economy. Sun Groups first task was rebuilding Ba Na Hill Station. It was an important task. Not only to rebuild the resort, but also to prove the abilities of private firms in the Vietnamese economy.
A Side Note
There was one sight on the mountain still “operational”. In 1931, the golden age of Ba Na, locals and French alike established a shrine on the highest point of the mountaintop. Buddhist in design, but not necessarily in practice. The shrine was dedicated to the “Holy Mother”, and in a strange twist of fait, was the only sight on the mountaintop that remained unscathed after colonial revolt and two major wars spanning over three decades.
From Ashes to Tourist Boom
The first cable car passenger was taken to the top of the mountain on March 25, 2009 and it was an immediate success. Within the first year of Ba Na’s opening, tourism in Da Nang increased by 463 percent. Helping to create an economic boom that would propel the once sleepy coastal city into one of the most dynamic destinations in Asia.
In 2007 it is estimated that about 30,000 visitors a year made their way to the top. Mostly to explore the old French ruins. Often traveling by motorbike or private van, and often on dangerous and flood prone roads. Within the first ten years of operation that yearly number would increase by a factor of 160 times. In 2019 the 30,000 number was often reached in a matter of a couple of days. Today Ba Na is 23rd in tourist destinations by annual visitors worldwide, and 11th in all of Asia. That is an impressive turnaround for a sight that was nothing more than a few ruins on an abandoned mountaintop 15 years ago.
The French Village
The French village that sits off the top cable car station is, well, magnificent. Claimed to be designed and built on the travel manuscripts of the French missionary Pierre Pigneau de Behaine. Pierre Pigneau de Behaine was the first missionary to establish a Christian presence in Vietnam, and helped to preserve the Nguyen Dynasty. He has a bit of a fabled relationship with the psyche of Vietnam.
The French village here, designed off of his experiences traveling through the old towns of France, is marvelous. It is powerful, stunningly beautiful, and appearing to be more like the set of a movie than a tangible place. The Cathedral on the grounds is a replica of, and I personally love this, the Basilica of St. Denis in the Saint Denis suburb of northern Paris. In addition were beautiful fountains, domed Byzantine styled buildings, German beer gardens and jesters on stilts taking photos. The whole scene had this wild Harry Potter like feel that was so incredibly out of place in central Vietnam. But it was also so incredibly wonderful.
An Architectural Side Note
A few weeks after visiting Ba Na we were attending Sunday Church services and had a guest pastor. His name was Geral, and his wife’s name started with an S. I don’t mean to be rude on that fact, I can pronounce it, but I can not spell it. They were from South Africa, and her name was traditional. He had been the associate pastor at the Church we attend here in Vietnam, Da Nang International Fellowship.
A friend of ours invited us to lunch after Church and Geral and his wife joined us. They had been back in South Africa for a few years now, but had come back to visit. Strangely enough we were on the same flight into Da Nang on March 11th, though we did not know each other at the time. Like me, they were now in Vietnam for the long haul. But it’s their story of how they came to Vietnam the first time that was so interesting.
She is an architect and sculptor. She was commissioned out of South Africa by Sun Group back in 2010. A pioneer with another sculptor, her mentor in South Africa, in a designer building technique. She had come to Vietnam to work on the construction and rehabilitation of the French Village in Ba Na hills. Geral came with her. He used the opportunity to help establish a church in Da Nang, a feat unheard of ten years ago. The very Church Diem and I attend now, and the Church that Diem was baptized through. It was a fascinating lunch and some wonderful conversation. but now we must return to Ba Na Hills.
A Quick Snack
The girls had become hungry so we stopped at a little sausage stand and grabbed a quick snack. We ordered a few frankfurters on a stick and sat in the cool mountain air. Just off the main square of the village was a nondescript area off to the side. The entrance was beautiful. A large column of steps bordered and divided by dragon carved marble railings. Accompanied with beautiful flower beds and deep planters sprouting water lilies. It was beautiful, inviting and strangely empty. It was up those stairs and into the area known as the spiritual zone that I was headed next.
The Spiritual Zone
The Holy Mother shrine is still accessible to mountain visitors today and I was determined to find it now. The marble staircase twisted around up the mountain and eventually forked in two. All of my travel companions had decided to stay behind, no doubt uninterested in climbing the seemingly countless steps up to the summit and holy sight. At the fork sat a beautiful tea house. Overlooking the coast below, it was traditional in every way. Removal of your shoes was required and you would sit on the floor in a lotus position. I took some wonderful pictures, but tea was not why I was here and I pressed on.
Linh Phong Stupa
For quite some time as I climbed the stairs and walked the paths, the stupa towered in and out of sight through the trees as I trudged on. When finally I turned a corner and the entrance to the stupa came into view. The path split onto the stupa grounds with a massive marble relief dividing the entrance. Beautifully carved with the four sacred animals of Vietnam, the dragon, the tiger, the tortoise and the phoenix.
I stepped onto the platform of the stupa and beheld the Four Heavenly Kings. The cardinal keepers of the realm, they are ancient Buddhist gods that stand watch upon the four thrones of the north, south, east and west. The heavenly kings are believed to represent the four virtues.
Tứ Thiên Vương, the Four Heavenly Kings
Đa Văn Thiên, the chief of the kings and protector of the north. Ruling over the rains, he is accompanied with the umbrella and is the symbol of regal sovereignty. Tăng Trưởng Thiên, king of the south and ruler of the wind. Possessing a sword, he is associated with natural growth and military prowess. Trì Quốc Thiên, King of the east and the god of music. Possessing a stringed instrument, he represents harmony and compassion and is the protector of humanity. Finally Quảng Mục Thiên, the king of the west and he who sees all. Associated with the serpent or dragon, always watching over humanity.
After studying the beautiful statues of the four heavenly kings I made my way to the stupa itself. An entrance at the southwest of the stupa held a shrine to the great Buddha, whom the four heavenly kings were sworn to protect. I paid my respects to the Zen master and made my way further in towards the shrine and the monastery.
Linh Phong Monastery
The path seemed to go on forever. Long stretches of beautiful marbled path through the mountaintop forest, more stairs and more turns. After quite some time I turned a corner and stood in front of a massive wooden door that opened into a courtyard. A massive wooden wall decorated with stone dragons at the one doorway in the center. It was the entrance to the Linh Phong Monastery, and somewhere inside was the shrine to the Holy Mother.
The Monastery was beautiful. A large courtyard sat at its center and was filled with marble and stone sculptures. As well as beautifully decorated planters, depicting dragons and lotus flowers, blooming with pink and purple water lilies. The courtyard was flanked by two covered walkways decorated with statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, Buddha, and other Buddhist iconography. As well as a beautiful bronze bell that was being rung with other drums and bells around the sight. The monastery was active and in the middle of a prayer time.
Meditation
I walked into the main pagoda and found a monk in deep prayer. He was striking an inverted bell and a round drum. Rung in harmony with the other instruments being struck outside. It was a very powerful moment. In an effort to be very respectful, I removed my shoes and made no sounds. There were signs requesting only those wishing to pray or meditate to enter, so I quietly positioned myself behind the monk and began prayerful meditation. This was the shrine of the Holy Mother, and it was an amazing sight and experience.
I became lost in time and presence and drifted away. Eventually I heard some other travelers talking in the courtyard behind me and I came back to this world. I took this as a good opportunity to quietly make my exit. I walked out of the courtyard and back onto the path feeling very at peace and in a reflective attitude.
The Belfry
I continued down the path as it seemed to keep going and I had the suspicion I would eventually come to the fork I converged at earlier. But not just yet, as I took another turn I discovered another spiritual sight. A courtyard housing a rather large happy Buddha and a classical two story belfry pagoda. The belfry sat on the highest point of the mountain, and its second floor loft offered an unbelievable view.
I climbed the steps to the loft and awed at the massive 1 ton, beautifully carved bronze bell that hung at its center. The inscription on the bell read. “Echoes of the bell pervade the air and dissolve into nothingness of the wild, soothing our mortal hearts as if we are allowed to enter the divine and eternal nirvana”. The view was absolutely amazing. I could see the stupa and other pagodas from the belfry and it gave a very Himalayan monastery feel to the whole scene. It was incredibly impressive.
Getting In a Little Bit of Trouble
I eventually made my way down the belfry and started towards the path. Just as I did an out of breath, hand on her knees Diem popped into view. Uh oh, I was in trouble. I had completely lost track of time and had been exploring the spiritual mountain top for some time. The girls had become anxious and it was time to find something on the other side of the mountaintop for their enjoyment. I hurried down to the girls who were waiting with our friends with Diem scolding me much of the way.
Fantasy Park
With my Zen moment behind me we headed to the family park on Ba Na designed for the little kid in all of us. Aptly named Fantasy park, the multi storied indoor amusement park is the third largest indoor amusement park in the world. The park was designed and built to invoke, you guessed it, famous French author Jules Verne. Think “journey to the center of the earth” and “10,000 leagues under the sea”. Have you found the pattern yet?
A very steampunk meets late 19th century, it boasts a 3 story rock climbing wall, amusement rides, obstacle courses, 4D theaters, a wax museum, a Jurassic world, and a scaled down 5 story indoor version of the acrophobia from six flags over Georgia, and many other carnival and amusement things to do. The girls played and I watched everyone’s stuff. But that is what fathers do at amusement parks. After several hours we made our way back to the French village so I could explore the Cathedral of St. Denis. As I had not had the chance earlier.
Down The Mountain
The hour was growing late, and the lack of motivation on everyone’s part was proof that it was getting time to go. There was a cable car station at the French village that headed to a different station at the base of the mountain, so we hopped on it. In addition there was a tram that would take us to the main station where our transportation was waiting. It was well after 5pm when we headed back to the city. We had been on the move since before 6 this morning and I think we were all just ready to shower and lay down.
It was an awesome day on the mountaintop of Ba Na hills. We would have a little downtime coming up before we headed north to the Imperial city of Hue. It’s a city I’ve tried to get to since I first arrived in Vietnam almost two years ago, and now I would finally get my chance.
Click Here for our post on the Hill Station from a year ago.
or Click Here for a short video of our the cable car ride to the top of the hill station and back
also Click Here for a short video of the monastery at the top of the mountain
