The hotel reception has been very helpful in planning my schedules. First day it was the river cruise and the next it was the Son Tra Peninsula visit. Hence, I had no hesitation in booking a Ba Na Hills tour also through the hotel reception. I was picked up from the hotel at 8 am to join a tour group to visit Ba Na Hills, a popular tourist destination and theme park located about 30 km out of Da Nang city. The hill resort and amusement park is on a mountain peak in the Truong Son mountain range.
The French, during their occupation till 1945, had developed the vacation spot, replete with villas and a resort, to escape the heat of Hue, their capital city. With their departure the locals destroyed much of their heritage to display their animosity of the occupiers. In 2000 the Vietnamese government decided to rebuilt the place and add attractions to market it as a tourist destination. They have more than succeeded, going by the footfalls the Hills receive throughout the year.
The attraction is known for its beautiful scenery, French-style architecture, and diverse entertainment options, including a cable car ride, indoor and outdoor games, and cultural performances. Visitors can also enjoy various activities such as hiking, visiting the flower gardens, or taking a panoramic view from the Golden Bridge, which is a 150-meter long pedestrian bridge that appears to be held up by two giant stone hands.
All tourist brochures highlight the Golden Bridge when they promote a visit to the Ba Na Hills. The bridge provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains and forests. It is a stunning architectural masterpiece with a unique design that gives visitors the illusion of walking on a ribbon of gold floating above the lush green landscape. The bridge has quickly became a popular attraction, drawing in visitors from all over the world.
At the top of the Hill one can wander along the French Village with photo opportunities in plenty. Every turn captures your attention, be it archways, balconies, vintage cars and bikes. Cobble stone streets with French music wafting in the air, cafes, fountains, statues, town square and many such transport you to a medieval European ambience.
The landscaped garden, the Le Jardin d’amour, has nine different gardens designed in different styles such as a garden maze, a giant chessboard, a peacock showing off and a ceramic lady in a fluid dance pose. There are hundreds of hedges, balustrades and blooms to test one’s photography skills.
As can be expected in a theme park there are many thrills and rides in the Fantasy Park entertainment area. There are video arcades, mirror maze and bumper cars on one level, cinemas on another and a 3D 360 degree immersive experience in the mega cinema on the third level.
Most of these are not covered by the entry ticket and have to be paid for separately. But, the biggest adventures are the 30 metre twist and drop tower – not for the faint of heart – and the Alpine Coaster, a roller coaster ride. Besides these, there is a wax museum, in which 48 real life wax statues of famous personalities are on display, and the Debay Wine Cellar, where one can taste wine. The Wine Cellar is the only true remnant of the erstwhile French resort. The cellar, being deep into the mountain, could store wine between 16 and 20 degree Celsius.
Vietnam has many spiritual structures on mountain tops, such as in Son Tra Peninsula, and the Ba Na Hills is no exception. The Linh Ung Pagoda at 1500 metres above the sea level offers panoramic views of the entire complex and the hills surrounding it. The pagoda also boats one of the biggest Buddha statues in the country, the Zen Monastery and the Holy Mother Shrine. Thus, there is something for any kind of visitor, be it the spiritualist, the adventurer, the romantic, the gastronome or the explorer.
The only way up to the Ba Na Hills is via the cable cars and, for this reason, the entry ticket also includes the cable car round trip rides. The cable car infrastructure in Ba Na Hills is considered to be among the most impressive in the world. There are four different cable car systems supporting the Ba Na Hills attractions depending on where you want to go. A fifth cable system as well as other attractions are under development. The cable cars are also a way to appreciate the incredible beauty of the surrounding hills and eco system. It is said that, on a clear day, one can see as far as Da Nang and the shoreline.
What amazed me was the superb infrastructure, great industry and discipline, clockwork precision and hospitality of the staff. There were zillions of smiles all around. Besides the numerous options for food everywhere, those in tour groups are served a buffet lunch of the most amazing variety. Thousands are served on two levels without any confusion or jostling. The entry and exit to cable cars and entertainment areas are well regulated too, ensuring that untoward incidents are avoided.
It had become a bit dark when it was time to return to the base station. There were rumblings in the air, with a sliver of lightning or two and a touch of rain. When we were all back in the tourist van the guide told us that the cable cars had to be stopped for a while due to the thunder.
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