Hai Van Pass

When the humid, warm air of the South China Sea meets the foothills of the Truong-Son Mountains directly on the coast, it veils the mountains in a foggy haze. A fog to which the Hai Van Pass owes its name: the Cloud Pass.It forms the natural border between North and South Vietnam, between the Da Dang and Thua Thien-Hue provinces. And it is a meteorological divide too: for example, in winter, the north can be cold and wet, while to the south it is dry and mild. Until the completion of the Hai Van tunnel in 2005 the pass was one of the most important transport links in the country. It has been fought over for centuries - including during the Vietnam War, as evidenced to this day by the ruins of French and American bunkers at the higher elevations of the pass.Now, the Hai-Van Pass is a popular excursion and tourist destination. Not without reason: It offers some of the most impressive winding stretches in all of Southeast Asia and with its outlooks onto mountains, bays and the sea is one of the most beautiful coast roads in the world.Cloud 9 for all those who measure life in experiences per metre.