One of the sights that convinced me to spend a fortnight in Vietnam was that of two life-size hands ancient and moist, hold the curved bridge against the flat panoramic horizon views beyond. The picture, which had gone viral on Instagram, instantly etched itself into my travel plans. That was the moment I knew I had to see the Golden Hand Bridge at Ba Na Hills for myself.
Ba Na Hills lies about an hour’s drive from Da Nang, and my excitement was such that I couldn’t wait. I booked a tour through my hostel and set off for the hills even before I’d officially checked into my room.
Despite my eagerness, I hadn’t done much research beyond that viral photo. Was it a trek up to the magnificent bridge? A quiet spot in the mountains? Or just a nice ride up the hill to see the bridge? I had no idea. But as the journey unfolded, I discovered that Ba Na Hills had surprises of its own—some delightful, others not quite what I had imagined.
Around 7 a.m., I set off on a guided tour to Ba Na Hills — an experience I’d been eagerly waiting for. Booking the tour was a breeze, and it included everything I needed: hotel pick-up and drop-off, entry tickets, a delicious lunch buffet at Ba Na Hills, plus morning and evening coffee breaks. Back in 2023, the entire package cost me just $45 — an easy choice for the convenience it offered. (Check Headout.com for a good deal for the tour)
If you’re the adventurous kind, you can skip the tour altogether and rent a bike for about $5 a day. The ride itself is said to be beautiful, winding through misty hills and small villages on the way up. The entrance ticket will cost you around $30 (check the latest prices). Or take my suggestion and get a ticket online – it includes a shuttle bus from Da Nang.
In an hour’s time we were there at the entrance. The only way to get to Ba Na Hills is via the cable car and that itself is an attraction. It is one of the longest non-stop cable cars in the world. The cable ride is almost 20 minutes long with mesmerizing views of the forests below and a bird’s eye view of the horizon of the city far away sitting by the shore.
As the cable car drew closer to the hilltop, the landscape began to reveal its secret. Ba Na Hills isn’t a quiet retreat but a full-blown wonderland. The mountaintop has been transformed into the vibrant SunWorld theme park, complete with roller coasters, lively street performances, a 3D theatre, and the exhilarating Flying Swing. Ba Na Hills will take you by surprise — it’s far more than you could ever imagine finding perched atop a misty mountain.
They say Ba Na Hills, perched high in the Truong Son Mountains, can experience three or even four different weather patterns in a single day. We were lucky — the skies stayed kind to us with no sign of rain. As our cable car ascended, the clouds thickened around us, and for a moment it felt like we were passing right through them. When we emerged on the other side, we arrived at the first level of the theme park, wrapped in cool mountain air and soft mist.
Level 1 of the park
Golden Hand Bridge is prettier than the pictures
You don’t have to wait for long to be at the world famed Golden Hand Bridge. If you start at the level 1 of the Theme Park, the Golden Bridge is the first thing you come across.
Regardless of the time, the Golden Bridge is always crowded – it’s an international sensation after all. From far, I tried to measure in the munificence of this marvel. Treading on it was a different affair – the panoramic view from there, the enormous fingers jutting out, and the moist air makes up for every thought or question that had ever come across you while planning for Vietnam.
Board the Funicular Train
While walking is always an option, and a much better way to catch on every detail in the park – the little red train creaking slowly by the quiet forest is a sweet change amidst all the pompous. And best it connects all the places you need to hop down at. It connects different dots like the Eternal Square to the Golden Bridge.
The intimacy of the Debay Wine Cellar
The funicular train can bring you here – Ga Le Jardin from D’amour Station. From there you can find your way to the Wine Cellar, an inviting place built by the French in 1923. The cellar was built deep tunnel inside the peak where the cool temperature is ideal to preserve wine.
The serenity at the Linh Ung Pagoda and its Gardens
You must have known by now, that I hardly leave a chance to be at a Pagoda or monastery. But certainly, I wasn’t expecting to find one in a Theme Park. But it does leave you both surprised and spiritually healed. You start with the variety of gardens that spread out to the Ling Ung Pagoda and the Shyakamuni Buddha – the Mandarin Garden, Mysterious Garden, and the Dream Stream Garden.
On a clear day, the views from the Pagoda of the Da Nang city and its shores beyond, are way more than what the word ‘panoramic’ can define. The breeze is cool and crisp, and there is a feeling of tranquillity hung in the air here, amidst all the touristy chaos. I stayed there for some time, in the embrace of the genteel clouds, and the misty air. I guess it was quite a good start to the day!
Level 2 of the park
Roam around the French Village
While Level 1 offers beautifully landscaped gardens that set the tone for what lies ahead, Level 2 transports you to the heart of rural France. But before you get there, there is a whole set of French architecture hotels that stand in a semi-circle. Some of the names you will see there are Hotel De Lyon, Hotel De Bordeaux, and Hotel De Toulouse. These hotels aren’t just for show; you can stay in them and soak in the old-world charm.
And the cobbled lanes lined with ‘French’ cafés, bistros, and hotel lobbies adorned with Gothic colonial touches, completes the illusion. Every corner seems to have been designed to make you forget you’re still in Vietnam and transport you to a European old town.
But Ba Na Hills does keep reminding you that it’s not touristy, but a fairytale come alive. And the biggest act here is put up by its fickle weather. Just as we were admiring the view, a thick mist rolled in, wrapping the hills in a ghostly white veil. Within minutes, visibility dropped to almost zero, turning the entire scene into an ethereal dreamscape.
We made way for our buffet lunch, with a hope that weather may clear in an hour. The buffet restaurant was a sprawling affair. The spread was massive – with options ranging from Asian to Western cuisines. Counters brimmed with steaming Vietnamese pho, soups, an unlimited offer of fresh meat (of your choice – and a wide range), fresh spring rolls, sushi, grilled meats, pasta, and a tempting array of desserts. We grabbed our seats by the glass wall from where we could watch clouds drift past as we enjoyed our meal. That was literally akin to dining in the sky.
A moment at the Beer Plaza
The Beer Plaza is another eatery. Unlike the French structure, this is an elliptical glass dome with two entrances. Right outside the plaza is where festivals take place on the square. I stayed there for some moments, as classic jazz music filled the air. There were dance performances, which we enjoyed for some moments, and then moved on.
Right next to the Beer Plaza is the ‘Sun God Waterfall’ or the King Helios waterfall.
The change of season
Yeah, I’ve learnt to call it season now, and not weather as you would expect me to. The shift from misty skies to clear blue one, call for a lexicon of season. As the skies cleared, we could see the elegance in the golden hues of the sculptures at the King Helios waterfall. On either side of the waterfall of statues are stairs leading to an elevated garden.
The elegance of the open spaces in the French village
Honestly, the so-called French village is anything but a village — or particularly French, for that matter. With its open spaces, ornate staircases, Gothic-style architecture, and cobbled pathways, it reminded me more of Edinburgh than of a quaint French hamlet. Yet, the charm lies in its details — the cozy cafés lining the streets, the quaint souvenir shops, small museums, art galleries, and the lively open market scenes — all of which give this place a distinct character and sets it apart from anything you would have ever seen.
Walk a bit further until you reach the Eternal square, where lies the Fantasy Park with all its indoor rides, and a haunted house. Next to it is a wax museum which we missed. And then there was something I had waited for a long time – the Alpine Coaster.
One last look of the Golden Bridge
The Sun had drawn its last reserves of fuel, when our tour guide called us to return to our base. As the day ended, I took one last lingering look at the Golden Bridge, now bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, with its giant hands appearing ethereal against the misty hills. On the way back down, the cable car offered a completely different view with clouds drifting lazily over the dense green canopy below. I was too tired to click pictures of the landscape as we came down.
Once at the base, I decided to pause for a cup of Vietnamese coffee, to bring the perfect calm after a day of awe and adventure. On our way back, random street sights of a local vendor arranging bright dragon fruits, a child chasing a balloon, and people just going by doing their daily business, somehow felt just as magical as everything atop the Ba Na hills. It seemed that everything existed as gentle reminder that beauty often lingers even after the destination ends.
