Getting to the top of Hai Van Pass in Vietnam takes some effort: the fort stands 490 meters above the sea, and the climb up its stairs is enough to leave visitors out of breath.
- 490 m above sea level
- Fort by Emperor Minh Mang, 1826
- Reopened August 2024 after a three-year restoration
- Entry: 70,000 dong (around ₱150)
Where the name comes from
The name Hai Van translates as "sea clouds." When mist drifts up from the ocean, the summit feels like it is floating in the sky.
A wedding-gift mountain
The area changed hands in 1306 as a wedding gift, when the king of Champa wed a Vietnamese princess and offered the land as his dowry.
Emperor Minh Mang put up the fort in 1826 to protect the road to Hue, then the imperial capital. French and Spanish forces attempted to break through at this point but failed.
The site later became a French military base and was afterwards taken over by the Americans, which is why old bunkers still stand near the gate.
Back from ruin
After years of neglect, the fort went through a three-year restoration costing over 42 billion dong. It opened to visitors again in August 2024, and a ticket costs 70,000 dong, roughly ₱150.
Video and photos: BNNO Travel.