Hue to Hoi An via Thanh Toan, the City of Ghosts and Hai Van Pass
At 8 am, your English-speaking Hoi An driver will come to pick you up for the journey to Hoi An.
Start the tour with a visit to Thanh Toan Covered Bridge, the oldest wooden bridge in Hue city, dating from 1776. It is an extraordinary bridge, as it is not only a regular bridge but also has a house built on it. In the middle of the bridge, the locals set up an altar to worship Ms Tran Thi Dao, the wife of a high-ranking servant under the Le dynasty. She donated all her savings and designed the bridge to connect both sides of the local canal.
You will also have a chance to visit the early morning local market. Unlike Dong Ba Market in Hue city centre, Thanh Toan village market is a truly local rural market.
After that, your driver will take you to the "City of Ghosts." Located in An Bang, a small quiet village at Thuan An Beach, this local cemetery features brilliantly coloured structures built on white sand and stretches along the roadside for 3 kilometres. The locals call it the "City of Ghosts." About 90 percent of the villagers have overseas relatives or family members living in western countries or the USA, and they have been sending money home, much of which is used to build graves. Mainly due to competition among villagers, there are many luxury graves costing fifty thousand US dollars for their ancestors, or even for family members who have not died yet. Some are even built in advance to be ready for their death.
The next place you will visit is Tam Giang Lagoon. Tam Giang Lagoon is the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia, with a total surface area of 22,000 hectares. All the big rivers in the area, such as the Perfume River, O Lau River, and Bo River, flow into Tam Giang Lagoon before reaching the East Sea. Many traditional craft villages are situated along these riverbanks, and the natural beauty and nearby mangrove forests have made the lagoon a popular tourist destination.
After that, stop at Lap An Lagoon to have a light lunch with a fabulous view over the vast 800-hectare lagoon. The local fishing village has small basket boats, fishing boats, huge fishing nets, and oyster farms.
After lunch, continue to Hai Van Pass (Ocean and Clouds Pass). The pass once marked the border between two countries: Dai Nam in the north and the Champa Kingdom in the south. Nowadays, it forms the boundary between Hue city and Da Nang. From the top of the pass, you can enjoy panoramic views of Hue and Da Nang.
The last stop is the Marble Mountains, a cluster of five marble and limestone mountains representing the five essential elements that create the Universe. Inside the caves, there are many beautiful Buddha sculptures - some shaped by erosion and others by the skilful hands of local artists in the area. On the peak of the Water Mountain, you will admire the wonder of nature.
Drive safely back to your hotel in Hoi An.
