My Vietnamese Pilgrimage

---

13.JUN.2009. Ba Na Hills Station. One of the most interesting things to do while in Da Nang is to visit Ba Na Hills Station. This former French Colonial retreat spot is located on top of a mountain, accessible only via a twenty-minute ride in a cable car.

The cable car facility sets two world records for being the longest and highest non-stop cable car. While riding the cable car I was very much struck in awe by the engineering feat of it all: more than 5 km in length and more than one km in elevation. I was also perplexed by the lack of roads leading to the many pylons that support the cable. VC's tunnels similar to those found in the infamous Cu Chi Tunnel? I'm not so sure and anything is possible. After all this is Vietnam.

Another thing that pre-occupied my mind was the cost of it all. How was anyone supposed to make a return on their investment in a project such as this? They couldn't possibly envisage of generating a profit by charging an equivalent of $AU 2.00 return trip to Ba Na Hills Station?

I found the answer to my mind rumbling question when I was on top of the mountain and saw the tennis court.

Apparently and tennis wise the high altitude, low temperature and oxygen are ideal conditions for training for the French Open. Therefore, I was guessing that they must be charging an arm and a leg for the tennis court. But the lack of VN tennis players attending Roland Garros each year tells me something else altogether. Maybe they're missing an arm or a leg. And why would anyone want to play tennis up here?

Another thing to see at Ba Na Hills Station is the statue of a sitting Buddha. This giant and white statue can be barely seen at the base of the mountain. But as the cable car draws near to the top of the mountain and due to the sun shinning on it, the statue seems to radiate a light of its own. The size of this statue is quite impressive, probably the biggest one in the region. It was quite imposing to be standing next to it.

---

Photos

Ba Na Hills Station
Buddha statue at Ba Na Hills Station

Ba Na Hills Station (2)
View of Ba Na Hills Station from cable car.

Ba Na Hills Station (3)
Cable car ride to Ba Na Hills Station.

Ba Na Hills Station (4)
View of Da Nang from atop of Ba Na Hills Station.