Danang

 Danang 

We left Hue and drove out of the city going south. We drove past Dam Cau Hai which at over 22,000 and 70 kilometres long makes it the largest lagoon system in south east Asia.

We stopped overlooking Lang Co, another lagoon just along the coast.

It is a well known beach and resort area...

... but this particular area is a large oyster growing area. The rope on which the oysters are hung in bags are suppported by bouys between posts stuck in the sand. The next resort area is further along the coast. Just here it is a mass of plastic buoys.

We crossed the outlet from the lagoon to the sea. There is a new road that crosses the mouth of the river on a gentle up gradient and enters a long tunnel. We took the old road that weaves its way up the mountains slopes to cross a pass before descending again.

It was a scenic drive and without much traffic. Just some tourists who want to see the view from the pass. Plus some traffic not allowed through the tunnel, such as scooters and petrol tankers. We stopped at the top of the  Hải Vân Pass.

It was an important border post and customs collection point so a fortress was built here. It  was still importtant in later years and several modern pill boe were added to the defences.

One of th gates into the fortress.

A view inside the fortress gate.

A view of Danang Bay.

The tunnel and main road skirts to th west of the city. W were taking th old road that drops down to the bay, skirts the port area and goes through the centre of the city.

The Dragon Bridge, the yellow arches represent the coils of a dragon and at each end is the head or tail of a dragon.

We knew we were getting close to the Marble Mountain, as there were dozens of sculpting factories and shops selling anything made ut of marble, but usually they were statues of buddha and other gods and mythical creatures.

Another marble sculpture shop. 

All th statues used to be made from local stone but all local quarrying has been banned to preserve the mountain environment. Now stone from elsewhere is used instead.

The pergoda at the top of the hill. Visitors can walk up although few do in the heat. The elevator is less than USD1 equivalent each way.

A view from the top of one of the other marble mountains.

The pagoda at the top of the hill.

The view from the top looking the other way.

The base of the pagoda.

One of several temples.

A statue of buddha made from the local stone.

Another statue.

A shrine.

A gateway to another shrine.

Inside one of the caves.

A detail of the buddha in a cave. 

And then it was a half hour journey to our hotel in Hoi An.