Hai Van Pass
Encyclopedia
The Hải Vân Pass is an approximately 2 mile long mountain pass
on National Road 1A in Vietnam. It traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range
that juts into the South China Sea
, on the border of Đà Nẵng
and Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
, near Bach Ma National Park
. Its name refers to the mists that rise from the sea, reducing visibility. Historically, the pass was a physical division between the kingdoms of Champa
and Dai Viet.
The twisting road on the pass has long been a challenge for drivers traveling between the cities of Huế
and Đà Nẵng. Since the completion of Hai Van Tunnel
, traffic flow and safety have improved. The pass has been the scene of at least two of Vietnam's most serious rail accidents
, and at least one air crash.
) Range that emerges from the west and juts into the South China Sea
, forming the Hai Van Peninsula and the adjoining Son Tra Island. The pass, which once formed the boundary between the kingdoms of Dai Viet and Champa
, also forms a boundary between the climates of northern and southern Vietnam, sheltering the city of Da Nang from the "Chinese winds" that blow in from the northwest. During the winter months (November–March), for instance, weather on the north side of the pass might be wet and cold, while the south side might be warm and dry.
The pass is renowned for its scenic beauty. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson
, host of the BBC
motoring programme Top Gear, featured the pass during the show's 2008 Vietnam Special
, calling the road "a deserted ribbon of perfection—one of the best coast roads in the world."
—the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia
—offers an alternative road across the pass, reducing travel times by at least an hour.
, and at least one air crash.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
on National Road 1A in Vietnam. It traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range
Annamite Range
The Annamite Range or the Annamese Mountains is a mountain range of eastern Indochina, which extends approximately through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in northeast Cambodia. It is known in Vietnamese as Dãy Trường Sơn, in Lao as Xai Phou Luang , and in French as the Chaîne Annamitique...
that juts into the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
, on the border of Đà Nẵng
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
and Thừa Thiên-Huế Province
Thua Thien-Hue Province
Thừa Thiên-Huế is a province in the North Central Coast of Vietnam, approximately in the center of the country. It borders Quang Tri Provice to the north and Da Nang City to the south, Laos to the west and the South China Sea to the east. The province has 128 km of coastline, 22,000 ha of...
, near Bach Ma National Park
Bach Ma National Park
Bach Ma National Park is a protected area in central Vietnam, near the city of Hué. It covers 220 km² and comprises three zones: a strictly protected core area, an administrative area and a buffer zone....
. Its name refers to the mists that rise from the sea, reducing visibility. Historically, the pass was a physical division between the kingdoms of Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
and Dai Viet.
The twisting road on the pass has long been a challenge for drivers traveling between the cities of Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
and Đà Nẵng. Since the completion of Hai Van Tunnel
Hai Van Tunnel
The Hai Van Tunnel, the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia at 6.28km, lies on highway 1 between the two cities of Danang and Huế in central Vietnam.-History:The Hai Van Pass has long been recognised as a major bottleneck...
, traffic flow and safety have improved. The pass has been the scene of at least two of Vietnam's most serious rail accidents
Railway accidents in Vietnam
Railway accidents in Vietnam are common. According to statistics released by national railway company Vietnam Railways, 451 railway accidents were reported across the country's railway network in 2010, having caused 211 deaths and 284 injuries...
, and at least one air crash.
Overview
The Hai Van Pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son (AnnamiteAnnamite Range
The Annamite Range or the Annamese Mountains is a mountain range of eastern Indochina, which extends approximately through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in northeast Cambodia. It is known in Vietnamese as Dãy Trường Sơn, in Lao as Xai Phou Luang , and in French as the Chaîne Annamitique...
) Range that emerges from the west and juts into the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
, forming the Hai Van Peninsula and the adjoining Son Tra Island. The pass, which once formed the boundary between the kingdoms of Dai Viet and Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
, also forms a boundary between the climates of northern and southern Vietnam, sheltering the city of Da Nang from the "Chinese winds" that blow in from the northwest. During the winter months (November–March), for instance, weather on the north side of the pass might be wet and cold, while the south side might be warm and dry.
The pass is renowned for its scenic beauty. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, host of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
motoring programme Top Gear, featured the pass during the show's 2008 Vietnam Special
Top Gear: Vietnam Special
Top Gear: Vietnam Special is a special 75-minute episode of the motoring series Top Gear, which was broadcast on 28 December 2008 at 8:00 pm on BBC Two. An edited 46 minute edition of the show was broadcast on the UK TV channel Dave in the 8.00pm - 9.00pm slot on Monday 19 January 2009...
, calling the road "a deserted ribbon of perfection—one of the best coast roads in the world."
Transport
The pass is crossed by two main transport routes: Vietnam's main north–south highway, National Road 1A, and the North–South Railway. The road crosses over the mountain more or less directly, climbing to an elevation of 496 m (1,627.3 ft) and passing south of the 1172 m (3,845.1 ft) high Ai Van Son peak, while the railway hugs the coastline more closely, passing through a series of tunnels along the way. Since its opening in 2005, the Hai Van TunnelHai Van Tunnel
The Hai Van Tunnel, the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia at 6.28km, lies on highway 1 between the two cities of Danang and Huế in central Vietnam.-History:The Hai Van Pass has long been recognised as a major bottleneck...
—the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
—offers an alternative road across the pass, reducing travel times by at least an hour.
Accidents
Besides its beauty, the pass is also renowned for its difficulty. A poem by Nguyễn Phúc Chu (1675–1725) describes Hai Van as "the most dangerous mountain in Vietnam" . Visibility on the pass is often reduced by the eponymous mists that rise from the sea. Along with the road's winding route through the pass, this posed a serious challenge for drivers before the construction of the Hai Van Tunnel. The Hai Van Pass has also been the scene of at least two of Vietnam's most serious rail accidentsRailway accidents in Vietnam
Railway accidents in Vietnam are common. According to statistics released by national railway company Vietnam Railways, 451 railway accidents were reported across the country's railway network in 2010, having caused 211 deaths and 284 injuries...
, and at least one air crash.
- June 24, 1953 – 1953 Col des Nuages derailment: "About 100 or more" were killed when two locomotives and 18 cars of a passenger train plunged 50 feet through a sabotaged viaduct in the Col des Nuages, now known as the Hai Van Pass. Officials said that a strong explosive charge went off just as the train arrived at the viaduct, tumbling a 25-foot span into the ravine. The pass had frequently been the scene of attacks by the Viet MinhViet MinhViệt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
. - December 28th, 1969 - a United States Marine Corps CH-46 helicopter from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364HMM-364Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-46E Sea Knight transport helicopters...
, crashed in Hai Van pass. The aircraft had experienced radio problems while flying at night in instrument conditions. All on board the aircraft were killed in the crash. A portion of the tail pylon, showing the squadron emblem is on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. - March 12, 2005 – 2005 Phú Lộc derailment: An express passenger train on the North-South RailwayNorth-South Railway, VietnamThe Vietnam North-South Railway, also known as the Reunification Express, is a railway that runs from Ha Noi to Ho Chi Minh City. The total length of this railway is , with a gauge of metre gauge...
derailed north of the Pass, in Phu LocPhu LocPhu Loc is a district of Thua Thien-Hue Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 149,418. The district covers an area of 728 km²...
district, Thừa Thiên-Huế ProvinceThua Thien-Hue ProvinceThừa Thiên-Huế is a province in the North Central Coast of Vietnam, approximately in the center of the country. It borders Quang Tri Provice to the north and Da Nang City to the south, Laos to the west and the South China Sea to the east. The province has 128 km of coastline, 22,000 ha of...
, killing 11 people and injuring hundreds, many of which were in a serious condition after the crash. The accident occurred while the train was traveling southbound from HanoiHanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
to Ho Chi Minh cityHo Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.