Monkey Mountain Day Trip from Hoi An

Monkey Mountain Day Trip from Hoi An

Hundreds of travelers a day pass over Hai Van Pass though few ever make it to Son Tra, an area of infinite beauty and blissfully-free of souvenir vendors. This day trip takes you from the lowlands to the mountains, stopping at several other viewpoints along the way that few travelers will ever get to see.

8.30 Your guide and jeep will meet you at your hotel. We depart Hoi An and indulge in the rich cultural and scenic diversity of this beautiful region.

9.00 Our first stop is a unique 1,000 year Cham Temple. It is part of the ancient Cham culture and is unique in its architecture and remains relatively intact, despite the ravages of time and a number of wars.

9.30 We depart the ancient Cham temple and continue our journey through rural villages and hamlets making our way to another significant site: Hilltop 55.

10.00 Arriving at Hilltop 55, it becomes clear why the location was a strategic location during wartime. It was a key position in the Indochina wars and the Vietnam war, and was heavily contested. Presently a quiet place to stop and enjoy the views, we learn the history of the hill and enjoy the sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.

10.30 Returning to our jeep we move from the countryside to the city, where travel through Danang, the fastest growing city in Vietnam. Enjoy the contrasting scenes as you go: from ancient customs and traditions to modern sky scrapers and bridges. Heading to Son Tra, we experience the lush tropical vistas of the peninsula and maybe a monkey or two, rising 642 metres above the coast line. We also stop and visit a helipad that was used by the Americans in the Vietnam war. The panoramic views of Danang from the helipad are stunning.

12.00 We stop for a gourmet picnic lunch in the shade of an ancient tree.

13.00 Boarding the jeep, we continue snaking our way around the mountain. Enjoy the wind in your hair as we make our way to the Linh Ung Pagoda. The pagoda was constructed to commemorate the development of Vietnamese Buddhism in the 21st century and is famous for its beautiful 67 metre tall Goddess of Mercy statue standing on a lotus shaped platform. It is a very significant cultural site surrounded by stunning coastal views.

13.45 After exploring the pagoda we return to the Jeep to continue our descent from the mountain. Heading toward the Marble Mountains, we stop briefly at a small fishing village to enjoy the coracle and other fishing boats and watch the fishers go about their trade.

14.00 We arrive at the Marble Mountains. Its five mountains are named after five elements: metal, fire, wood, earth and water. They are home to numerous tunnels, pagodas, caves and many grottoes ready to be explored. Walk the stone stairs to the top of Thuy Son (Water Mountain) for a panoramic view of the nearby countryside. Thrill-seekers can even take an optional abseil into the depths of Hell’s Cave!

15.00 Return to the jeep to continue the return journey to Hoi An.

16.00 Arrive at hotel and the tour concludes.