Da Nang has a 67-meter-tall compass

After a week of rain, the sky finally peeked through this morning. And the first thing the people of Da Nang look up to find isn't the sun. It's her.

The Lady Buddha statue on Son Tra Peninsula is 67 meters tall and stands on a lotus pedestal 35 meters wide, its back resting against the mountain and its face turned toward the sea. It was built from 2004 to 2010. Inside the statue there are 17 floors. Anyone can read those numbers at the pagoda gate.

But there's one thing not written at the pagoda gate: in this city, she is the compass.

Standing anywhere on the beach, from My Khe to Non Nuoc, as soon as you see her, you know you're looking north. Walking along the Han River, when you see Lady Buddha appear behind the row of houses, you know you're heading toward the sea. Newcomers who don't know the roads yet only need to remember one thing: wherever she is, the sea is there, and the mountains are behind her.

Fishermen don't need anyone to show them the way. The basket boats head out to sea before daybreak and return just as the sky begins to brighten, and the white landmark on the hill is the first thing that comes into view when they turn their bows toward shore. Generations past found their way home by the mountain peak. This generation finds it by her.

Two beaches, two trades, just a few kilometers apart — yet the same landmark to look up at.

During the past few rainy days, she disappeared. The clouds sank halfway down Son Tra, and the whole headland was swallowed in gray; from the beach, all you could see was water and mist. The city had lost its landmark, and people realized they missed it more than they had thought.

This morning the Lady appeared again. Hazy, but clear enough to tell that the rain has eased. The forecast says that from midweek there will only be drizzle, and the sun will come out again. In Da Nang, you don't need to check the news. Just look up at Son Tra, and if you can see her, the weather is clearing up.

But if you go all the way up there and stand at her feet looking back, you'll see the opposite: the whole city lies neatly within an arc, from Hai Van to Ngu Hanh Son. She sees everything. And everything sees her.

Head up Son Tra early. There are a few spots on the road to watch out for, noted here. For the quiet beaches at the foot of the mountain, see this post.

Photos: Contributeur2019, Christophe95, Alexkom000, CEphoto/Uwe Aranas — Wikimedia Commons.