Going to Son Tra, go early — some tips for those unfamiliar with the route

Son Tra Peninsula sits right next to the city center — riding a motorbike from downtown to the foot of the pass takes only about 15–20 minutes. It's so close that many locals treat Son Tra as a spot to ride up to in the morning and still make it back in time for work.

But it's best to go early. In the afternoon, the sloping road gets full sun and the asphalt surface reflects the heat back up, which stings quite a bit. Early morning is the opposite: the road is quiet, the air is cool, and the higher you go, the more pleasant it feels — the difference from down in the city is clearly noticeable on your skin.

One spot almost everyone stops at is Linh Ung Pagoda in Bai But. The 67-meter-tall statue of Avalokiteshvara (Goddess of Mercy) faces out to the sea, and standing at its base looking up is quite overwhelming — inside the statue there are also several levels of worship halls.

Going early means the temple courtyard is still quiet. By around 7–8 o'clock, visitors gradually crowd in and tour buses start arriving; before that, you mostly hear the sound of the bamboo broom sweeping leaves and the waves echoing up from below.

A few practical tips for those unfamiliar with the roads:

• Attire: this is a temple, so please wear something that covers your shoulders and goes past your knees — some visitors have been stopped right at the gate. • Vehicle: the road is steep with many sharp turns. If your scooter is underpowered or your brakes are worn, it's really not advisable to bring it. On the way down, absolutely do not turn off the engine and coast downhill. • Monkeys: they're real and very used to people. Don't carelessly hold food out, and don't feed them. • Gasoline: fill up down in town, there's no gas station on the peninsula.

At the foot of the peninsula there are a few small beaches, almost empty early in the morning. On the way down there are also bends that look straight out over the bay, where you can see the whole city sitting on the other side of the water — there's no sign pointing it out, but it's the stretch most worth pulling over and stopping for a while.

The whole round trip fits comfortably within about three hours. For people living in Da Nang, this is a trip you can take on any weekend morning without needing much preparation.