British newspaper surprised by the beauty of European village in the high mountains of Vietnam

A reporter from the British newspaper Express takes a trip to one of Vietnam's most popular destinations, which offers locals a taste of European beauty.

When you think of what tourists typically see on a trip to Vietnam, you might easily picture sights like the stunning limestone islands of Ha Long Bay or the millions of motorbikes whizzing around downtown Ho Chi Minh City. What many people certainly didn’t imagine on a recent trip was a resort designed to resemble a French village, nestled high in the mountains of Vietnam.

That’s exactly what Ba Na Hills is. Located in the mountains about a 45-minute drive from Da Nang, Ba Na Hills is a resort that aims to recreate the feeling of a trip to France. First established in 1919, Ba Na was a resort built for the benefit of French colonists looking to escape the heat and humidity, with 240 luxury villas built for French officials. However, the August Revolution saw Vietnam become an independent nation, and Ba Na was abandoned, most of its ruins destroyed in the war that followed. Today, things are very different, all of which is evident as soon as you step into the parking lot.

While the resort can be reached by road, the main way to get there is by the world’s longest non-stop cable car, which takes around 20 minutes to reach an altitude of 5,800m. The views of the forested mountains on the way up are impressive, if a little scary, but nothing compares to what awaits visitors at the top.

When arriving at Ba Na Hills, the first thing visitors see is the Golden Bridge, a 150m-long bridge supported by two giant hands, made from fiberglass designed to look like mountain rocks. First opened in 2018, the bridge attracts many tourists from all over the world, so be sure to allow plenty of time to walk across it for the best views. Hop on a much shorter cable car and you will quickly reach the main attraction: the French village. The main part of the “village” is the square with a large fountain and busts of famous French figures, again made from fiberglass.

Báo Anh bất ngờ với vẻ đẹp ngôi làng châu Âu trên núi cao Việt Nam- Ảnh 4. — *Golden Bridge is the highlight of Ba Na Hills*

The entire village is not exactly like the real thing in France, at times it feels more like a Paramount set than the Pays de la Loire (a coastal area in western France). However, everything you could imagine finding in a French village is present. There is a Catholic church complete with confessional, a string of quaint restaurants serving wine stored in cellars deep in the mountains, and there are even some vintage French cars covered in flowers. Honestly, one day in Ba Na Hills just doesn’t seem like enough. It’s easy to see why there are a number of hotels scattered throughout the mountain resort.

*French-style architecture on top of Ba Na in the early morning mist*

While the village is the main attraction, there is also a full-size golf course, a huge underground amusement park, a wax museum of famous figures and a 27m high Buddha statue in a spiritual garden. Admittedly, this is a huge draw for visitors, as the experience is hard to forget. With a cable car fee of 850,000 VND (£27) for adults and 700,000 VND (£22) for adults, it is incredible value for money.

Thanhnien.vn

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