The national historical relic Hai Van Gate, atop the picturesque namesake pass between Thua Thien Hue Province and Da Nang in Viet Nam’s central region, officially opened on August 1, 2024 after more than two and a half years of restoration, welcoming visitors for free of charge. On its reopening day, the site saw thousands of local residents, domestic and foreign tourists, eager to check-in, explore its historic grounds. Admission is currently free while local authorities finalise a ticket pricing scheme.

Tourists visit the Hai Van Gate on the first day of opening (August 1, 2024) after years of restoration. Photo: BAO LAM

Very beautiful and majestic site

The weather on Thursday was hot and sunny, but it could not discourage the flow of people from admiring the Hai Van Gate relic site on the first day of opening after years of restoration. From morning to noon, inside the relic site, there were always hundreds of people lining up to enter the entrance. According to records, most visitors were excited and surprised by the grandeur and scale of the Hai Van Gate relic site. Many people did not hesitate to climb to the highest point of the relic site to admire the beautiful natural scenery on both sides of the Hai Van Pass.

Along with a group of friends who passed by the Hai Van Gate on the first day of its opening by chance, Manuel, a Spanish tourist, expressed his delight at the majesty, beauty of this relic site and the beautiful scenery of the Hai Van Pass.

He affirmed that this was a wonderful place worth visiting, and that he would recommend his relatives and friends to visit this site during their potential Viet Nam trips. Sharing the same sentiment, Thu Huong, a tourist from the capital city of Ha Noi said that she felt very lucky to be one of the first people to visit Hai Van Gate relic after a long period of restoration.

“The structure is very beautiful and majestic. It is hard to describe when standing and admiring the scenery at this site which is dubbed as Thien ha de nhat hung quan (the world’s most marvelous wonder. Only when you have the opportunity to come here can you see how beautiful the landscape of Viet Nam is. With a wide, panoramic view, standing here, visitors can see both the majestic, winding Hai Van Pass and the picturesque Da Nang Bay”, Ms. Huong said.

The completion of the restoration and opening of Hai Van Gate relic site to welcome visitors is a great joy for the people of Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue. For many years, this relic has always been the most ideal rest-stop on the way from Thua Thien-Hue to Da Nang and vice versa, especially for those who often travel between the two localities.

Ms. Dao Thi Trang Nhung, a resident from Son Tra District, said that her job was in the tourism industry, so she travelled back and forth between Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang. With its majestic natural landscape, beautiful scenery as well as its rich history, the Hai Van Gate is a place that receives a lot of attention from tourists. Ms. Nhung commented that in the near future, the relic site will be among the top places worth visiting in Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue.

Likewise, Ms. Truong Thi My Dung, a resident from Thua Thien- Hue Province, said: “Being aware of a fact that the Hai Van Gate is open to visitors for free, my family and friends and I rented a car to visit here. Our first impression was that this work is very majestic, like a small citadel. Besides, there is a feeling of happiness when seeing the site being cared for and restored beautifully by the two localities. I believe that in the future, they will continue to join hands to enrich the facilities and activities here to turn the Hai Van Gate into an attractive cultural and tourist attraction”, Ms. Dung expressed.

Maximizing the value of the relic site

The project to preserve, restore and promote the value of the Hai Van Gate relic site started in December 2021 with a budget of VND42 billion as a joint effort exerted by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre and the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports.

This is a project containing many cultural and historical values and is also a famous scenic spot of the two localities. Up to now, the restoration of the relic has basically ensured the restoration and renovation of some of the original construction items of the relic site.

According to Deputy Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Phan Van Tuan, his agency relied on archaeological documents to develop a suitable restoration plan for the construction items. The materials here are mainly bricks and stones. During the restoration process, the task force actively searched for these materials in neighbouring localities to harmonise the overall, complying with the principles of preserving and restoring the relic.

“The Hai Van Gate relic site will be open for free until the two localities agree on the construction of a suitable ticket price list. During this time, the parties also received opinions from the community to complete the plan and perfect service institutions to ensure safety for visitors”, said Mr. Tuan.

In particular, pictures and information boards about the relic site in Vietnamese and English have been completed to serve the needs of tourists to learn about the history of this site. In the future, the two localities will establish a management board to carry out the management of the relic.

In addition, QR codes will be attached to each item to meet the needs of visitors to learn about the project.

At the same time, exhibitions, displays, and activities associated with the Hai Van Gate will be organised to spread the popularity of this special beauty spot.

According to the Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports, Pham Tan Xu, the restoration and renovation of the Hai Van Gate has been carried out in accordance with the principles of relic restoration, ensuring the restoration of the original historical state, as well as technical and aesthetic factors, in a spirit of solidarity and demonstrating the position and role of the relic site.

Reporting by X.DUNG – Translating by A.THU