Articles Discovery on the cycling road Lifestyle Mr Old Man The Grueling Return to Cửa Khẻm Cape By Mr Old Man Posted on 2 weeks ago 6 min read 0 0 17 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on Reddit Share on Pinterest Share on Linkedin Share on Tumblr In Search of a Hidden Path to Hòa Vân Village This morning, I set off with a friend to revisit a rugged trail along the southern side of the Hải Vân Pass. The plan was to explore a little-known path that, according to my gut (and a bit of Mr. Old Man intuition), might lead down to the beach near Hòa Vân Village—a secluded settlement nestled at the foot of the pass. Historically, this was once a leper colony, cut off from the outside world. Five Years Ago: A Dream Deferred Five years back, during the heated dispute between Huế and Đà Nẵng over the proposed World Shine Resort Complex at Cửa Khẻm Cape (a disputed area on the provincial border), I made my first attempt. Alone on my bike, I climbed Hải Vân Pass and ventured onto a rocky forest trail aiming for the cape. But the mission failed—I couldn’t find the way through. Only later did I discover that the resort project existed solely on paper, mapped out using satellite imagery. Since then, I’ve brought a few friends along that same trail, quietly nurturing a dream of conquest. In my view, this route deserves to be part of Đà Nẵng’s MTB race calendar—only then would a challenge truly be worthy of “the most majestic pass in the land.” Today’s Ride: Sweat, Doubts, and Steep Lessons We reached the iconic hairpin turn on the southern Hải Vân trail, parked the bikes, and began pushing them over a rough, 3-kilometer rocky stretch. Then came the mystery turnoff—a narrow path, steep and wild, leading endlessly downhill. The forest closed in. Doubt crept up: “What if this leads nowhere?” Just as we were about to question our sanity, we heard barking. A moment later, a man stepped out of the woods—his name was Thành, a Da Nang local who’s been raising cattle up here for years. We asked about the beach route. His answer? “You’re close… but there’s no path. You’ll have to go through the jungle. It’s easy to get lost. Better not go.” So we turned back. Another 2 km uphill on foot. I was utterly spent—seeing stars, gasping for air, stopping often just to breathe. At the junction, two choices awaited: Hike another 3 km back to the Hải Vân summit. Ride down a 6 km paved road to Bãi Chuối, with gradients just as brutal. No thanks to more hiking—I chose the bike. Good call. A hard one, but the right one. No Stunning Photos, Still a Story Worth Telling A proper cycling adventure should leave you with epic photos. Today? Not so much. The skies stayed gloomy, mist hovered all day, and I was just too tired to bother snapping pictures. Only near the top of the pass did the sun break through. By then, I was running on fumes. I didn’t reach Hòa Vân Village this time—but no regrets. With bikepacking, it’s not always about reaching the end. Sometimes, the hardship of the journey is the whole point. —- Mr. Old Man, January 2020