Assalamualaikum and may peace be upon you.
Next, we went to Le Jardin D'Amour.
🌿 Cobblestone Pathway
We began along a cobblestone path framed by lush greenery and flower beds, the air fresh and cool. Signs pointed the way, and fellow visitors strolled leisurely, pausing to admire the blooms. It felt like a gentle transition from the grandeur of the Golden Bridge into the serenity of the gardens.
🌈 Mosaic Walkway
Soon, we entered a corridor of patterned multicolored glass panels, where sunlight filtered through in dazzling hues. The walkway shimmered like a mosaic of light, casting playful patterns on the ground. Surrounded by trees, it was as if nature and artistry were dancing together.
🚡 Cable Cars Above
As we walked, cable cars glided silently overhead, their bright cabins crossing the sky. Below, food stalls with umbrellas offered snacks, and visitors mingled along the stone‑paved path. The scene blended practicality with charm - transport, leisure, and scenery all in one.
🌫️ Misty Forest View
The path opened to a mist‑shrouded forest, where fog curled around the trees and partially veiled a castle in the distance. The atmosphere was mysterious, almost dreamlike, as if the gardens were inviting us into a hidden world.
🌳 Circular Garden
We arrived at a circular garden with a sculpted tree at its center, surrounded by stalls and visitors. The landscaping was meticulous, every detail designed to delight. People lingered here, enjoying refreshments and the calm beauty of the space.
🌻 Sunflower Garden Entrance
Finally, we reached the Sunflower Garden arch, adorned with giant sunflower sculptures and hanging baskets of flowers. The cheerful design welcomed us warmly, signaling the entrance into Le Jardin D’Amour. It was a vibrant threshold, promising more wonders within.
☕ Terrace Above the Gardens
From the café terrace shaded by pink and blue umbrellas, we sat back and let the gardens unfold beneath us. The stone flooring and white pergolas framed the view, while the hum of conversations blended with the distant laughter of visitors below. It was a moment of pause - refreshment paired with scenery.
🌸 Flower Garden Panorama
Looking down, the curved pathways of the Flower Garden glowed with vibrant beds of red, pink, purple, and yellow blooms. Visitors wandered leisurely, their figures weaving through the colors like brushstrokes on a canvas. From above, the garden resembled a living mosaic, carefully arranged yet joyfully alive.
🪷 Buddha and Floral Sculpture
In the distance, the white Buddha statue rose serenely above the treetops, partially veiled by greenery. Closer to us, a whimsical yellow floral sculpture shaped like a figure in a dress stood proudly on a rooftop. The juxtaposition of spiritual calm and playful artistry gave the garden a layered personality - sacred and celebratory at once.
🐒 Monkey Among the Flowers
Further along, we spotted the vertical garden wall adorned with a floral monkey sculpture, its arms raised in delight. Visitors gathered nearby, marveling at the creativity. From our vantage point, the monkey seemed to leap out of the greenery, a joyful guardian of the garden’s playful spirit.
Though we did not descend into Le Jardin D’Amour that day, the view from above at the café gave us a sweeping appreciation of its artistry. The gardens blended spirituality, whimsy, and natural beauty, reminding us that sometimes observation from a distance can be just as rewarding as walking among the blooms. It was a fitting pause before regrouping at Square Du Dôme, a moment of quiet joy and gratitude shared with companions.
🍦 Café Pause
We settled at the outdoor café under red and blue umbrellas, the cool air brushing against us. Some visitors wore rain gear, hinting at the mountain’s shifting moods. The metal tables and chairs were simple, but the overlook was extraordinary - our resting spot became a balcony to the clouds.
🍨 Sweet Interlude
Two cups of soft‑serve ice cream arrived, colorful and cheerful, with flavors like mango and strawberry printed on the cups. The wooden spoons felt rustic, and the cold sweetness was a perfect contrast to the misty chill outside. It was a small indulgence, yet it anchored the moment in joy.
🌫️ Castle in the Mist
From the café, we gazed out at a castle‑like silhouette half‑hidden in fog. Purple flowers and green trees framed the view, while the mist curled around the towers like a veil. It was mysterious, almost otherworldly, as if the mountain itself was telling a story in whispers.
🏰 Shrouded Majesty
Another angle revealed the castle enveloped in dense fog, perched dramatically on the cliffside. Its outlines faded and reappeared as the mist shifted, creating a scene both haunting and beautiful. From our vantage point, it felt like watching a dream unfold - an ethereal kingdom suspended in the clouds.
That café stop was more than a break for ice cream - it was a pause to savor the mountain’s moods. The sweetness of the dessert, the chill of the mist, and the silhouettes of castles in the fog combined into a memory of contrasts: playful yet profound, ordinary yet magical. It reminded us that sometimes the simplest decisions - like stopping for ice cream - become the most cherished moments of a journey.
✋ Hands Rising from the Earth
We wandered into a space where giant stone‑like hands emerged from the ground, scattered across the garden as if fragments of a hidden giant were surfacing. Visitors walked among them, pausing for photos, marveling at their scale. Unlike the “Hands of God” that cradle the Golden Bridge, these were playful, decorative, yet still awe‑inspiring - gestures frozen in stone, blending art with nature.
What the Statues Mean
The sculptures of the giant hand, two legs, and heads are part of the same artistic concept as the Golden Bridge:
🔹The Mountain God: Just as the bridge is supported by the "Hands of God," the stone-like parts in the Heaven Garden represent other body parts of this same Mountain God.
🔹A Hidden Giant: The designers (TA Landscape Architecture) intended for the God to be so immense that visitors can only see scattered parts of him - his hands, legs, and head - rising from the earth.
🔹Harmony with Nature: These moss-covered pieces are meant to look like they have been there for ages, symbolizing a bridge between human creation and the ancient, spiritual power of the mountain.
💧 The Head of Flowing Water
Nearby, a massive head sculpture released water from its mouth into a pool below, framed by greenery. The sound of flowing water added serenity to the surreal scene. It felt as though the mountain itself was breathing, offering refreshment to those who lingered.
☝️ Finger Pointing Skyward
One sculpture drew our gaze upward - a hand pointing toward the sky, its detail emphasized against the clear backdrop. It seemed to signal something beyond, a reminder of the mountain’s spiritual aura. Standing beneath it, we felt small yet connected to the vastness around us.
👂 Listening Head
The most whimsical of all was a giant head with a hand pressed to its ear, as if listening to the whispers of the forest. Plants grew from its crown, merging sculpture with nature. It embodied the garden’s surreal concept: human forms scattered across the landscape, inviting imagination and playful interpretation.
The Heaven Garden was designed not for traditional storytelling but for surreal experience and photographic wonder. Yet, in its scattered hands, heads, and gestures, we sensed echoes of the same Mountain God who “holds” the Golden Bridge. Here, the fragments suggested a hidden giant, immense and eternal, harmonizing with the mountain’s spirit. For us, it was a place of pause and delight - where art, nature, and imagination converged into a living canvas.
🚶 Walkway to Departure
After the Heaven Garden, we've completed our Ba Na Hills tour. We made our way down the covered tunnel with wide windows, its modern curves guiding us toward the boarding area. The air was cool, and the design felt futuristic, a gentle transition from the fantasy of the hills back toward reality.
🚡 Boarding Station
At the station, cable cars stood ready, gleaming under the lights. The polished floors and railings reflected the orderliness of the system. It was a moment of pause - our last step on solid ground before the ride carried us away from the mountaintop.
🪟 Inside the Gondola
Seated in the gondola, we looked out through the wide windows. Another cable car floated past, a reminder that countless visitors were sharing this journey. Conversations softened, replaced by quiet reflection as the descent began.
🌲 Forests and City Beyond
The view opened to forested mountains stretching below, dotted with cable cars gliding along the line. In the distance, the faint outline of a city shimmered, a reminder of the world awaiting us at the foot of the hills.
🌧️ Mist on the Glass
Raindrops clung to the gondola’s windows as we passed over rolling green hills. The droplets blurred the scenery, adding a poetic touch - nature’s farewell gesture as we left the misty heights behind.
🏞️ Valley and River
Finally, the gondola revealed a lush valley with a winding river, its waters glistening in the light. The scene was tranquil, a grounding contrast to the surreal castles and gardens above. It felt like the mountain was gently releasing us, returning us to earth after a day of wonder.
Leaving Bà Nà Hills by cable car was not just a descent - it was a closing chapter. The ride carried us from fantasy villages, bridges in the clouds, and surreal gardens back into the embrace of nature. Each view from the gondola was a reminder that journeys end, but their memories linger, woven into the valleys and skies we leave behind.
🛍️ Souvenir Shop Stop
We wandered through a brightly lit souvenir shop, shelves overflowing with colorful t‑shirts, plush toys, and trinkets. Children’s laughter echoed as they picked out keepsakes, while adults browsed for gifts to carry home. It was a cheerful reminder that journeys end with tokens of memory.
🎏 Lantern Garden View
Through a doorway, we glimpsed a garden adorned with hanging lanterns in red, pink, yellow, and green. The lush greenery and rocks beneath created a tranquil scene, framed by the lanterns’ festive glow. It felt like a farewell tableau - nature and artistry bidding us goodbye.
🌿 Balcony Overlook
We paused at an outdoor seating area, where a table and chairs overlooked a landscaped garden. The shrubs and trees below swayed gently, offering a moment of calm. From this balcony, the gardens seemed to whisper a soft farewell, inviting us to linger just a little longer.
🐟 Koi Pond Serenity
Nearby, a koi pond shimmered with colorful fish, their movements graceful beneath the water’s surface. A small fountain bubbled at the center, adding rhythm to the scene. Watching the koi felt meditative, a gentle transition from the day’s grandeur into quiet reflection.
🚶 Bustling Exit Hall
The final indoor space was alive with crowds moving past escalators and arched doorways. Decorative lighting glowed overhead, guiding visitors toward the exit. The energy was bustling, yet it carried the unmistakable tone of departure - everyone preparing to leave the mountain’s magic behind.
🎨 Tiles of Farewell
As we walked, our feet crossed intricately patterned floor tiles, floral and geometric designs in blue, brown, and white. It was a subtle but beautiful detail, a reminder that even the smallest elements of Bà Nà Hills were crafted to delight.
Leaving Bà Nà Hills was not a sudden goodbye - it was a gradual passage through shops, gardens, ponds, and patterned floors. Each space offered a final gesture of beauty, ensuring that the descent was filled with memory and meaning. By the time we stepped beyond the complex, we carried not just souvenirs, but the layered impressions of a place where fantasy, nature, and artistry had converged.
🌻 Festival Farewell
We walked toward a grand decorative arch where the word “FESTIVAL” was spelled out in bold letters, adorned with sunflower motifs. The crowd moved steadily, a stream of visitors flowing out together. It felt like a ceremonial farewell, the festival spirit accompanying us right to the exit.
🏛️ Ornate Gateway
Another entrance structure rose ahead, crowned with a large circular emblem and ornate designs. People passed beneath it, their steps purposeful yet unhurried. The gateway seemed to mark the threshold between the fantasy of Ba Na Hills and the return to everyday life.
🌞 Sun World Main Entrance
The main entrance to Sun World came into view, decorated with sunflower themes and the word “FESTIVAL” prominently displayed. It was bustling with visitors, yet the cheerful décor softened the sense of departure. The entrance reminded us of the joy we had experienced inside.
💧 Courtyard Pond
We paused briefly at a courtyard where a yellowish pond shimmered against stone walls, with a traditional building in the background. The water reflected the light, offering a moment of calm before the journey continued. It was a quiet contrast to the busy crowds nearby.
🏯 Traditional Building
Ahead stood a large building with tiled roof and columns, its design echoing traditional Vietnamese architecture. Visitors streamed toward it, some stopping for photos, others heading straight for the exit. It felt like the final cultural gesture of Ba Na Hills, a reminder of heritage before departure.
🚌 Shuttle Bus Station
Finally, we reached the shuttle bus station, where our white bus waited at the pedestrian crossing. Travelers gathered, some already boarding, others lingering for last snapshots. The station marked the true end of our visit - our passage from the mountain’s enchantment back to the road home. As we boarded the bus, we carried with us not only souvenirs but the layered memories of a place where fantasy, heritage, and nature had converged.
🌟 Epilogue – A Journey Through Clouds and Memory
Our day at Bà Nà Hills unfolded like a tapestry, each section stitched with its own colors of joy, awe, and gratitude.
We began with the ascent by cable car, rising above forests and valleys into a world suspended in mist. The French Village greeted us with cobblestone streets, plazas alive with performances, and the warmth of camaraderie among companions. Festivals and games filled the squares, laughter echoing as strangers became friends.
From there, anticipation carried us to the Golden Bridge, where the “Hands of God” lifted a golden ribbon across the mountains. Walking its length was a sensory journey - the cool mist on our skin, the gleam of the railings beneath our palms, and the surreal embrace of stone hands that seemed eternal. It was both architecture and metaphor: a bridge between cultures, beliefs, and people.
Our path then led to the gardens of Bà Nà Hills - the Sunflower Garden, Le Jardin D’Amour, and the Heaven Garden. Each space offered its own language of beauty: flowers arranged like mosaics, sculptures rising from the earth as fragments of a hidden giant, and whimsical artistry blending with nature. Even when we chose to view the gardens from above at a café, the sight of lanterns, floral sculptures, and serene ponds reminded us that sometimes observation itself is a gift.
The café interlude became a cherished pause. Ice cream in hand, we gazed at mist‑shrouded castles, their silhouettes fading and reappearing in the fog. It was a moment of contrasts - sweetness against chill, playfulness against mystery - ordinary yet magical.
Finally, the descent by cable car carried us back to the valleys, raindrops on the windows blurring the hills into watercolor. Passing through shops, ponds, tiled floors, and sunflower‑adorned exits, we felt the mountain gently releasing us. At the shuttle bus station, the journey closed, but the memories remained vivid.
✨ Reflection
Bà Nà Hills was more than a destination - it was a journey through clouds and imagination. Each section - the French Village, the Golden Bridge, the gardens, the Heaven Garden, the café, and the descent - offered its own rhythm, yet together they formed a symphony of discovery.
We left with gratitude: for the artistry that harmonized with nature, for the inclusivity that welcomed all visitors, and for the shared laughter and quiet awe that bound our group together. In the end, Bà Nà Hills was not just a place we visited - it became a chapter in our story, a reminder that travel is about more than sights. It is about connection, reflection, and the joy of walking together between earth and sky.
To be continued.
Till the next coming entry, inshaAllah. Meanwhile do take care.
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