Assalamualaikum and may peace be upon you.
๐ถ Farewell to the Village
We walked along the cobblestone street lined with medieval‑style shops, following our guide’s red flag. The French Village, with its towers and plazas, seemed to wave goodbye as we made our way toward the next adventure.
๐ฆ
The Eagle Gate
At the entrance of a grand building, an ornate eagle statue perched above the doorway. Sculptures framed the arch, and our group gathered beneath, preparing to step into the transition from fantasy village to the practical journey ahead.
⏳ Queue for the Cable Car
Inside, we joined the queue on checkered flooring, waiting for the gondolas. The anticipation was palpable - families chatting, cameras ready, everyone eager for the ride that would carry us from the French Village down toward the Golden Bridge.
๐ก Boarding the Gondolas
The station came alive with red cable cars arriving and departing, their doors opening to welcome passengers. Our guide’s flag bobbed above the crowd, ensuring no one was left behind. The gondolas gleamed like jewels against the mountain backdrop.
๐ช Inside the Cable Car
Seated together, we looked out through the wide windows. The gondola swayed gently as it lifted, offering glimpses of forests and cliffs below. Conversations softened into awe as the scenery unfolded, each view more breathtaking than the last.
๐️ View to Bordeaux Station
From inside, the panorama widened: castle‑like structures and mountain ridges appeared in the distance. The gondola glided smoothly toward Bordeaux Station, the gateway to the Golden Bridge. It felt like a passage between worlds - leaving behind the theatrical French Village and moving toward one of Vietnam’s most iconic wonders.
✨ Reflection
This journey was more than a transfer - it was a transition of moods. From the lively plazas and performances of the French Village, we shifted into the quiet awe of the mountains. The cable car ride became a bridge itself, carrying us from fantasy into grandeur, preparing our hearts for the Golden Bridge’s embrace.
๐ฐ Castle Farewell
As the cable car glided past, we caught sight of a colorful castle‑like structure perched on rocky terrain. Its dramatic towers seemed to wave goodbye, a final flourish of the French Village before we drifted into the embrace of the mountains.
๐ Panorama of Green
The gondola carried us over a vast, lush valley, where cable cars floated like beads on a string between distant peaks. The view was breathtaking - rolling hills, misty forests, and the sense of being suspended between earth and sky.
๐จ The Arch of Arrival
Ahead, the orange and green arch of Bordeaux Station came into view. Its bold design stood out against the landscape, marking the transition from the soaring ride to the next stage of exploration.
๐ก Inside the Gondola
Within the gondola, fellow passengers sat quietly, gazing outward. The hum of the cable and the sway of the cabin created a rhythm of anticipation. Every face reflected the same wonder - the joy of being carried through the clouds.
๐️ Bordeaux Station Bustle
Finally, we arrived at the busy Bordeaux Station, where multiple gondolas docked and visitors streamed out. The red and white architecture framed the scene, and the energy of the crowd reminded us that this was not just a station - it was a gateway to one of Vietnam’s most iconic landmarks, the Golden Bridge.
๐ฒ Forests and Cliffs Below
Looking down, we saw cable cars branded “NCB” gliding above dense forests and rocky cliffs. Passengers inside waved or leaned out to take photos. The ride felt both serene and exhilarating, a gentle flight over nature’s grandeur.
๐ First Glimpse of the Golden Bridge
Looking out from the windows of Bordeaux Station, we caught our first sight of the Golden Bridge (Cแบงu Vร ng) - a vision we had long anticipated. Suspended high above the mountains at over 1,400 meters, the bridge shimmered in the sunlight, its golden walkway stretching gracefully across the valley. What made it truly unforgettable were the two giant moss‑covered stone hands, rising from the earth as if cradling the bridge in their palms.
Opened in 2018, the Golden Bridge quickly became one of Vietnam’s most iconic landmarks, celebrated worldwide for its imaginative design. Created by TA Landscape Architecture, the bridge was conceived to evoke the “hands of God” lifting a thread of gold toward the sky. The walkway itself gleamed with titanium‑plated railings, while the hands - crafted from steel frames, mesh, and fiberglass - were painted to resemble ancient, weathered stone.
At 150 meters long and nearly 13 meters wide, the bridge consists of eight spans, each offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Often, mist drifts across the valley, transforming the scene into something dreamlike - an ethereal passageway between heaven and earth.
The Golden Bridge has received global acclaim, even being named by Time magazine as one of the “Top 100 Greatest Places in the World” in 2018. For us, seeing it for the first time was a moment of awe. It wasn’t just an architectural marvel - it was a symbol of imagination, artistry, and the way human creativity can harmonize with nature.
๐ถ Waiting for the Golden Bridge
After arriving at Bordeaux Station, we were guided into the Waiting Hall, where all visitors patiently awaited their turn to walk the Golden Bridge. The system of taking turns and crowd control was clear and well‑organized. It wasn’t just about order - it was about ensuring that the bridge, perched high above the mountains, could safely welcome the flocks of eager visitors.
Access: The only way to reach the Golden Bridge is by using the Ba Na Hills cable car, one of the world's longest single-lane cable car systems.
Tickets: Access to the bridge is included with the general admission ticket to the Sun World Ba Na Hills resort. Ticket prices for international visitors in 2025 were around 950,000 VND (for adults) and 750,000 VND (for children).
Best Time to Visit: To avoid crowds and get the best photos, it is recommended to visit early in the morning (8:00 AM - 9:00 AM) or late in the afternoon (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM).
As we waited, the atmosphere was calm yet expectant. Families chatted, cameras were readied, and everyone shared the same quiet excitement. Soon, it would be our turn to step onto the golden path, to walk between heaven and earth, and to feel the embrace of those timeless hands.
๐ First Steps on the Bridge
Stepping onto the curved golden walkway, we joined the stream of visitors moving slowly, savoring the moment. The railings gleamed under the soft light, cool to the touch, while mist drifted across the valley. Each step felt like walking into a dream, suspended between sky and mountain.
๐ฉ Flags of the World
At the entrance plaza, flags from many nations fluttered - China, the UK, Vietnam, and more - reminding us that the Golden Bridge was not just a Vietnamese treasure, but a destination celebrated worldwide. Tourists gathered beneath the dome, cameras raised, capturing the sense of arrival.
✋ "The Hands of God"
From a wide angle, the giant stone hands emerged from the earth, cradling the bridge with timeless strength. Their weathered surfaces looked ancient, mossy, and eternal, yet they were crafted with modern artistry. Standing there, we felt embraced by something larger than ourselves.
๐ Panoramic Majesty
Looking across, the bridge stretched like a golden ribbon against the mountainous backdrop. Crowds moved along its length, yet the vastness of the landscape dwarfed them. The mist rolled in waves, sometimes veiling the bridge, sometimes revealing it in full glory.
๐ตThe Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills was built with giant hands to create a "walkway in the sky," to look like the hands of God lifting a golden ribbon out of the mountains. The hands symbolize a mystical connection between humans and nature, as well as a divine, protective force holding up a gift from the earth.
๐ตSymbolism and Design Intent
๐นThe "Hands of God": The primary design inspiration was for the hands to appear as if they were giant, mossy, weathered hands of a Mountain God or a deity holding the bridge, making it look as though an ancient, mythical civilization built it.
๐นA Gift from the Land: The golden, ribbon-like structure represents a silk strip or a gift of beauty, carried up from the ground to the clouds to showcase the surrounding scenery.
๐นHarmony with Nature: Rather than just cutting through the landscape, the design is intended to show nature and human ingenuity working in harmony.
๐นA "Walk in the Clouds": Situated at 1,400 meters above sea level, the structure provides a stunning, fairy-tale atmosphere, often surrounded by mist and clouds.
✨ Between the Hands
Walking directly between the two colossal hands, we felt the full impact of the design. The railings glistened, the air was cool and damp, and the view seemed endless. It was more than architecture - it was an experience of awe, a walk through imagination made real.
๐ Crowds on the Golden Path
The bridge stretched before us, alive with visitors moving slowly along its golden walkway. The giant stone hands rose beside the path, their weathered surfaces contrasting with the gleam of the railings. The air was cool, tinged with mist, and the crowd’s quiet awe made the moment feel communal yet deeply personal.
✋ Hands in Full View
From another angle, the colossal hands cradling the bridge dominated the scene. Their moss‑like texture gave the impression of ancient guardians, timeless and enduring. Walking here felt surreal - like stepping into a myth, where human artistry and nature’s grandeur met in harmony.
๐ชจ Fingers of Stone
We paused to admire the massive fingers rising from the earth, each detail sculpted to resemble centuries of weathering. The mist curled around them, softening their edges, while the golden railings beneath our hands felt smooth and cool. It was a tactile reminder that imagination had been made tangible.
๐ Bridge and Beyond
Looking back, the bridge curved elegantly across the mountains, with the hands anchoring it against the sky. The adjacent building stood nearby, its modern lines framing the ancient‑styled sculpture. The panorama was breathtaking - rolling hills fading into mist, the bridge glowing like a thread of light.
๐️ Architectural Companions
Closer to the building, we noticed its ornate details and stone textures, echoing the European theme of the French Village. It stood as a companion to the bridge, a reminder that this mountaintop was not only about nature but also about crafted spaces that invited wonder.
๐ฉ Gathering at the Entrance
At the viewing area, flags from many nations fluttered in the breeze, symbolizing the global acclaim of the Golden Bridge. Visitors queued here to pose at beautiful angle of the bridge, some taking photos, others simply gazing at the hands in the distance. It was a place of pause and perspective, where the journey across the bridge began or ended with shared admiration.
๐ Conclusion – Walking Between Heaven and Earth
Crossing the Golden Bridge was more than a scenic stroll - it was a moment of awe and reflection. The mist cooled our skin, the titanium‑plated railings gleamed beneath our touch, and the colossal stone hands seemed to cradle us gently as we walked. Every step carried both wonder and humility, reminding us that human imagination, when paired with nature, can create experiences that feel timeless.
What struck us most was not just the grandeur of the bridge itself, but the way it welcomed all visitors. Families, couples, and groups from every corner of the world shared the same path, pausing for photos, laughter, and quiet admiration. The flags at the entrance symbolized this inclusivity, and the careful crowd management ensured that everyone could enjoy the bridge safely.
For us, the Golden Bridge became a metaphor for travel itself: a connection between cultures, beliefs, and people, suspended between earth and sky. It was a place where diversity was embraced, where joy was shared, and where gratitude flowed naturally.
As we stepped off the bridge, we carried with us not only the memory of its breathtaking design but also the deeper realization that journeys like this are about more than sights - they are about belonging, inclusivity, and the beauty of shared human experience.
To be continued.
Till the next coming entry, inshaAllah. Meanwhile do take care.
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