The Marble Mountains Vietnam are located at No.81 Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City - 8km from Danang City Centre to the Southeast. The best time to come here is from February to May because of the comfortable & warm weather with little rain.
I - How to go to Marble Mountains from Danang and Hoi An?
1 - From Danang
The mountain from above - Source: Pham Phung
To travel from Danang to the mountain, you have 3 choices:
Taxi
Traveling by taxi takes about 25 minutes and costs 150,000 VND/4-seater car ($6.46). Some taxi brand in Danang:
- Taxi Mai Linh: 0236 3 56 56 56
- Taxi Tien Sa: 0236 3 79 79 79
- VinaSun Green: 0236 3 68 68 68
Bus No.01 (visit https://map.busmap.vn/dn for details)
- Schedule: 20 mins/trip from 5:30am - 6pm
- Get-on point: Da Nang Central Bus Station (Ton Duc Thang Street, Minh Hoa Ward, Lien Chieu District)
- Drop-off point: 509 Le Van Hien Street, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District - 300m away from the Marble Mountains in Danang
- Ticket price: 18,000 VND/person ($0.77)
Motorbike
Travel time is about 30 mins and the motorbike rental price in Danang is about 170,000 - 200,000 VND/motorbike/day (7.32 - 8.62). Some motorbike rental shops in Danang are as below:
- Binh Minh motorbike rental shop: No.36 Ta My Duat Street, An Hai Ward, Son Tra District; Contact: 0986 862 986.
- Song Han motorbike rental shop: No.86/26 Thi Sach Street, Hoa Thuan Nam Ward, Hai Chau District; Contact: 0905 304 050.
- Gia Huy motorbike rental shop: No.126/6 Tran Van Cao Street, Tam Thuan Ward, Thanh Khe District; Contact: 0903 529 586.
2 - How to travel from Hoi An to Marble Mountains Vietnam?
The distance is about 19km and you have 3 options:
Taxi
Traveling by taxi takes 30mins/trip and costs about 250,000 VND/4-seater car ($10,8). Some taxis in Hoi An:
- Taxi Mai Linh: 0510 3 92 92 92
- Taxi VinaSun: 0511 3 68 68 68
- Taxi Hoi An: 0510 3 91 91 91.
Bus No.01 (visit https://map.busmap.vn/dn for details)
- Schedule: 20 mins/trip from 5:30am - 6pm
- Get-on point: Hoi An Bus Station (Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An City)
- Drop-off point: 527 Le Van Hien Street, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District - 400m away from the Marble Mountains Danang
- Ticket price: 18,000 VND/person ($0.77)
Source: Dan Gold
Motorbike
Travel time by motorbike is about 45 mins/trip and motorbike rental price in Hoi An is about 100,000 - 150,000 VND/motorbike/day (4,31 - 6,46$). Some motorbike rental shops in Hoi An:
- Hung An motorbike rental shop: No.05 Do Dang Tuyen Street, Cam Chau Ward; Contact: 0905 430 297.
- Anh Khoa motorbike rental shop: No.84 Phan Chu Trinh, Minh An Ward; Contact: 0935 439 306.
- MotorVina motorbike rental shop: No.441 Cua Dai Street, Cam Chau Ward; Contact: 0848 005 599.
You can also refer to some tour operators holding Marble Mountains tour from Danang:
Da Nang Travel Service and Trading Company
- Address: No.06 - 08 Pham Thieu Street, An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, Danang City
- Contact: 0987 119 499 or danangcitytravel@gmail.com
- Tour price: 380.000 VND/person (~ $16.4)
DanaTravel
- Address: No.36 Nguyen Thuat Street, An Hoa Ward, Cam Le District, Danang City
- Contact: 0966 767 588 or info@danatravel.vn
- Tour price: 400.000 VND/person (~ $17.2)
II - The Marble Mountains Vietnam highlights
The complex consists of 5 marble and limestone mountains namely: Thuy Son (Water Mountain), Hoa Son (Fire Mountain), Moc Son (Wood Mountain), Kim Son (Metal Mountain), and Tho Son (Earth Mountain). Each mountain has its own unique beauty, in which Thuy Son is home to the most attractive tourist spots.
- Opening hours: 7:30am - 5pm
1 - Thuy Son
Huyen Khong Cave - Source: Internet
You can get to Thuy Son through 2 entrances with the same entrance fee of 40,000 VND/adult ($1.6) and free for children under 6 years old.
Other service prices:
- Elevator fee : 15,000đ VND/person/turn ($0.6)
- Tour guide fee: 50.000 VND/group ($2.15)
The charming spots lie on Thuy Son including:
Huyen Khong Cave
This is one of the most magnificent and spiritual Marble Mountains Caves Vietnam Complex. At the entrance to Huyen Khong Cave, there are three words “Huyen Khong Gate (or Huyen Khong Quan in Vietnamese) in Chữ Nôm (Nôm is a Vietnamese logographic writing system formerly used to represent Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary and some native Vietnamese words, mainly Nôm characters are borrowed from Chinese character) and statues of two Lokapalas.
Going inside the cave, you see a statue of Jade Lord (also known as Thien Y A Na) which is a sacred deity in the local people's beliefs. At the ceiling of Huyen Khong Cave, there are 5 outside-connecting holes, where the rays of sunlight can penetrate through and shine into the cave creating a really magical and lively scene.
Am Phu Cave (Underworld Cave)
Am Phu Cave is located to the South of Thuy Son in the Marble Hill Danang. The name “Am Phu” or “Underworld” can be explained that the deeper you go inside, the darker it is, as the way to the Underworld. The locals believe that there is a geyser of groundwater flowing straight to the sea under this cave.
In the center of Am Phu Cave, there is a statue of Stratum Bodhisattva. On the wall, around the statue, you can see plenty of reliefs, embossed statues recreating the punishments one may be suffered in the Underworld. Each relief is a reminder that people should have a good mental life by doing more favors in helping others.
Ticket price: 20.000 VND/adult ($0.8) and free for children
Tam Thai Pagoda - one of the National Pagodas in Vietnam
Tam Thai Pagoda in the Vietnam Marble Mountains was built in 1630 and retains a wide range of valuable features in architecture. There are 9 statues and 3 large bells bestowed by Emperor Minh Mang (the 2nd Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam) in 1826. Coming here, you have a chance to broaden your knowledge of the beauty and traditions of Buddhism in Danang and Vietnam.
Linh Ung Pagoda
Linh Ung Pagoda was built in the 17th century with the main side facing the East. Throughout many years, Linh Ung Pagoda still retains the original architecture. There exist numerous meticulously crafted statues including the statues of The Buddhas of the three times (past, present, and future), two statues of Lokapalas and eighteen statues of Arhats as well as two statues of gold-leafed wooden signs respectively bestowed in the 19th century by Emperor Minh Mang and Emperor Thanh Thai.
Linh Ung Pagoda - top pictures of Marble Mountain Vietnam - Source: My-clownfish
There is also a wide range of worth-visiting tourist spots in Thuy Son mountain such as Tang Chon Cave, Linh Nham Cave, Gio Cave (Wind Cave), Hoa Nghiem Cave, Xa Loi Tower,...
2 - Kim Son
Kim Son is the smallest of the 5 mountains. Besides the first Buddhist culture museum in Vietnam that is very unique and holds many valuable artifacts, there are interesting places to visit including:
Temple of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva
Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva temple is considered a famous Buddhist sanctuary in Danang. The temple was built in 1957 by a Buddhist monk - Monk Thich Phap Nhan, following the concept of leaning against the mountains and facing the rivers. When summer comes, the lotus in the temple brightly blooms and radiates a rich scent enhancing the quiet and sacred ambiance.
On 19th February yearly, The Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Festival Marble Mountains in Danang, the biggest Buddhist festival in Danang, is held in this temple. During the festival, you are welcome to take part in religious ceremonies and activities such as a ceremony in celebration of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s birthday, the procession of Princess Huyen Tran, preaching activities, flower garlands, and colored lanterns release,...
In addition, you can join a wide variety of cultural and sporty activities, such as fine arts exhibitions, human chess, calligraphy performances, boat races, and performances of traditional martial arts.
Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Cave
This 10m width, 10-15m high, and 50m long cave is a natural cave located on the foot of Kim Son. Visiting the cave, you see a statue of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva created by natural stalactites and covered with a very fanciful sparkling stalactite layer. At the two sides of the cave are the statue of Thien Dong Tai Tu and the Confucius bird.
3 - Tho Son in the Marble Mountains Vietnam
Tho Son possesses the most special geology in the complex with the mixing of clay, rock, and sand. Legend has it that this was the citadel of the Champa (an old country in the south of Vietnam, which existed from 192 to 1832) marked by many stone carvings related to this ancient civilization. Some attractive spots to visit here are Nui Da Chong tunnels; Huong Son pagoda, Hoang Vien temple, Hue Quang pagoda, Hoa Long pagoda, ...
4 - Moc Son
Moc Son - Source: Wikipedia
Due to the typical steep terrain, there are no architectural works or temples and very few trees in Moc Son. At the foot of Moc Son, there is a small cave called Ba Trung which is worth visiting. Coming to Moc Son in the Marble Mountains Vietnam, you can see a natural white marble block shaped like the statue of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva called "Co Mu" or "Quan Am" (Quan The Am Bo Tat in Vietnamese).
5 - Hoa Son
Hoa Son includes two parts: Duong Hoa Son (Yang Fire Mountain) and Am Hoa Son (Yin Fire Mountain). This mountain preserves several imprints, historical monuments, and temples of the ancient Champa people. This is also where the locals declare natural marbles to sculpt and create valuable works of art. At Duong Hoa Son mountain, there are 4 pagodas and 4 large caves to visit.
6 - Non Nuoc Stone Sculpture Village
Non Nuoc Stone Sculpture Village is located right at the foot of the Marble Mountains in Danang and has existed for more than 200 years. The locals mainly exploit natural marbles from Duong Hoa Son and turn them into such objects as flour mills, rice pounders, Buddha statues, Gods of fortune statues,.. It is the inherent natural stone pattern of marble, the bright colors, and the ingenuity of the sculptor's hands that have created plenty of valuable works of art. You can visit the stone sculpture facilities located along the two sides of Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street to admire the unique works and buy a few small and beautiful souvenirs such as bracelets, necklace, eagle statue, dancer statue,...
III - Historical stories about the Vietnam Marble Mountains
Am Phu Cave - Source: Danangfantasticity
Related to the formation of the mountain, the legend of the Cham people in Vietnam said that these 5 mountains nowadays are vestiges of the eggshell of the dragon (i.e. the goddess Naga). After the egg hatched a beautiful fairy, the five pieces of the eggshell became the five mountains known as Kim - Moc - Thuy - Hoa - Tho. As a result, the mountain is considered as a place possessing spiritual strength and preserving cultural & religious stories of the Cham people in Vietnam
The mountains also bear imprints of historical culture through each period with sculptures from the early 14th century. The unique works still marked until now such as:
- The appearance of Tam Thai Pagoda in 1630 in the Later Le Dynasty - the oldest temple still preserved in the Marble Mountains Vietnam.
- Two steles in Hoa Nghiem Cave in Thuy Son made by monk Hue Dao Minh during his cultivation here from 1640 - 1641.
- During the reign of King Gia Long, Princess Ngoc Lan came to the mountain to live a religious life in a cave and named it “Pho Da Son” in 1802-1819.
- King Minh Mang (in position from 1820 - 1841) spent countless hours naming the mountains and pagodas here. Such names as Ngu Hanh Son, Huyen Khong, Thien Long, Van Nguyet, ...are bestowed by him.
- There are numerous poetic autographs that have existed from the 13th century and the 400-year-old stele at Thuy Son is evidence of the cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan.
IV - The Marble Mountains Vietnam map
The Marble Mountains Vietnam in Danang is one of the must-visit tourist spots. Remember that formal clothes, sandals, and sneakers are more preferred when coming here.
Related keywords: Marble Mountain Da Nang ticket price, Marble Mountain Danang opening hours,...
— Quan Nguyen
