Everything you need to know about the Marble Mountains in Da Nang: where they are, opening hours and cost of visiting

marble mountains(more precisely, hills, since they still do not reach the mountains 🙂) these are natural limestone-marble formations. So many years ago there was a sea here, and these hills were islands. Now the sea has receded and hills covered with lush vegetation have formed.

Marble mountains in Vietnam

Each of the 5 hills of the Marble Mountains has its own name: the hill of Water, Earth, Wood, Metal and Fire. There are caves inside the hills, some of them have been equipped with Buddhist temples which are a place of pilgrimage local residents.

Previously, marble was mined in these mountains and the inhabitants of neighboring villages lived very well at the expense of this. Now mine valuable rocks in Marble mountains is prohibited, so the marble for numerous figurines, which can be bought as souvenirs near the entrance, is brought from other regions.

Where are the Marble Mountains

The Marble Mountains are located in Vietnam, 10 km from Danang Airport and 20 km from the center.

Marble Mountains: how to get there

The easiest option to visit the Marble Mountains is to buy a tour, but I still advise you to visit this attraction on your own. How to get to the foot of the Marble Mountains (hills 🙂):

• On foot. This option is possible if you settled in the southern part of Da Nang (by the way, there are excellent hotels near the mountains themselves on the seashore, I will write about them below in the article).
• By taxi. Depending on the distance - from $ 5
• On regular bus , which runs between Da Nang and Hoi An city. The bus goes along the road along the sea, the Marble Mountains are visible from afar, just ask the driver to stop at the bus stop in front of these mountains. The fare costs a penny (I won’t say the exact amount, I didn’t travel in this way), a bus leaves from the northern bus station of Hoi An.
• On rented bike . We rented a bike for $5 per day right outside our hotel in Hoi An.

Don't be afraid to ride a bike to the Marble Mountains. Traffic in this part of Vietnam (on the road along the sea between Hoi An and Da Nang) is very calm, unlike traffic in and even in. We drove from Hoi An to the Marble Mountains in 15-20 minutes, the road is almost empty. If you are planning to stay in Hoi An city, my article will be useful for you:

parking

A few words about parking near the Marble Mountains. As soon as we turned off the road from the sea to the sights, the Vietnamese began to rush to us almost under the wheels of the bike with a desire to park our bike right at their store or cafe. Do not pay attention, but drive further, closer to the mountain and the entrance. There, too, you will have to park the bike near some store. We did not see the official parking for bikes, but the parking for the car is 10,000 VND ($0.5).

When asked how much it would cost to park a bike near a store or cafe, the Vietnamese woman said that it was free, but if we buy something, then what would we buy from her. Well, anyway, on our return from the mountain, we were very thirsty and bought water and cane juice in the shop. Prices, of course, are higher than in the store, but not critical. For example, a bottle of water - 15,000 dong (in a store 10,000 dong), cane juice - 15,000 dong (in other places 6,000 -10,000 dong).

Hours of operation of the complex

Officially, the Marble Mountains complex in Da Nang is open from 7:00 to 17:30. But no one forbids coming later: we have not seen doors that can be closed at night 🙂

Cost of visiting the Marble Mountains

The cost of visiting the cave Am Phu - 15,000 VND (~ $0.75)

The cost of visiting all the caves and other structures on the largest mountain Thủy Sơn - 15,000 VND (~ $0.75)

You can climb the mountain by elevator - 15,000 VND (~ $ 0.75) one way

For those who love hiking there is a climb up a long wide staircase 🙂 I choose comfort, especially in the 40-degree May heat, so we go up the mountain by elevator 🙂 But don’t think that when you come to the mountain you won’t have to climb further on foot. Numerous stairs and paths lead up from the elevator.

Plan-scheme of the complex of the Marble Mountains

Am Phu Cave

We visited this cave first - it happened by accident, we just parked closer to it, and not to the passage to the mountain. Then I realized that it was the right decision: after walking through the caves, temples and observation platforms on the mountain, I would hardly have gone to another cave. Namely Am Phu Cave I remember the most.

The entrance to the cave is decorated with marble figurines. At the entrance there are several marble benches for rest.

Am Phu Cave symbolizes Heaven and Hell. Immediately after entering, we find ourselves in Purgatory, where they determine where to send a person: to hell or to heaven? Well, first let's go down to the very inferno, to Hell. The faint of heart do not watch 🙂

Now let's go to Paradise. The path to Paradise is not easy, you will have to overcome more than a dozen slippery steps. But at the very top we are waiting for an observation deck with a great view of the surroundings!

Caves and temples on Mount Thủy Sơn

As I said above, the Marble Mountains complex in Da Nang consists of five hills, on top of which there are pagodas - temples and caves, but tourists (and we too) visit only the most big mountain Thủy Sơn.

The first Van Thong cave with bats inside. After a huge hall with an altar, the cave narrows, then you need to climb through a narrow passage and preferably with a flashlight and comfortable shoes, we decided not to go any further.

Huyen Khong Cave is huge with a leaky "roof", the sun's rays break through the crevices in the rock. Scary statues below 🙂

There are several active pagodas on the mountain, we even went to the territory where the monks live and rested there in the shade of trees all alone.

We also went up to several viewing platforms.

Back we tired went down the stairs. Yes, it is not an easy job to walk in the heat in the mountains and caves! I really wanted to take a cold bath 🙂 But we went further to explore the sights of Da Nang 🙂

Marble mountains in Da Nang. Video

The Marble Mountains are an unusual and interesting attraction in Da Nang and Hoi An. It is definitely worth visiting them, especially if you are not spoiled by such large caves as, for example, the Phong Nha Kebang caves.

• The territory of the Marble Mountains complex is large, you will have to walk a lot, expect to spend 3 hours or even more
• Wear comfortable shoes. I saw how some tourists walked barefoot and carried their shoes in their hands 🙂
• take more water. You can also buy water upstairs, but prices are higher than downstairs
• If you plan to climb the undeveloped part of the cave, take a flashlight with you
• Buy a map below or take a picture of the plan. There are signs at the top but it's hard to know where to go.
• The Vietnamese are very fond of sightseeing, so avoid visiting the Marble Mountains on weekends and public holidays. Yes and in weekdays there are a lot of people here ... we arrived at 10 in the morning and found crowds Vietnamese tourists. But at one in the afternoon it became good, empty, only a few Europeans examined the caves and temples
• Prices for marble souvenirs under the mountain are high, bargain, the price can drop two or three times!

Other hotels in Da Nang can be selected and booked.

There are several places in the Marble Mountains that all travelers try to visit. One of the most colorful is the Am Phu cave, dedicated to Hell and Paradise. The entrance to it is decorated with skillfully carved marble figures, and neat benches await tired tourists.

After entering, visitors are taken to sculptural compositions representing Purgatory. Then they pass by Hell, Paradise, an altar with Buddha figurines and climb to a small temple on the observation deck, from where great view on the coast.

Of particular interest to travelers is the highest of the hills - Thủy Sơn. It also has viewing platforms from where you can see the endless turquoise sea, sandy beaches, small villages and laid along the coast highway. On the mountain there are Buddhist temples and buildings in which the monks live.

Inside the Thủy Sơn hill there are large underground cavities equipped for tourists. Van Thong Cave is famous for its bats hanging from the walls. At first it is wide, and after the hall with the altar it becomes noticeably narrower. The largest cave of Huyen Khong hill has holes in the vault, so it is illuminated by the sun. In the depths of this cave is a white statue of a seated Buddha.

Information for tourists

There are several ancient caves in the Marble Mountains and Buddhist temples. The territory of the complex is open daily from 7.00 to 17.30. The entrance fee for visiting the highest hill Thủy Sơn is 15,000 VND. For the same money, you can take the elevator up the mountain. Hikers reach the top of the hill by a wide staircase. Parking is paid and costs 10,000 VND.

The territory of the natural attraction is quite large, for its self inspection need at least three hours.

To walking tour on the Marble Mountains was comfortable, tourists should put on comfortable sports shoes and take a supply drinking water. Drinks and snacks are sold on the mountain, but prices are calculated for tourists, that is, 1.5-2 times higher than in conventional stores. Before climbing up, you need to purchase a map or take a photo of the route map.

The Vietnamese themselves like to come to the Marble Mountains. Especially a large influx of travelers in these places happens on weekends and holidays. Here they sell marble souvenirs, and if you bargain skillfully, sellers can reduce prices by 2-3 times.

How to get there

The Marble Mountains are located near the Vietnamese city of Da Nang. The hills are easily accessible by taxi, rented motorbike or regular bus that runs from Da Nang to Hoi Yang. bus route is laid along the seashore, so you can just ask the driver to stop in front of the Marble Mountains.

Are Marble Mountains. When I first heard their name, my imagination began to draw smooth and shiny high mountains, but the reality was not such. In fact, there is no brightness and brilliance, mountains or hills are covered with trees, but still these creations of nature are impressive. Just imagine a plain in the middle of which there are 5 separate hills, it's not even a mountain range.

The Marble Mountains are not only a tourist attraction, they are still used for marble mining and the production of various sculptures.

Once these mountains were islands, but the water level South China Sea has declined significantly since then. Now these beauties rise above the ground, 8 kilometers from Da Nang, almost on the seashore. Translated from Vietnamese, hills have beautiful name Mountains of the Five Elements. Each is named after the five natural elements: Tui (water), Hoa (fire), Mok (wood), Kim (metal), and To (earth). The largest is Mount Tui, that is, water. It consists of three peaks and covers an area of ​​15 hectares. It is on the top of this mountain that you can climb and inspect the entire surrounding area.

Mount Tui is the most spoiled tourist destination. For tourists, they even built an “elevator to the clouds” here. This is not the first elevator we saw among the mountains. Although this one is more modern than the elevator at the Datanla waterfalls in Dalat.

Each mountain has caves and numerous tunnels, and near the entrance to the caves there are several Buddhist shrines.

Entrance to the cave in Mount Tui. The bridge is made entirely of marble, and the handrails are decorated with 12 totem animals of the year. There are several caves on Mount Tui: one is next to the elevator, and to visit the second, you will need to take the elevator up the mountain. For the entrance to each cave you will need to pay 15,000 VND ($ 0.7) and the same amount for the lift.

Inside the cave, some sculptures are carved into the rocks. Very impressive!

On one of the peaks on Mount Tui, you need to go more than a dozen steps

For this you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of Da Nang and its surroundings.

At the foot of the mountains there are many shops with countless figurines, all kinds of figurines, jewelry and even marble dishes. In the villages near the mountains live stone carvers, whose profession is quite honorable in these areas. Local craftsmen provide almost all monasteries South-East Asia marble carvings.

Against of Vinpearl Da Nang has a big shop with beautiful marble statues.

If you are a lover of unusual souvenirs like me, then you will definitely pick up something interesting. Absolutely everything is made of marble - from small trinkets, to huge sculptures, statues, marble furniture, dishes and chess.

Everyone will be able to find something for themselves in these mountains, take memorable photos and try local cuisine. After all, there are numerous bars and restaurants near the mountains. Here, the chefs will be happy to prepare for anyone who wants some unforgettable culinary masterpiece.

How to get to the Marble Mountains?

In the beginning, I already wrote that they are located 8 km from Da Nang, and from Hoi An - 20-25 km. It is more interesting and cheaper to get there on your own. It is very easy to get to the mountains from Hoi An or Da Nang: for this you can use by local bus between Da Nang and Hoi An, take a taxi or use a rented scooter. Use Google Maps as a guide Chua Non Nuoc- this is a pagoda, which is located near the very famous mountain Tui. Here is a map of the marble mountains in Da Nang.

Marble Mountains (Danang, Vietnam) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The Marble Mountains are one of those places that you should definitely visit when traveling in Vietnam. Rocks of marble and limestone, painted by nature in a variety of colors, and huge caves with many temples and altars amaze the imagination, and amazing folk stories make them even more remarkable. Many travelers come here not only to see outlandish natural beauty but also rock climbing.

In ancient times, the peaks of the Marble Mountains were just small islands among vast ocean, but as the climate and topography of the Earth's surface changed, the ocean disappeared, and the islands became high cliffs. There is a legend among the locals that each of the peaks represents an unshakable component of the universe.

The marble mountains Tho Son, Thu Son, Kim Son, Hoa Son and Mok Son symbolize the elements of the universe: earth, water, metal, fire and wood.

Mount Thu Son is the largest cave, which in the past was used to house Hindu and Buddhist temples. Today it is also considered a shrine, but it is open to tourists.

Peculiarities

Several pagodas have been built on Mount Thu Son - they are revered as sacred places, and the oldest and most famous of them was erected in 1825. Not far from the pagodas there is a viewpoint from which a wonderful panorama of the lands of Da Nang and 4 other mountains opens. At the very foot of the mountains, there are several original villages where you can get acquainted with the local life and buy unusual marble crafts created by the hands of skilled marble makers.

One of the caves of the Marble Mountains is famous for its unique interior decoration- narrow passages lead tourists to a symbolic hell, and several stairs - to heaven.

Khyen Khong Cave deserves special attention - once inside it, you plunge into mysterious world folk legends. The walls of the cave are equipped with artistic illumination, the rarest tiles lie on the floor, and inside there is a temple dedicated to the Buddha. There is another remarkable cave - Am Phu - it contains an altar with improvised sacrifices and figures of monks and musicians carved from marble.

The Marble Mountains give tourists the opportunity to active rest- trekking and climbing. There are a lot of walkers here. hiking trails and peaks that you can climb, and local travel agencies are ready to offer the services of guides and instructors. But if you have only one day at your disposal, it is better to devote it, of course, to examining the rocks themselves and visiting at least a few of them.

Practical Information

The Marble Mountains are located 8 km from Da Nang. You can get to them by two roads - the main highway and the highway running along the sea. On the first road to the mountains there are buses departing from stations in Hoi An and Da Nang, and on the second - only taxis. Coordinates for motorists: 16°0’5"N; 108°15'30"E.

Ticket price: VND 40,000 for adults and children. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

The Marble Mountains are located five kilometers from Da Nang, ten kilometers from its airport. Road to one of the main attractions the city is coming along the sea. The sea in ancient times surrounded the mountains, which were islands. The sea left, the islands turned into five limestone-marble hills, connected into a single mountain range.

Previously, marble was mined here, due to which the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements existed. Now the development is prohibited, marble for products that are sold in souvenir shops at the foot are brought from other deposits in Vietnam.

Five marble rocks named after the five main elements - water, wood, earth, metal and fire, only in Vietnamese. Water Mountain is the largest, with several pagodas. The most famous of them, Tamthai, was built in 1825. Everything on the mountain is equipped for excursions: the paths are fenced, there are signs for the routes, they sell water and drinks. Stairs have been carved to climb up the hill. Since the climb is quite steep, there are benches everywhere to rest. You can use the elevator, but the rise is more exciting - along the way there are possible interesting discoveries and surprises. Those who have overcome the stairs are met by a snow-white figure of a seated Buddha.

There are many pagodas and caves in the mountains. There are even ancient Tyam sanctuaries, Buddhist temples in the caves are also ancient. Large caves have lighting, the floors are tiled. There are entire temples in them, decorated according to all the canons. For small caves better stock up on a flashlight.

Many people are impressed by Am Hu Cave, which symbolizes hell and heaven. From the entrance to the cave begins purgatory, from it the descent to hell. The depicted scenes of hell are so naturalistic that children should not be taken there. From hell, a steep climb leads to heaven, there is also an observation deck.

Mysterious caves, hidden paths, altars, many pagodas and viewing platforms with beautiful panoramic views - all this attracts tourists to the Marble Mountains. In addition to them, numerous pilgrims who profess Hinduism, Buddhism and the cult of ancestors come here.