The Marble Mountains: Da Nang’s Mystical Peaks
Just 8 kilometers southeast of Da Nang lies a cluster of five majestic limestone and marble hills known as the Marble Mountains or Ngu Hanh Son. Named by a Nguyen Dynasty king after the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—these mountains are a stunning blend of natural beauty, spiritual significance, and rich history. A visit here offers a serene escape and a truly unique experience.
A World of Caves and Pagodas
The most popular of the five is Thuy Son (Water Mountain), the highest and most beautiful peak. Stone steps carved into the mountainside lead you on a journey past ancient pagodas and into breathtaking caves.
- Huyen Khong Cave: This impressive grotto once served as a base for Vietnamese revolutionaries. Its stunning natural formations and shafts of light streaming through the rock create a truly magical atmosphere.
- Tam Thai Pagoda: A beautiful pagoda at the peak, it has a rich history that spans centuries.
- Am Phu Cave: Known as “Hell Cave,” this long and spooky grotto offers a spiritual journey into the Buddhist and Taoist concepts of the afterlife. It’s a fascinating and slightly eerie experience that’s both educational and memorable.
Thuy Son is both the highest and the most beautiful. Marble mountains associates with many different legends. Thuy Son, covering an area of 15ha, has three peaks namely Thuong Thai, Trung Thai and Ha Thai. As a result, the pagoda built on the mountain was named Tam Thai. Thuy Son has been exploited as a popular tourist resort because of its alluring beauty. Stone steps carved into the mountain lead to Tam Thai Pagoda where Phat Di Lac is worshiped. In the past, the pagoda paid tribute to Hindu and Buddhist gods and is now dedicated to Cham deities. Also on the cliff of the mountain are such beautiful grottoes as Linh Nham Grotto, Van Thong Grotto, Tang Chon Grotto and Huyen Khong Grotto. Huyen Khong Cave was the base for Vietnamese revolutionaries during wartime.
The Marble Mountains are famous for their traditional stone engraving activities. In Dong Hai village close to Thuy Son, 600 families chisel stone producing statues, jewelry, and art work. Stone from the Marble Mountain Da Nang has been exported to many countries.
Cultural and historical vestiges are still on every pagoda and tower of the early 19th century and on Champa sculptures of the 14th and 15th century. There are poets of the Le and Tran dynasty engraved on stones. All monuments such as the grave of Capital Tran Quang Khai’s mother, a temple for worshiping Ngoc Lan princess (Minh Mang King’s younger sister), autograph of conferring Tam Thai pagoda to be the national one, Da Chong tunnel, Ba Tho cave, Kim Son mountain, Am Phu cave, etc. are forceful evidences to the legendary Marble Mountain Da Nang.
Am Phu Cave is located inside Thuy Son, it is the longest cave in the Marble Mountains, measuring 302 meters long. The cave is known as “the hell” because it was dark and a little scary in the past. The monks give its spacious chambers, small passages and natural formations a religious significance, very interesting to learn about. Visitors to the Am Phu Cave will have the opportunity to admire somewhat mysterious landscape, as well as understand more about the philosophy of life and the law of karma – the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of a person influence the future.
A Legacy of Stone
The Marble Mountains are not just a natural wonder; they are also the heart of a vibrant stone carving industry. The village at the foot of the mountains is filled with hundreds of families who have perfected the art of chiseling stone into stunning statues, intricate jewelry, and beautiful artworks. You can watch these skilled craftsmen at work, turning raw marble into works of art.
The stone carving village stretching along the road leading to the Ngu Hanh Son entrance is also a very attractive sight for visitors. At this village, you can admire all those wonderful works created by patient craftsmen right in front of you. All the stones for the works are taken and transferred from the Marble Mountains.
The Marble Mountains are situated between Da Nang City and Hoi An ancient town and very close to Non Nuoc Beach, which stretches for kilometers with clean and white sand and is one of the nicest beaches in Vietnam, which is very convenient for visitors who want to go climbing and bathing. Ngu Hanh Son is familiar to almost everyone who has been to Da Nang. It is so well known that many people consider it as the symbol of the area, take our day tour Da nang to visit this Marble Mountain Da Nang.
