Driving 9km south of Danang city center on the famous beachfront boulevard Truong Sa, travelers can find one of the most popular attractions of the region, the Marble mountains. It is a group of five marble and limestone mountains, named after the five elements of the ancient oriental philosophy: metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
What to see
These mountains have a complicated system of caves and tunnels. In the past they were used as hiding places and important bases for the Vietnam revolutionaries.
Thuy Son and Vong Giang
Among the five, Thuy Son, the mountain of water, is the highest one and also the main attraction. Almost all tourists come to Marble Mountains to climb Thuy Son. This mountain has many caves and Buddhist temples, many dating back to the 17th century.
Climbing up about 150 stone steps from the foot of Thuy Son, one will reach the most beautiful observatory spot: the Riverview Tower or Vong Giang Tower in Vietnamese. The tower was built in the 18th century by Emperor Minh Mang, offering a breathtaking view to Kim Son or the mountain of metal, Truong Giang and Cam Le rivers and beautiful coastal ahead.
Non Nuoc Village
Tourists may also want to visit the Non Nuoc Village at the foot of Marble Mountains. The village is famous for stone sculptures and handicrafts. Here you can buy many things made of marble stone, from small one like earrings, necklaces, vases to the huge sculptures of Buddha. In the past, rock was extracted directly from the Marble Mountains to make sculptures but now the direct extraction was made illegal. Materials for sculpturing work are now transported from nearby provinces like Quang Nam and Thanh Hoa.
How to get there
From Da Nang city center, tourists have a plenty of choices to get to Marble Mountains. Either book a tour or take a taxi, or even a motorbike-taxi, you can reach your destination in a few minutes. From Hoi An, drive north 20 km you will see a big sign saying the Marble mountain.
