How to visit the Marble Mountains, Vietnam
If you’ve read much about what to do near Hoi An, you might have come across the Marble Mountains. These temple-topped hills are a popular place for tourists to visit on the way to this city.
After my visit to the Marble Mountains as part of my six-week trip through Vietnam, I’ve put together this guide to help you visit yourself. It’ll give you a bit of background into what the Marble Mountains are and what it’s like to visit them, as well as practical information such as how to get there.
I hope it inspires you to plan a trip to this area!
Practical information
- Entrance fee: 40,000 dong ($1.60 / £1.20) per person
- Optional fees: 15,000 dong ($0.60 / £0.45) per person to use the lift; 15,000 dong for a map
- Facilities: free toilets are located on Nui Thuy Son, with refreshments available for purchase; numerous restaurants nearby
- Getting there: head to Ngu Hanh Son for the main Marble Mountain, or to Dong Am Phu for the cave below
About Marble Mountains
The Marble Mountains are a set of five hills in Central Vietnam that, as you’d guess by their names, are made of marble. They conspicuously stick out of the surrounding flat landscape, like the karst mountains you’ll see regularly in North Vietnam. It’s a very jarring sight!
The Marble Mountains have a long history as being significant to the people who occupy the area. They were first sacred to the Cham people, whose kingdom spread across Central and Southern Vietnam. They considered the mountains and the caves within them holy places.
Later on in the nineteenth century, being not too far from Hue, the capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty, they were considered sacred by those Nguyen kings, who built temples on top of them. They named the mountains “Ngu Hanh Son” – the five mountains – with each mountain named after an element in Vietnamese philosophy.
Nowadays they remain a sacred site revered due to both their long history and their Buddhist temples.
Where are the Marble Mountains?
The Marble Mountains are best known because of their location, around half an hour’s drive north of Hoi An, one of the most popular cities to visit in Vietnam.
They are situated on the outskirts of Da Nang, the biggest city in Central Vietnam. After that, it’s around 2.5 hours’ drive to Hue, the next location along the main tourist route through the country.
Given the Marble Mountains’ location between Hue and Hoi An, they are often included on tours between these places. Riding the Hai Van Pass, north of Da Nang, is already a popular activity for tourists. These trips often then give you some time at the Marble Mountains before finally reaching Hoi An.
Likewise, it’s easy to visit them as a day trip from Hoi An.
Temples at the Marble Mountains
Nowadays, the Marble Mountains comprise a network of caves and temples on top of the hills. Only one mountain is currently open to the public, so I haven’t been to the four others, but I imagine they are similar.
The mountain you can visit is called Nui Thuy Son, or the Water Mountain. It’s the tallest and biggest mountain in the complex, with more than nine temples on its peak. These temples are built in small complexes with pagodas, worship halls and shrines.
All the temple complexes are different. Some are open air and others are built within caves, lending them a mysterious air.
Tourists are free to walk through most of the temple complexes, with the exception of a few places which are reserved for the Buddhist monks who care for the shrines. Tourists can also enter many caves, some of which are used for worshipping and contain shrines, and others that are mostly empty.
Viewpoints and pretty settings
All the temples are set in picture-perfect surroundings. The Marble Mountains are covered with thick green woodland, and even with the many temples and walkways now present, they still remain green and forested.
Given Nui Thuy Son’s elevated position, it makes a great place to view the surrounding area. It’s only 1 or so kilometres from the beach, so prepare to see a dark blue sea (lined with resorts, of course) stretching to the east. The outskirts of Da Nang are visible to the north, whereas a river and lowland suburbs are visible to the south.
For the best views, head to one of the viewpoints across the complex. One is observable via a pathway through Van Thong cave and is good for views to the south.
You can also climb to the tallest point on the mountain for the best views to the north. At that point, though, I was pretty knackered by the mountain visit and didn’t bother!
Am Phu cave
Underneath Nui Thuy Son, you’ll find another cave called Am Phu. Although technically part of the Marble Mountains, it’s covered by a second entrance fee and considered a separate attraction.
The entrance to Am Phu is fairly innocuous, beginning with a set of steps, before you enter a massive cavern. The Nguyen kings thought this was the entrance to hell, and I can see why!
Within the cave, you’ll find some “spookier” shrines in a nod to its significance as an afterlife. When I was there, it wasn’t too busy, only amplifying its mystical edge.
Further into the cave, a set of steps lead the way to “heaven” and are adorned by further shrines and depictions of the afterlife. A ledge above contains one final shrine.
This cave isn’t one to skip!
What are the Marble Mountains like to visit?
The Marble Mountains have a very tranquil nature. Although very touristy, given the numerous caves and viewpoints, it’s possible to find yourself alone in moments.
I personally loved how much of the available space contains shrines. Some are quite imaginative, such as two Buddhas playing a game with one another.
The Am Phu cave in particular has an otherwordly atmosphere which I haven’t felt at any other shrine.
With all things being equal, the Marble Mountains are a fairly unique place to visit, and I’m glad I made the time to go there.
Arriving at Nui Thuy Son
It’s possible to access Nui Thuy Son from two entrance points.
If you want to use the lift, you need to come to the easternmost point (indicated by “Ngu Hanh Sun” on Google Maps). Here, there is a lift which will take you up the first 100 steps. I know, a lift to the top of a mountain? Crazy stuff!
In all honesty though, the mountains are pretty hilly, and we thought the lift was a bit of a scam. There are a lot of steps at the top of the mountain so, without traversing these, there isn’t much you can actually see.
An alternative entrance is located further west along the road (“Marble Mountains Ticket Booth” on Google Maps).
Once you’re in, you’re free to explore the area. You’ll find a giant map close to the exit from the lift, which you could take a photo of if you don’t buy a map – it’s exactly the same as what’s available to purchase. I found it easiest to work from east to west to make sure I didn’t miss any temples or caves.
Make sure you don’t miss the Am Phu cave. Its entrance is right next to the lift but is slightly concealed, so if you choose not to take the lift, like we did, you might miss it.
How long do you need to visit?
Most tour groups give you 1 to 2 hours to visit, with a guide to take you around to the most important parts. In this amount of time you can see all the highlights and most impressive parts of the mountains.
However, if you’re travelling independently I’d suggest slightly longer – perhaps 3 hours, including a visit to Am Phu cave beneath. There are parts of Nui Thuy Son which do not get many tour visitors and, by having a bit more time, you’ll be able to explore them too.
How to get to the Marble Mountains
To get to the Marble Mountains, you have a couple of options.
The first is to take a tour. This is super convenient if you are travelling from Hue to Hoi An or vice versa, as they often stop at Marble Mountains. These tours may also take you to other interesting destinations on the way, such as Linh Ung Pagoda near Da Nang, as well as taking you down the Hai Van Pass.
For this journey, a tour makes so much sense, so that you don’t need to worry about the itinerary or getting back to these locations on your own. Tours can be arranged at any tour agency in Hue or Hoi An, or via your accommodation. It’s also likely you can take a one-off trip to the Marble Mountains from Hoi An if you aren’t travelling to Hue.
A second option is to take a taxi. As the Marble Mountains are relatively close to Hoi An, this can work out more economical than you might think. We took Grab motorbikes from Da Nang and the price wasn’t bad at all (around 100,000 dong ($4 / £3) return). The Marble Mountains are in a touristy area with plenty of taxis and Grabs about, so you don’t need to worry about getting a car to wait for you.
If you can drive a motorbike, you could also rent one for the day. Expect to pay 100,000 to 150,000 dong ($4 to $6 / £3.00 to £4.50) for this, plus fuel. This would be most economical if you’re visiting multiple places in one day, but perhaps not for just the one journey.
Should you take a tour?
Whether a tour is for you depends entirely on the individual. There aren’t many signs on Nui Thuy Son, so a tour guide is useful to tell you more about what you see. However, on a tour, your time on the mountain is limited. Most tours only give you 1 to 2 hours at the complex, which just isn’t enough time to see everything.
On the flip side, if you visit on your own, you will see lots more and can spend all the time you want there. However, it’s unlikely you’ll learn as much about everything you see. It’s a trade off!
Personally I visited on my own, using taxis, and I’m glad I did it this way. I got to spend as much time as I wanted in the complex and could visit everything at my own pace. This made the trip relaxing and enjoyable.
My ratings of the Marble Mountains
As part of this blog, I give every place I visit a rating so that I can easily compare attractions and decide whether they’re worth a visit. This is how the Marble Mountains rated:
- Safety: 5/5 – I felt very safe whilst visiting the Marble Mountains.
- Accessibility: 4/5 – whilst the lift helps, given the number of steps, I’m still not sure how easy it would be for a disabled visitor to visit the Marble Mountains. It’s pretty easy to get to by tour or taxi though.
- Enjoyment: 4/5 – my visit was great, although the number of tourists in such a small area might put some people off.
- Value: 4/5 – the entrance fee is quite reasonable, although you’ll end up paying more to get there and back.
Overall score: 4.25/5
If you’ve already visited, let me know if you agree with these ratings! Just to note, the ratings are my personal opinion based on my visit, so you might have a completely different experience.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my visit to the Marble Mountains. Although incredibly touristy, this temple complex still manages to retain its spiritual essence. I felt very peaceful there.
I hope this guide helps you plan your visit and gives you a better idea of what to expect.
What would you like to know about the Marble Mountains? Let me know in the comments.
