Marble Mountains

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You’ll have to climb more than a few steps to get up to Marble Mountains. These steps are cut from solid stone and each one takes you up the steep karsts and higher over the horizon. Before you know it, you’ve reached the top. Welcome to Marble Mountains. This riveting attraction outside Da Nang City is part historical treasure, part natural wonder, part spiritual setting, and totally beautiful. Read on for an insider guide to Da Nang's marvelous Marble Mountains.

Marble Mountains is a group of five limestone peaks situated seven kilometres from downtown Da Nang. The five karsts (called Ngu Hanh Son in Vietnamese) are named after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thuỷ (water), Mộc (wood), Hoả (fire) and Thổ (earth). Over centuries, Marble Mountains has held special significance for the people of Central Vietnam. The ancient Cham revered the karsts as a spiritual site, and Vietnamese emperors from Hue and legendary generals passing through paid visits to the peaks, adding to their store of legends. 
Today Marble Mountains is home to a network of caves, tunnels, towers, and pagodas built by Mahayana Buddhists and the Nguyen Dynasty Kings. The structures and shrines blend harmoniously with nature: Vine tendrils drip from above, frangipani and poinciana trees drop their blossoms on the stone paths, and the pagodas’ ornate roofs sparkle in the tropical sun. It’s a setting that easily captures the imagination.
Here are half a dozen large caves hidden away in the Marble Mountains, and many other small ones that are rarely visited. Most of the caves are cool inside, with the jungle plants and mossy walls creating an exotic atmosphere found nowhere else. All the caves in Marble Mountains have unique features, and some have fascinating stories of being discovered and used as hideaways over the centuries. 

Huyen Khong is the largest of the caves, and a must-visit for Instagrammers. The collapsed ceiling allows shafts of light to pierce the dark cavern, creating dramatic spotlights inside. Huyen Khong was once used as a secret base and later a field hospital for Vietnamese revolutionaries. Its jaw-dropping size seems unlikely from the entrance, but is large enough to house a massive stone Buddha and two shrines. One of the shrines is dedicated to the god and goddess of match-making, and is a popular spot for couples and singles to worship. 
On Water Mountain, Hoa Nghiem Cave is watched over by a beautiful 400-year-old stone statue of Lady Buddha’ and on Metal Mountain, Tang Chon Cave is worth a wander for the marble statues of chess players and mandarins placed inside the cave’s warrens. Set aside time to explore a few of the caves and find the one you like most.
One of the best parts of touring Marble Mountain is seeing the striking pagodas that claim this elevated perch. Linh Ung Pagoda announces itself with an amazingly detailed archway facing the sweep of Non Nuoc Beach. Stop here for photos before wandering around the courtyard to admire the small lotus ponds, bonsai plants and tilework of the main structure. Nguyen Emperor Gia Long first ordered the pagoda built in 1825, and it bears many of the same motifs found in the UNESCO-listed tombs in Hue. A short walk away you’ll reach Xa Loi Tower. This 28-metre structure houses 200 statues of Buddha, and offers breathtaking views of the landscape below.
Across on Water Mountain, you’ll find Tam Thai Pagoda. This tidy pagoda, dedicated to the bodhisattva Phat Di Lac, has its own charming courtyard, and was rebuilt by the Nguyen Dynasty King Ming Mang more than 400 years ago, after falling into disrepair. Tam Thai is at its most serene in the early morning hours -- don’t miss it!

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Tour starts at (city): HN/HCM city
Tour duration: 1 day
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Review

Guides in Hanoi Siem Reep and Saigon were fantastic. May our guide in Saigon was so nice and very gracious. Our guide on the ship Adam was outstanding and would be a great asset to AnbinhTravel. The AMA sip was wonderful, food great, tours nice and service impeccable. We would use your agency again for sure. Thank you to Danny for Doing this for us. I would upgrade everyone to the Metropole in Hanoi. It was an experience in itself. A fine old world hotel.

Rose Wilshere , Scotland

Our guides were very customer oriented, except Johnny in Saigon, who really was so self interested and not focused on giving us the best tour. The last hotel was very poor compared to others and left us with a bad taste. Especially with Anantara only a few doors away. In addition, we asked for boutique hotels like Anantara and were put in a large corporate hotel in Saigon. The fact that the tour arranger did not pick up that we had no flights from Siem Reap to Hanoi was very disturbing and created much upset on the trip. We only did very touristy things. We were hoping, as with other tours, you would offer opportunities off the beaten track that were more original and different, this was disappointing.

Jessica Welback , United Kingdom

Hi Daisy.
We had a wonderful trip to Hanoi and to Halong Bay. Your planning and service was very gracious and thorough. Mr. Hung was very interesting, intelligent and patient with us. His care and servicces were very accommodating. He knows the area and the history of the area which we appreciated very much. His help with our luggage and rescheduling our flight back to HCMC was very helpful.

Thank you for such a memorable trip. When we return we will contact you and 365 again to plan our travels to other areas we would like to visit when we come again to Vietnam.

We will share our experiences with our family and our friends.

Louise chandler-Hones , United States

I could not be happier with your service and the planning of this wonderful trip. Everything was first class. Although I was traveling alone, I felt safe and secure at all times. In particular my travel consultant Danny P. should be highly praised for all his knowledge and work to put this together. Thank you Danny

Kevin R Smith

We are 2 women of certain age and are seasoned travelers but do not understand Vietnamese language so, we thought it would be good idea to engage local travel agent. And glad we did!! We started Hanoi, and visited Haron Bay, Hue, Danang, Hoi An and finally Ho Chi Min in total of 2 weeks. Daisy of AnbinhTravel helped us to shape our itinerary and booked all our hotels, local tours, and arranged all the logistics. She understood and responded to our requests and questions very quickly. All the hotels were safe, clean, good service, convenient location, with good daily breakfast. And within our budget that we indicated to her. Our guides in each locations are all nice, knowledgeable, eager to show us around. They came to pick us up at the hotel with fairly new, clean car with water bottles everyday. They were right on time. Traffic in Vietnam is as such, we were glad we had a comfortable car with reliable driver everywhere we go!
All in all, AnbinhTravel provided us excellent service to us and the worth money spent. We highly recommend!

Yuki W

We enjoyed the entire trip. The guide in Hanoi was satisfactory. The guide in Hue and the rest of Vietnam Suooang was terrific. She went out of her way. We loved her. The guide Chia in Bangkok was also superior. He also went out of his way to add to our trip. The guide in Siem Repp was not terrific. I wore a sleeveless dress in the morning. We went back to the hotel after lunch before Angkor Wat. Of course they didn't want to let me go up to the top. He should have told me to change. He knew they wouldn't let me up.

Anthony Berking Germany

Anbinh Travel was recommended to me by friends who have previously written an excellent review. When they returned from Vietnam, I was ready to go! Thanks to the professional assistance from Daisy and Cindy at Anbinh, I was able to put together a 16 day trip of Vietnam, from North to South, in about 5 days. Cindy and Daisy asked my preferences, and I left it to them, as my knowledge then about Vietnam was severely limited. They asked my preferences, and I told them that some cycling, trekking, sightseeing and special experiences were what I was after. They did not disappoint! From the moment we-a dear friend accompanied me-were met at the airport, every detail was taken care of. We experienced three guides, Mr. Phung In Hanoi, Thuy in Hue and surroundings, and Thung in Saigon. Also, each vehicle had a driver, who led us all around Vietnam safely. They are to be commended. The hotels were wonderful, and the pricing for this trip was beyond affordable. I am looking forward to booking with Anbinh next year to include Cambodia and Thailand. Thank you, Daisy and Cindy, and everyone at Anbinh, for an unforgettable trip to an amazing country. The people are kind, and cannot do enough for you. Service is priority, whether in the city or country, and I would return in a heartbeat, working with Anbinh !

Gibdar US