What to see on the Marble Mountains

A route over Thủy Sơn

Paths branch in every direction across the mountain. This loop starts at the elevator gate, takes in the main sights and ends back at the road. Some gates sell a paper map, which is handy to pick up.

1. Linh Ứng pagoda

The elevator drops you near Linh Ứng, an active Buddhist pagoda with courtyards and statues. Don't mix it up with the other Linh Ứng pagoda on the Sơn Trà peninsula, home of the giant Lady Buddha statue. Da Nang has several pagodas of that name, and tours often visit both in one morning.

2. Tàng Chơn cave and the sea viewpoint

Close to Linh Ứng are the first cave shrines, including Tàng Chơn, and a lookout facing the sea and the long beach towards Hoi An. It's a gentle warm-up before the bigger caves.

3. Huyền Không cave

The highlight. You go down steps through a narrow passage and emerge into a tall cavern with a Buddha carved high in the rock wall, shrines around the edges and openings in the roof. When the sun is high, usually mid to late morning, beams of light fall through those openings onto the altars. That's the famous photo.

4. The viewpoints

Rough steps and short scrambles lead up to the lookouts. Vọng Giang Đài looks over the other four mountains, the rooftops of Non Nước village and the countryside inland. Other lookouts face the sea. Wear shoes with grip for the rough steps. The Vân Thông cave passage climbs steeply through a narrow gap towards daylight, a fun scramble with a view at the top.

5. Tam Thai pagoda and the stairs down

On the way down on the far side you pass Tam Thai pagoda, the mountain's historic royal pagoda, before the long staircase brings you back to the road. From here it's a short walk along the base to Âm Phủ cave.

Âm Phủ cave

Âm Phủ means "underworld". It sits at the foot of the mountain with its own entrance and ticket. You cross a small bridge and descend into a large cave laid out as a Buddhist vision of the afterlife: grim, sometimes graphic statues of punishments in the depths, then a climb towards "heaven" and daylight. It's one of the most atmospheric sights in Da Nang.

There are no big stairs to reach it, so it works even if you skipped the climb. Allow 30–45 minutes. We think it's the most memorable part of the site.

Non Nước stone-carving village

The road around the base is lined with workshops and showrooms carving marble and stone, a craft the village has practised for centuries. You'll see everything from pocket-sized Buddhas to statues taller than a person. Browsing is free, and you're welcome to just watch the carvers at work.

Etiquette

• Cover your shoulders and knees. The pagodas and cave shrines are places of worship.
• Take off your shoes and hat before entering a pagoda hall
• Keep your voice down near altars, and don't climb on statues for photos
• Bring water for the climb. Drinks stalls are dotted around the mountain.