We had one final day in Hoi An and had to go to get our train tickets to Hue from Da Nang Station. We decided to make a better trip of it by visiting the Marble Mountains en route.
The Marble Mountains are 5 limestone karst mountains that spring up from the flat landscape by the sea. Over the years they have become riddled with caves which the local Vietnamese used to create Bhuddist shrines.
The largest mountain can be visited and climbed and is the site for the most interesting caves and shrines. $4 entry includes a lift to take you up the first chunk of the way. The first pagoda we came to had ornate statues and a brilliant white Bhudda sat on the side of the cliff. As interesting as it was I was much more keen to see the natural caves!
Following on we came to the first cave. On first inspection it didn’t seem quite as impressive as I expected… until a small side chamber led through to a huge opening featuring a massive statue of the goddess of mercy. I love that you have to seek out these things sometimes, it makes finding them much more satisfying!
The second cave had an even smaller passage – we wouldn’t have thought to go up if another person hadn’t pointed the way. A scramble through a tiny hole and up a steep path led to an amazing viewpoint from the height of the mountain (where the top photo was taken).
Further up the paths was an even steeper staircase than any we had seen. It led all the way up to the very top of the mountain. The view from there was incredible, even if the climb was a bit dodgy!
When we got to the final cave it was certain we had saved the best to last. A small passageway opened into a huge cavern with a massive Bhudda carved into the side of the wall overlooking various shrines.
We finished up on the mountain and climbed down again. Before we left there was one final attraction to see. The Am Phu Cave was another cavern located in the bowels of the mountain ($4). There were various shrines inside with some beautiful carvings and statues, but by far the most interesting sights were numerous statues showing sinners beinge tortured in hell by demons – a grisly and compelling spectacle!
It’s definitely worth paying the extra few dollars to see that cave too. And make sure to explore every nook and cranny when you do!