Because Hoi An doesn’t have that much to explore within the city, we decided to pay a visit to the marble mountains. I had no idea about this place before going to Hoi An. It seems to be a very less visited place in the surroundings, but it is totally worthy.
One morning, we decided to visit the marble mountains which are halfway to Da Nang. I didn’t see any foreign tourists at the marble mountains and it’s actually so easy and cheap to get there. It’s also not so far away from Hoi An. A 30 minutes bus ride is enough to get there and the bus stop is really nearby. You just need to hop on the bus that goes from Hoi An to Da Nang, ask the bus assistant for the marble mountains, or just check on the GPS where you are.
The mountains are clearly seen from the street so you will have sure where to hop off the bus. We had no clue but ended up visiting the most important mountain. The entrance is a 5 minutes’ walk from the bus station and there is an entrance fee. This place is crowded with Asian tourists.
There are many steps to climb, caves to see, and a wide view that overlooks the other four mountains. Here there are five mountains that consist of limestone hills. Each one has a meaning. They represent the 5 elements, one is the earth, the other the fire, the metal, wood, and water ones can also be seen. At the bottom of the mountain, you can see thousands of marble sculptures and also other stones. There are several sculptures shops here and they have some huge and amazing works for sale. The mountains were once used to extract rocks but that is now forbidden.
I feel like this place is underrated. The views from the very top are 360º wide and there are so many things to be seen, tunnels to follow and mesmerizing caves with marble walls completely carved. Caves here are unlike any other cave I have seen. There is so much to appreciate that we spent all morning at the marble mountains and had lunch at one of the food stalls around.
After it, we walked around only to find even more stone shops and people working on the rocks to turn them into admirable art pieces. Once we are tired of the views, we go back to the bus station and wait for the bus.
It was a great decision to visit these mountains.
You can also enjoy some entertaining cooking classes in Hoi An. Book them HERE!
