The Marble Mountains located between the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An are an important and popular attraction of these places. Their cliffs hide ancient shrines, which are annually visited by thousands of parishioners, pilgrims and travelers from all over the world.
The mountains consist of five stone formations named after natural forces. However, tourists can visit only one of them – Water Cave (Thuy Son). This hill became the place of calm pagodas, panoramic viewing platforms, majestic cave temples and even some evil demons.
No matter how you feel about religion or Vietnamese mythology, the Marble Mountains should become a must-visit place on your Vietnam travel itinerary.
After climbing Thuy Son by a lift or by a staircase, you will start a fascinating adventure across numerous attractions and shrines of the Marble Mountains. A special place among them will be taken by Huyen Khong Cave, which stands out in scale and beauty.
Huyen Khong is the brightest, the biggest and the most majestic cave of the Marble Mountains. The mysterious atmosphere dominates there as if it is not a Buddhist temple, but a portal to a netherworld.
At the entrance, visitors are welcomed by menacing figures of guards, and inside – mysterious rock paintings, soft light of altars, a huge statue of the Buddha and sculptures of other deities. During sunny days, colorful rays pass through the holes in the rock and illuminate the cave with a bright dazzling light.
The form of Huyen Khong looks like a huge inverted dome or bell. Stone walls and vaults of the temple are decorated with unique carved ornament created by nature. Another distinctive feature of the cave is the through cavities, most of which also have a natural origin. Thanks to them, there are always fresh mountain air and natural lighting in the cave.
The shrine in Huyen Khong was founded in the 17th century. However, its main attraction is a huge wooden statue of the Buddha – it appeared there only in 1960. The enlightened sits right in front of the entrance to the temple and welcomes visitors with his blissful smile.