Mount Thuy Son (Marble Mountains)

106m (348ft)

It takes between 2 and 4 hours to hike to the tip and explore all the areas, caves, and pagodas at the top and descend. If in a hurry the entire trip could be done in as little as an hour and a half.

Thuy Son is a part of the Marble Mountains, which are made of limestone and marble.

There are two routes up the mountain. The first is on the Western side and the second is on the Eastern side.

The Western trail is made of 156 steps leading up to the top of Thuy Son. This trail is the one that is usually used to go up the mountain. The steps can be steep, uneven, and slippery at times, especially when wet.

The Eastern trail is often used to go down (but doesn’t have to be).

There are several beautiful pagodas, marble statues, and caves to be seen on the route as well as at the top of the mountain.

There are trees and vegetation surrounding the man-made infrastructure up the mountain. The whole area near the summit has more steps that branch off to the different caves and statues.

The weather on Thuy Son is very humid year-round. It can be climbed at any time of year, but the dry season is the best time to go as the stairs can be slippery in the wet season, making it a little bit dangerous.

The dry season is from January to August. The temperature averages about 28°C (82.4F°) in these months, ranging from 20°C (68F°) to 35°C (95F°). On average there are less than 10 rainy days per month in this period.

The wet season is from September to December, with the most rainy days occurring in November and December (on average about 18 days per month). The temperature averages about 23°C (73.4F°)in these months, ranging from 22°C to 24°C. (71.6F° to 75.2F°)

Good shoes are required but nothing else.

You can purchase food and drink in the town before starting the climb. At the top of the mountain, there is a relaxation area where there are stands, vendors, and toilets. There are places where you can stop on the way up but no food or water.

A guide is not necessary for this climb, the stairway is very clear and there are lots of people around who you can follow.

The marble mountains, (including Thuy Son) are located in central Vietnam, in a village called Non Nuoc Jewel, about 10km (6.2 mi) South of Da Nang in Ngu Hanh Son District. Thuy Son is well situated between Da Nang and Hoi An, so can be accessed easily from either city.

To get to the starting point one can fly into Da Nang and catch a taxi or a bus, or rent a motorcycle to Non Nuoc Jewel village. To get to the mountains themselves, navigate to Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, where two entrances can be found. Thuy Son is the mountain next to the parking lot at Gate 1, and the only one open for visitors.

This is a very popular tourist destination and frequents many tourists each day. There is not much concern for safety, except to climb when it is dry to avoid slipping on the steps.