DISCOVERING FIVE ELEMENT MOUNTAINS OF NGU HANH SON

Ngu Hanh Son is located on a vast coastal sandbank in Da Nang City. It is far from the center about 8 kilometers to the southeast, belonging to Hoa Khue Village, Hoa Vang district. Ngu Hanh Son is also known as the name “Marble Mountain” including five mountains which represent for Five Elements and create a lot of mysterious stories. Therefore, Ngu Hanh Son is evaluated as a wonderful natural masterpiece in Da Nang city and an ideal destination in your Vietnam tour.

1/ Kim Son mountain (Metal Mountain)

Vietnam tours: Kim Son mountain (Metal Mountain)

Kim Son mountain is located in the southeast of Ngu Hanh Son and near Co Co river. When traveling by boat on the river, tourists can contemplate the shadow of mountain ranges and temples reflecting on the calm water surface. Being submontane of Kim Son mountain is a cave with approximately 50 meters in length, 10 meters in width and 10 to 15 meters in height. The entrance leading to this mountain is made of natural stones shaping a lot of stairs for convenience. Inside, there are a lot of layers of stalactite clinging to the cliffs, which accidentally forms many statues of Bodhisattva.Furthermore, these stalactite statues are more vivid thanks to a layer of sparkling stalactites like a range of colorful glitter covering from shoulder to heel. At the bottom, there is a dragon lying curled up in white waves.

2/ Moc Son (Wood Mountain)

Moc Son mountain is located coastally in the east and close to Thuy Son mountain. Viewing from Moc Son, we can see a sandy cave to the east and south, a wide range of fields to the north and some villages to the west. In spite of being in “Wood System” of Five Elements, this place has very few green trees. Instead, there are a lot of rocky peaks. Each of them is cut into jagged shape resembling as a rooster’s comb so its other name is Mong Ga Mountain. On this mountain, there are no temples but it has only one white marble block which looks like a person sitting. Local people call it Ms. Mu or Guanyin. Below the peak about 10 meters, it has a wide stone cleft running horizontally to the south. Inside the mountain, there is a small cave named Ba Trung. In the two resistance wars against the United States and French, officials and local people usually hid at this place to avoid the attack from enemy’s aircraft.

Vietnam tours: Moc Son (Wood Mountain)

3/ Thuy Son (Water Mountain)

Thuy Son mountain is located in the northeast of Ngu Hanh Son, it is the most beautiful mountain among the five mountains of this range. Thuy Son mountain lies from east to west with 15 hectares in width. It has a large number of stalactite caves and old-aged temples. Among them, Tam Thai Pagoda and Linh Ung Pagoda are the two beautifully well-known pagodas in this mountain. The way to the mountain is designed with stone stairs. Tourists from coastal areas wanting to visit Linh Ung Pagoda will have to step up to 108 stairs. On the other hand, if visiting Tam Thai Pagoda located in the south, people will escalade to the 156th stair. These days, most tourists tend to move by car from Huyen Tran street. On the roadside, we can see a village that specializes in carving marble statuary. By experiencing in this activity, tourists will enjoy their Vietnam tour in a perfect way.

Vietnam tours: Thuy Son (Water Mountain)

4/ Hoa Son (Fire Mountain)

Hoa Son mountain consists of two peaks and a knob of stone street connecting them together. The western peak near Kim Son mountain is Duong Hoa Son, it is located on the banks of Co Co river. On the western slopes, opposite to Kim Son, it has three big Chinese words to be carved into the cliff of Duong Hoa Son. Inside Duong Hoa Son mountain, it contains some caves and a pagoda named “Pho Son Da”. Besides, the peak in the east near the way to Hoi An is Am Hoa Son. It is an elevated peak, its slopes are inclined and horizontal forming some slices, its east ridge has a limestone from the southern slopes to the northern ones. In this mountain, there is a variety of trees growing thickly and alternating with the stones.

Vietnam tours: Hoa Son (Fire Mountain)

5/ Tho Son (Earth Mountain)

Tho Son is a mountain located in the north of Kim Son mountain and in the west of Thuy Son mountain. This is not only the lowest mountain but also the longest one, it looks like a dragon lying on the sand. The western side of Tho Son mountain is a segment of Ba Cha river. This mountain has two floors with a wide range of heaving rocks on the top, especially in the eastern slopes. The northern slopes are steeper with lots of narrow and low cliffs. Besides, the mountain has a thin layer of grass covering and exposing the color of red clay tiles from Champa Era. In the mountains, there is a cave lying deeply inside called Coc cave or Bo De cave.

Vietnam tours: Tho Son (Earth Mountain)