The Marble Mountains are one of the first places people visit in Da Nang, and for good reason. Five limestone and marble hills rise out of the flat land between the city and the sea, full of caves, pagodas, stairways and views over the coast. They are also hot, steep and busy by late morning. A little planning, and a good coffee, makes the visit far more pleasant.

Café de Lee sits about 4 km from the Marble Mountains, roughly 10 minutes by taxi or motorbike, in a quiet part of Ngu Hanh Son. This post gives a simple plan for the morning and where to rest afterwards.

The Marble Mountains in brief

The five hills are named after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). The area, Ngu Hanh Son, takes its name from them: it means "five element mountains".

Thuy Son, the water mountain, is the largest and the one most visitors climb. Paths and stone steps lead past pagodas and shrines to caves such as Huyen Khong, where light falls through an opening in the roof onto statues inside the rock. From the lookout points you can see My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches and, on a clear day, a long way along the coast. At the foot of the mountains is the Non Nuoc stone-carving village, with workshops and statues of every size.

Allow two to three hours if you want to climb Thuy Son and see the main caves without rushing.

Go early

The single most useful tip is to go early. In the first hours after opening the air is cooler, the stone steps are not yet hot, the light in the caves is soft, and there are fewer tour groups. By late morning the sun is strong and the stairs feel twice as long.

A plan that works well:

  1. 6:00–7:00 Breakfast and coffee at Café de Lee: a phin coffee and a croissant, or a beef hamburger if you want something more filling.
  2. 7:00 Ten minutes by taxi or motorbike to the Marble Mountains.
  3. 7:15–10:00 Climb Thuy Son, see the caves and the views.
  4. After Back for a cold drink, or on to the beach at Non Nuoc, which is very close.

Our post on early breakfast in Ngu Hanh Son has more ideas for mornings like this.

What to bring

  • Shoes with grip. The stone steps and cave floors can be uneven and slippery.
  • Water. You will drink more than you think on the climb.
  • Something to cover shoulders and knees for the pagodas.
  • A small torch or phone light for the darker caves.
  • Sun protection for the open lookouts.

A cold drink after the climb

When you come down, you will probably want to sit somewhere cool and quiet for a while. Café de Lee is a small, family-run café about 10 minutes away, on a quiet residential street. A few drinks that suit the moment:

  • an iced Milk Coffee or Black Coffee from the phin;
  • the house Salt Coffee, sweet and creamy over ice (our post on salt coffee in Da Nang explains what it is);
  • a Matcha Frappe or Lipton Shake if you have had enough coffee;
  • Honey Lemon to cool down.

Everything is on the menu. There is free Wi-Fi if you want to sort through your photos, and the afternoons are quieter still.

Getting from the Marble Mountains to the café

It is about 4 km, roughly 10 minutes by taxi, Grab or motorbike. From the café, My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches are 10 to 15 minutes away, the city centre 15 to 20 minutes, and Hoi An 35 to 45 minutes down the coast. The location page has the map and directions.

Visit Café de Lee

Climb early, then come down for a quiet coffee.