The Am Phu Cave is part of the Marble Mountains. The cave is on and accessed from the ground level, while the mountains are above it. Collectively, these are two of the most popular attractions in Da Nang.
You will need separate entrance tickets for each.
You will need to be moderately fit to access the full Marble Mountains. There are periods of pretty steep stairs, especially to reach the mountain’s various viewpoints. There are some handrails in certain parts, but you may need to climb steep steps without much to hold onto in other areas.
• 🏨 The Danang Marriott (see on Agoda / Booking) and the Melia Danang (see on Agoda / Booking) are two of the nicer beachside resorts across the street from the Marble Mountains.
• 🎟️ This Lady Buddha and Marble Mountain tour has options for small-group or private
Wear comfortable shoes or sneakers. Don’t wear a dress. When I last visited, there were tourists wearing dresses. This is not ideal for climbing. There are a lot of stairs up and down throughout, so be prepared to get a bit sweaty if you want to see everything the mountain offers. On another recent trip, I saw people in flip-flops. This is also a bad idea.
Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains are not handicap accessible. If you have difficulty walking or mobility issues, you won’t be able to fully enjoy either. You could take the elevator up to the lower level, but you’ll be limited to where you go from there.
Here is my Da Nang travel guide and my article covering where to stay in Da Nang. Join my free Hoi An, Da Nang & Hue travel planning group, where I will personally answer any questions you have on either city.
All photos in this article are from my visits to Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains while living in Da Nang.
Details for Visiting Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains
| Location | Google Maps (Cave) / Google Maps (Mountains) |
| Hours | 7 AM to 5 PM (Cave) / 7 AM to 5:30 PM (Mountains) |
| Cost | 20.000 VND (Cave) / 40.000 VND (Mountains) |
| Elevator Cost | 15.000 VND per trip |
| Scooter Parking | Prepare to haggle (5.000 to 10.000 VND is fair) |
| Accessibility | Not for people with mobility issues |
| How to Get There | Use the Grab App (download here) |
| Best Time to Visit* | March, April, May (Second Best: June to August) |
| How Long to Stay | 2 hours (Mountains) / 30 minutes (Cave) |
| What to Wear | Good sneakers or boots for climbing stairs |
| Best Tour | Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains, Am Phu Cave |
Quick Points on Am Phu Cave
- Not wheelchair accessible or for anyone with mobility issues
- The entrance is to the left of the mountain elevator
- Wet inside, cave walls/ceiling dripping water
- Good lighting (for a cave)
- Paved/tiled path throughout (but slippery)
- Not for anyone with claustrophobia issues
- Muggy inside
- You’ll get wet/sweaty (no air circulation)
- Plan to spend 20 to 30 minutes
- This can be skipped; there are caves in the Marble Mountains, too.
Quick Points on the Marble Mountains
- Not wheelchair accessible or for anyone with mobility issues
- One ticket booth is to the right of the elevator
- A second ticket booth for climbing the stairs is further to the right
- You can climb the stairs or take the elevator to the lower level
- The elevator only takes you to the lower level of the mountain
- There is a lot of hiking/stairs, even after using the elevator
- My advice: take the elevator up (save energy), then the stairs down
- There are a lot of benches and places to rest throughout
- There is a relaxation area with drinks and bathrooms
- You can roam freely in any direction without a time limit
- Plan to spend at least 2 hours (in my opinion)
Are Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains Worth Visiting?
Yes (for the Marble Mountains), especially if you’re in Da Nang or Hoi An. Visiting Am Phu Cave is optional, but the mountains are a great half-day activity. It’s a good activity for families and active kids. For other great half-day activities from Da Nang or Hoi An, see my guides to visiting My Son Sanctuary and the Lady Buddha.
You should look to spend about 20 to 30 minutes inside the Am Phu Cave and about two hours or more in the Marble Mountains. There is no time limit, and there are plenty of places to rest, including a relaxation area with drinks and bathrooms, up on the mountain.
The cave and the mountain are separate activities (with separate tickets), so you can do one or the other if you want. The Am Phu Cave can be skipped (in my opinion) if you’re on a tight schedule. There are similar-looking caves to explore in the Marble Mountains. I shared some photos below.
The mountains have various paths and areas to explore. There are different hikes up to different mountain viewpoints. These are worth doing if you can. The views are great. Some of them have 360-degree views of Da Nang.
You can see some of these views in my photos below.
There are a lot of stairs up and down throughout the Marble Mountains, and there is good handrailing on most of the steeper climbs, including to the peak.
Visiting Am Phu Cave
Am Phu Cave is on the ground level, to the left of the elevator that goes up to the Marble Mountains. The cave requires a separate ticket to access. This ticket costs 20.000 VND at the time of publishing.
The following is a collection of photos taken when I arrived at the cave, bought my ticket, and explored inside.
The cave itself is very wet. The ceiling and walls are dripping with water. The floor is wet and has puddles. Inside, the cave is very muggy. You will get sweaty and wet the longer you stay inside. There is no air circulation.
You can click any of the photos below to expand.
The cave is very well-lit. The paths throughout are clear but very wet. If you are claustrophobic, you may not enjoy the cave. There are areas in the back where you need to crouch down and squeeze under rock archways to get deeper into the cave. I did this, but I had visions of Sylvester Stallone in Daylight.
I was excited to get out and breathe clean, fresh air again. I then went over to buy my ticket to access the Marble Mountains.
Visiting the Marble Mountains
The Marble Mountains has two ticket booths. If you want to ride the elevator to access the mountains, you’ll go to the ticket booth in the picture below. This is directly to the right of the elevator. You can’t miss it. The second ticket booth is slightly further to the right. You’ll buy a ticket here if you want to climb the stairs up (without the elevator).
The entry ticket costs 40.000 VND at the time of publishing. There are ATMs next to the elevator. The elevator is another separate ticket. This costs 15.000 VND per trip.
The elevator only gets you to the base of the mountain. There is a lot of climbing to do afterward that can’t be avoided if you want to fully explore the mountain.
You can climb a long staircase from the ground level to access the base if you want. I just did this on a recent visit, and it took 60 seconds or less to get to roughly the same height as where the elevator drops you off.
One suggestion is to take the elevator up and then take the stairs down when you’re done. But when I was there at 2 PM recently, the elevator had a super long line. So I opted to buy the entry ticket further to the right, then climb the stairs.
The following is a collection of photos taken from recent trips to the Marble Mountains. There is no set path or time limit. You can wander freely around the top of the mountain.
As soon as you get off the elevator, you’ll immediately notice you already have great views in two directions. This is just the beginning, as you can climb much higher in some areas.
Throughout the mountains, there are a lot of statues and carvings.
It doesn’t look like it from the ground level, but there is a lot of activity up on the Marble Mountains. You’ll see as you explore, but it’s almost like a small functioning village. Some locals live up here.
When I visited, certain areas and buildings were being repaired or upgraded. They were in the middle of redoing this stone floor/platform.
This first batch of photos above wraps up the area on the right of the map after getting off the elevator. I then began heading west, where there was a lot to see.
As I said, prepare to spend a leisurely two-plus hours here.
Klook.comMost of the paths are well laid out with stones or paved. But the stairs in many areas are a bit choppy and uneven.
You can click any of these photos below to expand.
As I mentioned above, there are caves in the Marble Mountains, too. So you don’t necessarily need to see Am Phu Cave on the ground level. You can skip it if you want and get a taste of the caves above.
I’m not much of a cave guy (again, Sylvester Stallone in Daylight), but I did some exploring for research purposes.
These next two pictures lead to one of the mountain’s peaks. The first set of stairs is easy and straightforward, with good handrails. The second set (on the right) is a bunch of rocks put together to make a climbable way up.
Viewing the beach and ocean from one of the mountain’s viewpoints. That’s the Danang Marriott on the left and the KOI Resort & Residence on the right. The Marriott is one of my favorite resorts in Da Nang.
When you climb back down, you’ll head towards the central area of the mountains. This area has a number of paths splitting in different directions. It’s also where the relaxation area is with chairs, drinks for sale, and the bathrooms.
There are vendors selling maps on the ground level. I found these unnecessary to buy as there are map signs throughout the Marble Mountains.
Behind the relaxation area is the path up to the Marble Mountains’ highest peak. Some of these stairs are pretty steep.
Once atop the Marble Mountains’ highest peak, you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree views of Da Nang. You’ll see all the way up the coastline of Da Nang’s beaches (including My Khe Beach) to the Son Tra Peninsula with Lady Buddha. You’ll see the southern part of Da Nang’s city side. And you’ll also see south along the coast towards Hoi An.
After descending from the peak, there are other pagodas and areas to check out before leaving.
As I mentioned in my bullet points in the beginning, you can take the stairs up and or down instead of using the elevator. I’ve taken the elevator up before, then the stairs down. On my most recent visit, I took the stairs up and then back down the mountain at the exit.
This is the route Gate Number 1 on the map.
This is the bottom of Gate Number 1. As I mentioned, I wouldn’t waste my energy climbing these stairs. There is a lot of climbing throughout the mountains once you get to the top. It’s probably a better idea to spend the 15.000 VND to take the elevator up to the base and then take these stairs or Gate Number 2 down. Or you could take the elevator both ways.
You will be hounded as you approach the Marble Mountains, while on the Marble Mountains, and after you’re finished, to buy drinks or souvenirs. The water and other drinks are overpriced. Expect to pay about 20.000 to 25.000 VND for a water on top.
Getting to Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains from Da Nang
🎟️ This Lady Buddha and Marble Mountains tour from Da Nang or Hoi An has hotel pickup.
The cave and mountains are in the southern part of Da Nang’s beach side. They are across the street from the Danang Marriott Resort & Spa and the KOI Resort. You’ll go right past the mountains if you drive from Da Nang to Hoi An or vice versa.
The best way to get to Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains from Da Nang is to use the Grab app. You can download it here. There are four-seat cars and seven-seat SUVs available. The trip from most areas of Da Nang to the Marble Mountains will cost between 100.000 and 200.000 VND.
A GrabBike (moto-taxi) through the app will cost less than 100.000 VND.
If you rent and ride a scooter here, you’ll be hassled when looking for parking. Many shops in front of Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains offer “free” parking, but then hassle you to buy an overpriced item from their shop when you’re done.
What I do is negotiate a set price with a parking area beforehand. The last time I visited, I paid 10.000 VND.
Getting to Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains from Hoi An
🎟️ This Marble Mountains tour from Hoi An has hotel pickup.
The cave and mountains are about 30 minutes from Hoi An Old Town. This guide covers where to stay in Hoi An.
The best way to get to Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains from Hoi An is to use the Grab app to book a taxi. There are four-seater cars and seven-seat SUVs available. The trip will be between 200.000 and 300.000 VND.
You can also book a GrabBike (moto-taxi) using the app, which will cost less than 100.000 VND. Prices fluctuate based on time of day and busyness.
There are also tours that include Am Phu Cave and the Marble Mountains in their itineraries. Some offer pick up/drop off from Da Nang or Hoi An. These are easy and convenient if you don’t mind being part of a group. You can view these tours on GetYourGuide or Klook.
Klook.com
Worth a read during this video era. Is it recommended to go during Sep ? can kids (aged 6 and 11) go up the stairs, both are physically active.
The rainy season usually starts sometime in September, so it’ll depend on weather. Active kids can definitely climb the stairs. There are steeper ones, but lots of different paths to peaks throughout the mountains — some stairs easier than others. So a lot of opportunities to climb/try different sets of stairs.
HI Anthony,
Thanks for your reply, we did mange to climb up to the peak. It was a memorable one. Your blog is really helpful. Keep it up mate !!!
Thanks bro! You save half a day’s worth of travel. I visited the mountains through your photos vicariously.
Thank you very much. Was very useful !
You’re welcome. Thanks for reading!
What is the latest time you can enter Marble Mountain? For example, can you enter around 4:45pm and stay until 6:45pm or must you enter at 3pm to stay until 5pm? Do tickets ever run out if you buy the day of?
The ticket booth/elevator will close around 5 PM. Staff will begin going home. If you’re going to linger up there past then, you’ll have to take the stairs down. It’s a lot of stairs down, definitely not for anyone with mobility issues. You can buy a ticket any time before the booth closes.
Thank you so much Anthony for such a detailed and thoughtful visitor’s eye viewpoint. It feels like I’m actually there…which I will be when my wife and I visit Hoi An from the UK next week. You’ve certainly encouraged me to read the rest of your experiences and tips. Really really helpful:)
Tim
You’re welcome, Tim. Thanks for reading! If you have any questions on Da Nang or Hoi An, feel free to ask me in the FB group (if you’re active there). Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/danangtravelplanning
Fantastic job, thanks for this ! It was extremely helpful, and it’s nice to see that you actually update the info !
Thank you. Glad you found it helpful!
Thank you…..thank you…..thank you Anthony for such a detailed info on Marble Mountains. The way you have described everything in minute detail with pics was like walking through the place with you. It’s easy to do a vlog but you’ve achieved it without a video. I’m a solo female traveler and senior citizen 😉 going to Da Nang in Feb. I absolutely hate going in a group travel by bus. I like to do my own things and do a good research before I venture out to travel.
Pls keep up the good work and inspire people like me to travel more XOXO
You’re welcome. Thanks for reading. There’s a lot going on up on the Marble Mountains, much more than it looks like from the ground below. I lived in Da Nang for a long time. Let me know if you have any questions about the city. Thank you Lathika.
Excellent info. We used it and made our trip easy. Thank you.
Thank you and you’re welcome!