Farewell to Vietnam

The last days of our first trip to Vietnam are approaching – a good moment to squeeze in one last excursion.

In the past week, we visited the Marble Mountains near Da Nang. They consist of five marble rocks, each named after one of the five (Chinese) elements. The Water Mountain is particularly popular with tourists, enclosing a well-known temple complex with various caves. You ascend via steps past pagodas, gardens, and caves with small shrines to reach the summit. Alternatively, you can take the elevator for 15,000 VND, and the general admission costs 20,000 VND.

The upper area is quite expansive – so much so that I lost sight of Simon for a while. In one cave, there was a narrow passage leading upwards, which required some climbing to conquer. Simon preferred to wait below rather than squeeze through the tight hole. Upon reaching the top, I was greeted by a beautiful view over the mountains and the sea – however, one had to be careful not to slip, as not all viewpoints were secured. On the way back, I descended a staircase instead of climbing back through the hole and ended up at a completely different spot than the cave entrance. So, I explored several other caves in search of the right one until Simon eventually found me. It was really extensive up there (and I admit my sense of direction is not the best).

At the foot of the Water Mountain lies the Động Âm Phủ, the Underworld Cave, for an additional admission fee of 20,000 VND. It is a spiritual site representing the Buddhist underworld and teaches the doctrine of karma. The path begins at the Yin-Yang Bridge, symbolizing the transition between life and the underworld, and leads into the cave. From there, paths diverge to the