Van Thong Cave, Marble mountains, Da Nang

From Xa Loi tower, we turn left, by passing Linh Ung pagoda and start our ascent to Van Thong cave. Till now, I have no idea what challenges I shall be going through.

Linh  Ung pagoda below

sign on the other side

the climb

We pass under this natural Heaven gate , west wind gate or the Van Can which had tree roots hanging from top. There are benches to relax and gather some breath.

going through the notes

I always make bullet points of the places we want to visit and the points of interest. In spite of that, I miss out of many places😀

refreshment stall

mouth of the cave

The cave did not seem very demanding and looked like a simple cave.

some hesitate to go farther ahead and come back

climbing towards the cave

In the center of the hall, stands a 2 meter high image of Buddha. It is dark and lamps have been put to light the area. 

 

 Behind the image a rugged track goes up

passage going up

looking at the uneven climb, I am weighing whether I move ahead or retrace my steps. I thought of taking the plunge not realizing what I was going in for. The passage looked simple with just uneven steps.

the passage is very narrow so only one person can climb up at a time

looking at some light from hole above in the open space, I am pleased that I made it but no....

The cave gets dark after this. From here a path leads to the Heaven Gate. Focusing on my steps, I didn't remember to take pictures. As you keep moving forward, the climb becomes difficult.

I would say the climb is quite hard. You need both hands to find a proper hold and crawl up the narrow "tunnel". Finding a good foothold with slippery marble rocks is challenging. Every time, I had the feeling of slipping. But, once you enter the "tunnel", there is no going back, since only one person can go up the narrow passage. There are more people coming behind you so the only way is go up!

The way up is not very long but can be trying. Avoid carrying a thick back pack.

What a relief it was on exiting and seeing some foliage around.

happy to come out in the open. Cactus too was welcome 😃

From the mouth of the cave to this point is a climb of 40 meters.

finding a proper foot hold

Since, the rocks are just piled, there is always the danger of twisting your ankle or falling off.

relieved to reach Trung Thai peak

Thuy Son mountain has two 2 peaks: Thuong Thai peak which is the highest and Trung Thai peak which is second-highest.

shrubs all around

view of Da Nang from above, Non Nuoc beach on one side and Co Co river on the other side

view of Non Nuoc sea

coming down is not less challenging, testing your skills

rocks have become slippery owing to continuous rubbing on them by visitors

We met a young couple from Bangalore and chatted with them for some time.

Finally, paved stones though not perfectly aligned.

holy leaves by the side of walk

Passing through Heaven Gate to relaxation area

returning from heaven gate

We reach the relaxation area. There is a large variety of soft drinks, fresh coconut water. It is a good idea to relax here for some time. There is also a rest room but, the sign pointed towards climbing up and we opted against it.

There are three ways you can decide to take. One goes to Tam Thai pagoda , other goes to Huyen Khong cave, one track goes to the highest peak, Thuong Thai which has Vong Giang Dai (viewing pavilion) and one to Linh Nham.

 

We walk towards Tam Thai Pagoda from here. The signs are very clear and there is no scope of getting lost. If you time, one can decide visiting the caves on their own.