8 kilometers from Danang city center to the south-east is the picturesque rock outcropping of Ngu Hanh Son ( Five Marble Mountains) , which’s so famous that they consider it as the symbol of the land. It’s also the traveling-joint among three World Cultural Heritages: Hoi An ancient town, My Son holy land and Hue ancient capital.

With the mysterious, dreamlike scenery, pagodas and caves, Ngu Hanh Son has been actually the Eden for the travellers.

From of old, the Mountain has many names. Old Vietnamese called it Ngu Chi (means five fingers) for its conformation like five fingers when looking up-down. Nowadays, Danang people name their Mountains Non Nuoc (water and mountain). The official name Ngu Hanh Son ( means five basic elements) came from the reign of Minh Mang king, when he found it the most wonderful mountains he’d ever been to.

Five Marble Mountains is the English name of this beauty spot (there might be a another Five Marble Mountains in China but these two are totally different).

The name Ngu Hanh Son relates to Eastern philosophy: five basic elements: Metal_Wood_Water_Fire_Earth. The marble is unique for the special color of each: Thuy Son(water mountain) has pink marble , Moc Son(Wood) has the white, Hoa Son(Fire) is red, while Tho Son(Earth) is brown and Kim Son(Metal) is famous for its water-color.

There’s especially a legend about Five Marble Mountains.

As words of Cham people (a minor ethnic group) when they still governed the land of Danang today, these five mountains used to be one egg kept by the Golden Turtle. An unknown man said that Naga goddess brought the egg to Golden Turtle to be placed on Danang seaside, to prevent ghosts and devils. Then one day, the egg shell cracked and appeared these five big mountains.

Scientifically speaking, these are limestone mountains, locating in the north of South Truong Son, made from lots of blocks of tropical limestones. Existing with heavy rain and scorching sunlight, limestone dissolved, borned the Mountains we have today.