The Marble Mountains: a revered site definitely worth a visit, in Da Nang, Vietnam

View from Marble Mountains

The marble mountains are a collection of 5 limestone mountains in Da Nang area, which is otherwise flat. These mountains are full of caves, and now these have been organized and made accessible. There’s a lift that goes to the first level (chargeable) , beyond which there are staircases to the various parts of the mountains.

There are 5 “karsts”- mountains- named after each of the 5 elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Over the years, Cham culture made the marble mountains a revered site in Vietnam, and several Vietnamese emperors also visited these mountains, giving it a special place in the culture of the country.

Huyen Khong Grotto

The highlights of the marble mountains are the caves, and the pagodas and temples hidden in thick foliage, and beautifully maintained as well. The largest cave that must be seen is after a long staircase, called Huyen Khong. 

This is a dramatically large cave, housing one huge buddha on a pedestal (see photo), and two smaller shrines on two sides. It’s a cool, quiet place. This cave at one time also housed the Vietnamese revolutionaries during that conflict, leading to bombing that left openings in the vast high roof (see photo).  The entrance is guarded by two warriors statues.

The other grotto is called Tang Chon, on water mountain, and which has a beautiful lady Buddha statue (see photo). Elsewhere on the marble mountains, there’s the beautiful Tam Thai Pagoda with a nice laughing buddha in the forecourt. 

The other nice temple not to be missed is the Linh Ung Pagoda (see photo). And down the walk from this Pagoda is the tall Xa Loi Tower, which has 200 Bodhisatva statues.

Just going around in this area gives peace of mind. Its quiet, wooded, and when we went, in December, drizzling and cool, though could become humid fairly quickly. 

The Marble mountains also have a lot of stonework shops around the base, with large statues of various deities and Lady Buddha.

The marble mountains are a must visit when in Da Nang. Quite easy to reach and can easily spend 2 hours there. Just time it right ( early morning or later towards evening). 

Lady Buddha

The marble mountains open at 7am (best time to visit) and close at 530pm. The entry fees are not too high- 40,000 Dong, and 15,000 Dong for the lift (about INR 186 per head).We reached about 3pm and left at 530pm, and went off to Hoi Ann the same evening.

The Thang Long Water Puppet Show- Unique highlight of Hanoi, Vietnam

The water puppets

One of the unique places in Hanoi is the Thang Long Water Puppet show, near the old quarter, which holds a record for the longest running such show in Asia- all 365 days for years on end.  Water puppetry is very old – 11^th century onwards and was practiced by the farmers of the Red River of North Vietnam.

The interesting thing is that these are puppets on the water surface , handled by their artists behind a screen. The official website describes it the best, “The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large bamboo rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water.”  

The shows- around 6 separate subparts- depict Vietnamese culture, wet rice agriculture and farmers’ daily life, accompanied by music – vocal and instrumental. It’s quite a show, one that you couldn’t find anywhere else- not water puppetry at least. For more on the show, visit https://thanglongwaterpuppet.com/ .

One of the water puppet dances

Tickets sold out quickly, and we were lucky to get three right in the front row. Sometimes though, because its tank and the front page is level with the water surface, seats in the third/ fourth row may afford a clearer view. The ticket prices are different per row. Our front row tickets cost 200,000.

The artists taking a bow at the end of the show

There are a lot of tourists coming to see these shows, so its best if you book it early. They have online as well, but we booked early, then strolled around the market and cafes and then went in for the 7pm show.Vietnamese Dong (about INR 672 per head). Other rows are VND 150,000 and VND 100,000.  

Music accompaniment 

 The show is about 1 hour but all shows are in Vietnamese language, which is odd, if they proudly announce that over 40 nationalities come to see these shows. Perhaps a background screen describing the shows would add to the charm and enjoyment. Nevertheless, don’t miss this show when in Hanoi!

The Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh- Hanoi, Vietnam

In Hanoi, one of the places to visit is the mausoleum to Ho Chi Minh, the leader of Vietnam who led the North and later unified the country at the end of the Vietnam conflict (which the local Vietnamese call the American war).

The mausoleum is set in a large area, but we couldn’t see it the day we were in Hanoi as a parade was underway and the area was cordoned off. Still, the streets, houses and areas around it were nice to walk about, giving a great feel of the culture, architecture and history of the city of Hanoi. For Indians, the whole area would look very familiar, as it looks quite like Delhi in many ways.

Da Nang- historic center of Vietnam

Beach front , Da Nang , Dec 2022

Our next stop from Hanoi, a 1 hour flight from HaNoi , was Da Nang. This is a beach side city in the center of Vietnam, with a distinctly different weather than Hanoi, which is the far north, and has a distinctly colder feel to it. That said, Da Nang is the closest an Indian can get to Goa in Vietnam. The beach is long and wide and clean, bordered by a road like Marine Drive of Mumbai, and beyond which the skyscraper hotels have sprung up.

Our hotel was in one of those series, the Radisson blu. There’s the option of staying near the beach, or near the river with a view of the Dragon Bridge. We chose the beach.

Da Nang is famous for the Hue-Da Nang campaign, when the PAVN (People’s army of Vietnam/ North Vietnam) attacked these two cities and area to take them over on March 5, 1975. The campaign ended with a victory for PAVN by April 2, 1975. Another slice of history is that on March 8, 1965, units of the US army landed at Da Nang ostensibly to defend the airbase there, but that marked the start of active US involvement in the Vietnam conflict.

That was of course part of the history of Vietnam. Today, Da Nang is a modern city, with all the trappings thereof. It’s the largest city in central Vietnam, and a big port and commercial center.

Da Nang, looking out at the Lady Buddha ,
Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra Peninsula

You visit Da Nang for several attractions. Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam (1802-1945), lies about 90 km to the north of Da Nang, and it’s a nice day trip clubbed with the Tomb of  Khai Din and the Thien Mu Pagdoa. (each will be covered in subsequent posts).

Another attraction is Hoi Ann, a very beautiful and well-preserved ancient village is about 20km to the south. Another attraction, which we decided not to visit, is the Ba Na hills, which is a large amusement park reached by two cable car journeys, and at which you can walk on the famous “Golden Bridge”, so often shown when you look for Da Nang.

A great attraction not to be missed are the Marble Mountains, a series of 3 mountains in an area which otherwise is flat. These are several caves and temples which are inside the mountains, reached by a series of staircases. Nice place to take a stroll around and see the surroundings.

The Dragon Bridge, Da Nang

Along the way south to Hoi Ann, you can see a series of empty shells of hotels and casinos which were started to cash in on the tourism boom planned but got derailed in the covid years. When we visited this area in December 2022, there was a whole series of hotels under construction and incomplete.

The Dragon Bridge is another sight, a bridge in the shape of a dragon. Every night at 9pm there's a fire works and light show which attracts large crowds. You can see it from the road, or from a boat ( for a price). Its a well marketed attraction, like Hoi Ann and The Golden Bridge. But an undiscovered gem still remains Hue and its surrounding areas. Dont miss it when in Da Nang. 

Half and half make more than one!- Vietnam travel

An interesting aspect we noticed in Hanoi. We went for lunch at a Japanese restaurant in the Lotte Center in Hanoi; mostly pizzas are shared , or by slice ( there was an exception to this that we got in Switzerland- but later on that). This time, there was an option to make a full dish with two half pizza of different types. That was good - allowed us to try two options in one dish! Wish more restaurants do this. 

As far as the Switzerland issue goes, in Zermatt, the restaurant near the railway station made a pointed statement to us " no sharing". That may be the culture there, we don't know, as we wouldn't be there long enough, but that left a rough edge to an otherwise nice trip. 

The saddest part is the service charge of Euro 2 for serving tap water. On inquiry, we were told that it costs that much for the server to serve the water, which is essentially free from the tap (and not bottled which I understand would have a cost). This is such a contrast from India, which is supposed to be a poor country, where even the smallest restaurant or roadside eatery will serve water glasses for free. Something to understand, when we tend to play down India or play up the first world! 

Tran Quoc Pagoda - Hanoi , Vietnam: Beautiful and peaceful.

Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi 

The Tran Quoc Pagoda is one of the oldest ones in Vietnam, today placed on a small peninsula on the lake called West Lake. 

This Pagoda was made around 541 AD- that makes it over 1500 years old, and witness to many of Vietnam’s cultural and evolutionary landmarks.

Tran Quoc Pagoda was originally on the banks of the Red River, but was moved to this place after the dyke there collapsed. The words Tran Quoc means “national defense” – clearly the hope was that this pagoda would protect the people and bring happiness and peace to the people of Vietnam.

Buddha statues on very floor

The most interesting part of this heritage site is the 11-story pagoda, a red-brown stupa structure that you can’t miss. Each floor has distinct Buddha statues. People place offerings, much like we do in India, for blessings.

There are also several other places worth seeing here. One of the incenses burning house, where visitors can burn incense for health and good luck. The Stele House houses poetry of scholars of old. And of course, don’t miss the Bodhi Tree, which was a gift from the late President of India, Rajendra Prasad when he visited Vietnam in 1959. It is said to be extracted from the Bodh Gaya tree, and today it’s a nice peaceful site.

Overall, this is a nice place to visit. ( no entry fee). It’s calm and peaceful (on most days), and its easy to reach from the city; we took an uber back to the Tha Long Water Puppet show from here.

For more pictures of Tran Quoc, and our Vietnam trip, please visit my instagram handle (sjbaxi). 

A day trip in Ha Long Bay– Vietnam Travel

Islands in Ha Long Bay

Once on the waters of Ha Long Bay, it was a great day. The knifing cold wind notwithstanding, the voyage on the boat was nice. Although it was grey day in winter, it was sufficiently clear to see the green waters. On a clear summer day, the water would have really been a magnificent shade of green.

Typically, a day cruise covers Ti Top Island, Tunnel cave and Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave, before heading back to Tuan Chau marina, from where all cruises start. 

There’s lunch on the boat, which we found quite good in its quality and variety, especially the vegetarian dishes (rice, noodles, dimsum).

The famous "kissing Rocks" 

Ti Top Island

Ti Top Island is a sort of staging point on the cruise. It was so named because of a visit by a USSR cosmonaut Gherman Titov back in 1962, but otherwise earlier it was named after sailors who had perished in a shipwreck in the Ha Long Bay in 1905. The statue on the island is of Gherman Titov. 

Ti Top Island

The island is steep wooded on one side and a slope going down to a beach on the other side. This seems to be man-made beach (quite neat and clean) nice enough for a swim if you planned for it; else you could climb the many steps to the top of the island and have a look around the bay. We climbed halfway to a stage, and got a view, but most people take a quick walk up. Takes about 20 minutes, but we weren’t the heavy outdoorsy type. 

People were also kayaking, and we understand you could also do some paragliding- check with your cruise operator, or the people on the island. 

Luon Cave entrance 

There’s a smallish restaurant and a rooftop where you could lounge around as well. The bathrooms were clean enough- just don’t expect 5-star cleanliness as there are simply too many visitors to the island.

Beach on Ti Top Island

Luon Cave

Leaving Ti Top, the next stop is an island formation with a secluded cove called Luon Cave, reachable thru a tunnel that’s got carved in the side of the island. You get transferred to a smaller boat which takes you into the tunnel and into the cove inside the island. 

A short scenic ride in a small boat with travelers wearing life vests. You could kayak thru the cave as well. This cave entrance must have been carved by years of erosion from the sea (see the photos).All in all, quite a neat nice excursion.

Sung Sot Island - Surprise Cave

This was the really surprising part of the trip. From outside, its just one of the many islands in Ha Long bay, but climb up on the steps and enter the cave, and its gigantic within. Its apparently called Surprise cave because the French who discovered it were surprised by the sheer size and scale of it. In the local language, its called Sung Sot Cave. 

The soaring ceiling of "Surprise Cave" 

The steps are many, and go thru the grotto and up and down thru the mountain, finally descending to sea level after about a half hour walk. Its not very easy, but there are more steps than slopes, so those with knee or heart issues may well be advised to skip this part.

But important notice! The boat that brings you to the Sung Sot cave does not wait there- it leaves after dropping off the passengers and goes to the other side of the island where the exit of the cave is. So if you don’t want to visit the cave, do NOT leave the boat! The cruise operator does tell you this, but many people miss it. Be careful!

It’s a very huge place with water streams, green- and brown-coloured stones and pathways and a lot of Stalactites (caused by water dripping from the roof of the grotto). Theres also many stalagmites there, as the water keeps dripping onto a place and the minerals harden over time. Makes for dramatic landscapes and arches all over, highlighted by strategically placed lights.

Stalactites in "Surprise Cave" 

Its worth a quick walk thru, if your health permits. Do note: you must be aware that this part of the trip can be difficult if have ailments.

There are other tours also- some with overnight stay on the cruise ships; some on hotels on the mainland, and some with more activities. But the one we took was just right without getting tiresome or boring. 

View from the exit of "Surprise Cave"

Of course, the weather was great, and that helped. The tour organization was perfectly fine as well, with good buses, ships and food. 

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam travel : how to reach

We took a one-day trip to Ha Long Bay from Hanoi on December 28 2022.

Ha Long Bay is a world UNESCO heritage site since 1994. Its about 2.5 hours by road from Hanoi, and is most of the most popular day trips. Its most famous for its many islands (over 1100)-  rugged, rocky and heavily wooded; the water really is emerald green (we thought this was just hyperbole, but it really was!) and there are some spectacular caves on some islands. Ha Long (which means the ‘descending dragon’) has become the symbol, the most recognized natural formation for Vietnam and with good reason! Over the years tourism has steadily increased here, and now the logistics seem well settled.

There are several options, from private buses to tours. Most visitors do a day trip but there are now hotels and cruise ships on which you can stay overnight as well, but expensive. We left our hotel Tirant in the old quarter around 845amm and returned to the hotel around 9 pm the same day. This was December 2022, and it was decently cold on the water- that’s a tip- wrap up warmly! Ha Long bay in December can have cold winds and mist like any European winter! 

Most options cost US$ 55-65 per head in December 2022 (please check latest prices); the one we finally booked was US$ 60 per head. 

Our tour operator, booked via Viator, was VietnamTonkin Travel and Cruises. The bus was quite nice and we were quite impressed with the organization of the trip- the coordinator Mr Trinh Tran was in good touch with us thru whatsapp (which seems the preferred method of communication in Vietnam). As expected, the bus stops at a oyster/ pearl shop and set up on the way for a quick break. The marina to Ha Long bay is quite like an airport terminal with a few shops and counters. The transfer from bus to boat at Ha Long bay shore was quite smooth, and the boat itself was clean and neat. But the most surprising part was the included food. It was quite good- simple, tasty and had good vegetarian options as well (noodles, rice, dimsum, and  local wine / beer/ soft drinks).

Everything was on time, and quite enjoyable. More surprising ( to Indians at least), which also shows how little visitors know about Vietnam, was the good quality of the roads from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. Could be specially made for the tourist trade, but it was smooth and painless. There were no constant start-stop / grinding gear changes that are so common in India. 

Full details of the visit in next posting! 

All in all, good day trip and worth the effort and money.

The coffee of Vietnam – Iced coffee, egg coffee and the cafes!

Giang Cafe, Hanoi 

Vietnam is famous for its various types of coffee, and the country has successfully cultivated the industry and imagery for a connoisseur of coffee. This is in spite of the fact that Vietnamese coffee we found tended to be more bitter and dense than the usual, and quite often was a cultivated taste. However, there’s a lot of variety in it, and its become quite well accepted. Accordingly, we also decided to take a “coffee run” in Hanoi to see what it was all about.

The most prominent brand that we saw everywhere was actually Highlands coffee, similar to Café Coffee Day in India, or like Starbucks. It has its own coffee farms and brands, and runs cafés, which we found practically where in Vietnamese cities, like Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

Iced Coffee, Hanoi 

Egg Coffee, Giang Cafe

There were a few things right off the bat. First was the egg coffee, which we tried at Giang Coffee (see picture). This is an old place, on the first floor and not very attractive at first look- full of stools and low tables and nooks and crannies, but it was well frequented and did not give any negative vibes. Its also in the old quarter and is famous for the thick coffee with egg yolk, Robusta Beans, condensed milk and sugar. A thick concoction (see photo). It’s a cultivated taste, for sure. And unique- a good experience.

The other thing was the Vietnamese iced coffee which we had at a place called Kafa (see photo). This is made by letting coffee drip thru a filter into a glass of condensed milk and ice ,and the flavours of condensed milk and bitter coffee make for a unique brew! This is widely available as well.

Our coffee run went from The Giang, to Highlands ( near the Tha Long Water Puppet theatre) , to Kafa and Trung, typical Hanoi places around the old quarter. Not many tourists when we were there but a lot of young people. Good cool vibes around the place.

When in Vietnam, don’t forget to try the coffee. It is a different taste and style than what we see perhaps in India or western countries, and which has now become a USP for Vietnam itself.

Hotel Review: The Tirant, Hanoi - Good hotel in a great location

The Tirant Hotel (pronounced "Tai-Rang") in the Gia Ngu Street,
also came recommended thru Club7Holidays. It was in the old quarter, very close to the Water Puppet show Theatre and right in the center of shops and coffee cafes, for which Hanoi is famous.

From the outside, the hotel and its sister hotel (Rex) are cheek and jowl with other buildings and a host of cars and retailers all around. Looks very much like Mumbai or Delhi, especially Delhi with its buildings with common walls everywhere between residences. But that’s the charm of many of these cities in Asia- so alive and vibrant, so tightly integrated and inter dependent. Very familiar to most Asians (especially Indians) and very exotic for the western world.

The lobby 

The Tirant was well done up inside. Quick check-in and well-appointed  room ( though it was a bit tight for three beds), but that wasn’t a major issue. The bathroom was quite large after the one in Siem Reap, and overall, it was a slick, modern hotel -quite surprising to many if they form an opinion of the surroundings of the hotel.

Breakfast was, as we had come to expect in Indochina, not very hep- but much better in its mix ( noodles / eggs/ breads etc). Its too much to expect completely standardized food but a judicious mix of International and local would be expected and welcome.  As good, seasoned travelers, we did carry our own food when the local cuisines got a tad too much, but that’s a personal preference.

Double room with extra bed

There were some key aspects we liked our choice finally. One, it was in the heart of the old quarter, the really original Hanoi, which we tend to see in all the pictures of the city. Full of souvenir shops at every corner. Two, very close to the Ho Hoan Kiem (lake) with its Confucius temple with a leafy nice walkway around it; three, walking distance from the Tha Long Water Puppet Theatre, of the really unique highlights of Hanoi ( more on these later), and four, absolute walking distances from several coffee cafes- Highlands, Giang for its egg coffee, The Note, Trung Coffee, Kafa, a hole in the wall cafe, and Timeline Coffee. There are many others. Vietnam is famous for its variety of coffee. Fifth, all buses for Ha Long Bay pass by this hotel and pick up / drop off within 100 meters of the hotel door. Uber is easily found, and they know the hotel as well. And of course, should you need Vietnamese Dong, there’s one of the many money changers right opposite the door of the hotel.

Clearly, this area -the old quarter has started getting“touristified” but its up to the visitor to be curious and absorb the culture and sensations. 

The Hanoi skyline

If you stay there, don’t forget to visit the rooftop restaurant. Beautiful airy place, with great views of Hanoi all around (see pictures). Unfortunately, it was simply too cold and windy in December to enjoy the outdoors, but it was nice nevertheless.

View from Tirant roof top of lake 

All said and done, The Tirant was a good choice, great location and for the brief 2 days we were in Hanoi, very enjoyable.