Marble Mountain & Hoi An Tour: Caves & Lady Buddha Visit

Climb through caves carved into five marble peaks, then walk the lantern-lit streets of a 15th-century trading port.

This 8-hour guided tour departs from Chan May or Tien Sa cruise port and visits Marble Mountains (five limestone peaks named after the elements), the Lady Buddha statue at Linh Ung Pagoda, and Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your English-speaking guide leads you through natural caves and pagodas, explains the architecture of the old town's Japanese bridge and Chinese Assembly Hall, and the tour includes lunch at a local restaurant, all entrance tickets, and return transport timed to your ship's schedule. Minimum two passengers per booking; children from age 6 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Marble Mountains and Hoi An

• Pick up at Chan May or Tien Sa port
• Explore Marble Mountains and caves
• Visit traditional marble handicraft village
• See Giant Lady Buddha Statue
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Walk around Hoi An Ancient Town
• Return to cruise ship

The Experience

Your guide meets you at the cruise port and drives you to Marble Mountains, where five limestone hills rise from the landscape named after water, fire, wood, earth and metal. You climb into the natural caves—some used as a hospital and hiding place during the war—and visit the pagodas carved into the rock. From the summit you see across the city and out to the ocean. The driver then takes you to a marble carving workshop in the village below, where you watch artisans shape the stone by hand.

The next stop is the Lady Buddha statue on Son Tra Peninsula, the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam. It sits 17 floors high inside a pagoda on the mountainside facing the sea, with each level holding 21 Buddha statues in different poses and expressions. After lunch at a local restaurant, you head into Hoi An's old town, where your guide walks you through the back alleys and explains the history of the Japanese bridge, the Chinese Assembly Hall, and the traditional wooden houses that line the streets. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the guide points out the different architectural styles and their significance. You return to the port in time for your ship's departure.

What’s included

• Private car or minivan with air conditioning.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• entrance tickets to Marble Mountains and Hoi An Ancient Town.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• bottled water.
• hotel or port pickup and return timed to your cruise ship schedule.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by Da Nang Hoi An Private Tours & Shore Excursion

Is this one for you?The tour runs 8 hours with climbing through caves and walking the old town's streets, so you'll need moderate fitness and comfortable shoes—but the fixed schedule and timed return to your ship mean you don't have to build the day yourself or worry about missing your departure.

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Top questions

What's inside Marble Mountains that makes them worth climbing?

Marble Mountains are five limestone peaks with natural caves that were used as a hospital and shelter during the war, plus pagodas carved into the rock. From the top you see views across the city and ocean, and your guide explains the religious significance of each peak and the decorations inside the caves.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You'll climb through the caves and up to the summit of Marble Mountains, then walk through the back alleys and main streets of Hoi An's old town. The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness, and children from age 6 can join.

Does the tour include lunch?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included, along with bottled water throughout the day and all entrance tickets to Marble Mountains and Hoi An.

What is the Lady Buddha statue like?

The Lady Buddha is the tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam, standing 17 stories high inside Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula. Each floor inside the statue holds 21 Buddha statues with different shapes, expressions and postures, and the statue faces the sea from the mountainside.

How does the timing work with my cruise ship?

You provide your ship's schedule when you book, and your guide picks you up and drops you back at Chan May or Tien Sa port on time for your departure. The full tour takes 8 hours.

What will I learn about Hoi An's old town?

Your guide walks you through the Japanese bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, traditional houses and the market, explaining the history of each building, the different architectural styles, and their significance to the town's role as a 15th-century trading port.