Published:  00:00 Monday - April 18, 2011

Ngu Hanh Son Mountain elevator will be operational just in time for Reunification Day on April 30 to take advantage of the national holiday.

The management board of Ngu Hanh Son tourist area in Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City confirmed the news that will make it easier for tourists to visit Linh Ung Pagoda at the top of the mountain.

The unique elevator system is 50 meters high and has two cabins. It was built in seven months and is in a vertical direction alongside the mountain. The elevator can carry about 20 guests at a time at a price of VND30,000 per person. The price is double the current entrance ticket to visit the pagoda but is worth it for the convenience.

Ngu Hanh Son (The Marble Mountains) is about eight kilometers southeast of Danang City. It’s a cluster of five marble mountains lying close to the sea. An interesting journey to Ngu Hanh Son will be one of the most relaxing times for visitors as it is like a fairytale land with a dreamlike scenery, pagodas, mysteries and grottos.

In the early 19th century, King Gia Long, the founder of the Nguyen Dynasty, passed the area and named the five mountains as Ngu Hanh Son.

He also named each of them according to one of the five elements of the universe: Kim Son (metal of gold), Moc Son (wood), Thuy Son (water), Hoa Son (fire), and Tho Son (earth). And thus, the five mountains that compose the Marble Mountains are not ordinary creations but are filled with history and folklore.

The area attracts about 60,000 tourists every year.

Source: The Saigon times