Am Phu Cave (meaning ‘Hell Cave’) is a large cave in the Marble Mountains, Da Nang. Here, visitors will see impressively beautiful rock formations, and learn about local Buddhist culture and its role as a hiding place in the Vietnam war. Although awesome and easy to access, this gem is lesser known than other sights in the same mountain. Now let’s HoiAn Day Trip Company inform you of Am Phu Cave in Da Nang.
You may also like: Caves in Marble Mountains Vietnam
• Content by Tam Le, founder of HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD
• Designed by Giang Cong Minh, co-founder of LS E&C LTD and his team
• Photo by Dang Cong Loi, Dao Xuan Son, Tam Le & others
Must Knows about Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountain
– Name in Vietnamese: Dong Am Phu
– How to pronounce: /dong em phoo/
– Name’s meaning: Am Phu means ‘hell’ in Vietnamese
– Other name(s): Hell Cave, Da Nang Hell Cave
– Reason(s) to visit: Da Nang’s longest natural cave, hiding place and secret hospital of communists in the Vietnam War
– Opening hours: 7:30 AM to 5 PM (6 AM to 6 PM in the summer)
– Time to spend: 30-45 mins
– Best time to visit: early morning or late afternoon
– Ticket price: 20,000 VND for adult & children above 10 years old, free for children below 10 years old (2024)
– Tour guide: contact +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo)
– Travel blog: https://hoiandaytrip.com/am-phu-cave-marble-mountain
– Food & drink: yes available
– Shopping: yes available
– Fact: Am Phu Cave is the longest cave in Da Nang.
Am Phu Cave on Map
History of Am Phu Cave (Hell Cave)
For such a long time, in past centuries, local people knew the existence of Am Phu Cave but couldn’t explore it because it’s dark, deep and lots of bats. When Minh Mang king visited the Marble mountains (19th century), he requested a group of 12 male soldiers to go into this cave in order to discover. Each soldier had a lighting torch but didn’t know why the fire was extinguished immediately when he tried to go in.
One time, Minh Mang king also requested using a pomelo (grape fruit) and carving on it a word to recognize. After that, throw it into Am Phu Cave. Many local people said that they saw this pomelo on the nearby beach later. For that reason, they believed that an underground river was at the bottom of the cave and it flowed into the sea.
Today, Am Phu Cave is popularly known for its role in the Vietnam war as a secret hiding place of Vietcong communists. In the early morning on 23rd August 1968, after a fight, Vietnamese veterans were carried to this cave, to have surgery. On 23rd December 1968, a group of 5 soldiers moved very close to Nuoc Man airport (controlled by the Americans) but later, they had to change the plan. They hid inside Am Phu Cave overnight and attacked the airport on the next day. While they were sleeping, about 49 American soldiers came, but didn’t know that the communists knew and hid in small holes. Later, many American soldiers were lost due to bombs and bullets. These people called for relief troops by walkie-talkie, and after that, more soldiers, weapons, and helicopters appeared. One of 5 Vietnamese communists, named Huynh Ri shot one helicopter to fall. Finally, the American army withdrew and returned to the base. Mr Nguyen Huu Tho, the chairman of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam awarded military medals to them, and gave them a title ‘five heroes of Ngu Hanh Son’ (Ngu Hanh Son is the Marble Mountains).
What to Expect in Am Phu Cave (Hell Cave)?
Visitors will buy the entry ticket at the counter to the left of Am Phu Cave’s entrance. After that, it’s needed to walk upstairs for a ticket check.
To go inside, let’s walk through a stone bridge with 12 zodiac animals on both sides. It spans a stream (called the Yellow Stream) with many rising hands in the water and living fishes. In local belief, after death, dead souls must go on this bridge. If people have good morality and behavior when alive, they walk to the other side of the bridge at ease. On the contrary, those who behaved badly will fall over (because the bridge is slippery) or fall into the stream. In traditional stories, crocodiles and other dangerous animals live in the stream, instead of fishes.
After the candles, visitors will go through a small tunnel (as cave passage) to see Am Phu Cave’s chambers. At the tunnel’s entrance, there are two men who hold a brush and a book by hand. These people have a duty to check that dead souls come to hell on a right day or not. According to Vietnamese traditional culture, every Vietnamese has a date of death already set by Heaven’s king (Ngoc Hoang) when borned. It also means that Vietnamese people will die on that day no matter what. However, someone still dies before that set day (by somehow), and the door men has to check. If coming on the right day mentioned in the book, the souls will go further inside and see Hell’s kings. Unless, they have to stay on the Earth and return on another day, and then become wandering souls. That’s the reason why Vietnamese people celebrate ‘wandering souls’ day (the 14th day of the 7th lunar month each year) to pray for them, give them food, drink and money to live well until they can see the Hell’s kings.
The first chamber of Am Phu Cave has two memorials to remind us about its role as secret hospital for communists in the Vietnam war. Here, visitors will see a pond of fresh water flowing from the rocks, with a statue of Lady Buddha. Local people believe that if take water in this pond to wash their face, they can ‘wash’ bad luck or stresses or worries in their life. To the left, there is a staircase leading up to the top of the cave. It’s steep, especially when visitors climb closer to the top. Over there, visitors will see the sun again, an altar to worship gods, and sculptures, carvings depicting things in heaven. Like going up, while going down, it’s needed to make it slowly and carefully. We advise skipping this hike for small kids and elders.
The second chamber of Am Phu Cave starts after two door gods who have a long tongue. This chamber is also wide, containing long, straight, and spectacular rock formations. In its back, on the higher ground, there is an altar where local people worship Lord Buddha and pray. To the right hand side, visitors will see 10 Kings of Hell who will evaluate, judge dead souls and decide who/what they are in the next life if they can be rebirthed. Unless, they must go to the 18 Levels of the Hell to pray the price for bad things they did when still alive. For this last judgement, the Kings use the Justice balance which has ‘nhan’ and ‘qua’ on each side (nhan qua means karma). Levels of the Hell include the hell of tongue ripping, hell of trees of knives, hell of scissors, hell of steaming, hell of mortars and pestles, hell of pool of blood, hel of wrongful dead, hell of sawing,…Each corresponds to some awful and unaccepted actions to let punishers feel how the one they harmed felt. Parents should consider allowing kids to go downstairs and see these scenes. It’s kind of scary.
Best Time to Visit Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountains
If traveling to Da Nang and Hoi An in the dry season, from February to September, the best times to visit Am Phu Cave are early morning (before 9 AM) and late afternoon (after 3 PM). In the midday, the temperature usually is high and it’s humid. The hottest hours are between 11 AM and 2 PM. Visitors should not come in this period, to protect the skin and not to be too sweaty or tired (especially if going with kids and elders). The photos will not be perfect anymore.
Between October and January, correspondingly the wet season, the best times to see Am Phu Cave are when the rain stops or even when it’s sunny. Visitors need to check the weather forecast before going to the mountain (Googles can tell you the average temperature and change of rain in every hour of the day). Without rain, steps on the hiking trails and floor of the caves will be less wet, slippery and dangerous (but the cave floor is still dirty!).
In the high tourist seasons, around the end of April to August (mostly local tourists) and around November to February (mostly foreign tourists), there’re many group tours. A long queue at the elevator or crowds around the temple or parkings filled by big buses is commonly seen. Should go earlier than 9 AM and later than 4 PM if you don’t want to see too many people.
Tips to Visit Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountains
– Although Am Phu Cave is in the same mountain with Linh Ung Pagoda, Tam Thai Pagoda, Huyen Khong Cave, its entrance fee is separate.
– In heavy rain, Am Phu Cave may be closed due to flooding (the cave’s roof opens to the sky).
– When it rains heavily, Am Phu Cave is closed without any prior announcement. Rain water may make its floor flooded and its staircase very wet, slippery.
– The best time to visit Am Phu Cave is early morning or late afternoon when group tours don’t come yet.
– Am Phu Cave still has a long staircase at its entrance, so those who can’t handle many stairs should not visit.
– In the dry season, from February to the end of August, visitors should bring sun cream, sun glasses, hat/cap/umbrella, comfortable clothes, and bottles of water.
– In the wet season, from September to January, visitors should bring rain poncho/jackets, umbrellas, sandals or waterproof shoes.
– Bring cash (VND) to pay for entry fee, drinks, and food.
– In Am Phu Cave, especially the 18 Levels of Hell, there are many scary images (torturing,…) that may not be suitable for kids.
– It’s better to visit Am Phu Cave at Marble Mountains with a local guide. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) to book.
What to Wear to Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountains?
Dress Code at the Marble Mountains
The Marble Mountains is a holy mountain, with numerous Buddhist temples and sites, so all visitors should wear respectfully. It’s needed to use a shirt covering the armpits, shoulder and navel, and a pants covering the upper knees. For example, tank top, crop top, and shorts are not appropriate. Making sure that nowhere is see-through. Vietnamese traditional costume – Ao dai (the long dress) is highly recommended by local authorities.
When entering the worshipping room, it’s needed to take shoes off (wearing shocks is okay), remove hat, rain poncho and sunglasses (for the umbrella, don’t bring inside!).
If it’s hot and humid, visitors can prepare a scarf or sarong to cover while being around holy places. It’s okay to not wear it during the hike. Sometimes, the temple gives visitors a long piece of fabric to cover if they want to go in the worshipping room, but sometimes not available. Bring your own! Shops near the elevator may sell when needed.
Other Things Visitors Should Prepare
– Comfortable shoes: use to climb many stairs, uphill and downhill, and walk on slippery eroded rock faces when you want to reach the peaks. The best is a pair of trekking or hiking shoes. Wearing slippers or high-heel shoes is dangerous, especially in the rainy season, so not highly recommended.
– Bottles of water: if forget bringing a bottle of water, visitors will need to go to the stores near the entrance of Am Phu Cave
– Umbrella or rain poncho/rain jacket: necessary during the rainy season (from October to January yearly)
– Hat/cap/umbrella, sunglasses and sunscreen if visit in the summertime
– Smartphone or camera for taking pictures
– Cash to pay for entry fee ticket and elevator, or buy something
Guided Tours to Marble Mountains Vietnam
How to Get to Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountains
Am Phu Cave is in Thuy Son (‘water mountain’), a mountain of the Marble Mountains, 81 Huyen Tran Cong Chua St, Hoa Hai ward, Ngu Hanh Son district, Da Nang.
To visit Am Phu Cave, travelers need to go to the Water mountain of the Marble Mountains first. It’s 8 kilometers away from Da Nang city centre, 11 kilometers from Da Nang international airport and 7 kilometers from My Khe beach. Travelers can get there by car/taxi, motorbike, public bus, bicycle, and even walking (many beachside resorts nearby). From Hoi An, the distance to the Water mountain (Marble Mountains) is 18 kilometers. Getting there by car and motorbike is popular.
After arriving the Water Mountain, please walk to the elevator (near Gate 2, Linh Ung Pagoda Gate). The entrance of Am Phu Cave is a close distance. It’s near a bus parking lot.
From Hoi An, the distance to the Marble Mountains is about 18 kilometers. Getting there by car and motorbike is most popular. To book a private car transfer plus 2-hour waiting, please contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo); If riding the motorbike by yourself, you should go along the coastal road because of better experience and lower traffic. The best place to park the bike is local shops close to the elevator. The fee is 5,000-10,000 VND/bike/time.
Photos, Videos about Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountains
Here are beautiful photos and videos about Am Phu Cave in Marble Mountain:
