An aerial view of the Marble Mountains in Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang,
central Vietnam. Photo by Shutterstock/Big Pearl. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a plan to conserve Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains), home to 400-year-old relics. 

A 100 ha portion would be restored in Hoa Hai Ward in Ngu Hanh Son District, the Da Nang people's committee said.

The restoration would factor in socio-economic and tourism requirements, and make the Marble Mountains a cultural and festival space, a unique entertainment destination and an important part of the "Central Region Heritage Path".

The plan would drive research for the preservation of the tangible and intangible cultural heritages of the area and its original ecology, the committee said.

PM Phuc has instructed Da Nang authorities to allocate funds for the work and approve costs.

Marble Mountains, also known as Non Nuoc Mountains, is a cluster of five marble and limestone mountains south of Da Nang in central Vietnam.

The five were named by King Minh Mang in the 19th century after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire), and Tho (earth).

They are home to religious ruins of the Cham ethnic people dating back to the 9th-10th century and 400-year-old pagodas.

The inscription of those who made contribution to building the pagodas 400 years ago is carved on rocks. There are also names of Japanese and Chinese merchants who traded at the bustling port town of Hoi An in the neighboring province of Quang Nam several centuries ago.

In January 2019 the Marble Mountains was recognized as a special national site.

Huyen Khong Cave, an attraction in the Marble Mountains, Da Nang.
Photo by Shutterstock/The South Wind.