Huyen Khong is the largest and best-known cave in the Marble Mountains: a round hall about 16 metres high on Thuy Son, with five openings in its roof. On sunny mornings, roughly between 9:00 and 11:00, shafts of light fall through them onto a stone Buddha carved in 1960 by the Non Nuoc master Nguyen Chat.
It is included in the main Marble Mountains ticket. You reach it by the path beside Tam Thai pagoda, through the small cave of Hoa Nghiem and down about twenty steps into the hall.
In the cave when the light is
Our guides plan the loop so Huyen Khong comes at its best hour, and explain every shrine in it.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursSee the tour →When does the light come into Huyen Khong?
Sunlight falls through the openings in the roof roughly between 9:00 and 11:00, and only on sunny days. The beams are clearest when a little incense smoke hangs in the air, and they move and fade as clouds pass. On overcast days there are no shafts, though the hall is still bright.
The dry months from February to August give the best odds. How to reach the cave in that window is covered in the best time to visit guide.
What are you looking at inside?
Guardian statues flank the steps down into the hall, figures of good and evil reminding visitors to leave bad intentions at the door. Inside, the highest point holds a stone statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni, about 2.5 to 3 metres tall, carved in 1960 by Nguyen Chat, a noted craftsman of Non Nuoc village. Below it is an altar to Ksitigarbha, the bodhisattva of the underworld.
Smaller shrines around the walls honour local goddesses, including the spirits known as Ngoc Phi and Loi Phi. The floor is flat and paved, and the air stays cool even on hot days.
How do you get to Huyen Khong?
From Gate 1, climb the 156 steps to Tam Thai pagoda and take the path beside it to a stone gate carved with the cave’s name. Beyond it is Hoa Nghiem, a small cave with a statue of Quan Am holding a vase, and from there about twenty steps lead down into Huyen Khong, some five metres lower.
From Gate 2 and the elevator, cross the hill past Van Thong cave to Tam Thai first. The full route is in the Marble Mountains itinerary.
What happened in Huyen Khong during the wars?
Local histories record that during the war against the French, Huyen Khong served as a secret base for local resistance fighters. In the American war, the cave and the hill were used by American and South Vietnamese units until 1968, when revolutionary forces took them back and used the cave as a first-aid station and a hiding place for the wounded.
Little of that is signposted today. It is one of the stories a guide brings to the cave, alongside the religious ones.
Want Huyen Khong at the right hour?
Our half day reaches the cave inside the window for the light, with a licensed local guide and every ticket included.
Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone Carvers5 hoursSee the tour →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern Light10 hoursSee the tour →Huyen Khong cave: quick answers
What time is the light in Huyen Khong cave?
Roughly between 9:00 and 11:00 on sunny days, when sunlight falls through the five openings in the roof.
Is Huyen Khong cave included in the Marble Mountains ticket?
Yes. Huyen Khong is on Thuy Son and is covered by the main entry ticket, 40,000 VND (~$2).
How do you get to Huyen Khong cave?
Take the path beside Tam Thai pagoda, pass through Hoa Nghiem cave and go down about twenty steps into the hall. From Gate 1, that is the quickest route.
Who carved the Buddha in Huyen Khong cave?
The stone Buddha at the top of the hall was carved in 1960 by Nguyen Chat, a noted craftsman of Non Nuoc stone village at the foot of the mountains.
Stand in the light, not the queue
Choose your group size and the price covers the day: pickup, private car, licensed guide, every ticket and water. Free to cancel until 3 days before.
★Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & the Stone CarversThe Marble Mountains caves at the hour the light comes in, the Lady Buddha on Son Tra and a working Non Nuoc carving yard, with your own guide and car. · 5 hoursfrom$39/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$135BOOK →2 guests$140BOOK →3 guests$150BOOK →4 guests$155BOOK →See the full tour page →Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha & Hoi An by Lantern LightSon Tra, the Marble Mountains caves and a Non Nuoc carving yard in the morning, then Hoi An old town and a boat on the Thu Bon as the lanterns come on. · 10 hoursfrom$89/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$265BOOK →2 guests$295BOOK →3 guests$325BOOK →4 guests$355BOOK →See the full tour page →Details of the cave and its history were checked against published local sources in September 2026.