My Son in Quang Nam – Vietnam

Location

In 1999 My Son in Quang Nam – Vietnam was listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a Cham temple complex and is one of the major temple complexes in Southeast Asia. It is located in Quang Nam, which is around 65 kilometers away from Danang. It is located about 947 kilometers away from Ho Chi Minh City and 860 kilometers from Hanoi.

To get to the place, one has to travel along National Highway 1A. Another option is to take the South-North railway, in case one would prefer to travel by train. Other transportation options would include taking a bus or hopping on a minibus if not driving to the place by car.

What to See

There are a lot of things to see in My Son in Quang Nam – Vietnam. The name My Son in the native dialect means Holy Land. It was once an imperial city way back during the Cham Dynasty, which reigned from the 4th century to the 12th century. History and archeology buffs will enjoy the sites that can be found here.

My Son is actually a complex that holds a lot of religiously significant relics. Visitors will be toured along the 65 architectural works laid out in the said area. The said architectural works is comprised of several towers and temples that have survived through the centuries. According to researchers, the towers one would find here are somewhat a convergence of various styles that date back as far as the 7th century.

Many of the artifacts discovered and unearthed here were transported to the Cham Architecture Museum in Danang City. The said artifacts include statues of female dancers, animals, and genies. These unearthed treasures were believed to be worshipped by the people who made them back in the day. These are strong evidences of the rich cultural traditions that Vietnam can truly be proud of.

History

The history of My Son in Quang Nam – Vietnam is vividly portrayed by the dig sites and archeological finds all around the area. The Hindu Temples found here date all the way back to the 4th century and are dedicated to the worship of various Hindu gods. The earliest known historical events here date back to the late third century when King Bhadravarman warred against Chinese occupied Vietnam up in the North. Various dynasties have also etched their marks into stone such as the Sambhuvarman and Prakasadharma dynasties.

Today, all that is left of these glorious dynasties is being restored by scholars and other interested parties. Unfortunately, several of the structures here were destroyed during the previous war. However, majority of the temple complexes have survived.

Cost

Various travel agents can book tourists on a trip to My Son in Quang Nam – Vietnam. A whole day trip including accommodations, food, and transport will cost an average of $137. Backpackers can also work around a budget of less than $100 a day if they look hard enough for decent lodgings.