Waking up to a rainy and foggy morning had me entertaining the idea of staying in until lunch, curled up on my bed. Appealing though the thought was, the opportunity to see another UNESCO World Heritage site prevailed, proving to be motivation enough to make me stand up, stretch my arms, and face the window to announce to myself, “Good morning, Vietnam!”
Ancient Cham Ruins at My Son Sanctuary
After loading up on a breakfast of an omelet, a banh mi sandwich, and pho noodles, I waited for the tour bus, recalling what the travel agency staff had told me the day before: “No need to come here; the bus will come to you and take you to Mỹ Sơn.”
I had originally planned to travel to Mỹ Sơn independently, thinking it would be cheaper, but after passing a few travel agencies located near the ancient city of Hoi-An, I realized it was far more economical to opt for a tour package. I paid 500,000 VND (approximately twenty dollars) for a guided day tour of Mỹ Sơn that included the bus ride to the sanctuary, the entrance fee, bottled water, lunch, and a ferry ride back to Hoi An.
My Son Sanctuary
It was raining hard when our bus reached the Mỹ Sơn complex. Not wanting to risk damaging my camera, I settled for using my mobile phone to photograph the area. Each of us was given a plastic raincoat by our guide, so exploring the compound never became much of a hassle—aside from the muddy trail.
The Mỹ Sơn temple complex is regarded as one of the foremost Hindu sanctuary zones in Southeast Asia and the only heritage site of its kind in Vietnam. It is frequently compared to other historical temple clusters across the region, such as Borobudur in Java, Indonesia, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, and Ayutthaya in Thailand. In 1999, Mỹ Sơn was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. At its twenty-third meeting, UNESCO accorded Mỹ Sơn this recognition pursuant to Criterion C (II), as an example of evolution and change in culture, and Criterion C (III), as evidence of an extinct Asian civilization.
The Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary is believed to date from the fourth century to the fourteenth century. It was constructed by the Champa Kingdom—predating the Khmer Empire's Angkor Wat—as a sanctuary for Hindu worshippers, built to honor the god Shiva, who was known locally as Bhadreshvara.
The Mỹ Sơn complex is significantly smaller than Angkor Wat, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, or other massive ancient temple ruins in Southeast Asia. If you have visited those expanses, it is best not to compare them directly to avoid disappointment. The history of this place, however—as detailed by our local guide—is just as fascinating as the other UNESCO sites I have explored.
Mỹ Sơn is situated in the village of Duy Phú, a little more than an hour from Hoi An, in the Quảng Nam Province of Central Vietnam. The temples here are scattered across an area spanning two kilometers wide, sandwiched between two dramatic mountain ranges.
It served as the location for critical religious ceremonies for the rulers of successive Champa dynasties, as well as the burial grounds for Cham royalty and national heroes. During the height of the Cham presence at Mỹ Sơn, the collection of temples and historical structures numbered more than seventy.
Hindu Temples Ruined Twice Over
Even though many of the remaining structures have survived the elements for the last 1,300 years—with original bricks and masonry outlasting the elements added through modern conservation works—most of the ruins rediscovered in the late nineteenth century unfortunately failed to escape the wrath of American carpet bombing during the Vietnam War. Two main temples were completely reduced to piles of rubble, while countless others were heavily damaged.
Even before the Vietnam War, Mỹ Sơn was ransacked during the French colonial occupation. The head of an important deity statue is believed to have been looted by French forces and remains on display at the Louvre Museum. “We want to have it back, but the French always give us a negative answer,” our guide narrated.
We opted for a different route on the way back to Hoi An, ditching the tour bus in favor of a small ferry to savor the tranquil waters of the Thu Bồn River. The cruise lasted an hour, and along the way, I marveled at the sight of traditional fishing village life thriving along the riverbanks. At that moment, I realized why the Champa dynasty settled and flourished at Mỹ Sơn, as robust waterways always play a crucial role in the survival of any civilization.
As the weather cleared to reveal a bright sky, I walked to the stern of the boat and stared at the calm, murky waters, wondering about the sheer volume of history that had ebbed and flowed along its torrent.
