Saturday 12th October 2019

My Son, Hoi An

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One of the great things about Vietnam is the fact that this part of the world has an incredibly rich history.

Your never too far away from some amazing ruins.

More than 1,600 years ago, the Cham people of Vietnam began the construction on dozens of Hindu temples near the village of Duy Phú, creating this ancient Hindu Indian Champa Kingdom which has comparisons with Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Several of these temples, known collectively as My Son still stand today but are mostly in ruins.

Sadly, a significant chunk of the architecture at My Son was destroyed by carpet bombing during the Vietnam War, but the remaining ruins are still a sight to be held.

Bomb hole

Today, visiting here is like travelling back in time.

But it’s very sad to see the distruction caused by the war on such ancient temples that up until then have stood the test of time.

My Son – the Holy land is surrounded by marvellous mountains.

This complex of abandoned Hindu temples dating back to the fourth century under the Cham’s King Bhadravaman is awe-inspiring.

It is a huge religious complex with over 70 towers and temples of different architectures.

We wondered through the elaborate carvings and sculptures of the Cham people, enjoying and discovering the beauty of these ancient buildings.

Whilst it’s not as well known as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, My Son is very much the Vietnamese equivalent, and the sense of peace and tranquillity to be found here is something that will stay with me forever.

We reluctantly left My Son and headed to the boat station to take a boat trip on the Thu River and stopped at the Island of Láng Moc Kim Bong.

We visited some of the local people who live here including a traditional working village – Kim Bong Carpentry Village and watched some local craftsmen go about their daily business.

As the sun was setting it was time to re-visit the hectic but very beautiful streets of Hoi An for one last time before departing tomorrow.

Hoi An has exploded on the tourist scene over recent years but it is a must see scene.