An hour’s scooter ride outside of Da Nang is the My Son historic temple complex. Built by the Kings of Champa between the 4th and 14th century, the temples are dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Shiva and represent the influence of Indian culture among the Cham people in the region during the period.

Today the site is largely in ruins having been abandoned and then heavily damaged during the Vietnam war. Reconstruction work has been carried out in conjunction with the Indian archaeological survey over the last ten years and a number of the temple structures have been stabilised and put back together. The temples are mainly built from hand made red bricks that were then carved in situ. The designs show the evolution of Champa architecture and the influences of India, Buddhism and Indonesian styles.

Both Nilesh and I visited My Son on different days because we could only take one child with us each time. Nilesh took Indra first and Krishav and I went the following day. It was a lovely ride through the Vietnamese countryside through small towns and villages and we enjoyed the ride almost as much as the visit itself!