Cảm Ơn Mỹ Sơn

Mỹ Sơn (pronounced me son) is a temple complex that we visited on a day trip from Hội An.

The temples here are interesting but nowhere near as impressive as Angkor Wat. However, what is interesting are the bomb craters that still surround the site, which show how much of the history was destroyed by US aerial assault in the second half of the twentieth century.

Subsequently, many of the structures at this UNESCO world heritage site have been restored and there was more work to rebuild them still going on when we were there. They haven’t filled the craters though and it’s a good thing to preserve them too. So cảm ơn (thanks - pronounced come on) to the team for tastefully restoring the damage while still preserving all of the history, including bullet holes in some stone inscriptions.

There are better resources to read about the site but if you’re in the area then it’s worth checking out. It doesn’t take long to look around and can be done in half a day if you take a bus both ways and not the boat on the river instead. It’s easier to get a feel for it in person and you will help fund the restoration effort with your entrance fee at the same time.