70 kilometers southwest of Da Nang lies one of Vietnam’s few UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Cham ruins at Mỹ Sơn. Remnants of the once powerful and expansive Kingdom of Champa, My Son was an important holy site for the Cham people, of which form one of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities. The ruins here are at least 700 years old, with many of them being even older–dating back to the 4th century AD. Yet they are incredibly well preserved and were a great way to see the ancient history of this part of Vietnam.

Cham dancers performing several traditional dance routines

Apsara dancers are a common theme among many parts of Southest Asia, especially in those cultures influenced by Hindu and Brahmanism

The buildings are incredibly well-preserved for their age–a marvel of Cham architectural and building material technology

This bas-relief carving of a god resembles that of the Brahman/Hindu god, Vishu