Remnants of the My Son Sanctuary (pronounced “me-sun”) stand in the jungle of Quang Nam province in Vietnam, a region once known as the Amaravati Champa Kingdom. This site was once the spiritual center of worship for the Champa people from the 2nd-15th century.

The My Son Sanctuary was a hindu temple, mostly devoted to the worship of the God-King Srisanabhadresvara and the god of destruction, Shiva. The temple grounds fell out of use the 15th century and sat forgotten in the jungle until the French uncovered it in the late 1800s and began the temple’s excavation and restoration.

Myself and Bal envision the high times of the Champa reign.

Kamila and Bal walk through the temple ruins. Is anyone else reminded of the movie Labyrinth?

The complex consists of over 70 monuments and temples, covering 142 hectares (350 acres) in central Vietnam, not far from the city of Hoi An. Most structures have deteriorated due to old age and bombing during the Vietnam war but today, 20 structures still stand and are open to visitors daily.

…I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great…

My Son temple ruins were declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999.

Fallen pillars get slowly engulfed by grass.

Welcome to my humble home!

A storage building, entrance door can be seen on the right.

We booked our tour through our hotel (the Moon Homestay) and $8 (CAD) covered our ride to and from the site as well as the entrance fee to the grounds. Although these ruins show only a fracture of what it once was, the power of this majestic site can still be felt. Standing on these grounds was a once in a lifetime experience I’ll never forget and despite the heat and insane amount of tour groups, I recommend a visit if you find yourself in Hoi An with a few hours to spare.

Our tour guide in particular wasn’t very good, but then again we were spoiled by Kevin on the Halong Bay cruise. Other guides (who we eavesdropped on) did a much better job of informing the visitors of this magnificent landmark, so if you get a shoddy guide, just stalk another group!

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An developed into an international trading hub in central Vietnam. Merchant ships from Japan, China, India and the Netherlands among others did business in this port city and over time, those traders set up quarters and stayed permanently. This led to a unique cultural mix in Hoi An that can still be seen today. Visitors can buy a ticket pack in the ancient town for 120,000 Vietnamese dong (approx $6 CAD) that allows entrance into 5 venues of about 20 places of interest. Categories include old traditional homes, Chinese-style communal houses, museums and Chinese assembly halls. We were told the ticket package was good for 2 days, even though the ticket stub says only 24 hours. We used the last of our tickets the following day and were allowed entrance with no problem. Tickets look like this:

Here are the 5 places we chose to visit:

1) Minh Huong Temple

In the mid-17th century, Chinese refugees found their way to Vietnam and were granted asylum in many provinces across southern Vietnam. Hoi An was the first region to grant the Chinese citizenship, titles and the rights to manage trade with overseas countries. Evidence of Chinese influence can still be seen in the communal houses, temples and assembly halls in modern day Hoi An.

Outside of the Minh Huong Temple.

We went to the Minh Huong Temple, built in 1820 but destroyed and rebuilt many times over centuries of war. Although the temple has been renovated with great care, the interior of the temple wasn’t deemed good enough to be a place of worship. The building has since been transformed into a tourist attraction and was recognized as a place of national cultural heritage in 1993.

The outer courtyard.

Inside the temple.

2) Hoi An Museum of History and Culture

This museum was housed in another temple-turned-tourist attraction, showcasing artifacts of mostly Chinese, Indian and Persian culture that came into use in Hoi An through international trade. The outside courtyard was beautiful and calming. I can only imagine what it must have been like to go there to worship so long ago.

Outside the Museum of History and Culture.

The inner courtyard.

Inside each room was lined with glass cases displaying everything from old kitchenware to old currencies.

Old signature stamps, scrolls and other office supplies.

Old tools and weapons, a clearer, a spade and a knife.

3) Museum of Folk Culture

This museum was inside an old house, connecting through the courtyards with a series of overpassing walkways and stairs. The rooms held replicas of old looms, traditional fishing tools, clothing and bedroom displays.

4) Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation

This assembly hall was used as a meeting place and also a place of worship for the Cantonese citizens who lived in Hoi An. It was dusk and we were followed in by a Chinese tour group of about 30 people so picture-taking became a race against the setting sun and the crowds. We managed to snap a few good shots nonetheless.

Outside the assembly hall, the tour group descends upon us.

Inside the hall.

The outer courtyard.

5) The Japanese Covered Bridge

The Japanese covered bridge was built in the late 1500s by Japanese residents of the town now known as Hoi An. It was built over a stream to increase business with the Chinese neighbourhood across the water. Over the centuries, the Chinese and Vietnamese citizens maintained the condition of the bridge and eventually built a small temple inside, dedicated to the god Bac De Tran Vo (Emperor of the North).

Inside the bridge, the temple sits on the left side of the walk way.

Inside the temple, a table for offerings and worship is still in use. Many visitors lit incense, made donations and prayed.

One entrance is guarded by a pair of monkey gods and the other entrance by a pair of dog gods. This unique bridge became a symbol of multiculturalism between the Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese people over the years. A plaque on the bridge claims supernatural powers have been evident on this bridge over the last 400 years and locals believe it is still a sacred place of pride for the people of Hoi An.

Myself and Bal with one of the two monkey gods who guard the entrance.

One of the dog gods who guard the other entrance.

I hope you enjoyed our little tour of the ancient town of Hoi An. I’d love to return there one day, maybe retire and live off of coconuts and fresh spring rolls. Growing old is looking good! Until next time Dear Readers, be well.

Six days into our stay in the northern region of Vietnam, we boarded a plane headed for the central area. Our flight took us to Danang, but our destination was 20 minutes south to the coastal city of Hoi An. If ever there was a paradise on earth, I imagine my version would be a lot like Hoi An.

My new sun hat :)

Kamila and Bal show off their new summer slacks.

It was my favourite part of Vietnam (aside from Halong Bay) as the weather was hot yet not sticky and the crowds were vibrant yet not intense. It was the perfect balance of climate and atmosphere paired with some of the best food I’ve ever had.

Seafood with veggies and noodles.

Homemade Pho for breakfast, made by the Moon Homestay staff.

Fried tofu with sauteed duck in the background.

Fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese style.

Recently chopped coconut outside a shop door.

Dried coconut husks line a patch of sidewalk.

Our hotel, which was a large house transformed into a homestay called the “Moon Homestay” was clean, beautiful and filled with large windows that showcased the landscape. At first glance out the window, I was in love with the town. I didn’t get any good shots of the interior of our room (our stuff was all over the place), but I can tell you I felt like a princess for those few days.

The view from our bedroom window at the Moon homestay, looking down on neighbouring backyards. Each had their own family of chickens and roosters!

The view from our shared balcony, looking onto the front of the homestay. The dolphin seen in the pool is just a tile print, not the real thing.

We did a lot of walking around to explore our new sunny surroundings. Next week’s article will showcase Hoi An’s Ancient Town, a World Heritage protected site since 1999. For now, I will show you the city of Hoi An as we walked through it.

One of the things Hoi An is best known for is their world-class tailors and seamstresses. Many tourists flock to central Vietnam with plans of getting personally tailored suits or dresses made just for them. The cost is about what you would pay in a department store, only it’s been made just for you. Not everyone has a gifted seamstress in the family like I do (Nana V) so you can see where the attraction lies.

Sample wares on the main floor of our homestay in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Fabric swatches cover the desk of our homestay owner, Moon.

Seamstress shop Ba-Ri, where we purchased some made-to-order clothes.

Captivating threads at one of the many clothing shops that line the streets of Hoi An.

A rooster doubles as security at a local dress shop.

Taking a walk near some rice paddy fields not far from our homestay.

The edge of the Ancient Town district at dusk.

That’s it for this week’s edition. Stay tuned next week for a tour of the Ancient City!

One place that was often suggested at the mention of Vietnam was Halong Bay. I set forth on some research and discovered the best way to see the bay was not to get a room on the coast, but to take a boat cruise and sleep on the bay itself. One night, two day or two nights, three day tours are available from many different companies but we chose the one night trip with Halong Legacy Cruises. We were picked up early in the morning and driven almost four hours from Hanoi out to the coast of Halong Bay.

En route from the mainland to our cruise ship! Our tour guide Kevin Tran scans the waters behind me.

See that huge ship? Ours is the little one in front of it, called the “Halong Legacy Cruise 2.”

Once on our cruise ship, we had a wonderful spread of food for lunch, then got checked into our rooms and given time to relax. After that we took off to the Cave of Surprise, also known as Hang Sung Sot to do some exploring.

On our way to the caves inside Hang Sung Sot.

Our approach to Hang Hung Sot, or “the Cave of Surprise.” We walked through the inside of this mountain!

About to enter the Cave of Surprise!

Our fearless team leader, Kevin, as we assemble at the mouth of the cave.

Inside the Cave of Surprise.

Group shot of our fellow shipmates inside the cave.

From the top of Hang Sung Sot.

Bal, Kamila and I at the top of the mountain.

Another view from the top.

Once back onboard the Halong Legacy Cruise 2, we got a lesson on making traditional fresh Vietnamese spring rolls from Kevin.

Our lesson begins…

Then we are all judged on our efforts in hopes of being the best student. Bal seems happy, although she did not win the competition.

After an amazing dinner fit for a king, we were treated to some more cultural lessons from our team leader.

Kevin teaches us some traditional Vietnamese drinking games. We were all focused as we studied the rules.

Let the games begin! This one was a hand-slapping game. We also learned one called “Bang, Bang, Aaah!”

The next morning we woke up early for some Tai Chi and got to enjoy the view of Halong Bay as the sun rose on the water.

The morning calm.

After breakfast we were escorted via rowboats to see a village built on water. These villages used to be more common in Halong Bay and surrounding areas but over time the government has persuaded most villagers to move inland for better jobs and education. The water village we observed was one of the last.

On our way to see a water village in Halong Bay.

Our view on the way to the water village.

Eventually we docked at a pearl harvesting building where we learned about the world of clams and other aquatic money-makers that the water village people have perfected over time.

Our lesson on harvesting clams in search of pearls.

Back to the cruise ship, it was time for lunch and checking out while the ship pushed towards the mainland. On the bus ride back we were discussing the famous Vietnamese hot pot meal (similar to shabu shabu in Korea) when Kevin suggested a place that made some of the best in town. We talked with some other shipmates and those who had the time were able to join us for one last meal back on solid ground.

Some of our shipmates having one last meal together.

The contents of Vietnamese seafood hotpot part one.

Contents part two.

After dinner we had some drinks at a bar. Seats spilled into the streets until no pavement could be found. Still, motorbikes managed to wade through the crowds.

On our way out to the ship our tour guide Kevin said wanted us to be like a family. By the end of the 48 hours, I think he got his wish. It was a wonderful adventure packed into two days and one so amazing that we kept it going even after the tour was over. We made friends from Germany, France, England, Australia, New York and Brazil. Considering our shipmate assignments were pretty much a random draw, we all felt lucky to have been paired up with the folks on our ship.

The captain, crew and chefs were all amazing so I highly recommend Halong Legacy Cruise if you’re looking for a trip out to Halong Bay. We booked with their company and had a wonderful, knowledgable tour guide who took fantastic care of us for the entire two days.  Ask for Kevin and tell him Karli in Korea sent you!