Travel Now Insights

Journey through Vietnam's historical, spiritual sites

My Son, a complex of temple ruins near Da Nang

From Carolyn O'Neil
CNN Travel Now Senior Correspondent

DA NANG, Vietnam (CNN) -- Vietnam is opening its doors to visitors, and a history scarcely known to the rest of the world is spilling out.

"What I want to do is show them the long, long history we are very proud of," says tour guide Tran Dinh Song. "I want them to understand, and I think if they understand we can build peace."

In central Vietnam, the city of Hue boasts the Imperial City, where emperors held court for centuries. Much of it was destroyed by B-52 bombers during the Tet Offensive in 1968. But the royal citadel, constructed in 1805, still stands. Several old tombs from former rulers also remain outside the city.

PHOTO GALLERY Click for a photo tour of historical Vietnamese sites     HISTORY LESSON Learn about Vietnam's history and culture from vietnamtourism.com     TRAVEL TIPS Plan ahead for a trip to Vietnam with tips from vietnamspecialists.com     SPIRITUAL SITES Click for a virtual tour of more spiritual sites around the world     CNN SPECIAL Explore Vietnam and its legacy of war in-depth

Near Da Nang are the ruins of My Son (pronounced mee-son), once the religious and intellectual center of the Cham Kingdom from the 4th to 13th centuries. The Cham people are believed to have come from Indonesia and practiced a Hindu-based religion.

Teri Sandison, who is working on a book documenting temples, calls My Son a "must-see."

"When I found out about My Son and the ancient Cham culture," he says, "I just had to go there, and it was fantastic."

While My Son's location in the valley does provide the luxury to explore the ruins in quiet isolation, some say the landmark is vulnerable.

"I think that is has to be protected from graffiti and souvenir-takers," Sandison says. "There is still a lot of loose stones and bricks that could be taken away."

At the Cham museum in Da Nang, history buffs can closely examine stone statues and artifacts taken from archaeological sites.

For a glimpse of "living history," visit Sapa, a mountain village near the Chinese border where inhabitants still practice centuries-old traditions. Many are members of the Hmong, Dao and Dai hill tribes, who have resisted assimilating into Vietnamese society.

The experience overwhelmed tourist Deanna Higgins.

"Well, I've never been to this part of the world and its a great introduction -- just an opportunity of a lifetime -- to be able to taste and experience the culture," she says. "It's a total immersion experience."

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