Cham tower Hindu temple Vietnam

Vietnam: Po Shanu Cham Towers, Hindu temple near Mui Ne

Date: 28 October 2019

I arrived in the coastal town of Mui Ne in the afternoon. Mui Ne is located just outside Phan Thiết city. It’s a sleepy little resort town but Mui Ne is getting more popular on the Vietnam tourism trail, largely thanks to its unique attractions. I had booked a tour to see the sand dunes tomorrow but today, before the sun set, I decided to make the most of my time and visit a the Po Shanu Cham Towers.

I hailed a Grab bike taxi and negotiated with the driver, who agreed to take me there, wait and drive me back to Mui Ne for 70,000 VND (₹220/$3/€2.5).

Mui Ne highway sunset Vietnam
I sat on the back of the bike and did my best to photograph and take videos as we drove
Mui Ne beach sunset drive Vietnam
This looked like a nice spot and I decided to stop by on the way back
Mui Ne drive highway Vietnam
We were on what looked like a brand new highway
Property development Mui Ne Vietnam
A lot of new property developments coming up in Mui Ne

It really looks like Mui Ne only recently developed as a major tourism destination. I saw a lot of construction activity in Mui Ne along the coastline — new hotels, resorts, and housing projects.

The ride to Ba Nai Hill, where the Cham towers are situated, took less than 15 minutes. Once we arrived, I had to pay for parking.

Champa Po Sah Inu tickets Mui Ne
Entry tickets cost 15,000 VND (₹45/$0.65/€0.50). Timings are from 6:45am to 5:30pm.
Champa temple Po Sah Inu Vietnam
A map at the entrance

There are three towers still standing and the place is also referred to as the Champa temple complex because the towers house symbols of Hinduism — Yoni & Lingam in one, a Nandi bull statue in another, and Agni (fire god) in the third.

Continue reading “Vietnam: Po Shanu Cham Towers, Hindu temple near Mui Ne” »
Inside bus to Mui Ne Vietnam

Vietnam: Taking bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne

Date: 28 October 2019

After spending the last few days exploring Ho Chi Minh City and going on day tours outside of the city, I decided to take a break from the city and visit the coastal town of Mui Ne.

An travel agent bus tickets Saigon
I had purchased my bus ticket to Mui Ne from this travel agent near Bui Vien street, which is from where the bus departs
Inside bus to Mui Ne Vietnam
I paid 150,000 VND (₹475/$6.5/€5.2) for the ticket to Mui Ne. Oddly enough, I bought my return ticket from Mui Ne back to Ho Chi Minh City… and paid 130,000 VND for a similar bus -_-
Saigon highway apartment Vietnam
We got on the highway to exit Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon river bridge view Vietnam
This is Saigon river

The journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne is over 4 hours long with a stop in between for a break.

Continue reading “Vietnam: Taking bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne” »
Nguyen Hue walk Saigon Vietnam

Vietnam: Nguyen Hue Street and Saigon Riverwalk

Date: 27 October 2019

I began my day checking out the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and Ho Chi Minh City Central Post Office, then post lunch, the nearby Book Street and Opera House. I continued my walk around the city.

Ganges Indian restaurant Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
I walked past an Indian restaurant called Ganges
Walking to Riverside Saigon Vietnam
I was heading towards the Riverside Walk
Vietcombank TMCP tower
The is the Vietcombank tower — at 206 metres tall, it’s the 7th tallest building in Vietnam
Riverside walk marina pier Saigon
The walk is by Saigon River, which is the main river passing through the city

Saigon river is a crucial trade route for south Vietnam’s industrial belt and the main water source Ho Chi Minh City. It’s location and views also make it a prime land bank for real estate development.

Landmark 81 apartment buildings HCMC Vietnam
The soaring tower over in the distance is Landmark 81. At 461.15 metres high, it is currently the tallest building in Vietnam.
Empire City construction Saigon Vietnam
Across the river is Empire City, a mega real estate project by Singapore’s Keppel Land

There’s another skyscraper proposed to be built at Empire city and its design is very interesting!

Continue reading “Vietnam: Nguyen Hue Street and Saigon Riverwalk” »
Related Posts with Thumbnails