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Po Nagar Cham Towers

Rating: 4.5

A 7th–12th century Cham temple complex, still an active place of worship

North of the city3 km from the centre

Ms Sarah Welch · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tervlugt · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Dragfyre · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Address
2 Thang 4 street, Vinh Phuoc ward, Nha Trang — north bank of the Cai river
Opening hours
8:00 – 18:00 daily
Price range
25,000 – 30,000₫/person
Best time to go
Early morning, when it's cool and quiet. The Thap Ba festival falls in the third lunar month
Open in Google Maps

On the map

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · 12.2654, 109.1952

Overview

Po Nagar is the most significant surviving Cham site in Khanh Hoa. The complex was built between roughly the 7th and 12th centuries to honour the goddess Po Nagar, known in Vietnamese as Thien Y A Na. What makes it notable is that it isn't a ruin: incense still burns, and locals still climb up to make offerings.

The towers stand on Cu Lao hill on the north bank of the Cai river, so the forecourt looks straight down at the river mouth, Tran Phu bridge and the round fishing coracles. The mortarless fired-brick construction and the carvings on the tower faces are what deserve your time.

Because this is a working place of worship rather than a ruin, it asks more than a monument does: cover shoulders and knees, take your hat off inside the main tower, and if someone is making an offering, wait rather than cross in front of them. Tickets are 25,000–30,000₫, open 8:00–18:00.

How it fits: the towers are on 2 Thang 4 street on the north bank of the Cai river, the same run as Hon Chong about 3 km away, the squid-pancake shops and the Thap Ba mud baths. A morning taking in the towers then Hon Chong, or an afternoon at the towers followed by squid pancakes at 17:00, are both tidy. Early morning is cooler and emptier.

Don't miss

  • The main tower, roughly 23 m tall, built of brick without mortar
  • The Durga carvings on the tower's east face
  • Scheduled Cham dance performances in the courtyard
  • Views of the Cai river mouth and Tran Phu bridge from the forecourt

Practical tips

  • Shoulders and knees must be covered. Robes are available at the gate
  • Pair it with Cho Dam market and Hon Chong — all on the north side
  • The steps up are steep, and slippery in the rain

Frequently asked

How much is Po Nagar, and when is it open?

Tickets run about 25,000–30,000₫ per person. Open 8:00 – 18:00 daily.

Is there a dress code at Po Nagar?

Yes. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Robes are available at the gate if you arrive underdressed.

What pairs well with Po Nagar?

Hon Chong and Cho Dam market — all three sit north of the Cai river, only a few kilometres apart.

Closest to here