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About 100 km. south of Hue', Danang is of historical significance
for the Cham, a merchant people, thought to have arrived from Java,
Indonesia, around 1 AD. The kingdom existed until 1720 when it was
reduced to a small area around the present Vietnamese town of Nha
Trang. Later the Chams migrated to an area which today belongs to
Cambodia.
The Cham Museum - Is most important attraction of Danang,
founded in 1915, and featuring the world's largest collection of
Cham art. The Cham people were renowned for producing splendid works,
particularly sculpture. This open-air site contains numerous masterpieces
from different periods of the Cham kingdom.
My Son - Is a major Cham archaeological site in the Danang
area, and home to some spectacular ancient brick monuments, set
in picturesque mountainous surroundings. Established in the 4th
century, this philosophical and religious centre flourished for
over twice as long as Bagan and Ankor, with its temples dedicated
to Shiva, and successive Cham kings. North Vietnamese guerillas
used the sanctuary as a military base, causing many monuments to
be damaged by subsequent US bombing. Restoration efforts are in
progress. Other groups of monuments are overgrown, with plans to
make them also accessible. Other important remains of the Cham civilization
can be found at the remains of Tra Kieu, which served as the first
capital from the 4th to 8th century. My Son has also been recognized
by Unesco as World Heritage in 1999.
Hoi An Ancient Town - Hoi An, 30 km. south of Danang City,
is an ancient town lying by the Thu Bon River. Known as Faifo to
early western traders, it was one of the major trading centres in
Southeast Asia in the 16th-19th centuries. Hoi An was also an important
port of call for Dutch, Potuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and
other merchant vessels in the Far East. Hoi An has also been designated
by Unesco as World Heritage in 1999.
Marble Mountains - Some 12 km. west of Danang lies the so-called
Marble Mountains, actually 5 summits of a limestone mountain range.
Numerous paths lead the visitor to various attractions such as caves,
pagodas, and small shrines. There are some spectacular views from
the top.
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