Po Shanu Cham Towers

The Po Shanu Cham Towers occupy a hilltop about six kilometres west of Mui Ne and two kilometres northeast of Phan Thiet city, with sweeping views of the coast and the fishing harbour below. Three towers survive in varying states of preservation: the main kalan tower (dedicated to Shiva), a smaller mandapa, and a ruined third structure. The brick construction is characteristic of Cham religious architecture, with intricate decorative stonework on the door frames.

A small museum at the site displays artefacts found during excavation, including ceramics, bronzeware, and carved stones. The towers are still considered sacred by the local Cham community and by followers of the Bani faith, the syncretic Islam practised by Cham people in southern Vietnam. The site is much less visited than the famous Cham ruins at My Son, making it a peaceful stop on a morning out of the resort.

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A story
The towers were built by the Cham people between the 8th and 10th centuries and dedicated to Shiva. The Cham Kingdom — a Hinduised civilisation that once controlled much of what is now central and southern Vietnam — was gradually absorbed by Vietnamese expansion from the north and vanished as a political entity in the 15th century. These towers, along with My Son near Hoi An, are among the most substantial surviving Cham monuments in the country.

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