Nha Trang Ponagar

The best time to visit the tower is late afternoon.

On the hill just outside the city is the Cham Ponaga Temple complex, known locally as Thap Ba. Originally the complex consisted of eight towers, four of which remain. Their stylistic differences indicate they were built at different times between the seventh and 12th centuries. The largest (at 23 m high) was built in Ad 817 and contains a statue of Lady Thien Y-ana, also known as Ponagar (who was the beautiful wife of Prince Bac Hai), as well as a fine and very large lingam. She taught the people of the area weaving and new agricultural techniques, and they built the tower in her honour. The other tower are dedicated to gods: the central tower to Cri Cambhu (which has become a fertility temple for childless couples); the northwest tower to Sandhaka (woodcutter and foster-father to Lady Thien Y-ana); and the south tower to Ganeca (Lady Thien Y-ana daughter).

To get the temple complex you can either walk or catch a cyclo. Follow 2/4 street north out of town; Cham Ponagar is just over the second of two bridges (Xom Bong bridge and Ha Ra bridge), a couple of kilometres from the city centre.

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