Temples & religious sites
Po Nagar
Po Nagar is a Cham temple tower founded sometime before 781 and located in the medieval principality of Kauthara, near modern Nha Trang in Vietnam. It is dedicated to Yan Po Nagar, the goddess of the country, who came to be identified with the Hindu goddesses Bhagavati and Hariti, and who in Vietnamese is called Thiên Y Thánh Mẫu.
Po Nagar
Po Nagar is a cluster of Cham brick towers on a small hill (Cù Lao) at the mouth of the Cai River, on the north edge of Nha Trang. The site dates back to before 781, though most of the surviving towers were built between the 11th and 13th centuries. It is dedicated to Yan Po Nagar, a goddess later merged with the Hindu deities Bhagavati and Hariti and worshipped locally as Thiên Y Thánh Mẫu. Unlike a purely historical ruin, it remains an active place of worship, with incense, offerings, and local devotees alongside visitors. The draw is the brick tower architecture, carved sandstone reliefs, and the view over the river and city from the hilltop terrace.
Getting there
From central Nha Trang (around the Tran Phu beachfront area), Po Nagar is roughly 2km north. A taxi or Grab ride takes about 10-15 minutes; it's also reachable by bicycle or on foot if you don't mind a longer walk, since it sits just across the river from the city center.
How long to stay
Most visitors spend about 45 minutes to an hour and a half, enough time to walk through the tower complex, read the site information, and take in the river view.
When to go
Go in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid both the midday heat and the tour buses that arrive in large numbers, especially on weekends and holidays.
Combine with
- Yersin Museum (1.5km) — a short hop back toward the city center.
- Hòn Đỏ (1.9km) — a nearby coastal spot.
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Nha Trang (2.2km) and Christ the King Cathedral (2.2km) — close to each other, so they pair well as a single side trip for a contrast in religious architecture.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
