Quick Comparison Between My Son Sanctuary vs Angkor Wat

– Age: My Son Sanctuary is significantly older than Angkor Wat, with its earliest temples dating back to the 4th century. In contrast, Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century.

– Area: Angkor Wat’s entire archaeological park spans roughly 400 km2, containing dozens of monumental structures. In contrast, the main protected zone of the My Son Sanctuary is a much more intimate 1.42 km2, featuring a cluster of about 71 surviving brick towers.

– Discovery: Angkor Wat was “rediscovered” for the Western world in 1860, while My Son was rediscovered decades later in 1898.

– Owner: My Son Sanctuary is built by Cham people (who found Champa kingdom), while Angkor Wat is built by Khmer people (who found Khmer Empire). The Khmer and Cham are distinct Southeast Asian ethnic groups with different origins, languages, and religions. The Khmer are the dominant ethnic majority of Cambodia, belonging to the Austroasiatic language family and practicing Theravada Buddhism. The Cham, originally from the Champa kingdom (modern-day central Vietnam), speak an Austronesian language and are predominantly Sunni Muslim.

– Building materials: My Son Sanctuary and Angkor Wat both reflect the Hindu spiritual architecture of ancient Southeast Asian empires. However, while the massive Khmer monuments of Angkor utilize heavy sandstone and laterite, the Cham builders at My Son utilized sophisticated fired red bricks and carved sandstone.

– Locational setting: My Son Sanctuary lies inside a valley in the mountains, and Angkor Wat sits on the flat land.

– Religious Dedication: While both began as Hindu sites, My Son Sanctuary was built almost entirely to honor Shiva, the destroyer and transformer. Angkor Wat was originally dedicated to Vishnu, the protector and preserver, before transitioning into a Theravada Buddhist temple.

– Year inscribed by UNESCO: My Son Sanctuary was honored in 1999, and it was 1992 for Angkor Complex.

– Time Required to Visit: Because of its compact layout, you can easily explore My Son Sanctuary in 1.5 to 2 hours. In contrast, fully exploring Angkor Wat alone takes several hours, and exploring the wider archaeological park it belongs to requires a multi-day pass.

HOIAN DAY TRIP Company daily organizes tours and transfers to My Son Sanctuary. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or hoiandaytripcompany@gmail.com or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!