Hidden deep in a forested valley in central Vietnam, the My Son Sanctuary is a group of ancient temple ruins that date back to the Champa Kingdom. Today, the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which can be visited on a day trip from both Hoi An and Da Nang.
The striking red brick temples stand out against the lush greens of the forest, and the site reminded us a bit of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, just on a much smaller scale, with far fewer tourists, and minus Lara Croft.
Where is the My Son Sanctuary?
My Son is about 25 miles from Hoi An, and 30 miles from Da Nang in central Vietnam. It works well as a half-day trip from either city, or as a stop-off enroute to your next destination. We visited from Hoi An.
A quick history of My Son Sanctuary
Construction of the My Son Sanctuary began in the 4th century, during the rule of the Champa Kingdom. This sacred temple complex was the main religious centre of the civilisation, celebrating the Hindu culture. You’ll see carvings of Hindu gods on the outside of some of the temples, giving an insight into local religious beliefs.
After many centuries, the power of the Cham kingdom declined, and the My Son Sanctuary was abandoned to the forest during the 15th century. The site was left to nature until a French official stumbled across the ruins in the 19th century, and the temples were subsequently excavated by archaeologists. They discovered 71 temples, categorising them together in 14 different groups.
During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong used My Son Sanctuary as one of their jungle hideouts, which meant that the Cham temples were often the target of bombings by the Americans. My Son suffered severe damage, but several of the structures are still standing, and you can see many of them today. Some temples have been restored, and archaeological work is still being carried out to help preserve this historic site.
How to get to My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An
There aren’t many public transport options from Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary, so the best way to get there is either on a tour, or by private transfer.
Several group tours to My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An depart daily, many of which combine other nearby attractions like a river cruise or a traditional basket boat experience so you can make a full day of it if you like. Private guided tours to My Son Sanctuary are also available.
We opted for a private car and driver without a guide, and booked through our hotel in Hoi An. We paid 1,700,000 VND (£46) for 4 hours, which included the 2-hour round driving trip, and 2 hours at the site. The driver waited for us in the car park, and we had the option to pay for extra hours if we needed longer. We felt 2 hours at My Son was just right.
On arrival at My Son Sanctuary
Here’s the official My Son Sanctuary website where you’ll find a map and current site information like opening times.
There’s a large car park at the entrance to My Son, where you’ll be dropped off. You’ll then need to buy a ticket at the entrance kiosk – these cost 150,000 VND (£4) and it’s cash only!
You’ll then walk along the path for about 5 minutes before jumping on one of the electric shuttle busses that ferry visitors between the entrance and the temple complex, which is further down the valley. This transfer is included in your ticket and takes around 3 minutes. There are several buses so you won’t have to wait long for a ride, and our bus driver departed with just us on board so it was a bonus private ride – a fun way to arrive at the temples!
From the drop-off area (this is also where the return shuttles depart from after your visit), you are free to stroll around the complex.
Which way round to walk through My Son Sanctuary
There are several sets of temples dotted around the forest, which might seem a daunting prospect at first, but don’t worry, it’s easy to take them all in during your visit. The site is really well set out, with the different temple groups all situated along a circular trail that winds its way through the forest.
Here’s a map of the temple complex:
Once you’re inside the park (after your shuttle ride), you’ll be greeted by a dividing path, with options to go either left or right. This is just above the ‘You are here’ bit on the map. Most people seemed to be taking the right hand path, so we headed left instead, and went against the flow. This turned out to be a good move as we were able to time our temple viewing without the crowds. Indeed, we had many of the temples to ourselves.
So, we recommend taking the left-hand fork. This is especially important if you’re visiting after about 10am, when the tour groups have arrived (they all seemed to take the right fork) because otherwise you’ll be walking alongside them most of the way.
What is the walking trail like at My Son Sanctuary?
The circular path around the My Son temples is mostly paved, well maintained, and very easy underfoot. There are few inclines so it’s mainly flat. We recommend allowing around 2 hours to complete the walk at a relaxed pace and see all the temple groups.
Which are the most impressive temples at My Son Sanctuary?
If you follow the circular trail, you’ll pretty much see all of the different temple groups, so don’t worry about missing the best. However, if you’re short on time and just want to make a bee-line for the most impressive structures, then we recommend focusing on Group A and Group BCD.
This is Group A:
This is Group BCD:
Best time of day to visit My Son Sanctuary
My Son Sanctuary is open from 6 AM to 5 PM daily. It’s very warm all year round so it’s best to visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the midday heat. It’s less busy at these times too.
We visited between 8 AM and 10 AM, departing just as the big tour groups were arriving. You can arrive even earlier, we just didn’t fancy having to leave Hoi An at 5 AM! I reckon if you arrived at My Son at around 7 AM, that would be the perfect balance of a quiet experience without having to get up too early.
Dance Performances
There are several dance performances throughout the day at My Son. These take place at the main stage (at 9.15 AM, 10.45 AM, 2 PM and 3.30 PM) and by the Group G temples (weather permitting) at 10 AM and 2 PM. If you’re not bothered about seeing these, then this is a great time to see the temples with fewer people around, as many visitors will be watching the dances and listening to the traditional music. This is what we did, and enjoyed many peaceful moments before the temples became busier again.
Which months are best to visit My Son Sanctuary?
You can visit all year round, but February to April, and September to October are the best times to explore My Son. These months are cooler with little rain, so are better for exploring this forest site. Bear in mind it will probably still be much hotter than you’re used to, so when I say ‘cool’, I mean comparatively!
May, June and July are the hottest months while the rainiest months are September through until January. Flooding can occur at the height of the monsoon season from October to December, so the site does sometimes close. The peak tourist season is November through January, so My Son will be more crowded during these months.
We visited in early April, and it was hot but not unbearable for a couple of hours. It was also pleasantly quiet during the morning.
Facilities and toilets at My Son Sanctuary
Because we all want to know about the toilet situation!
There are three sets of toilets at My Son Sanctuary, so you won’t be caught short as you wander around the forest trails. There are toilets at the entrance by the ticket office before you get on the shuttle; near the guide office at the other end of the shuttle where your walk begins; and also half way around the walking route near the performance stage. We found them clean and all had paper!
There’s a museum on site too, displaying many ancient artefacts from the Cham era, as well as a gift shop and several stalls and small shops where you can buy drinks.
