My Son Sanctuary is a cluster of ancient Hindu temples that were constructed in the emerald hills in the Duy Xuyen District, Hoi An between the 4th and the 14th century. The abandoned temples of My Son Sanctuary is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is the most popular attraction in the region that draws in thousands of visitors every year.
I have put together this complete guide of My Son Sanctuary including how to get there and what to expect!
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WHERE IS THE MY SON SANCTUARY & HOW TO GET THERE
The My Son Sanctuary is located 40km west of Hoi An, Vietnam.
There are two options for getting to My Son Sanctuary:
Option 1: MY SON SANCTUARY TOUR
The My Son Sanctuary Day Tour is the most top-rated tour with great reviews and thousands of bookings.
This tour covers the highlights of My Son Sanctuary UNESCO site plus a visit to Kim Bong Carpentry Village and a light lunch on a boat cruise down the river ending at Nguyen Hoang Pier.
All this for just $10 USD.
Book Now ∼ My Son Sanctuary Day Tour
Option 2: DIY
If you wish to visit My Son Sanctuary DIY you can rent a scooter from Hoi An for just $5 a day.
I picked up a rental scooter from ‘Hoi An motorbike tours & rentals’ the day before heading to My Son Sanctuary. I left Hoi An at 5 am in order to be at My Son Sanctuary for sunrise.
The journey takes one hour from Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary.
PIN LOCATION OF MY SON SANCTUARY
Entering a temple at My Son Sanctuary
WHAT TO EXPECT AT MY SON SANCTUARY HOI AN
The My Son Sanctuary is open Monday to Sunday from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm and the entrance fee is 150,000 dong.
As you enter the gates to My Son Sanctuary there is a courtesy buggy that will transport you from the main gate of the park to the start of the walking trail.
The trail at My Son Sanctuary is very easy to navigate and it will lead you through the abandoned complex of the magnificent Hindu ruins. There are a total of 71 temple structures that are impressively older than the Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia.
Book Now ∼ My Son Sanctuary Day Tour
Courtesy buggy at My Son Sanctuary
Sunrise over one of the temples at My Son Sanctuary
One of the 71 temple structures at My Son Sanctuary
MY SON SANCTUARY HISTORY
The words ‘My Son’ means ‘beautiful mountain’ in Vietnamese. The My Son Sanctuary was used by the Champa civilization as a political center and a royal burial ground. The temples were devoted to the Hindu gods and goddesses, especially Shiva, who was considered the protector of the Champa’s kings.
My Son Sanctuary was originally constructed out of wood in the 4th century and then later destroyed by a fire in which the cause is still unknown. The complex was rebuilt by the subsequent kings out of red brick and limestone.
Unfortunately, during the most recent war, the Americans bombed the My Son Sanctuary region knowing that the Viet Cong was using it as a hiding place. Thankfully, the majority of the temples survived the bombings and parts of the ruins have been restored.
Marveling at the temples at My Son Sanctuary
Drone shot at My Son Sanctuary
A tombstone inside the My Son Sanctuary complex.
WHERE TO STAY IN HOI AN
Hoi An has hundreds of accommodations to choose from, so I have narrowed it down to a few of the best places to stay in Hoi An to suit budget backpackers and luxury travelers. See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:
LUXURY: ANANTARA RESORT
Check prices on Agoda | Check prices on Booking.com
MID RANGE: HA AN HOTEL
Check prices on Agoda | Check prices on Booking.com
BUDGET: HAPPY MONKEY HOSTEL
Check prices on Agoda | Check prices on Booking.com
FOR ALL OTHER PLACES TO STAY IN HOI AN, SEARCH ON AGODA OR SEARCH ON BOOKING.COM
BEST VIETNAM TOURS
AIRBNB VIETNAM
Another option for accommodation in Vietnam is to stay at an Airbnb, which generally has some great deals in Vietnam.
Get your $40 Airbnb discount here!
MORE VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDES
Vietnam Travel Guide: 4 Week Vietnam Itinerary
Ho Chi Minh City Guide: 7 Things To Do In Ho Chi Minh
Nha Trang Travel Guide: 3 Things To Do In Nha Trang
Hoi An Travel Guide: 4 Things To Do In Hoi An
Ninh Binh Travel Guide: 3 Things To Do In Ninh Binh
Da Nang Travel Guide: Golden Bridge Ba Na Hills
Cam Ranh Travel Guide: Things To Do In Cam Ranh
Ha Giang Travel Guide: 3 Day Ha Giang Loop Adventure
MY CAMERA GEAR
• DSLR Mirrorless Camera: Sony A7ii
• Drone Camera: DJI Mavic Pro 2
• GoPro: GoPro Hero 8 Black
• Everyday Lens: Sony F2.8 24/70mm
• Camera Bag: Lowepro Protactic 31L
• Selfie Stick: Sandmarc Metal Edition 1.2m
• Tripod: Joby Flexible GorillaPod
• GoPro Dome: Underwater GoPro Dome
• Power Bank: Anker Powerbank
• External Hardrive: WD Elements 4TB
WHAT TO PACK FOR VIETNAM?
• Waterproof Phone Case: Universal Waterproof Case
• Reusable Water Bottle: Hydro Flask Water Bottle
• Rain Jacket: North Face Rain Jacket
• Water Shoes: Slip-on Water Shoes
• Day Bag: Nomatic 20L Day Bag
• Power Adapter: Universal Power Adapter
• Packing Cubes: 4 Set Packing Cubes
• Microfibre Towel: Quick Dry Travel Towel
• Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance
• Money Belt: Hidden Money Belt
I hope you find this blog post useful and if you have any further questions about the My Son Sanctuary please drop me a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Adventuring!
PIN IT FOR LATER !!
Hi Jonny,
Your writings on Vietnam are very informative. My husband and I are planning a trip there in November. A bit of dilemma regarding Trang an and Tam Coc. Which would you suggest?
Thanks,
Sunayana
Author
Awesome, you’re going to love it. I would suggest Tam Coc 🙂