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.
These restored temples are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s the most popular attraction in the region that draws in thousands of visitors every year.
I have put together this complete guide to My Son Sanctuary Vietnam including how to get there, how much it costs and what to expect when you arrive.
Table of Contents
WHERE IS THE MY SON SANCTUARY?
My Son Sanctuary is located 40km west of Hoi An, Vietnam. The journey takes around one hour from Hoi An.
Click here to see the location on Google maps.
HOW TO GET HERE
There are two options for reaching this UNESCO site which I have listed below.
Option 1: MY SON SANCTUARY TOUR
The My Son Temple 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 Tour
Option 2: DIY
If you wish to visit the temple 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 and rentals’ the day before heading out to the sanctuary. I left Hoi An at 5 am in order to be at the sanctuary for sunrise.
Entering the temple
WHAT TO EXPECT AT MY SON SANCTUARY HOI AN
The sanctuary is open Monday to Sunday from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm and the entrance fee is 150,000 VND.
As you enter the gates, 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 is very easy to navigate and it will lead you through the abandoned complex of magnificent Hindu ruins. There are a total of 71 temple structures that are impressively older than the Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia.
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Courtesy buggy
Sunrise at the sanctuary
One of the 71 temple structures
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MY SON SANCTUARY HISTORY
The words ‘My Son’ means ‘beautiful mountain’ in Vietnamese. The 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.
Book Now → My Son Temple Day Tour
The sanctuary was originally constructed out of wood in the 4th century and then later destroyed by a fire 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 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.
Exploring the temples
Sunrise over the temple
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, luxury travelers, and everyone in between.
See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:
LUXURY: ANANTARA RESORT
MID RANGE: HA AN HOTEL
BUDGET: HAPPY MONKEY HOSTEL
FOR ALL OTHER PLACES TO STAY IN HOI AN, SEARCH ON AGODA OR SEARCH ON BOOKING.COM
WHAT TO PACK FOR VIETNAM
When visiting Vietnam, here is a list of items I highly recommend bringing with you;
- Sunscreen – the Vietnamese sun is very strong, so make sure to pack some high-quality sunscreen.
- Quick-dry travel towel – the most compact and lightweight towel for traveling.
- Reusable water bottle – stay hydrated by bringing along a reusable water bottle.
- Backpack – The Nomatic 30L Travel Pack is the ultimate backpack for everyday adventures.
If you’re interested in taking awesome photos and videos on your travels, this is the camera gear that I use and recommend;
- GoPro HERO10 – the most popular camera on the planet for action-packed adventures.
- Canon EOS R – perfect for traveling, this is the most affordable, compact camera on the market.
- DJI Mini 3 Pro – take your photos and videos to new heights with this user-friendly drone camera.
BEST VIETNAM TOURS
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
TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or it’s your first trip overseas, here are some useful travel resources to help you kick-start your next adventure!
- BOOKING.COM – search and book accommodation worldwide
- SKYSCANNER – compare and book cheap flights to anywhere
- VIATOR – find tickets, tours, and experiences around the world
- BOOKAWAY – book buses, trains, and transfers online in advance
- RENTAL CARS – search all rental cars in your next destination
- GROUP TRIPS – join one of my epic small group trips
- TRAVEL INSURANCE – purchase World Nomads travel insurance
- TRAVEL MONEY CARD – get a Wise card today for free
Looking for more? Check out my Travel Resources page for further help with your trip planning!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope you find this blog post useful and if you have any further questions, please drop me a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can. For a quicker response, be sure to join Jonny Melon’s Travel Tribe on Facebook and post your questions or recommendations to our awesome community.
THANKS FOR READING
Hey friend, thanks for reading this guide!
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Many thanks!
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
Awesome, you’re going to love it. I would suggest Tam Coc 🙂