My Son Sanctuary in Vietnam

My Son Sanctuary Overview

My Son Sanctuary was recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. This is a well-known historical site located approximately 69 kilometers from Da Nang. You know, there are thousands of tourists visit My Son sanctuary every year.

My Son depicts sculptures of various Hindu gods as well as a storage facility for the abandoned ruins of the ancient Champa civilization in Vietnam. Most of these architectures are in decline, but the vestiges of sculptures from the legendary Champa dynasties still be there.

The main temples in My Son worship a Linga or an image of Lord Shiva, that is the patron god of Champa kings. Moreover, this is a place to organize and offer sacrifices of the Champa dynasty as well as the tombs of kings or princes.

Where is My Son Sanctuary Located?

My Son Sanctuary is an area including several ancient Cham temples. It spans a 2-kilometer-wide valley that is covered by hills and mountains.

Address: Duy Phu village, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province.

Opening hours: 6:30 am – 5:30 pm (They open every day, including holidays and Tet).

My Son Sanctuary Entrance Fee: 150,000 VND (It includes the fees to My Son Sanctuary and the Champa Museum). This price only applies to self-guided visits to My Son that exclude a tour guide.

How To Get To My Son Sanctuary

It is around 69 kilometers from Da Nang to My Son Sanctuary and 45 kilometers from Hoi An Ancient Town. So, you can reach My Son Holy Land from both cities. For more convenience for you to visit My Son Holy Land, you can refer to our My Son sunrise tour, My Son Sanctuary Tour, or Danang airport to Hoi An.

From Hoi An To My Son Sanctuary

You can refer to our Hoi An Private Car transfer services, such as Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary private car, or Myson Sanctuary and Hoi An Ancient Town tour.  We make sure that our services will not disappoint you!

There are many ways to move to Vietnam My Son Sanctuary Hoi An. Firstly, it’s easy to go to My Son on a scooter. From Hoi An, you drive from Tran Hung Dao street to Hung Vuong street. After passing the Vinh Dien River, you turn left into Tran Quy Cap street and continue to go straight until you reach Quang Trung street.

Then, there will be signs pointing you in the direction of My Son. Also, you can go by bus that runs from Hoi An to My Son Holy Land Vietnam, but they don’t stop at the gates, so it’s not the most efficient way to get there.

From Da Nang To My Son Sanctuary

You can reach My Son by bicycle or car if you are staying in Da Nang City. Also, you can take bus number 06 from Da Nang to My Son Sanctuary Vietnam, which runs every 30 minutes.

Although less expensive, the bus will take longer than other means of transportation. Hence, you should consider booking our Da Nang to My Son Sanctuary Private Car to have the best experience.

My Son Sanctuary History

My Son Holy Land was built from the 4th to the 13th century AD. During this period, Cham was a unique culture that developed in coastal Vietnam and had spiritual roots derived from Hinduism. This is shown in the ruins of a series of temples in My Son Holy Land, which served as the political and religious capital of the Champa Kingdom.

The stele of the Cham dynasties demonstrated that My Son was the most significant land of the Cham during those centuries. Also, it reflected the Cham people’s lifestyle and history in the past.

My Son Sanctuary is one of the ancient Champa kingdom’s architectural works. In addition, if you want to learn more about the Cham Kingdom, you can go to the Museum of Cham Sculpture Danang, where numerous other artifacts and works.

The Champa Empire

The ancient Champa Kingdom built My Son Sanctuary and ruled Central Vietnam from 200 to 1700. They built these temple complexes in Central Vietnam in the style of Hinduism. And, it exist until being captured by the Vietnamese in the nineteenth century.

Besides, the Po Nagar Cham Towers are the best-preserved towers in Nha Trang and are even still used by Buddhists. It was built of red bricks without cement, with sculptures of animals, gods, and priests. They used soft stones that were fired at low temperatures and stacked on top of each other to build walls.

When they complete the temples, the stones were fired to harden and lock them in place. Although they didn’t use cement, the walls were still perfect.

Vietnam War

The forest began to recover after the collapse of the Champa Kingdom. However, the temples were completely covered in the jungle. In 1898, the French discovered the location and the values of this complex.

In 1960, My Son Sanctuary was a base and hideout for Viet Cong. Unfortunately, it was subject to bombing raids although the US Congress banned the bombing of My Son during the Vietnam War. Then, although parts of the ruins were rebuilt after the bombing, the scattered bomb and bullet holes on the brick floor bear witness to this tragic period in My Son’s history.

The Architecture of My Son Sanctuary

In general, the architecture of My Son Sanctuary is influenced by Hinduism. The temples are made of brick and stone which will worship a different god or a king dynasty. Because of that, each project at My Son Sanctuary is a part of recreating the history of the Champa Kingdom. The relic is divided into 3 sections, which include:

• Firstly, Area A is the first destination where visitors can observe the whole areas B and C. The main relic here is the temples and towers that are in the process of being restored, which are very useful to visit.
• Secondly, Area B will consist of one main tower and three sub-towers on the western hill.
• Finally, Area C will be the southern hill, which is the most prominent area in My Son Holy Land, with a diverse and rich collection of inscriptions, temples, reliefs, and sculptures.

My Son Holy Land’s Map

Kalan Temple

The Kalan Temple is a place to worship Linga (also known as Lord Shiva), this is a supreme god in Hindu beliefs. This temple stands 24 meters tall and is encircled by six auxiliary towers. Plus, it is also one of the main ancient towers of the My Son Holy Land tourist site.

The Gate Tower

Gate Tower (also known as the Gopura Tower) is the tower directly in front of the Kalan Tower. Also, the main identifying feature is that there are two connecting doors in the East and West directions. From this tower, you can easily observe the beautiful sunset and fanciful there.

Mandapa Tower

This tower was built in the image of a long house with a gate tower with unique and strange architecture. Plus, Mandapa Tower was chosen as a place to welcome pilgrims to offer offerings.

When you explore Mandapa Tower, you will see the ancients’ exquisite and complex hand-crafted lines on the architecture. Also, the artistically sculpted patterns on the tower gate are an amazing “virtual living” background for those who enjoy taking photographs.

Kate Festival – A Unique Traditional Cham Festival 

This is an important traditional festival of the Cham people. According to the Cham calendar, the festival is held in July every year when the Cham people remember their ancestors, and grandparents, they also pray for the proliferation of all things.

Furthermore, the Kate festival represents a convergence of cultural values in Cham community life. Visitors who take part in the festival will have the chance to experience many traditional rituals of the people here, such as praying for peace, water procession, palanquin procession, and enjoy appealing performances of traditional musical instruments.

Apsara Dance-“Soul of Stone” 

Besides architectural art, you can also enjoy the charming traditional Cham dances which are inspired by Apsara stone sculptures. It is an inspiring experience for visitors to My Son Holy Land if you are enjoying the grace and charm of local dancers while listening to folk music in a sacred space.

Destinations Attractive Tourists Near My Son Sanctuary

VinWonders South Hoi An

The distance between VinWonders South Hoi An and Hoi An ancient town is 15km. This site is a blend of an amusement park and an impressive complex of cultural, architectural, and artistic experiences of Vietnam and the world. Hence, this is one of the most attractive Hoi An tourist destinations you should not miss.

Hoi An Ancient Town

This ancient town is a famous tourist destination of Quang Nam that you should visit in your itinerary. This place attracts visitors because it not only has antique beauty and traditional architecture with history and culture, but also has a space of peace, and gentle. 

There are many famous tourist sites in Hoi An you can visit including the Cau Pagoda, Tan Ky Ancient House, Quan Thang Ancient House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, etc.

What To Eat Near My Son Sanctuary?

If you want to make your trip even more memorable, don’t forget to enjoy the special dishes in Hoi An, Quang Nam. Maybe you care about our Hoi An Street Food Tour, we will recommend some dishes that you can try below:

Barbequed Cau Mong Veal

Cau Mong veal is a dish you must try when traveling here. Veal is tender and tough which will definitely give you an unforgettable taste. When eating this dish, the meat must be sliced thin and served with rice paper and seasoning sauce.

Tam Ky Chicken Rice

Unlike the usual chicken rice dishes, Tam Ky chicken rice makes visitors fall in love with its greasy and delicious taste. Because the rice will be cooked in chicken broth, it will create plasticity and yellow color for the rice. Chicken Rice in Tam Ky is one of the must-eat when traveling to My Son, Quang Nam.

Quang Noodles

To be honest, this is definitely a very familiar dish for tourists who have traveled to central Vietnam. If you have a chance to travel to Quang Nam, try this famous Quang noodle dish during your trip!

Travel Tips

To ensure that your journey runs as well as possible, there are some travel tips below:

• The best time to visit the My Son Sanctuary Hoi An is from February to April.
• The entrance fee to the relic is 100,000 VND for Vietnamese visitors and 150,000 VND for foreign visitors. This ticket price includes sightseeing tickets, tram rides, and watching cultural performances. You can buy tickets directly at the entrance of the monument.
• Worship and incense burning are not permitted at My Son Sanctuary.
• If you plan to visit other destinations around the My Son Sanctuary, you should book your entrance ticket in advance to avoid selling out, and affecting your trip schedule.

In short, visiting one of the most famous architectural complexes of the Cham people in Vietnam – My Son Sanctuary will be a memorable experience ever. You can plan now and prepare to explore My Son holy land! Then, immerse yourself in the cultural and artistic space of Champa. Hoi An Private Taxi wishes you a meaningful and memorable trip!