Visit My Son Sanctuary – The All-in-One Guide from Locals
My Son Sanctuary is a complex of more than 70 monuments of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th century. Recognized as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO in Vietnam, it has attracted travelers from all over the world with its mysterious charm.
If you are a fan of archeology, history, ancient beauty and nature, My Son Sanctuary must be on your wishlist upon your travel to Vietnam – a beautiful S-shaped country in Southeast Asia.
Highly recommend:
Where is My Son Sanctuary?
My Son Sanctuary was built and worshiped by the ancient Cham thousands of years ago. It is situated 45 km away from Hoi An Ancient Town and 69 km from Danang City. You can go there by:
- Riding a rental bike.
- Driving a rental car.
- Joining a one-day tour.
- Booking a taxi for a round trip.
If you travel from Danang, take the highway CT.01, the National Highway 14B, or Road 602. Danang – Quang Ngai Highway (CT.01) is the fastest if you go by car. Check the route on the below map.
It’s much easier to reach My Son from Hoi An. Follow the route below.
Located in the valley surrounded by Mount Mhadravata (or Cat’s Tooth in Vietnamese), My Son Holy Land embraces the unique and magnificent beauty that you can’t find anywhere else.
People believe that the mountain range resembles the enormous Linga of God Shiva right next to the grand “Yoni” – the valley.
Mount Mhadravata used to be the lighthouse guiding foreign ships in the East Sea to locate My Son Sanctuary – The Champa Kingdom. You can easily notice Peak Cat’s Tooth is named after its curving shape.
From the peak, the temples in My Son had been shining like torches in the center of the valley.
That was the main reason the Cham selected the valley as a holy place to practice rituals, worship Hindu Gods and nurture their royal beliefs.
My Son Sanctuary Entrance Fee
The ticket price for My Son Sanctuary is VND 150,000 per person per entry. The entrance fee already includes the 2-way trip by electric car and the Cham dancing performance.
There’re 4 shows at the theater every day and each lasts for 15 minutes. Also, there’re 2 outdoor shows – 1 at Group G in the morning and 1 at Group B, C, and D in the afternoon.
Have a guide buddy or join a tour if you aren’t sure what My Son Sanctuary is about and what they have there.
What to Wear upon Visiting My Son Holy Land
You can wear comfortable and light clothes with sneakers or sandals as you’ll have to walk around the area under the sun.
Don’t forget sunscreen, hats, and mosquito spray to protect your skin! You wouldn’t want to be burnt by the sun.
If you are keen on photography, hobo long dresses are recommended, and certainly, you wouldn’t regret having your moment taken there.
When to Visit My Son Sanctuary
Because Vietnam is a tropical country, there are two seasons in a year: rainy and dry. However, any day of the year would be great for the trip. Just check the weather before you go, so you can prepare what’s needed.
An umbrella might be in your bag as a backup for some sunny days.
Thanks to the location in a huge valley, you can just let yourself flow with the wind upon watching the sunrise in the early morning or sunset in the afternoon.
Include a trip to My Son in your 4-day itinerary to Da Nang and Hoi An trip!
What to See at My Son Holy Land
When talking about My Son Sanctuary, people talk about the story of how Cham people built their temples there, its spectacular charming beauty, and the amazing cultural shows that you don’t want to miss.
Let’s dig into every bit of My Son with me!
History of My Son
My Son Sanctuary was first constructed in the 4th century under the reign of King Bhadravarman.
After two centuries, the complex was destroyed by fire during the reign of Rudravarman I.
In the next century, King Sambhuvarman renovated those areas using the old bricks and started building new temples at the same time.
The next generations of Cham Kings maintained the tradition of renovating the old temples and expanding the kingdom until the 13th century.
In each phase of Cham Kingdom history, specific features and patterns on the temples might change, but the structure of all the temples is similar with 3 parts: the foundation, the body, and the top with certain meanings.
My Son Sanctuary, hence, had become the religious and cultural cradle of the Cham in those periods.
The Cham migrated their royal power to Dong Duong in the early 10th century, then to Binh Dinh province at the end of the century because of the Dai Viet expansion from the North. They completely left My Son abandoned by the early 15th century because of the war.
During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese soldiers used My Son as a strategic base to hide and fight against the Americans. Most of the temples were in great damage because of the bombing.
Years later, Vietnamese people started their migration to the surrounding areas with houses, villages, and towns, hiding My Son Sanctuary away from the public.
It was not until 1889 that M.C Paris rediscovered My Son hiding in the valley.
In 1903, Henri Parmentier, a French archeologist in charge of researching and renovating Cham historical monuments in Indochine, and his scholars started studying and managed to restore part of My Son Sanctuary.
Source: Researchgate
In the early 20th century, Henri’s study showed that there were 68 structures found in My Son.
My Son Sanctuary was then recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999, and it has become one of the irresistible tourist attractions in Central Vietnam ever since.
Temple Routes of My Son
My Son Holy Land was divided into 14 groups. Each group was named following the alphabet, like A, A’, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and K. You can find the map of My Son in the following picture.
Source: Wikipedia
The remnants found at My Son are of the 4 following types of buildings:
- A kalan, which looks like a tower, is to worship the Shiva God.
Source: Pigalle
- A mandapa, on the other hand, is the entranceway to a sanctuary.
Source: Kkday
- A kosagrha is to store valuables.
- A gopura is a gate before the temple complex.
Source: Franks Travelbox
Following is the route to get the most out of your journey at My Son Sanctuary.
- If you’re a morning person, arrive early at 5.30 or 6 AM to enjoy My Son covered in fog and welcome the first sun rays of the day. In the peace and tranquility of nature with birds singing, you are truly taken to a wonderland of flora and fauna.
- Visit My Son Sanctuary Museum right at the entrance. Here, you can grab general information about Cham relics and culture.
- Hop on the electric cart to enter the sanctuary. This will save you 30 minutes walking under the sun and the heat. After you reach the stop points for the electric cart, now your amazing discovery officially begins!
- There are 3 main attractions at My Son – Group B, C, and D. These are the magnificent groups where the temples and structures are already renovated or preserved for centuries.
- Group B is on the western hill – where you can find the main kalan and 3 small towers.
- Group C is on the southern hill. It’s the most spectacular to embrace a range of towers, beautiful reliefs and sculptures.
- Temples in other groups are mostly destroyed because of the war, so there’s not much left to visit.
- While having a look at the last existing kalan and those mandapas, kosagrhas, and gopuras, take your time to blend yourself into the beauty of the relics that are set in the middle of nature.
- Give yourself a treat by enjoying the exhibition of arts, watching those carving works, and capturing your “wow” moments by the spectacular scenery.
- The revival of the traditional Cham dance performances like Apsara takes place daily at 9.30 AM and 10.30 AM in the theater. You will blend into the dances thanks to the fusion of the traditional Paranung drum and Saranai oboe. Don’t miss this out!
One mysterious factor that attracts many types of global travelers, from leisure ones, and scientists to archeologists is the ancient Cham building technique.
People haven’t been sure how the Cham connected the bricks together to form the temples. Plus, what they used to create such a firm structure with no moss outside is still a tricky question not yet having proper answers to the world. After centuries, those works of art have been standing still.
In addition, take your time to discover the inner parts of each building to see how the builders created light effects inside the temples at different times of the day. But don’t ever step into any temple with warning signs at the entrance. Don’t risk your life, guys! 🙂
It’s amazing to witness the existence of those incredible complexes after thousands of years.
Local Tips for Traveling to My Son Sanctuary
- Be aware of the weather so that your trip can be as you expect.
- Do some reading before the trip to grab an overview of the place so that you know it’s the right place for you, and you won’t miss anything on the way like the museum, or the sunrise or sunset in the valley.
- Have a tour guide or join a My Son Sanctuary tour if you’re lazy to do some advanced research about the place.
- Before or after the trip to My Son Sanctuary, Cham Museum in Danang City would be a great destination if you’re keen on the collection expansion of Cham relics.
- If you decide to stay close to My Son the night before your visit, there are choices of homestays and hotels in the neighboring area. If you do, remember to bring a pair of protective glasses for your riding because there’re moths in the evening.
- Here’s a brief checklist for your reference to prepare for the trip:
- ID card and money
- Comfortable but polite clothes
- Sunglasses
- A hat or an umbrella
- Water
- Tour guide (optional)
Looking for a local friend to show you around My Son Sanctuary? Email us at xinchao@phoebeandbesties.com now!
Other Cham Towers in Vietnam
Besides My Son Sanctuary – the largest Cham complex in Vietnam, other Cham towers can be found along the country.
- Po Nagar Cham Towers | Nha Trang
- Thap Doi Towers, Banh It Towers and Canh Tien Towers | Binh Dinh
- Po Shanu Cham Towers | Mui Ne
- Po Klong Garai and Po Ra Me Tower | Phan Rang
- Nhan Tower | Phu Yen
Visit My Son with a Local Bestie!
If Central Vietnam is on your travel bucket list, don’t miss out on My Son Sanctuary. Besides being a popular tourist site for visits, it embraces the amazing history of the Cham Kingdom with attractive works of art and great stories about the Cham people.
It would definitely be one of your most memorable experiences in Vietnam.
What’s so interesting about My Son that thousands of travelers have come here for many years? Why not give yourself the chance to uncover it?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is My Son Sanctuary important?
Embracing an important phase during the development and growth of the Cham Kingdom and witnessing severe incidents, My Son Sanctuary was believed to impressively reflect a clear picture of how Cham people worshiped Hindu Gods and what the Cham royal families were like.
When was My Son Sanctuary built?
My Son Sanctuary was recorded to be constructed from the 4th until the 13th century.
How many Cham vestiges are there in My Son?
There are 71 temples divided into 14 groups at My Son Sanctuary.
