My Son Sanctuary is the most significant Cham archaeological site in Vietnam - a cluster of Hindu temples built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the kings of Champa, once the dominant civilisation of central Vietnam. The site sits in a forested valley about 40 kilometres southwest of Hoi An, surrounded by hills that give it an atmosphere unlike any other ruin complex in Southeast Asia. Despite extensive damage during the Vietnam War, around 20 structures survive in varying states of preservation.
UNESCO designated My Son a World Heritage Site in 1999. It receives a fraction of the crowds that Angkor Wat handles, which means even on busy days you can find quiet corners. Most visitors come on half-day tours from Hoi An, but there are several ways to experience it - and the format you choose makes a significant difference.
Top Tours at a Glance
Here’s a quick comparison of top-rated tours on GetYourGuide:
| Tour | Duration | Price (from) | Group Size | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Son Half-Day Group Tour (Boat Transfer) | 5–6 hrs | from $15/person | Group (10–20) | River boat from Hoi An, licensed guide, entry fees |
| My Son Small-Group Tour (Max 15) | 5–6 hrs | from $20/person | Small group (≤15) | Detailed Cham history commentary, unhurried pace |
| My Son + Marble Mountains Full-Day Tour | 8–9 hrs | from $28/person | Group | Both UNESCO sites, guide, entry fees, hotel pickup |
| My Son Private Sunrise Tour | 5 hrs | from $50/person | Private | 6am arrival, golden light, near-empty ruins, guide |
| My Son + Tra Que Cooking Combo | Full day | from $32/person | Small group | Sanctuary visit + hands-on cooking at river garden |
Browse all My Son Sanctuary tours → GetYourGuide
Entry Fees and Opening Hours (as of 2026)
Opening hours: 6:00am–5:00pm daily, including public holidays.
Entry fee: approximately 150,000 VND per person (as of 2026). This covers access to all open areas of the site. Verify current pricing at the ticket office or through your tour operator, as fees have increased incrementally in recent years.
A brief traditional Cham dance performance runs several times daily at the central stage area near Group B - included in the entry fee, typically at 9:30am and 10:30am. The performances are short (around 15 minutes) but worth timing your visit around.
Half-Day Tours from Hoi An
The most popular format. Tours typically depart Hoi An between 7:30am and 8:30am, spend two to two-and-a-half hours at the site, and return by early afternoon. Most include a boat trip along the Thu Bon River as part of the journey, which adds about 45 minutes each way but is considerably more scenic than a straight minibus transfer.
GetYourGuide group half-day tours - the largest selection of operators and departure times. Prices run approximately $12–20/person including transport from Hoi An, guide, and entry fees. Check that entry fees are explicitly included before booking - some budget listings add them at the gate.
Hue Hoi An Travel - a well-regarded local operator running small-group tours (maximum 10–15 people). Half-day from approximately $18/person with boat transfer included. Guides are Hoi An-based and cover Cham history in detail.
Eco Travel Vietnam - runs combined My Son and Thu Bon River tours, incorporating a stop at a traditional craft village. From approximately $22/person. Good choice if you want a slower-paced, more context-rich visit.
Private tours cost approximately $35–60 per person depending on group size, and give you flexibility on departure time and duration at the site.
Full-Day Tours
Full-day My Son tours are less common but worth considering if you want to combine the sanctuary with other sites in the area. The most popular combinations:
My Son + Marble Mountains - typically departs 7:30am, visits My Son in the morning, stops at the Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) in Da Nang on the return. Approximately $25–35/person including entry fees. Good value given the Marble Mountains entry alone is 40,000 VND.
My Son + Tra Que Vegetable Village - a gentler combination suited to those less interested in ruins but wanting a full day out of Hoi An. Includes a cooking component at Tra Que. From approximately $30/person.
Sunrise Tours
A growing niche. Sunrise tours depart Hoi An between 4:30am and 5:00am to reach the site when it opens at 6am. The light in the valley before 8am is genuinely exceptional - low mist, golden tones on the brick, and very few other visitors. By 9am the coaches start arriving.
Most sunrise tours are private (operators won’t run a group at 4:30am for $12). Expect to pay approximately $45–70/person for a private sunrise tour with guide and transport. Pham Thi Lan at Hoi An Eco Tours and several operators on the main tourist street in Hoi An offer this format - ask directly rather than booking online, as many don’t list it publicly.
Note: the traditional dance performance doesn’t run at 6am, so you’ll miss that if you go early. The trade-off in light and atmosphere is worth it for photographers.
Self-Guided Visit
Getting to My Son independently is straightforward and costs significantly less than a tour.
By taxi or car: approximately 200,000–350,000 VND each way from Hoi An (30–45 minutes depending on traffic). Grab is available for part of the route but drivers sometimes decline the full distance. Negotiate a return price before departing - not all taxis will wait, so confirm before you get out.
By motorbike: the most flexible option. The road from Hoi An to My Son is well-signed and takes about 40 minutes via Highway 1 and then Route 610B west. Rental scooters in Hoi An run approximately 100,000–150,000 VND/day. Parking at My Son is free.
Audio guides are available at the ticket office for approximately 50,000 VND - worth it if you’re going without a guide, as the signage at the site itself is sparse.
What to Expect at the Site
My Son is divided into lettered groups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) corresponding to different periods and temple functions. Not all are open or accessible.
A brick Cham tower in the main temple groups at My Son.
Group B and C are the most intact and house the clearest examples of Cham architectural style - tapering brick towers, carved sandstone linga shrines, and elaborate bas-reliefs. Spend most of your time here.
Group A was the largest and most significant temple complex, but it was destroyed by US bombing in 1969. A single tower stub remains. The bomb crater is still visible nearby - it’s a sobering contrast to the otherwise tranquil setting.
Group G and H have been partially restored by Polish and Italian conservation teams since the 1980s. The restoration work is visible and somewhat debated among historians, but it has stabilised structures that would otherwise have collapsed.
The site covers about 2 kilometres of walking paths, mostly flat and shaded. Budget 1.5–2 hours to see the main groups at a comfortable pace.
What to Wear and Bring
The valley is significantly hotter and more humid than Hoi An, especially between 10am and 2pm. Lightweight, breathable clothing is essential. Shoulders and knees do not need to be covered at My Son - it’s an archaeological site, not an active religious temple. Closed-toe shoes are more comfortable than sandals on the uneven paths. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and water; the site café sells drinks but at tourist prices.
Ruined brick sanctuaries are the photo focus on sunrise visits.
Mosquitoes are present in the wooded sections. A light repellent is worth packing.
Best Time to Visit My Son
The sanctuary is open year-round, but timing matters for comfort. The driest and most pleasant months are October through March - cool enough at 22–28°C that a morning at the site is genuinely enjoyable rather than an endurance exercise. Between May and August the valley temperature regularly hits 35–38°C by 10am. If you’re visiting in summer, a sunrise tour is not just an upgrade - it’s the sensible choice.
The rainy season in central Vietnam runs roughly September through November. The site stays open during light rain and the reduced crowds can make it one of the better times to visit, but the jungle paths become slippery and some of the lower-lying paths may be muddy. Pack waterproof footwear and check the forecast before heading out.
April sometimes coincides with Cham cultural observances at the site, when small ceremonial offerings are laid at the functioning shrines near Group B. Dates aren’t fixed in advance, but if you arrive and notice incense burning at towers that are usually silent, you’re likely seeing something relatively few visitors witness.
Photography Tips
The valley opens eastward, which means the morning sun falls directly on the main brick faces between 6:30am and 8:30am. After 9am the light becomes flat and the coach arrivals begin simultaneously - so the photography window and the quiet window are the same.
Three shots worth planning around:
- Group B’s main kalan from the southwest: stand approximately 20 metres back along the right-hand path. The tower against the tree canopy is the signature image of the site.
- The carved sandstone doorway at C1: the linga and yoni carvings are among the most intact at My Son. A macro lens or close-up phone mode picks up the chip marks left by Vietnamese War bomb fragments on the frame.
- The view south from Group D: looking across the valley toward the enclosing hills gives the widest sense of the site’s isolation. Best in early morning mist, which burns off by 8:30am most of the year.
Drone use is not permitted for independent tourists. Licensed operators running dedicated photography workshops can apply for site management permits in advance, but this is not a same-day option.
Accessibility
My Son is not fully accessible for visitors with limited mobility. The central paths between Groups B, C, and D are flat and hard-surfaced. The approach from the car park to the main groups is approximately 400 metres on a paved path. Groups G and H involve uneven ground and some low steps. Electric golf carts are sometimes available at the entrance for visitors who cannot walk the full distance - ask at the ticket office on arrival rather than assuming they’re operating.
Combining with the Marble Mountains
If you’re day-tripping from Hoi An or Da Nang, the Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) pair naturally with My Son - both involve ancient religious architecture, and the Marble Mountains are en route back to Da Nang. The five marble hills contain Buddhist caves, pagodas, and viewpoints over the coast. Entry is 40,000 VND; the elevator to the main viewing point costs an additional 15,000 VND.
Most tour operators offer this combination as a standard package. If self-driving, allow 30–40 minutes at the Marble Mountains - it’s possible to spend much longer, but a focused visit covers the main caves and the coastal view.
My Son Sanctuary rewards visitors who arrive early, go with a knowledgeable guide, or simply slow down enough to read the carved sandstone panels rather than rush between photo spots. The history of Champa - a civilisation that lasted nearly a thousand years - is worth more than a 90-minute coach stop.
Book My Son tours:
- My Son Sanctuary tours from Hoi An - half-day, full-day, and sunrise options via GetYourGuide
- Advance entry tickets via Tiqets - worth booking ahead for busy months (February–April) to avoid the queue at the ticket window on arrival