# My Son Sanctuary near Hoi An > My Son is a valley of ruined Hindu temples built by the Champa kingdom from the 4th to the 13th century, an hour's drive from Hoi An. Allow 2–3 hours on site, half a day with travel. Tickets for foreign visitors are 150,000 VND, including the electric shuttle, museum and dance show; open daily 6 am–6 pm. It's a UNESCO site and the classic trip from Hoi An or Da Nang — arrive at opening. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/my-son-sanctuary - City: [Hoi An](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an), Vietnam - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors): 150,000 VND - Vietnamese citizens: 100,000 VND - Children: Under 5 free; 5–15 pay 30,000 VND (shuttle ticket) - Included: Temple groups, site museum, electric shuttle from the gate and the Cham dance shows - Hours: Site 6:00–18:00 daily; ticket office and museum until 17:00 - Dance shows: 9:00, 9:45, 10:30, 11:15, 14:00, 14:45 and 16:00 near Group G; cancelled in bad weather - Buying online: Official My Son ticket website: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay or bank QR; non-refundable - Dress code: Modest clothing; no short shorts or revealing tops - Gate to temples: Electric shuttle, about 1.5–2 km; around 20 minutes on foot - From Hoi An: 35–40 km, about an hour by car or motorbike - Coordinates: 15.76324, 108.12445 - Facts checked: 05.11.2026 ## Key facts - **150,000 VND** — foreign visitor ticket, covering the shuttle, the site museum and the Cham dance show (source: My Son Cultural Heritage Management Board (official ticket site); Da Nang Department of Tourism) - **6 am–6 pm** — opening hours, every day; the first three hours are the coolest and quietest (source: My Son Cultural Heritage Management Board; Da Nang Department of Tourism) - **1999** — My Son was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Late 4th century** — King Bhadravarman I built the first temple and dedicated the valley to Shiva (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Bhadreshvara** — the local name under which Shiva was worshipped here (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **About 70** — temples and towers are known in the valley; only part of them still stand (source: English Wikipedia (over 70); Russian Wikipedia (about 78 recorded)) - **Letters A–K** — French archaeologist Henri Parmentier's labels for the temple groups, still used on the signs (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2017–2022** — Indian conservation teams restored Groups A, H and K (source: English Wikipedia; junglebosstours.com) - **2003–2013** — Group G was stabilised and restored with Italian support (source: Russian Wikipedia; hoiandaytrip.com) - **Brick** — is the main material; sandstone was used for door frames and carvings, and B1 is the only stone temple (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; junglebosstours.com) - **≈ 35 km** — by road from Hoi An, about an hour; central Da Nang is further, 75–90 minutes (source: Da Nang Department of Tourism; English Wikipedia (36 km)) > **Get there at 6 am, not at noon** There's very little shade between the temple groups, and coach tours from Hoi An and Da Nang roll in between about 9:30 am and noon. The best window is opening time to 9 am: cooler air, soft light on the brick and empty paths. Whenever you go, bring a hat, water and sunscreen. ## How much is the My Son ticket and what does it include? Foreign visitors pay **150,000 VND**; Vietnamese citizens pay 100,000. Children under 5 go free, and kids aged 5–15 need a 30,000 VND service ticket, which is really their shuttle fare. The official My Son ticket website and Da Nang's tourism department list the same prices. The ticket covers every open temple group, the **site museum** by the gate, the electric shuttle up the valley and back, and the **Cham dance shows**. There's little else to pay for inside, apart from drinks and lunch at the cafés near the entrance. You can buy at the ticket office from 6 am or on the official My Son ticket website, which takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay and Vietnamese bank QR codes; online tickets can't be refunded. Foreign cards work in hotels and bigger restaurants, but small cafés and drivers want cash dong, so carry some. Many tours from Hoi An don't include the entrance fee — ask before you pay. ## What is My Son Sanctuary? **My Son** was the holy valley of the **Champa** kingdom, where kings built temples to Shiva for more than nine centuries. There was never a town here — only shrines, priests and royal tombs. The valley is about two kilometres wide and boxed in by hills, which gives it the feel of a hidden green amphitheatre. **King Bhadravarman I** built the first temple in the late 4th century and dedicated the valley to Shiva as **Bhadreshvara**. Wooden shrines gave way to brick tower-temples carved with gods, dancers and sea monsters. French scholars surveyed the ruins at the turn of the 20th century, and Henri Parmentier sorted them into groups labelled with letters. Be realistic about scale: this isn't Angkor. Many towers are now heaps of brick, the standing ones are modest in height, and the finest sculpture was moved long ago to the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang. What My Son does well is atmosphere — moss on red brick, birdsong, and the sense of standing where Champa worshipped some 1,500 years ago. ## What to see - **Groups B, C and D** — the heart of the valley, with nearly thirty structures and the tallest towers still standing. It's the easiest place to read a Cham temple: sanctuary tower, gate tower and offerings hall. - **Group A** — the valley's main sanctuary, recently restored by Indian conservators. Look at how tightly the bricks were fitted. - **Temple B1** — the only one built of stone; its heavy sandstone base survives. - **Group G** on its low hill — five structures restored in 2003–2013, with the dance stage nearby. - **Groups H and K**: H sits on a slope, while K is the gate at the start of the path to the central temples. - **Tower E7** — the lone tower on the lawn by the forest in our photo; the rest of Groups E and F is largely unrestored. - **Cham dance shows** — short performances with drums and apsara dancers. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 am and 2:45 pm there's also Cham folk singing on the slope by Group H. - **The site museum** by the gate — maps of the valley, excavation photos and carved fragments. Worth 15 minutes before you board the shuttle. ## How to get to My Son from Hoi An 1. From the Japanese Covered Bridge, walk 5–10 minutes to Tran Hung Dao or Phan Chu Trinh street — cars don't enter the Ancient Town. 2. Book a Grab or a car with driver for the morning: it's 35–40 km, about an hour via Duy Xuyen. A driver who waits costs roughly 800,000 VND per car for the round trip (unofficial). 3. Agree in advance that the driver waits — getting a taxi back from the valley is hard. 4. Alternatives: rent a motorbike (you need a home licence with a motorcycle category plus a 1968 Convention international permit) or book a seat on a morning shuttle with guide from a Hoi An agency. 5. Buy your ticket at the gate, look into the museum, then take the electric shuttle about 1.5–2 km to the temples. From there you walk between the groups. 6. Head back the same way; some tours return to Hoi An by boat down the Thu Bon river. ## Is a tour worth it, and what about sunrise? Tours leave from both Hoi An and Da Nang, since My Son now falls under Da Nang city. Hoi An is closer — about an hour — while central Da Nang is 75–90 minutes each way. **Small-group tours** start at around $30 without the entrance ticket (unofficial); private tours cost more but let you pick the time. A guide genuinely adds something here: signage is thin, and without the story of Shiva, lingas and Cham styles the towers start to blur. Going alone? Save a map of the groups before you leave and start in the centre, at B, C and D. A **'sunrise tour'** simply means arriving for the 6 am opening. Hills ring the valley and the sun appears late, so don't expect a sunrise view — but the cool air and empty paths are worth the alarm. The boat back on the Thu Bon is pleasant but slow, and in the heavy-rain months of October and November it may not run. > **Rules: cover up and don't climb** The My Son heritage board asks for modest clothing — no short shorts or revealing tops. Don't touch the brickwork, climb the towers, write on walls or eat inside the temple zone. Photos are fine without flash; commercial filming needs permission. Stay on the marked paths rather than wandering into the forest. ## Checklist before you go - [ ] Leaving Hoi An between 5 and 7 am to beat the heat - [ ] Cash in dong for the ticket, water and lunch - [ ] Driver waiting, or a tour with the return included - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] Hat, sunscreen, water and grippy shoes — the brick gets slippery - [ ] Dance show times checked - [ ] Insect repellent for the forest paths ## My Son, the Ancient Town or the Cham Islands? | | My Son Sanctuary | Hoi An Ancient Town | Cham Islands | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Ruined Hindu temples of Champa | 15th–19th-century trading port | Islands off the Hoi An coast | | Ticket | 150,000 VND | Combined ticket for the sights | 70,000 VND + 20,000 fee | | Hours | 6:00–18:00 | Streets always open | 7:00–16:00 | | Getting there | 35–40 km, about an hour | You're already there | By boat from Hoi An | | Time needed | Half a day with travel | Half a day plus an evening | A full day | Prices and hours: My Son's official site and the Da Nang Department of Tourism. With two days in Hoi An, do My Son on the first morning and the Ancient Town that evening; save the islands for a calm sea. ## Historic sights in Hoi An compared Every historic place in Hoi An that YesGo has rated. - [Hoi An Central Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/hoi-an-central-market) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free entry - [Japanese Covered Bridge](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/japanese-covered-bridge) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Old Town ticket: 80,000–120,000 VND - [Fujian Assembly Hall](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/fujian-assembly-hall) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND - [Tan Ky Old House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/tan-ky-old-house) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · One Old Town ticket coupon - [Quan Cong Temple](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/quan-cong-temple) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND - [Hoi An Ancient Town](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/hoi-an-old-town) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · 80,000–120,000 VND; streets free - [My Son Sanctuary](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/my-son-sanctuary) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · 150,000 VND ## My Son in the morning, Hoi An by night An early start at the temples, a rest after lunch, then the Ancient Town and the night market under the lanterns. Add it to your route and YesGo will set the times and walks. 1. [My Son Sanctuary](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/my-son-sanctuary) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · 150,000 VND 2. [Hoi An Ancient Town](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/hoi-an-old-town) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · 80,000–120,000 VND; streets free 3. [Japanese Covered Bridge](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/japanese-covered-bridge) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Old Town ticket: 80,000–120,000 VND 4. [Hoi An Night Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/hoi-an-night-market) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry ## Not to be confused My Son Sanctuary is the Cham temple valley near Hoi An — not Angkor, and not a town. My Son is also the name of the hamlet by the gate, and Mỹ Sơn is a common place name elsewhere in Vietnam, so check your driver is heading for the 'Thánh địa Mỹ Sơn' sanctuary. ## Tips - Start with Groups B, C and D in the centre, then walk up to Group G in time for a dance show. - If you're passing through Da Nang, see the Museum of Cham Sculpture first — it holds the altars and gods that once stood in these temples. - Have lunch at the cafés by the gate or back in Hoi An; there's little worth stopping for on the way. - Rest after lunch and keep the evening for the lanterns of [Hoi An Ancient Town](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/hoi-an-old-town). - In the rainy season the brick is slick and the lower groups get muddy — wear shoes with real grip. - If you've already done Angkor and time is short, it's fine to skip My Son and spend the day at [An Bang Beach](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/hoi-an/an-bang-beach) instead. ## Questions ### How much is the entrance fee to My Son Sanctuary? 150,000 VND for foreign visitors and 100,000 VND for Vietnamese citizens. Under-5s are free; children aged 5–15 pay 30,000 VND. ### What are My Son Sanctuary's opening hours? Every day from 6 am to 6 pm. The ticket office and site museum close at 5 pm. ### How do I get to My Son from Hoi An? By Grab or a car with driver — about an hour; have the driver wait. Motorbike, a morning shuttle or a guided tour also work. ### Can I visit My Son from Da Nang? Yes, by car or on a tour, but it's 75–90 minutes each way from central Da Nang. Hoi An is the easier base. ### How long do you need at My Son? 2–3 hours on site including the museum and a dance show; half a day with the drive from Hoi An. ### Do I need a guide or a tour? Not essential, but a guide makes the ruins far easier to understand because signs are sparse. Independently, a car with driver at opening time works best. ### What time is the Cham dance show? At 9:00, 9:45, 10:30, 11:15, 14:00, 14:45 and 16:00 near Group G. Shows are cancelled in bad weather. ### Is there a dress code at My Son? Yes: modest clothing, no short shorts or revealing tops. Bring a hat and comfortable shoes too — the paths are long. ### Is the My Son sunrise tour worth it? For the cool air and empty paths, yes. Hills block the actual sunrise, so it's about timing rather than the view. ### Is My Son Sanctuary worth visiting? Yes if you like ancient temples and don't mind an early start. If you've just been to Angkor, it will feel small. ## How we checked Prices, children's tickets, hours, dance show times, visitor rules and online payment options come from the My Son heritage board's official ticket website, cross-checked against the Da Nang Department of Tourism's June 2026 article. The two disagree on ticket office closing (17:00 vs 17:30); we show 17:00 and note both. On 5 November 2026 the online checkout showed 148,000 and 99,000 VND against the official 150,000 and 100,000 table — we quote the table. Guidebooks list different show times; we use the official schedule. Distance to Da Nang differs (45–50 km from the tourism department, 68 km from the city centre in Wikipedia), so we give travel time instead. The two Wikipedias date the rediscovery of the ruins differently, so we leave that date out. Shuttle distance, private car and tour prices are from guidebooks and marked unofficial. The English core was built from English-language search results and related questions. ## Sources - My Son Cultural Heritage Management Board (Ban quản lý Di sản Văn hoá Mỹ Sơn), official ticket website: prices, hours, show times, visitor rules, payment methods, 5 November 2026 - Da Nang Department of Tourism (danangfantasticity.com): 'Discover My Son with ease', June 2026 - English Wikipedia: 'Mỹ Sơn archaeological site'; Russian Wikipedia: 'Мишон'; Wikidata Q391406 - hoiandaytrip.com — electric shuttle, walking routes and temple groups - junglebosstours.com — travel times, restorations, rainy season - goodmorning-hoian.com and backpackerswanderlust.com — getting there from Hoi An, private car, tours --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.