My Son Sanctuary

UNESCO World Heritage Site: My Son Sanctuary (1999). A Religious Centre Of The Champa Kingdom From The 4th To 13th Century, With Brick Hindu Temples Dedicated To Shiva, Damaged By American Bombing In 1969 And Partly Restored With Indian Help. · Duy Phu, Quang Nam

My Son is a cluster of Hindu brick temples built by the Champa kingdom between roughly the 4th and 13th centuries, in a green jungle valley about 40 km from Hoi An. It was the religious centre of the Cham kings and is dedicated mostly to Shiva. UNESCO listed it in 1999. Of about 70 original structures, only around 20 survive, grouped in lettered clusters (A to L). American bombing in 1969 destroyed much of Group A, and bomb craters are still visible. Be honest with yourself before going: the site is modest next to Angkor, and many towers are low walls or piles of brick. What you get is atmosphere, intricate carved sandstone, a Shiva lingam and a short Cham dance show, in a quiet valley. Most people come on a half-day tour from Hoi An or Da Nang. It is hot, humid and buzzing with mosquitoes, so go early, bring water and repellent, and allow time to read the carvings slowly. Entry is paid, a buggy carries you in from the car park, and a guide makes the stones far more meaningful. Plan on a half day, not a full one.

Jungle valley of Cham brick temples about 40 km south-west of Hoi An, reached by road or river boat and visited on a half-day tour, Duy Phu, Quang Nam, Vietnam

Open daily from early morning, around sunrise, to late afternoon, with no closed day. Gates open about 6:30 to 7 am, and sunrise tours arrive before the crowds. Cham dance shows run a few times a day, usually mid-morning. After about 9 am the heat and tour buses build. Last entry is usually mid-afternoon, so confirm current hours locally.

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