Dating back to the fourth century, My Son is a UNESCO World Heritage–listed Champa temple complex in the heart of Vietnam. Best visited on a day trip from Da Nang, Hoi An, or Hue, this fascinating historical site weaves together almost a thousand years of Cham and Hindu history with 19th-century French restoration efforts. Along with exploring the ancient tower temples—which are especially impressive on a sunrise tour—other things to do in My Son include visiting the Champa museum and ogling the jungle-covered bomb craters, remnants from the Vietnam War.
My Son is best visited during the dry season—roughly January to August. While the sanctuary is open all year round, heavy rain during the off-season can make it pretty muddy, so it’s worth bringing a rain jacket and covered footwear. Sunrise tours may mean an extra early wake-up call, but it’s a worthy trade-off to see the temples in the best light and avoid the hoards of day-trippers who usually arrive around mid-morning.
Once you arrive at My Son Sanctuary, you can jump on a shuttle bus to get you from the parking lot to the ruins. From there, it’s easy to get around on foot—either as part of a guided tour or on your own. While exploring, make sure you stick to the marked paths. The area was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, and although it has been subsequently cleared, there’s still an element of risk.
Despite once being home to more than 70 temples, many of the impressive structures were irreparably damaged during the Vietnam War. As a result, only some 20 temples are partially still standing, and you can see huge craters left by the impact of the 1969 bombing scattered around the site. But what remains of the temples are very impressive to look at; elements of interest include the linga sculptures and ornate artistry, with many intricate designs carved directly into the temple bricks.
