My Son is Vietnam's most important site of the ancient kingdom of Champa located in Quang Nam Province, 70km southwest of Danang City and 40km away from Hoi An. With its great value, in December 1999, the complex of My Son Cham Towers was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
My Son became a religious centre under King Bhadravarman in the late 4th century until the 13th century. It was a complex of constructions, including different temple-towers and stela in various architectural styles. Bricks were used to build the temples without the aid of mortar and sculptures of gods, Cham kings, animals and scenes of battle and devotion adorned the walls. After the fall of the Champa Kingdom, jungle began to reclaim the site. Yet, time and war together have taken their toll on these relics. Now, only 20 temple-towers remain almost intact. The rest have been reduced to ruins. Though less impressive than the Angkor in Cambodia and less diversified than the Pagan site in Myanma, the ruins at My Son is unique of its kind in Southeast Asia. The gorgeous jungle scenery and special interest in Vietnamese history can make the trip worthwhile.
What to do?
From the parking area, you will take a Jeep or minivan to the site (about 2km away). Near the ticket office, there is a Champa museum displaying artifacts and the history of the site. You can visit the museum briefly before visiting the temples.
My Son was divided into 10 main groups labeled A to K. All of the sites are connected by reasonably well-labeled walking tracks. You can explore the ruins by foot, with nothing more challenging than a slight hill to cover.
There are traditional dance performances at various times throughout the day, mostly in the morning for the benefit of the tour groups. The stage is right before you reach the first group of ruins, across from the souvenir shop.
It is also interesting if you come to My Son by car and return to Hoi An by boat.
When to go?
The best time is between February and April, when rainfall is low and temperatures are comfortable. During summer, the temperatures can get hot; during the rainy season, particularly during October and November, it can rain constantly and there is a high probability of flood and typhoons.