Mỹ Sơn, Duy Phú, Duy Xuyên, Quảng Nam

My Son sanctuary is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century AD during Champa dynasty. The temples complex of My Son are dedicated to worship of the god Shiva, known under various local names, the most important of which is Bhadreshvara.

My Son is located near the village of Duy Phu, district of Duy Xuyen in Quang Nam Province in Central Vietnam, 70km southwest of Da Nang (45km from Hoi An), and approximately 10km from the historic town of Tra Kieu. My Son temples are in a valley roughly 2km wide that is surrounded by two mountain ranges.

From the 4th to the 14th century AD, the valley at My Son was a site of religious ceremony for kings of the ruling dynasties of Champa, as well as a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes. It was closely associated with the nearby Cham cities of Indrapura (Đồng Dương) and Simhapura (Trà Kiệu). At one time, the site encompassed over 70 temples as well as numerous stele bearing historically important inscriptions in Sanskrit and Cham.

My Son temple complex is regarded one of the foremost Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia and is the foremost heritage site of this nature in Vietnam. It is often compared with other historical temple complexes in Southeast Asia, such as Borobudur of Java in Indonesia, Angkor Wat of Cambodia, Bagan of Myanmar and Ayutthaya of Thailand. As of 1999, My Son has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. UNESCO accorded My Son this recognition pursuant to its criterion C (II), as an example of evolution and change in culture, and pursuant to its criterion C (III), as evidence of an Asian civilization which is now extinct.

Visit My Son sanctuary

Opening hours: daily from 7.30-17.30
Entrance fee: 150,000 vnd/ticket (~US$7)

Find out more at
https://daytripvietnam.com/guide/son-holy-land/