My Son, the UNESCO-listed Cham temple valley, is about 1 h 15 – 1 h 30 from central Da Nang and around 45 minutes from Hoi An. Going early in a private car means you walk the ruins in the cool of the morning, before the half-day tours arrive.
My Son tickets and opening hours (2026)
At the time of writing (October 2026), tickets are 150,000 VND for foreign adults and 30,000 VND for children 5–15. The ticket includes the electric shuttle from the gate to the temples (about 1.5 km), the site museum and the Cham dance performance. The site opens 06:00–18:00; last tickets at 17:00. Check the day's dance show times at the gate.
Best time to go
Arrive at opening, 6:00–9:00: it's cooler, quieter and the light is soft. Most half-day tours arrive around 9:30–12:00. Plan 2–3 hours on site; if you want longer, tell us when you book. Bring water, a hat and shoes for uneven ground.
My Son and Hoi An in one day
The drop-off option ends your day in Hoi An: leave Da Nang around 5:30, see My Son before the heat, and reach Hoi An by early afternoon.
Our Hoi An day-trip guide explains the transport and evening-return considerations. If history is your priority, spend more time at the sanctuary and save the other stops for another day.
What makes My Son significant?
UNESCO inscribed My Son in 1999. Its description connects the sanctuary’s development from the fourth to thirteenth centuries with Champa and Hindu religious influence, particularly the worship of Shiva. Brick towers and sandstone carving remain within a mountain-ringed valley.
Look at the relationship between the structures, their carved details and the landscape rather than expecting a completely intact temple city. War damage, weathering and conservation have shaped what visitors see. A guide or the museum can help distinguish surviving historic fabric from later conservation work; claims that every brickwork technique is an unsolved mystery oversimplify the site.
How to spend your time at the sanctuary
Begin with the museum or a short introduction
A little context before the towers helps: ask how the site developed, which deities are represented and how the surviving groups differ. The museum is a useful part of the visit if open, especially when you prefer interpretation to simply collecting photographs.
Follow the open visitor circuit
Use the current map and staff directions to choose a route through the accessible groups. Lettered group names are location references, not a requirement to reach every ruin. Focus on a few structures and their carvings, then compare how brick walls and stone details work together. If a group is closed for conservation, use the alternative route rather than trying to get around barriers.
A guide can explain what has survived, what has been restored and which interpretations are well established. Ask at the official visitor service point about current guide availability and price.
Fit a performance around the visit
Check the day’s posted programme if a Cham cultural performance interests you. It is included in the ticket; check the day’s show times at the gate. Times and outdoor arrangements may change, so do not build a tight transfer schedule around a performance time copied from an old article.
Accessibility and respectful visiting
An internal electric shuttle reduces part of the approach but does not make the full archaeological circuit step-free. Ask about boarding, paths, toilets and the specific groups you can reach if you use a wheelchair or have limited mobility. A shorter route with seated breaks may be more useful than trying to complete every area.
Stay on marked visitor paths, respect cordons and never climb or lean on fragile ruins. Do not remove fragments or touch carved surfaces for a photograph. Dress respectfully and follow the site’s current rules on photography and other activities. UNESCO’s conservation description notes risks in areas beyond the managed visitor circuit; unofficial forest detours are not part of a sensible visit.
Other ways to get there
The sanctuary’s own website gives indicative distances of 45 kilometres from Hoi An and 68 kilometres from Da Nang. These are destination-level figures, not exact routes from every hotel. Check your own journey and allow a buffer for traffic, weather and the entrance-to-monument transfer.
Guided excursion
Choose a tour if interpretation and coordinated transport matter more than complete flexibility. Ask how much time is actually spent among the towers, whether admission is included, the guide’s language and group size. A boat segment advertised on a return journey is a separate transfer component; it does not mean the sanctuary itself is reached entirely by river.
Independent motorbike visit
Self-riding requires suitable experience, valid documentation and insurance. Check the route before departure, fuel up and plan to return in daylight. A rural road journey should not be treated as a fixed one-hour ride regardless of starting point or conditions. If you are unsure, take a car rather than learning to ride on the way.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a private car from Da Nang to My Son?
$50 return for a 5-seat car or $56 for a 7-seat car, with the driver waiting up to 3 hours. With a drop-off in Hoi An instead of returning to Da Nang: $48 / $54.
How far is My Son from Da Nang?
About 1 h 15 – 1 h 30 by car from central Da Nang, and about 45 minutes from Hoi An.
How much are My Son tickets?
150,000 VND for foreign adults and 30,000 VND for children 5–15 (October 2026), including the electric shuttle, museum and dance show.
What time does My Son open?
06:00 to 18:00, last tickets at 17:00.
What's the best time to visit?
At opening, before the heat and the tour groups.
Do I pay in advance?
No deposit. Pay the driver at the end of the trip.
More trips with your own driver: private car day trips from Da Nang.