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.
Information 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.
