Near Hoi An lies one of the most important archaeological sites in Vietnam, a complex of temple towers dating from the 4th-13th centuries. Due to its good accessibility, the My Son ruins are the most popular day trip from Hoi An.

Ideally, you should set aside a full day to visit the ruins, even with the journey you will need this time. If you don't want to plan the trip on your own, you can take advantage of the organised tours on offer at Klook.

The remains of the kingdom of Cham

The Cham Kingdom would have been found on the coast of central and southern Vietnam between the 4th and 13th centuries. This unique culture was Hindu, which led to the creation of Hindu temple towers in many places in Vietnam, the remains of which can still be admired today, for example in My Son.

Since 1999, the ruins of My Son have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar temple towers can be found in many other places in Vietnam, but none of the complexes are as extensive and well preserved.

How to plan a visit to the ruins?

If you want to make the most of your visit to the ruins, it's a good idea to plan ahead so that you get around all the interesting sites. After buying tickets to the complex, you will have the museums on your right; you can visit these both before and after visiting the ruins themselves.

Continue on to the ruins, there is the option of using the electric train which will take you along the tarmac road for 1.5 km to the site itself.

The temple towers are divided into several structures which are named from A to H, there are other structures hidden in the surrounding jungle, but these are not accessible to the general visitor.

All the structures can be covered during the walking tour, which is approximately 2.5 km long. It is then possible to take the train back to the entrance and the main car park.

Four times a day (9:45, 10:45, 14:00 and 15:30) folklore performances take place inside the complex. Individual performances last 15 minutes and most often include traditional dances and music. The morning performance takes place in front of Temple Structure G, while the others are held in the Folk Arts Hall.

Admission and opening hours

To enter the My Son ruins you need a ticket, which can be purchased at the ticket office for 150 000 vnd, children aged 5 to 15 pay 30 000 vnd, younger children get in for free.

This includes admission to the temple complex, entry to the museum and a train to speed you through the jungle to the site. You can pay extra 70 000 vnd for an audio guide.

The My Son ruins are open daily from 6:30am to 5pm, we recommend visiting especially early in the morning due to the extreme heat and humidity around midday.

Transportation to My Son Ruins

The My Son ruins are located approximately 45 kilometres from Hoi An town. You can use the following transport options.

Organized trip

A full day organised trip is the easiest transport option to the ruins.

Book a trip to My Son

You can get the cheapest trips starting from 350 000 vnd. The disadvantage of an organized trip is that you will arrive at the ruins at the time of the greatest heat and also with the largest crowds.

Shuttle to My Son

Many travel agencies in Hoi An organise shuttles from the city to the My Son ruins. The most common are the shuttles departing at 8:00am from Hoi An and returning at 2:00pm.

For a return shuttle to the My Son ruins you will pay approximately 200 000 vnd. The downside of the shuttle is the fixed schedule for the entire trip.