My Son

My Son, Vietnam, 2007 - My Son

My Son (Vietnamese: Mỹ Sơn) is a set of ruins from the ancient Cham Empire in the Central Coast (Vietnam) | central coast of Vietnam. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

My Son Halal Explorer

My Son was built by the Champas who ruled Central Vietnam from c.200-c.1700 CE until annexed by the Vietnamese in the 19th century. Influenced by Hinduism and the Champas built temple complexes in Central Vietnam. The best-known and preserved temple still in daily use by Buddhists is the Po Nagar Cham Tower in Nha Trang. The temples of My Son were the most important temples of the Champa Kingdom. Bricks were used to build the temples, without mortar, and sculptures of gods, priests, animals, and scenes of mythical battles and devotion adorned the walls. These temples were places of worship of Lord Vishnu.

After the fall of the Champa and the jungle began to reclaim the area. The temples had already fallen into disrepair by the 1960s, when the Viet Cong used My Son as a base. An act of the United States| U.S. Congress prohibited bombing of My Son during the war, but nevertheless the site suffered devastating bombing raids by the United States Air Force

My Son was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. There are travel guides that compare My Son with Angkor Wat|Angkor, Bagan and Borobudur. Historically and they have a point: in their time and these complexes were leading spiritual centres, and they have all fallen into a state of ruin. However and the ruins at My Son are far less impressive than any of the other sites, for various reasons: the smaller scale of the original site, for example and the comparatively poor upkeep and the severe damage to the buildings from time and war. Even so, this is a unique and important historical site, and the gorgeous jungle scenery alone may be worth the trip.

The best time of the day to visit My Son is early in the morning or late in the afternoon when there are few tourists.

Travel to My Son

My Son, being a UNESCO site, has an admission charge of 100,000 dong (Feb 2023) applicable regardless of how you get there.

To travel 43 kilometers from Hoi An to My Son you have several options:

• Take a motorbike taxi. A round-trip on a motorbike taxi from the centre of Hoi An should cost about USD 10.
• Hire a motorbike and drive yourself. Motorbike hire should cost about USD 4-5 for the day, which gets you the bike and about enough fuel to reach the nearest filling station. As it is only a 43 kilometers drive, you will need around 2 litres of petrol, which costs about 42,000 dong.

Directions: from Hoi An take Hung Vuong Street and keep following it towards the town of Vinh Dien for about 7 kilometers until you pass under a highway. Take the first left in the curve and go straight for about a kilometers till you reach the T-junction on Route 1 (or 1A), turn left towards the south. Drive for 7 kilometers to Nam Phuoc. In the town, you'll see a big sign for My Son posted on a lamp post. Turn right there. From there, keep following the signs for 30 kilometers until you reach the entrance for My Son. After you've bought entrance tickets, you can ride your bike for another couple of kilometers to reach the actual site of the ruins (despite the sign requesting you "cross the bridge on foot").

• Car hire with driver. A vehicle hire will cost about USD 35 from Hoi An. From Da Nang,a private driver and vehicle costs about USD 70 (My Son admission excluded) with return trip included.
• Take a boat. The caveat being that the "My Son Boat Tour" goes no further than about 10 kilometers north of Hoi An and stops at the Route 1 bridge, which is still about 40 kilometers from My Son.
• Join a tour group. These leave Hoi An at 05:00 and 08:00. These are cheap, USD 3-5, not including the My Son entrance fee. The reason the tours are affordable is that they stop at restaurants and businesses allied with the tour operator. They are also inefficient. While the "tour" lasts about 6 hr, only about 1 hours of that will be at the site of the ruins. The rest will be spent waiting for others to join the tour or visiting dodgy businesses.

Get Around

All vehicles go as close as 100 m from the entrance. A couple hundred metres after the entrance there is a station for electric buses which you can take for free to the ruins. It's around 2 kilometers and while it's an easy walk you might be better off taking the bus if you are pressed for time or if it is very hot.

You can explore the ruins by foot, with nothing more challenging than a slight hill to negotiate. Maps of the area tend to give the impression that the site is larger than it actually is. There are plenty of comfortable, rustic-looking benches along the way.

See & do

Mysonbridge - Bridge after the ticket office, My Son MSkayak14 - Kayaking on My Son lake [[ruins_of_my_son_vietnam - Impression of the ruins of My Son temple complex

Near the ticket office there is a Champa Museum, describing many of the artifacts and the history of the site. The curators have made the odd (and maddening) decision to remove virtually all of the better-preserved sculptures from the ruins and display them here or at the small museum in Group A instead of in context with the temples where they belonged. Accordingly, try to visit the museum briefly before visiting the temples themselves. It closes a half-hour before everything else, so you might not be able to catch it on the way out.

The temples are in varying states of disrepair, with restoration still underway on some. There are nine "groups", labeled A-G. Effectively and there are three major sites: A, B-C-D, and E-F. The G, H and L ruins are separate and a little trickier to find. If you can't find them, don't spend all day trying; they're much smaller than the rest. All of the sites are connected by reasonably well-labelled walking tracks.

The layout of the temples is dictated by the rays of the sun and in the early morning this is clearly evident. The early morning sunlight shines behind the head of Lord Vishnu from where it is scattered throughout.

There are traditional dancing displays at 09:45 (daily except Mondays) for the benefit of tour groups. The stage is before you reach the first group of ruins, across from the souvenir shop.

• If you enjoyed My Son and want to see a good example of a Champa Tower in the Hoi An area then go to the nearby village of Vinh Dinh and on the road north (alongside the Vu Gia river). You will find there a very excellently maintained relic and the "Bang An Tower". This is hardly ever seen by tourists and is still in use by worshippers.
• Just past Tra Kieu heading towards My Son on the left is the small but excellent Saturday Huynh Museum which includes some artefacts from Cham (free of charge). Building shape is more Cham than Vietnamese. Many of the artefacts were donated by a Catholic priest who lived in Tra Kieu.
• The streams running through My Son end up in a still lake about 3 kilometers long which is ideal for kayaking. Hardly anyone knows about or uses this unspoiled gem. Karma Waters operates kayaking trips on My Son Lake.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in My Son

There is a souvenir shop within the site. It sells generic Vietnam souvenirs and also a selection of items influenced by Champa culture.

Eat & drink

Numerous roadside cafes and restaurants line the road from Hoi An to My Son.

Next door to Duong and about 100 m away from the My Son entrance is the Ganesa Restaurant, which sounds Indian but is a Vietnamese restaurant. Check out the high prices and low quality. Note some tour companies like Camel Open Tour, Anh Phu and others stop at this restaurant.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to My Son

My Son - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to My Son, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for My Son. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in My Son and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to My Son. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to My Son. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inMy Son: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in My Son.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in My Son: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in My Son, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in My Son.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in My Son, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in My Son, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within My Son and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in My Son, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in My Son, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of My Son without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for My Son is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring My Son.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group My Son is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in My Son, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group My Son Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

There's no accommodation in My Son. The nearest hotel is about 2 kilometers down the road from the ticket office. Most visitors day-trip from Hoi An, Da Nang,or even Hue.

There are a few guest houses close by where accommodation may also be available.

Stay Safe

Don't wander too far from the clearly-marked walking tracks between the sites. Although authorities say that the area has been cleared of unexploded ordnance, you're a long way from help in case of an accident.

Travel Next

• Visit the Cham Islands for more adventure in Hoi An.
• If your interest has been piqued, Da Nang has an acclaimed museum dedicated to Cham sculpture. It is open in the morning from 08:00 to 11:00 in the afternoon from 13:00 to 17:00.Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
  

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