My Son Sanctuary is the next choice next to Hoi An ancient town that you must definitely visit if you have the opportunity to come to Da Nang. Not bearing the nostalgic beauty but still retaining the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, My Son Sanctuary has a quiet beauty, blending with the years, there are still many relics that exist as evidence of a time of extremely prosperous development of the Champa kingdom.
1. Overview of My Son Sanctuary
Location: Duy Phu Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam
Opening hours: 6:30 – 17:00.
Tour cost: 100,000 – 150,000 VND/person (ticket price includes tour fee, tram and art performance).
My Son Sanctuary, with its full name being My Son Cham Temple Complex, is located in a closed valley, surrounded by majestic mountains and forests. This is where worship ceremonies are held, as well as where tombs for kings and royal family members are built.
My Son Sanctuary is located about 70km southwest of Da Nang city and about 40km from Hoi An city. The sanctuary area has a fairly large area, stretching from the Eastern Truong Son area through My Son to Tra Kieu – the ancient capital of the Champa people.
In 1999, My Son Sanctuary was recognized by UNESCO as one of the modern and contemporary world heritages, and was included by the Prime Minister of Vietnam in the list of 23 especially important national monuments.
My Son Sanctuary in the first rain of the season has a melancholy beauty
The towers undergo natural erosion and weather, gradually losing their original beautiful appearance.
The main tower was built with great care, as shown by the sculptures on the body of the tower.
My Son Sanctuary has an ancient beauty in the fading afternoon sunlight.
2. Instructions on how to get to My Son Sanctuary
Similar to when going to Hoi An, the road to My Son Sanctuary is also quite easy to travel and there are many options for transportation for you to consider based on your schedule to adjust accordingly.
From the center of Da Nang city, you take bus number 6 to go straight to My Son Sanctuary, travel time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes with costs ranging from 8,000 – 30,000 VND/way.
For your information, the manual buses will operate from 5:30 am to 5:00 pm every day and each trip is about 30 minutes apart, so if you choose the bus as your main means of transportation, you should pay attention to arrange a suitable schedule.
You will start from Hoa Cam overpass, go straight towards National Highway 14B to Nguyen Trai. Next, turn left and go straight to reach Kiem Lam ferry. After crossing the ferry, you go along route 537 towards Nam Phuoc for about 1km, you will see a sign, follow the instructions to reach My Son Sanctuary.
If you go by taxi, it will take you less time than the above two methods, however the cost will be higher if you go both ways by taxi.
3. Discover the cultural and spiritual life of the Champa people through the My Son sanctuary
My Son Sanctuary consists of two parts located on two separate hills.
The areas are separated from each other by a winding stream. In the center is the main tower, surrounded by numerous small subsidiary towers.
The main tower is designed with two doors, each with 8 steps to go up and arches. The main tower is 24m high – the tallest tower in the system of towers at My Son Sanctuary. The base is square, each side is 10cm long. The top of the tower has 3 floors, arranged from small to high, the top is the tower top made of sandstone and carved with many motifs bearing the colors of Champa.
Even though the years have passed, under the erosion of weather and the mark of time, you will still feel the beauty imbued with the colors of Cham Pa culture here, marking a glorious period of the people here.
The statues are carved very vividly and meticulously down to the smallest details.
Although My Son Sanctuary is no longer intact, it still carries the impression of a once prosperous Champa country.
Surrounding the sanctuary are lush green mountains.
The My Son Sanctuary Museum is located behind the ticket sales area. This is where hundreds of artifacts found during the research of the sanctuary are displayed and preserved. With a variety of artifacts, from the simplest items such as bricks to carved reliefs, linga, etc., all represent the beauty of the culture, life or beliefs of the ancient Cham people for you to admire.
Images of artifacts hundreds of years old, carrying with them many ups and downs in history.
The relief still retains the shape and motifs of the god the Cham people worshiped.
Every day, there are many performances of traditional music instruments, and graceful and skillful dances by artists, typically the magical Apsara dance.
If you go during the festivals, you can witness the solemnity and neatness of the unique festival programs of the Cham people that are still preserved and exist today.
The dances are performed very vividly with the wish to bring luck, health and joy to visitors.
Dances with strong folk colors, showing the dexterity and flexibility of Cham Pa girls
Although My Son Sanctuary does not have modern towers or many beautiful corners to check in, it has great historical and cultural value. Coming here, you will be taken back hundreds of years ago, living in an ancient Cham Pa village with many unique architectural features that will make you admire forever. If you have the opportunity to come to Da Nang, you must definitely visit My Son Sanctuary once to feel the spiritual beat of this place.
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