My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Tour: Temples & Ancient Town

Tower temples built across ten centuries, then an evening walk through lantern-lit streets.

A private guided tour departing from your hotel takes you to My Son Sanctuary, where tower temples built between the 4th and 13th centuries stand as the spiritual center of the Champa Kingdom, then continues to Hoi An Ancient Town for lunch, a walk past the 400-year-old Japanese Bridge and Chinese assembly hall, and an evening stroll through the night market along the Hoai River. The tour includes private transportation, an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional English-speaking guide, and bottled water; lunch is separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit My Son and Hoi An Ancient Town

• Depart hotel to My Son Sanctuary
• Explore My Son Sanctuary temples
• Enjoy traditional Apsara dance
• Drive to Hoi An for lunch
• Walk around Hoi An Ancient Town
• Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
• Visit Chinese Assembly Hall
• Visit Hoi An night market
• Enjoy city view with lanterns
• Return to hotel

The Experience

The day starts with a drive to My Son Sanctuary, where tower temples rise across a landscape shaped over ten centuries. The temples were built in stages from the 4th to 13th centuries and carry architectural designs that symbolize Mount Meru—the spiritual center in Hindu and Buddhist tradition. Walking among them, you see how the Champa Kingdom invested in these structures across generations, each tower a marker of religious and political power in Southeast Asia. The guide explains the layout and the symbolism as you move through the site.

After My Son, you drive to Hoi An for lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon is spent walking the Ancient Town itself—a port that preserved its 17th and 18th-century wooden buildings and street plan intact, something unique in the region. You pass the Japanese Bridge, built 400 years ago and still standing in its original form, and visit the Chinese assembly hall. The town's layout and structures reflect the foreign and indigenous influences that shaped it as a trading hub.

The tour ends in the evening when you walk the night market alongside the Hoai River, timed so you see the town's lanterns lit up. The whole day runs seven hours from hotel pickup to return, with your guide handling the route and the stops while you move through two very different heritage sites—one spiritual and monumental, one lived-in and commercial.

What’s included

• Private transportation with an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a professional English-speaking guide.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• hotel pickup and return.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Happy Holiday Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want to move at your own pace between two heritage sites without coordinating transport or timing yourself—the guide handles the route, the stops, and the transitions, so you focus on what you're seeing instead of how to get there.

Traveler reviews

4.86★★★★★★★★★★

50 verified traveler reviews

5 ★47

4 ★1

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly is My Son Sanctuary and why was it built?

My Son Sanctuary was the religious capital of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th to 13th centuries CE. The tower temples were constructed over ten centuries, each designed with architectural symbolism representing Mount Meru, and together they form a remarkable ensemble showing the spiritual and political life of an important phase in Southeast Asian history.

How old is the Japanese Bridge in Hoi An and what else do I see in the ancient town?

The Japanese Bridge is 400 years old and remains in its original form. In Hoi An Ancient Town you also visit the Chinese assembly hall and walk through the night market along the Hoai River, where the town's wooden buildings and street plan from the 17th and 18th centuries are still intact and occupied.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included; you eat at a restaurant in Hoi An at your own cost. The tour includes private transportation, bottled water, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a professional English-speaking guide.

Does this tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, the tour includes private transportation and pickup from your hotel, with return at the end of the day.

How long is the full tour?

The tour runs seven hours total, covering the drive to My Son Sanctuary, time at the site, the drive to Hoi An, lunch, the walk through the ancient town, and the evening market visit.

Is this tour accessible for people with mobility concerns?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, transportation options are wheelchair accessible, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available.