My Son Sanctuary tour: Hindu temples & rice paper making

Walk through ancient Hindu temples, then make rice paper the way locals do

A full-day cultural tour from Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary (the largest Hindu temple complex in Central Vietnam) with a local English-speaking guide, rice paper making at a village house, lunch, and a boat return down the Thu Bon River. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An center are included. You choose whether to add the entrance fee at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An tour

• Pick up at hotel
• Travel to My Son Sanctuary
• Explore My Son site with guide
• Watch Champa traditional performances
• Visit local house to make ricepaper
• Have lunch at local house
• Take boat trip on Thu Bon River
• Arrive back in Hoi An
• Drop off at hotel

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in Hoi An between 7:30 and 8:00 am. The drive takes you inland to My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site built around the 4th century. Once there, you have two hours to walk the temple grounds with your guide, who explains the history of the Champa civilization and points out the architectural details across the landscape. The site includes a performance of traditional Champa music and dance woven into the visit.

After the temples, you head to a local house where you learn to make rice paper from scratch: mixing the batter, spreading it on a hot griddle, and peeling off the finished sheet. You get to take home what you make. Lunch follows at another village house, with fresh local food and cold herbal tea. The meal sits in the middle of the day, giving you time to rest before the next leg.

At 1 pm you board a boat on the Thu Bon River, the largest river in Central Vietnam, for the return journey to Hoi An. The ride takes about 30 minutes and brings you back to your hotel by 1:30 pm. The whole tour runs about six hours from start to finish. A vegetarian meal option is available if you request it when you book. Mineral water is provided throughout the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An center.
• English-speaking local guide.
• two hours at My Son Sanctuary with traditional Champa performance.
• rice paper making at a village house with your finished product to take home.
• lunch at a local house with cold herbal tea.
• boat trip down the Thu Bon River back to Hoi An.
• mineral water throughout the day.
• entrance fee to My Son if you select that option at checkout.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English13:00

Guide in English07:30

Guide in English07:30

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 13:00

AgesAdult (10 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Venus Travel

Is this one for you?Book the morning option if you want the full experience: rice paper making, lunch, and the boat ride all fit into one day. The sunset tour is a smaller group focused on the temples alone, without the village activities or meal. Choose based on whether you want the cultural immersion and hands-on learning, or just the archaeological site.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What is My Son Sanctuary and why is it worth the trip from Hoi An?

My Son Sanctuary is the largest center of Hindu temples in Central Vietnam, built around the 4th century as the spiritual heart of the Champa civilization. Walking the ruins with a local guide gives you the history and architecture in context, and the site is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Something you can't see from Hoi An without a full-day excursion.

Do I really make rice paper myself, or is it just a demonstration?

You make it yourself. At the village house, you mix the batter, spread it on a hot griddle, and peel off the finished sheet. You take home what you make and eat it at lunch if you want. It's a hands-on skill, not a show.

What time does the tour end and how do I get back to my hotel?

The boat arrives back in Hoi An by 1:30 pm, and your guide drops you at your hotel in the Hoi An center (within the designated pickup area). The whole tour runs about six hours from the initial pickup.

Is the entrance fee to My Son included, or do I pay extra?

You choose at checkout: one option includes the entrance fee (150,000 VND), and another option lets you skip it. If you want to walk the temple grounds and see the site, you need the fee option.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, the English-speaking guide, the boat trip, lunch, rice paper making, mineral water, and entrance fees if you choose that option. Drinks beyond the herbal tea and tips are not included.