My Son Sanctuary tour from Hoi An: Temples & boat trip

Ancient temples and a river boat in one morning or early start

A guided tour of My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An takes you through one of Southeast Asia's oldest Hindu temple clusters, dating to the 4th–13th centuries. You choose between an early departure at 5:30 AM to avoid crowds and heat, or a 7:30 AM start that adds a Champa dance show, rice paper making, lunch and a boat trip on Thu Bon River. A professional English-speaking guide, hotel pickup and transport are included. Entrance tickets are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore My Son Sanctuary and local culture

• Begin early or morning tour
• Visit My Son Sanctuary temples
• Learn Vietnamese history from guide
• Watch Champa Dance Show (morning tour)
• Make rice paper (morning tour)
• Enjoy traditional breakfast or lunch
• Relax on boat trip on Thu Bon River (morning tour)
• Return to hotel and end tour

The experience

The early tour starts before dawn so you reach the sanctuary when it is still quiet. You have roughly two hours to walk the temple grounds with your guide, who explains the history and architecture of the Champa kingdom. The light is soft for photographs and you will see wildlife in the grounds. Breakfast comes after (local noodles, coffee, fruit and water at a restaurant in My Son), then the drive back to your hotel by mid-morning.

The morning option leaves at 7:30 AM and runs until early afternoon. You spend about two and a half hours at the sanctuary itself, then move to a local house to make rice paper by hand before lunch at a restaurant in My Son. After eating, you board a boat on Thu Bon River to relax and float past the landscape. The Champa dance show happens during the tour as well. Transport, guide, water and all meals are arranged. You return to your hotel by 2 or 2:30 PM.

Both options pick you up from your Hoi An hotel and drop you back there. The group stays small (maximum twelve people on the shared tours), so the guide can answer questions and move at a pace that lets you absorb the site. A private tour is also available if you want the same itinerary without other travelers. Entrance to My Son Sanctuary costs extra and is paid on the day.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide and hotel pickup in Hoi An.
• car or minivan transport.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• breakfast (early tour) or lunch (morning tour) with local noodles, seasonal fruit and coffee.
• Champa dance show, rice paper making and Thu Bon River boat trip on the morning departure only.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English05:30

Morning departure, small group of guestsGuide in English · 07:30Starts early in the morning and finishes in the early afternoon, with a Champa show, rice paper making, a boat trip, and lunch featuring My Quang noodles, vegetarian option available.

Private tour for your group onlyGuide in English · 6 departure times: the first at 05:00, the last at 13:00The same itinerary as the group tours, run just for your party, with a six-hour car and pickup included, so it is more comfortable and flexible.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 05:00, the last at 13:00

AgesAdult (10 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 4 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 yesterday

Good to know

Demanding physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by My Son Tour

Is this one for you?Book the early 5:30 AM start if you want to walk the temples in peace and finish by mid-morning, leaving your afternoon free. Choose the 7:30 AM option if you prefer a slower pace, want to see the Champa dance and try rice paper making, and don't mind a full morning and early afternoon commitment.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 4 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 are the temple towers at My Son Sanctuary?

My Son Sanctuary is a cluster of Hindu temple towers built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the Champa kingdom. The towers are carved stone structures that reveal the religious and architectural traditions of Central Vietnam's ancient past, and the site is one of the oldest and most impressive Hindu complexes in Southeast Asia.

Which tour option should I pick if I want to avoid the heat and crowds?

The early 5:30 AM departure gets you to My Son before sunrise and the day warms up, so you have a peaceful walk through the temples and the best light for photos. This option ends by 10:30 or 11 AM and includes breakfast, but does not have the Champa show, rice paper making or boat trip.

What's included in the morning 7:30 AM tour?

The morning tour includes the sanctuary visit, a Champa dance performance, rice paper making at a local house, lunch with local noodles and fruit, and a boat trip on Thu Bon River. It runs until 2 or 2:30 PM and covers guide, transport, water and all meals.

Do I need to arrange my own transport from Hoi An?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An are included in all tour options. If you are staying in Da Nang instead, pickup there costs an extra fee per booking.

Is the entrance fee to My Son Sanctuary included?

No, entrance tickets to My Son Sanctuary are not included and cost 150,000 Vietnamese dong (about 6.50 USD). You pay this on the day of your tour.