First published August 2024 | Words and photos by Luke Digweed
Luke Digweed is a staff writer for Vietnam Coracle. He has been living in Vietnam since 2011, mostly in Huế but also in Đà Nẵng & Sài Gòn. While living in Huế, he ran the Huế Grit Tour & co-organized events & small concerts between 2017-2020. His most recent ongoing project is Festivals of Vietnam which documents ceremonies, rituals & processions around the country….read more about Luke
Standing at the foot of a mountain in a clearing in the jungle some 40 kilometres southwest of Hội An are the ruins of Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, a temple complex forming a sacred architectural tapestry that was once part of the ancient Hindu kingdom of Champa. Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary stands alongside the likes of Bagan (in Myanmar) and Angkor Wat (in Cambodia) as one of the most culturally significant ancient religious sites in Southeast Asia, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. The site of Mỹ Sơn is unparalleled in Vietnam for the density of Cham architecture and archaeological relics. Visiting Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary as a half-day trip from Hội An or Đà Nẵng is a rewarding excursion, whether you’re interested in indigenous cultures, curious about Vietnamese history or just thirsty for some photo opportunities among the exotic ruins of an ancient civilization.
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MY SON SANCTUARY
A Guide to Visiting the Largest Complex of Ancient Cham Temples in Vietnam
This guide provides practical information about visiting Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, including a brief history of the site and Cham people, as well as descriptions of the temples and facilities (see Contents below). Bear in mind that if you’re visiting Mỹ Sơn from Hội An or Đà Nãng, the trip will take at least half a day. For travellers on a tight schedule, the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Đà Nẵng is a good alternative as it contains a large amount of artifacts from the Mỹ Sơn site. Very often, Vietnamese tourism agencies and domestic media misleadingly tout Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary as the ‘Angkor Wat of Vietnam’. This is a marketing mistake that only serves to damage the reputation of the site, as visitors arrive with false expectations of Mỹ Sơn and end up disappointed by the reality. Rather, Mỹ Sơn should be measured on its own merits, not in comparison with other sites in the region.
*Much of the historical information in this guide was sourced from the excellent ‘Exploring Quảng Nam: Hội An, Mỹ Sơn, Đà Nẵng and Tam Kỳ‘ by Tim Doling (2020, Thế Giới Publishers).
CONTENTS:
Visitor Information
History & Architecture
Exploring the Sanctuary
Around Mỹ Sơn Sancturary
MAP:
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary Temple Complex
Open Hours & Visiting Times:
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The Mỹ Sơn temple complex is open every day from 6am to 5pm. As a general rule, the complex is least crowded at either end of the day, with tour buses making their stops here between 10am and 4pm. The best time to go is as early as possible to avoid the sun at its hottest hours and the inevitable package tours. Staying at a hotel near the Mỹ Sơn site the night before your visit will save you a long early-morning drive and give you an extra advantage over the tour buses.
Mỹ Sơn site has little to no overhead coverage, meaning visitors will spend long periods exposed to the weather, which can be uncomfortable on very hot or rainy days. Although there are some on-site shops, you might want to check the weather forecast and pack any necessary items, such as an umbrella or waterproof jacket, sun hat, sunscreen and drinking water, before you go.
Food & Drink: Although I didn’t dine at them, there are some uninspiring-looking restaurants and souvenir shops at the main entrance to Mỹ Sơn complex and near the Performance Theatre. There are also vendors throughout the site and around it who sell cold drinks and snacks.
Tickets & Audio Guides:
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Buying Tickets: Admission to the temple complex is 100,000vnđ for Vietnamese nationals and 150,000vnđ for foreign visitors. The ticket price includes a site map. Parking for all vehicles is available in front of the main entrance and there are also some other parking lots further out from the official site. From the ticket office, a free electric shuttle plies back and forth ferrying visitors the 2km between the main entrance and the Mỹ Sơn temple complex proper.
Audio Guide: Inside the complex, contextual information about the temples is minimal. This is done to encourage visitors to hire a tour guide or an audio guide. The latter comes in the form of a downloadable app titled Di Tích Mỹ Sơn. The cost of the audio guide is 70,000vnđ and rental headphones are 50,000vnđ. The app is available for both iOS and Android and in several languages including English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and French. Once you have paid for an audio guide, you will be provided a passcode to get full access to the app. Access to the audio guide’s main features is time-limited to 6 hours before it locks itself, but the map and some other features stay unlocked indefinitely.
The audio guide consists of 40 tracks detailing specific locations around the site. They are numbered in chronological order, following the site’s looped path anti-clockwise. There are many ways to access the audio guide tracks on-site. You can either scan the QR codes at each section of the site, manually enter the corresponding codes into the app, select them on an in-app playlist or choose them on the in-app map. While the audio guide is relatively modern and user-friendly, the headphones I was provided with were uncomfortable and not loud enough. I found the audio quality better when holding my phone to my ear than when using the headphones. It’s best to use your own headphones if you have them with you.
The audio guide provides a lot of detailed information that enriches the overall visiting experience, but the narration moves a little slow at times and it can also be a little difficult to distinguish which part of each section is being specifically described. Another problem arises if you follow the site loop clockwise (not following the ‘official’ order) like I did, which means you will have to play the tracks of the audio guide in reverse order, which affects the overall progression of the guide. On eavesdropping tour guides working at the site, I found their knowledge to be superior to the audio guide I rented. For visitors who can afford one, I would suggest an on-site guide.
Getting There & Around:
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Location: Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary is 40km due southwest of both Đà Nẵng and Hội An in the central Vietnamese province of Quảng Nam. The site is flanked by the Thạch Bàn and Vĩnh Trinh lakes, south of the Thu Bồn River, and in the shadow of Răng Mèo (Cat Tooth) Mountain.
Tours: Most hotels and travel agencies in Hội An and Đà Nẵng can easily organise private transportation and tours for all budgets to Mỹ Sơn and back.
Self-Drive: Two routes of similar length between Hội An and Mỹ Sơn make for the possibility of a loop. Both roads (DT610 & DT609), which run parallel to each other on either side of the Thu Bồn River, pass through rice fields and lively villages. In addition, Gò Nổi, the large islet in the middle of the Thu Bồn River, makes for a nice detour after visiting Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary by way of road DT610B.
Historical Background:
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The Kingdom of Champa was a collection of independent principalities ruled by the Malay-Polynesian Cham (spelled Chàm or Chăm) people that, at its largest, stretched from present-day Quảng Bình Province in the north to Biên Hòa in the south. The earliest records of Cham people date back to the 2nd century CE when the Cham occupied what are today the central Vietnamese provinces of Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên Huế provinces.
Scholars believe that in the 5th century, the Cham moved their centre of power from Thừa Thiên Huế to an area just south of the Thu Bồn River, now known as Trà Kiệu. After the establishment of a palace, the first temples of Mỹ Sơn were constructed here, making the area the religious and intellectual centre of the Cham kingdom, referred to as Xitú. The kings in Trà Kiệu acquired wealth from taxation on traders at the port and adjacent merchant town (now Hội An). In turn, the Cham kingdom was influenced by Hinduism – adopting Sanskrit as its language and Shaivism as its religion – as evidenced by the architectural remains at Mỹ Sơn. The Xitú kingdom expanded their rule back north, up to Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên Huế, and prospered until the mid-10th century. By this point, various other Cham kingdoms had grown further south along the coastline, from Phú Yên down to Bình Thuận provinces. The remains of Cham sites today are only a small fraction of what once existed.
The 11th century saw a rise in power for the Đại Việt (Vietnamese) in the north and the Khmer Empire (Cambodia) in the south. After repeated attacks, the kingdom of Xitú eventually relocated south and merged with other kingdoms in modern-day Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces. From there on, contests for land and autonomy continued between the Cham and the Đại Việt. With a gradual ceding of land over centuries, the Cham were eventually fully defeated by Đại Việt in the 1600s, losing their autonomy and remaining territory.
The Cham economy was based on wet-rice agriculture, fishing and local produce such as silk weaving and ceramics. They grew wealthy from maritime trade with seafarers and merchants and traded with other ethnic groups of Vietnam, such as the Gia Rai (Jarai) and Cơ Tu who were based in the mountainous areas of central Vietnam. The Cham temples at Mỹ Sơn are a testament to the financial prosperity during this period.
Today, remains of Cham architecture are present in other regions of Vietnam, such as the sites around Quy Nhơn in Bình Định Province. But Mỹ Sơn, in Quảng Nam Province, is the country’s most famous and extensive Cham site, receiving world heritage status from UNESCO in 1999.
Approximately 170,000 Cham people continue to live in Vietnam today, with roughly another 550,000 Cham people living in other countries, primarily Cambodia. Cham culture and heritage are nationally celebrated as being part of the 54 ethnic groups that make up Vietnam.
Architectural Periods:
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The Cham temples at Mỹ Sơn were constructed between the 7th century to around the 12th century. Over this time, the architectural style of Cham temple building evolved and can be categorised into the 6 different periods below. *Note that the letters and numbers in brackets refer to the temple groups at the Mỹ Sơn site (see Exploring the Sanctuary).
Trà Kiệu Period (7th – 8th centuries)
Built during the Cham kingdom’s most prosperous period, these are the oldest surviving architectural relics at Mỹ Sơn. (Temples E1 and F1)
Hòa Lai Style (8th – 9th centuries)
Khmer influence became prominent in Cham architecture during the 8th century. Temples are characterised by multi-tiered towers and their designs are more nuanced and of higher quality than those belonging to the preceding Trà Kiệu Period. (Temples A1, A2, A3, C7 and F3)
Đồng Dương Style (9th – 10th centuries)
During this period, King Indravarman II moved the capital to Đồng Dương, about 20km south of Trà Kiệu, and built a temple there to promote a religion mixing Hinduism with Buddhism. However, temple construction still continued at Mỹ Sơn during this period. (Temples A10 and B4)
Mỹ Sơn A1 Style (10th century)
Attempts to integrate Buddhism into religious practices during the Đồng Dương period were short-lived and the capital was returned to Trà Kiệu in the 10th century. The Mỹ Sơn A1 Style period saw a full return to Hindu practices and is considered the zenith of Cham architecture. Buildings during this period adopted architectural styles from Champa’s close ties with Java, in modern-day Indonesia. (Temples A1, B2, B3, B5, B6. B8, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5. C6, D1, D2 and D4)
Transitional Mỹ Sơn A1-Bình Định Style (11th – 12th centuries)
With Đại Việt attacks coming from the north, Cham power migrated south to Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces. Further construction at Mỹ Sơn was now under the direction of southern Cham powers. Similarities in the style of temples E1, E4 and K towers can be found with Cham sites southward such as Pô Nagar (Nha Trang), Bình Lâm (Bình Định), Nhạn (Phú Yên) and Chiên Đàn (Quảng Nam).
Bình Định Style (11th – 14th centuries) & Pô Kloong Garai Style (14th – 17th centuries)
As the Đại Việt continued to take the Cham lands from the north, Mỹ Sơn was eventually conceded and the construction of temples stopped. Examples of Cham architecture after the 14th century can be found in more southern locations such as sites in Bình Định and Ninh Thuận provinces.
Architectural Features:
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The Cham temples at Mỹ Sơn are dedicated to Hindu deities. Most are built on small hills and facing east towards the rising sun. Following the French colonial classification of monuments at Mỹ Sơn, temples are organised into lettered groups: A, A1, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N. Each temple group consists of different buildings serving specific functions. These include:
The Gopura – A tower gate through which the temple can be entered; it marks the transition for devotees between the outside world and the sacred temple.
Mandapa – A covered area for congregation within the temple where devotees can perform rituals and purify themselves before entering the main temple.
The Kosagrha – A repository to store ritual items.
The Kalan – The main tower and prayer room which houses the deity or the main religious icon. This is the most sacred part of the temple complex.
The Kalan’s sacred icon is often a linga-yoni. The linga is a phallic representation of Shiva, the yoni is its female counterpart. The yoni icon often functioned as a basin that provided water during purification rituals. Since Kalans were sacred places, access to them was limited to Brahmans. Statues of Shiva, Vishnu and Ganesh often appear in Cham temples too, as do base reliefs and friezes of female dancers.
Scholars aren’t certain how the brick towers were constructed. Some argue that the bricks were half-baked when laid into place, others believe that natural resins were used as cement.
New discoveries of Cham relics are still being made. During the writing of this article, a previously unknown pathway was uncovered at temple group K in the Mỹ Sơn complex. There are many more temples and sites yet to be unearthed and excavated throughout Vietnam.
Walking Around the Temples:
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The shuttle bus takes visitors from the main entrance to a crossroads at the beginning of the temple loop. The temples are alphabetically named and arranged in groups from A to N (with I and J omitted and some groups inaccessible to the public). Visitors have the choice of following the loop clockwise or anti-clockwise.
If you take the loop anti-clockwise, following the numeric order of the audio guide, you will reach the best parts of the complex at the beginning of your walk. If you follow the loop clockwise, the temples are ordered more chronologically with the earliest constructions near the beginning. Also, the enjoyment of the complex grows as you continue, with each area getting steadily more impressive, crescendoing with the best parts near the end. If you are using the audio guide, I suggest following the loop anti-clockwise in accordance with the recording. If, however, you are exploring the temples independently, without a guide or an audio guide, I suggest following the loop clockwise. For the benefit of the latter, I have written a brief overview of each temple group in a clockwise order below.
Temple Group K:
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Following the loop clockwise, temple group K is the first site you will come across. The structures here include two walls and a base recently restored by Vietnamese and Indian experts. Dating back to the 11th century, temple group K was originally composed of many structures which were destroyed during the war. As of April 2024, a newly discovered pathway was uncovered within the group.
As you walk 500m towards temple groups E and F, you will pass the remains of temple group N, which are off the path to the right but inaccessible to the public. All that remains of temple group N are structural foundations, with no walls intact or restored.
Temple Group E, F:
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The towers in temple group E are believed to be the oldest remaining at Mỹ Sơn, dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries, during the Trà Kiệu Period. Their design and structure are more rudimentary in comparison to the temples built in later periods at Mỹ Sơn.
Group E’s defining features are its two kalan (temples E1 and E4) and its two kosagrha (temples E3 and E7). Inscriptions on a nearby foundation stone claim the temple group was built in the name of the god Prabheseshvara by King Prakashadharma. The E7 Kosagrhas, the best preserved of the temple group, date back to the 10th/11th century.
Two statues are still standing in temple group E. The first is the Dharma Protector, an incarnation of Shiva whose role was to prevent temptations and encourage good acts. The second is the Namdia, also an incarnation of Shiva whose role is to mediate between the deity and the followers. Both statues, made from sandstone, are dated to the 11th-12th century. The altar of temple E1 and a statue of Ganesh from this temple group currently reside in the Đà Nẵng Museum of Cham Sculpture
Next to group E are the ruins of the temple F1 kalan and the temple F2 Gopura. The F1 Kalan – belonging to the Hòa Lai style – is believed to belong to the 8th century, making it one of the oldest structures in Mỹ Sơn. It has been provided with a roof and support equipment in an attempt to avoid further deterioration. Despite appearing on the brink of collapse, the structure’s form remains visible.
Temple Group G:
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100 metres further up the looping pathway is temple group G, situated on a small mound accessible by a staircase. This group, dating back to the mid-12th century, includes 5 structures: the G1 main temple, the G2 gate tower, the G3 retreat house, the G4 storehouse, the G5 tower and the group’s border wall. G5 contains a stele that states that the temple was built to honour Harivarmeshvara, an incarnation of Shiva. Temple group G is the only group to include a stele with details of the building process. Among the walls of the main temple are unique bas-reliefs of lions, which represent royal power and authority. Other bas-reliefs featuring masks are present to safeguard the king. Head down the stairs and continue south to temple group A.
Temple Group A:
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The monuments in temple group A were built between the 10th and 13th centuries and comprised some of the area’s best cham temples. It is also the site where earlier Cham architecture, dating as far back as the 4th century, was located.
Temple A1 was originally the area’s greatest work which consisted of two floors. Work by French archaeologists had successfully restored the temples here but fighting during the Vietnam-American war mostly destroyed them. In 2021, the Archeological Survey of India underwent complex restoration work to rebuild several structures here, which uncovered a Shiva Linga relic, a Lord Shiva idol and a yoni altar.
The kalan (main temple) housed a linga-yoni altar and the six smaller temples surrounding the kalan also housed statues of gods. All are now housed in the Đà Nẵng Museum of Cham Sculpture. In 2021, temple A10 altar was recognised as a national treasure due to its unique form and cultural significance. Further south beyond this walled complex are the remains of another kalan, a sanctuary and two smaller temples classified as temples A1 to A4. Return to the fork in the path and continue to follow the loop northwest. As you cross the stream, you will enter the most popular part of the Mỹ Sơn site.
Temple Group B, C, D:
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The 22 structures belonging to temple groups B, C and D are the most visually stunning at the Mỹ Sơn site. Originally restored by the French in the 1930s, they were restored again and reinforced in the late 1980s through the Vietnam-Poland Bilateral Restoration Project. This international collaboration was led by Kazimierz Kwiatowski, whose work is largely credited for gaining Mỹ Sơn and Hội An UNESCO World Heritage status and, subsequently, worldwide acclaim. A statue of Kazimierz Kwiatowski stands in the centre of Hội An as a tribute to his work.
While the monuments here are still referred to as three separate groupings, the structures in group D actually functioned as parts of groups B and C. This error, made by French restoration groups in the early 20th century, has been left unchanged.
After crossing the stream, you will walk into the walled compound of temple group C, beginning with the C4, C5, C6 and C7 auxiliary towers. The C7 auxiliary tower is believed to be the oldest auxiliary tower in the Mỹ Sơn complex, built in the 8th-9th century. The style of the C7 architecture includes similar features to Cham temples in Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm. Behind them is the C1 Kalan and the C2 Gopura gatehouse. In the southwestern corner of the walled compound is the C3 kosagrha repository.
Head east and you will find the mislabelled temple group D, including temples D1 and D2, which were originally the Mandapa halls of temple group C and B. This would be where royal family members would carry out pre-ritual procedures before entering the temples of B1 and C1. D1 and D2 are all that remain of temple group D and have been repurposed to display a collection of statues, bas-reliefs and other objects taken from different areas of the complex.
Southwest of temple group D is temple group B. The B5 Kosagrha is one of Mỹ Sơn’s most impressive buildings with a complex roof structure and numerous decorated pillars and bas-reliefs in worship of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of elephants. Other highlights include the oval-shaped water reservoir used for the royal linga ceremony and secondary temples B7 and B13, which are dedicated to the navagraha – the nine celestial bodies. Inside B2 is a 13th-century bas-relief of the god Shiva. This relief of the dancing lord represents the circle of reincarnation: Life, Death, Rebirth.
Temple Group H:
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As you leave temple groups B, C and D, you will follow the path northwest past the Cham Folk Art Performance Centre (see below), behind which a pathway leads up a mound towards temple group H. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, this is one of the later works in Mỹ Sơn, having structural similarities to the Cham temples in Bình Định. Similarly to temple groups A and K, the temples is group H underwent a period of restoration work from the Archeological Survey of India between 2021-2023. While it hasn’t been restored to the extent of the B and C groups, the way the single wall peaks above the tree line into the sky provides a unique perspective of Cham architecture compared to the other temple groups at Mỹ Sơn.
Mhadravata Mountain:
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As you follow the path down the hill and towards the exit, pay attention to the picturesque view of the valley leading south towards Mhadravata, known in Vietnamese as Răng Mèo (Cat’s Tooth) Mountain. Standing at a height of 730 metres above sea level, Cham leaders interpreted the shape of Mhadravata to resemble a linga and the surrounding valleys its corresponding yoni. This balance between the two great life forces, according to the Cham, made this land suitable for building a sacred temple complex.
Cham Folk Art Performance:
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Besides the temples, there are also Cham performances held four times a day at 9:45, 10:45, 14:00 and 15:30. Each performance lasts around 15 minutes. The first performance of the day is held in front of temple group G and the other three at the Folk Art Performance Hall. I attended the 9:45 show, which consisted of five dancers and nine musicians, all dressed in traditional Cham clothes and playing various instruments. Although there was no seating, I found the performance by the temples to be atmospheric, visually pleasing and with only a small crowd. Contrastingly, the shows at the Performance Centre include a stage, rows of chairs and often a big, noisy audience. If you prefer a more intimate performance, try to watch the 9:45 show outside temple group G. Check the times and locations of the performances at the ticket office in case of any changes.
Museum & Exhibition:
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The Mỹ Sơn Gallery is situated behind the main entrance gate and is open throughout the day. It is split into two sections: the museum and the temporary exhibition. The museum contains information detailing the history and culture of the Cham people. There is also some information on the decorative features and geographical location of the temples. The temporary exhibition on show during my visit detailed excavation, conservation and renovation processes throughout Mỹ Sơn’s recent history. Visitors without a guide may want to head to the museum first for a better understanding of the site before entering the temple complex.
*Disclosure: Vietnam Coracle content is always free and independent. Luke has written this guide because he wants to: he likes these temples and he wants readers to know about them. For more details, see the Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
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Thank you for your article, dear Tom.
As a Vietnamese American who was born and grew up in Phan-Rang/Thap-Cham Viet Nam, I am appreciated your writing on Cham Towers in My-Son very much.
Again, thank you.
Le Duca
Hi Le Duca,
Thank you for your kind words. I am happy to hear you enjoy my website.
Best,
Tom