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Our Tip
Hoi An Ancient Town Experience
Discover the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage town with lantern making and culinary delights.
4 days
View
$649
Temple towers rising from jungle. Built between the 4th and 12th centuries.
Trip duration: 8 hours
My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An: Champa Ruins, Cham Dance, River Boat and Kim Bong
Trip duration: 8 hours
Hidden in a jungle valley 50 km from Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary is a collection of Hindu temple towers built between the 4th and 12th centuries as the spiritual centre of the Champa Kingdom — a civilisation that once dominated central Vietnam and left behind an architectural legacy unlike anything else in Southeast Asia. UNESCO listed it in 1999. The setting alone, ancient red-brick towers rising from dense tropical forest, makes it worth the journey.
This full day pairs My Son with two stops most visitors skip. Tra Kieu, the former administrative capital of Champa, comes first — a site that gives the ruins at My Son historical context they're harder to read without it. Then the sanctuary itself, including a live Cham traditional dance performance before the walking tour through the temple groups. In the afternoon a boat on the Thu Bon River carries you to Kim Bong Carpentry Village, where the woodworking craft that shaped Hoi An's old town is still actively practised.
Hotel pick-up, AC vehicle, guide, Cham dance, boat trip, lunch, and all entrance fees: all in.
Guided tour central-vietnam hoi-an my-son cultural history day-trip champa unesco
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What you'll experience
🏯
My Son temple ruins
Hindu temple towers built from the 4th to 12th centuries, UNESCO-listed since 1999 — the best-preserved Cham architecture in Vietnam.
💃
Cham traditional dance
A live performance of Cham classical dance at the sanctuary — the cultural tradition that the temples were built to honour.
🏛️
Tra Kieu Ancient Capital
The former administrative centre of the Champa Kingdom, a short stop before My Son that puts the ruins in political and historical context.
⛵
Thu Bon River boat trip
An afternoon boat ride from My Son along the Thu Bon River toward Hoi An — the same waterway the Cham and later the Hoi An merchants used for centuries.
🪵
Kim Bong Carpentry Village
The village on the Thu Bon that supplied the skilled woodworkers who built Hoi An's ancient town houses — the craft is still practised here today.
🍽️
Local restaurant lunch
A Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant en route — included in the price.
What to expect
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Hotel pick-up in Hoi An, drive toward My Son
Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel at around 08:00. The drive southwest to My Son takes about an hour.
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Tra Kieu Ancient Capital: the Champa administrative centre
A stop at the former capital of the Champa Kingdom before reaching the sanctuary. Your guide explains the political geography of Champa — where Tra Kieu governed, My Son prayed.
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My Son Sanctuary: Cham dance performance and walking tour
A live Cham traditional dance performance opens the visit, giving cultural context to the architecture that follows. Your guide then leads you through the temple groups: brick towers, stone carvings, and lingam shrines built across eight centuries of Champa rule.
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Boat along the Thu Bon River toward Kim Bong
Leave the jungle valley by boat on the Thu Bon River — the waterway that connected Champa's sacred sites to its trading ports. The boat ride takes about 30 minutes.
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Kim Bong Carpentry Village: the craft behind Hoi An's old town
The Thu Bon's southern bank holds the village that produced the woodworkers who built Hoi An's ancient town houses. Workshops are still active — your guide shows you the joinery techniques that have kept the old town standing.
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Lunch at a local restaurant, then return to Hoi An
A Vietnamese lunch before the drive back. You're at your hotel by mid-afternoon.
What's included
All essential services for a comfortable and memorable trip.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Hoi An
- Air-conditioned vehicle and driver
- English-speaking guide throughout
- All entrance fees (My Son Sanctuary, Tra Kieu, Kim Bong)
- Cham traditional dance performance at My Son
- Boat trip along the Thu Bon River
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Mineral water
Not included
Items and services that are not part of the package price.
- Additional drinks and beverages
- Tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
My Son is an active archaeological site with uneven ground. Comfortable closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended. The valley is humid — light, breathable clothing and sunscreen advised. Departure is around 08:00 from your hotel; exact time confirmed the day before.
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Why travel with Banh Mi Escape Travel
Trips with English-speaking guide
Our experienced guides speak fluent English and know Vietnam inside out. They share local insights and ensure you have an authentic experience.
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Choose between small group tours with like-minded travelers or customize a private journey just for you and your companions.
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With nearly a decade of experience in Vietnam, we've built trusted relationships and deep local knowledge.
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Every hotel, restaurant, and activity we recommend has been personally tested by our team. We only offer what we love.
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From the moment you land to your departure, every detail is arranged. Just relax and enjoy the journey.
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Weather
Best months to visit this destination
Best
Good
Off-peak
Weather in Hoi An in July
Vietnam can be visited year-round. The north is cooler in winter (January, February), sometimes with snow in the mountains. Autumn (September, October) in central Vietnam can be rainy. The south is warm year-round, with minimal rainfall from March to the end of September except for some islands. Best time to visit: February-June and September-December.
Air temperature
30 °C
Water temperature
27 °C
Frequently asked questions about this trip
A complex of more than 70 Hindu temple towers built by the Champa Kingdom between the 4th and 12th centuries in a jungle valley near Hoi An. It served as the Champa's main religious and royal ceremonial centre. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1999.
A live performance of traditional Cham classical dance, held at the sanctuary's outdoor stage before the walking tour. The dances were originally performed as temple rituals and remain one of the most direct surviving connections to Champa's culture.
A moderate amount — the sanctuary covers a large area and the ground is uneven in places. The total walking at My Son is around 2 to 3 km. The rest of the day involves short walks at Tra Kieu and Kim Bong.
From your hotel in Hoi An at around 08:00. Your guide confirms the exact time and meeting point the evening before.
About 50 km southwest — roughly an hour's drive each way. The road passes through the Quang Nam countryside and improves significantly once you leave the main highway.
February to August for clear skies and dry ground at the site. October and November bring heavy rain to central Vietnam — My Son's jungle setting means the paths can be slippery and some temple groups may be partially flooded.
Closed-toe shoes with good grip for the uneven site paths. Light, breathable clothes — the valley is humid even in the morning. Sunscreen, insect repellent, and a hat. Modest clothing is respectful at the temple site.
Yes, for children old enough to walk the site comfortably — roughly age 6 and up. The Cham dance performance tends to be a highlight for younger visitors. Let us know ages at booking.
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