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The brick temples of Groups B, C and D at Mỹ Sơn

352 · Further Horizons

Mỹ Sơn

Brick temples in a green valley preserve an important part of the religious and architectural history of Champa.

PhotographChainwit. · CC BY 4.0

Summary

Mỹ Sơn is a group of Hindu temple remains in central Vietnam, associated with the civilisation of Champa. Brick sanctuaries and surviving decorative work occupy a green valley enclosed by hills.

Its importance is the architectural tradition it preserves. The brick forms and religious imagery reveal a major regional history beyond the better-known monuments of neighbouring kingdoms.

301–400 · Further Horizons

The essentials

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Allow time

1 day as an initial allowance, excluding approach travel

Choose a base

Hội An or Đà Nẵng

Getting there

Make a road excursion inland from Hội An or Đà Nẵng to Mỹ Sơn. Arrange a return driver or an organised excursion that leaves enough time in the sanctuary.

Plan ahead

Check sanctuary admission and performance times. Choose a guide who explains the Cham buildings and conservation work, and confirm what your excursion includes.

Practical notes updated 30 September 2026. Visitor information and sources

Vietnam · History
Country guidesVietnam
Open my 100Record a visit

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Interpretation should address damage and conservation as well as the original sanctuary.

Overview of Group A, Mỹ Sơn sanctuary ruins, Vietnam
Overview of Group A, Mỹ Sơn sanctuary ruins, VietnamPhoto: Tycho · CC BY 3.0

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

Mỹ Sơn is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Shaiva Hindu temples in central Vietnam, constructed between the 4th and the 13th century by the Kings of Champa, an Indianized kingdom of the Cham people. The temples are dedicated to the veneration of God in accordance with Shaivism, wherein God is named Shiva, or The Auspicious One. In this particular complex, he is venerated under various local names, the most important of which is Bhadreshvara. Mỹ Sơn is located in the commune of Thu Bồn, in Da Nang city in Central Vietnam, 68 km southwest of the city centre, 36 km south of Hội An and approximately 10 km from the historic Champa capital of Trà Kiệu.

Abridged background from Mỹ Sơn, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

Temple E7 at Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary Kalan E7Photo: Chainwit. · CC BY 4.0
A carved depiction of a Cham temple tower at Mỹ Sơn
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary Kalan E7Photo: Chainwit. · CC BY 4.0

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Physical demands
Outdoor paths between dispersed temple groups, uneven ground and humid heat.
The consequential detail
Interpretation should address damage and conservation as well as the original sanctuary.
Add to my travel workbenchResearch access requirements

Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Vietnam.

A place in the world
Mỹ Sơn location mapMỹ Sơn location map

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Map: Natural Earth
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In pictures.

Mỹ Sơn’s brick sanctuaries stand within the green valley of the former Cham religious centre.

The brick temples of Groups B, C and D at Mỹ SơnPhoto: Chainwit., CC BY 4.0
Temple E7 at Mỹ Sơn SanctuaryPhoto: Chainwit., CC BY 4.0
Overview of Group A, Mỹ Sơn sanctuary ruins, VietnamPhoto: Tycho, CC BY 3.0
A carved depiction of a Cham temple tower at Mỹ SơnPhoto: DoktorMax, Public domain
The brick temples of Mỹ Sơn SanctuaryPhoto: JL Cogburn, CC BY-SA 2.0
A view of the temple ruins at Mỹ SơnPhoto: JL Cogburn, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

Explore more places in the same country.

The Museum of Trade Ceramics in Hội An

183 · Vietnam

Hội An

A trading town whose details are best discovered on foot.

The Meridian Gate at Huế’s Imperial City

347 · Vietnam

Huế

An imperial city, river setting and royal tombs provide an extended encounter with the Nguyen dynasty's architecture and ideas.

Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Understand · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

UNESCO World Heritage property record

Read the named property’s significance, maps, components and conservation documents. The World Heritage boundary may cover only part of this guide’s wider destination.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Read · Wikipedia

Mỹ Sơn: background reading

Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.

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Visit · Wikivoyage

Find travel information for Mỹ Sơn

A clearly labelled search of the community travel guide; check the page’s coverage and the age of practical details.

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Books · WorldCat

Find books about Mỹ Sơn

Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.

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Photography · Wikimedia Commons

Find photographs of Mỹ Sơn

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Maps · OpenStreetMap

Explore the local map

Inspect the surrounding area.

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Visitor information behind these practical notes