Visit to My Son Sanctuary, Champa ruins near Hoi An and Da Nang

29 September 2017

I thought a visit to Hoi An would not be complete without a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage cultural site of Mỹ Sơn. My Son Sanctuary was once the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom who ruled Central Vietnam from 4^th to 15^th century. 

The complex would have comprised about 70 structures (mainly Hindu temples and towers) built by Cham Kings for the worship of Hindu gods, in particular Shiva, and also to commemorate important events during their reigns. Although it is smaller in scale compared to the world famous Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, the My Son temple complex would be interesting for me since I had not been to Angkor Wat.

The Champa people were masters in the art of building with bricks. Many buildings were built using bricks that were laid so close together and secured without use of mortar. The buildings in their heydays would include fine sculptures and carvings on the brickworks and stones, with images of gods, deities, priests, dances, plants, animals and sacrifices.

However, many were destroyed and many others were badly damaged by bombings during Vietnam War. So, only about 20 structures were left, some partially and painstakingly restored over the last 17 years.

This UNESCO World Heritage site is a popular tourist destination for visitors to Da Nang and Hoi An. It is located 40 km southwest of Hoi An and 70 km southwest of downtown Da Nang. A visit can be done as a short side trip from either place.

We went early in the morning when it is much cooler and there would be less people at the site. We signed up for the Sunrise My Son Tour with Tommy Dao Tours.

We were picked up promptly from our hotel at 5 AM in the morning by our guide Ken and a driver.  Ken is 71 years old. A Vietnam War veteran who fought alongside the US troops against the Viet Cong, he survived many years of hardship in prison after the war and had plenty of war stories to share with us as we travelled in the dark towards My Son.

Although the name of the tour is called My Son Sunrise Tour, we were not expecting to see any sunrise at the My Son site since the site opens at 6 AM. By then, the sun would already be up.

The only little sunrise we saw was on our way to My Son, from our air-conditioned van.

“Sun-rise” as seen on our way to My Son.

This day was the 10th day of the lunar month and we could see cloud formations in the east. According to local wisdom from our guide, Ken, 2 big peaks and 2 small peaks in the cloud formation means there would be 2 big floods and 2 small floods in Hoi An later this year. Hoi An is known for the yearly floods during the months of October and November. So, his prophecy may come true.

After note: There was indeed floods in Hoi An later in 2017. But I am not sure if it was 2 big and 2 small floods. 

We arrived at My Son at 6 AM, just in time for the opening. In addition to our group, there was only one other small group waiting to enter the site.

Entrance fee to My Son cost 150,000 VND per person and was included in the cost of our tour. The fees include tram rides from the entrance to the actual site of the ruins, about 2 km from the entrance.

Early morning is the best time to visit My Son.

We took the first tram to the site and I was glad we came in the early morning. The place was practically empty of people. There was a stray dog who was pleased to see us and accompanied us for a short while. Mist was still on the ground and it added to the overall atmosphere of visiting an ancient ruin site.

Map showing the layout of the My Son site.

Overall, the structures in My Son were clustered in small groups, simply named using the English alphabets. A short walk from the tram stop is needed to get to the first cluster of buildings. Ken reminded us to stay on the well-trodden path and not stray too far into the undergrowth as there may be still stray landmines.

It is easy to remember that this was once a war zone during the Vietnam War. Craters created by the huge aerial bombs could be seen, in addition to destroyed and damaged ancient buildings. My Son was used as a base by the North Vietnamese fighting against the South Vietnamese and US forces. Hence, it suffered a lot of bombings during the war.

Bomb craters on the left and right of a destroyed structure.

Ken brought us to the first clusters, Group B, C and D. He walked at a brisk pace, despite his age, and we had to struggle a little to keep up!

First glimpse of the My Son ruins.

Our guide Ken, a stray dog and us at the site. The deep impression on the ground next to Ken is a bomb crater.

Ken told us about the construction technique used by the builders. Bricks were laid closely and held together without the use of mortar.

To this day, archaeologists were still unsure how the bricks were fused together. One theory was after bricks were laid, fire was used to burn the bricks to fuse them together. However, the presence of limestone door frame near the walls debunks that theory since the limestone cannot withstand fire.

Visits to ancient sites and ruins almost always invoke the feelings of awe and mystery in me. I get similar feelings when I visited ancient sites like Stonehenge in England (see post of my Stonehenge visit here).

Who are the people who built these structures?

What were they used for?

Why invest so much effort and resources and what was their significance to their lives?

Apparently, most of the structures were used for Hindu religious worship.  There are figures and symbols of Hindu gods and goddesses e.g. Shiva, Shakti, Krishna, Vishnu, most of which I am not familiar with.

Ken led us into some of the structures and provided details about the Hindu religious practices of the Champa people.

Left: A temple at My Son. Right: Inside the temple. Part of a yoni stone could be seen in the foreground. In Sanskrit, yoni means vulva, source or origin.

Sanskrit writing on a stele.

Ken showed us a linga stone, on top of a yoni. The yoni is the creative power of nature and represents the goddess Shakti. The lingam stone represents Shiva, and is usually placed on the yoni.

The linga and yoni stones. It is believed that if you rub the top of the linga stone, your wish would come true. The top of this linga stone is smooth from many such rubs.

Another fertility stone.

It was good to see that restoration works are being carried out on some of the ancient buildings still standing.

I wonder how this pile of rubble is going to be restored. Challenging indeed.

More fertility symbols around an altar.

One of the partially restored temple.

Entering one of the partially restored temple.

Inside view of one of the towers.

A mix of old and newly restored (lighter coloured) bricks on a restored building.

We spent slightly over an hour exploring the ruins before taking the tram back to the entrance. There is a small museum near the entrance which was worth a visit before travelling back to Hoi An.

On the hour long journey back to Hoi An, Ken continued his stories about his experiences during and after the Vietnam War. We arrived back to Tea Garden Homestay, our hotel in Hoi An, at about 9 AM. Since we missed the breakfast provided by our hotel, we took a short walk to Madam Khanh, the Banh Mi Queen to try one of the best banh mi in town. 

For me who had not been to the famous Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, I find the few hours spent visiting the My Son ruins quite interesting and worthwhile. 

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What and where to eat while in Hoi An

1. The bánh mì.

Definitely a “must eat” in Hoi An is the banh mi. The banh mi is the Vietnamese word for bread or more specifically the baguette that was introduced by the French during the colonial period in Vietnam. But the banh mi is more than just a baguette. In Hoi An, the Vietnamese had added local delicacies in between the sliced halves of the bread and made it into a super delicious meal. And it cost only 20,000 VND, less than 1 USD!

We went to try two of the best banh mi shops in Hoi An. The first shop was the Banh Mi Phuong, proclaimed as the “best Vietnamese banh mi sandwich in the world” by Anthony Bourdain, the American chef, author, and television personality. Surprisingly, Banh Mi Phuong is not a big, posh restaurant as you may expect but a small, nondescript shop by the road (address: 2B Phan Chu Trinh Street) instead.

Shop front of Banh Mi Phuong.

About half a dozen ladies were busy preparing the food behind the long food stand, laden with ingredients. Almost like a production line. A small sign overhead showed that this shop is opened from 6.30 AM to 9.30 PM.

The menu is posted on an overhead signboard like those in a Western fast food restaurant, indicating plenty of options for the  sandwich fillings. Ordering by number helps overcome the language barrier. We ordered item No 9 (bread with pork, ham and pate). Our banh mi came with pork, egg, tomato, green vegetables and a slice of fatty pork belly.

Most people ordered the food for take away but there are a couple of tables inside the relatively dark shop. There is a short queue even at this time of day (4 PM) and we managed to find a place to sit inside the shop.

It was interesting to find that our table has hundreds of small passport-sized photos below the glass top. Apparently, it is a trendy thing for visitors to place one’s photo under the glass. We enjoyed our delicious banh mi with cold local beer, while looking at the photos of people from all over the world. 

Banh Mi at the Banh Mi Phuong shop with the “passport picture table” in the background.

The second banh mi shop that we like is the Madam Khanh, also known as the Banh Mi Queen. This shop is located at 115 Tran Cao Van Street, within walking distance from our hotel in Hoi An (Tea Garden Homestay), so we had banh mi for breakfast at this shop after our sunrise morning tour to My Son Sanctuary.

We were one of the first customers that morning and an elderly lady was operating the stall. She is none other than Madam Khanh herself.

We were among the first customer at Madam Khanh’s shop on this day. The Banh Mi Queen (Madam Khanh) is the lady in the background.

Unlike the Banh Mi Phuong shop, this shop is much brighter inside. There were only three items in the food menu.

Spicy banh mi prepared by Madam Khanh, the Banh Mi Queen in Hoi An.

We ordered the spicy banh mi, with vegetable, pork, ham, egg, pate, papaya and cucumber.  This banh mi is just as good, if not better, than one we had at Banh Mi Phuong. The bread is crispy and yet soft on the inside.

For drinks, the hot Lipton tea with ginger is strong, thick and spicy. Perfect drink to go with the sandwich.

 

2. Cao Lau

Another food that is a “must try” in Hoi An is the Cao Lau, a noodle that can only be made in Hoi An.

Why?

The secret lies in the water. Authentic cao lau is prepared only with water drawn from ancient Cham wells hidden around Hoi An. Some even claim that the water used to prepare the noodle’s dough must be drawn from the town’s Ba Le well, famed for its purity. The noodles for the Cao Lau are pre-soaked in well water and lye made from wood ash brought from one of the eight Cham Islands near Hoi An. The result is noodles with a special flavour, firmer and more chewy. 

In search of the famed Ba Le well in the small town of Hoi An.

Hoi An’s Ba Le well.

Would you believe that the water used to prepare the Cao Lau noodle’s dough must be drawn from ancient Chan wells, such as the town’s Ba Le well?

Cao Lau is sold almost everywhere in Hoi An, ranging from roadside stalls, riverside stalls, stalls in the Central Market, cafes and bigger restaurants. The price varies from 20,000 VND at a roadside stall to 60,000 VND a bowl inside an established restaurant.

We ate our Cao Lau at the Miss Ly Cafe, a restaurant serving authentic Vietnamese specialities for more than 20 years. The Cao Lau came with the chewy, slightly brownish noodles, topped with tasty and smoky pork slices, fresh crisp herbs like mint, lettuce, crispy deep fried pork rind and crunchy bean sprouts. The noodles are served with very little broth.

The ingredient that made this dish so special at this restaurant is the crispy pork rind. It was like the flavourful, crispy pork skin you get from a suckling pig in a posh Chinese restaurant, but without the fats underneath. 

Cao Lau at the Miss Ly Cafe in Hoi An at 60,000 VND a bowl. So good that you may want to go for a second bowl.

3. White Rose dumplings

We also ordered the other Hoi An specialties at the Miss Ly Cafe, namely the White Rose dumplings and the Crispy Fried Wonton.

White Rose dumplings, on a sauce of light vinegar, at the Miss Ly Cafe. A plate like this cost 60,000 VND.

The white roses dumplings are made from translucent white dough which is filled with spiced minced shrimp, and bunched up to look like little white roses. Known locally as the Banh Bao Vac, the name ‘white rose’ was apparently given by the French. There is only one family in Hoi An that produces these dumplings using the original secret recipe and distributes them to all the local eateries in Hoi An.

If time permits or you want to eat from the source, the family that produces the white rose operates the White Rose Restaurant at 533 Hai Ba Trung Street.

 

Crispy Fried Wontons topped with small chunks of shrimps, pork, fresh tomatoes, greens and herbs at the Miss Ly Cafe. This plate cost 100,000 VND.

We actually prefer the crispy fried wontons to the white rose dumplings. The crispy deep fried wontons topped with small chunks of shrimps, pork, fresh tomatoes, greens and herbs is a “must try” dish at this restaurant.

Overall, we enjoyed the food and dining experience at Miss Ly Cafe. This restaurant accepts cash payment only. Address: 22 Nguyen Hue Street.

 

4. Xi Ma – black sesame sweet pudding

One of the street food we tried in Hoi An is the Xi Ma, a dessert made with ground black sesame seeds, sugar and local well water. We went in search of this stall, based on raving reviews from other visitors to Hoi An. It was well worth the little effort to go find this stall.

Looks can be deceiving. This bowl of thick black liquid does not look appetising. I went for a second bowl after finishing the first bowl.

This lady vendor is the daughter of the man who created the secret recipe for this delicious dessert.

The Xi Ma stall is located on Nguyen Truong To Street, about 50 meters away from the crossroad of Nguyen Truong To Street and Ly Thuong Kiet Street (near to Hoi An Centre for Orphans and Disabled Children). This stall has been operating for over 70 years using a secret family recipe.

 

5. Iced Vietnamese Coffee at Faifo Coffee

Iced coffee is a staple in tropical Vietnam and we had many coffee breaks while exploring Hoi An.

The best place for the iced Vietnamese coffee that comes with a unique bird’s eye view of Hoi An old town is the Faifo Coffee. It is located at 130 Tran Phu, not to be confused with Faifoo Cafe, a few doors away on the same street. 

Faifo Coffee serves a wide variety of coffee and also sells its own coffee beans and powder. In addition to the nice coffee served, many people come here for the photo opportunities at the roof top.

The best place for a unique bird’s eye view of the Hoi An old town is the Faifo Coffee.

 

The best time to come is just before sunset. Head straight to the roof top terrace, enjoy watching the sun set while sipping delicious coffee, snap plenty of photos and stay till the lights in the streets below are lit.

Unique bird’s eye view of the Hoi An old town from the roof top of the Faifo Coffee.

6. Vietnamese cuisine at Morning Glory Restaurant

I am not recommending that you try the most commonly eaten vegetable in Vietnam but rather, I am recommending the Morning Glory Restaurant, a restaurant that all visitors to Hoi An should try. Operated by Ms Vy who also runs a cooking school, this restaurant offers gourmet Vietnamese dining experience within the ancient town. The menu is extensive, prices are slightly higher than what you could expect in Hoi An but the food is value for money. The food is so good that we went there twice for dinner during our 4 days stay.

Dinner at Morning Glory Restaurant – Deep fried fish (tilapia) with mango salad and sauce and sauteed prawns served in a coconut. I normally dislike tilapia for its muddy taste but this fried tilapia was different.

Second dinner at Morning Glory – Beef Stew served with noodles and baguette and Curry Duck with potatoes.

Reservation is recommended but we managed to get a table pretty fast on the two nights we ate there. September is not the peak season.

The Morning Glory Restaurant at Hoi An.

The Morning Glory restaurant is located right in the middle of  Hoi An Ancient town at 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. There are chairs placed outside, ready for the queuing customers. An indication of the restaurant’s popularity.

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Enjoying UNESCO World Heritage Hoi An in the evening

We found that the best time to explore Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage old town is in the evening period, just before sun set.

The weather in September at Hoi An is warm and very humid. Although the temperature may show as about 32 degrees C, it felt more like 40 degrees C during the day when we visited. It was good that we stayed in a guesthouse near to the old town. When the weather got too warm or we just felt tired, we walked back to the Tea Garden Homestay for a little rest before coming out again in the evening.

As the day gets cooler, the town comes alive as the locals and tourists come out to play and flocked to the riverside. The ancient town and Thu Bon river side area is even more beautiful at night when the lanterns are lit.

Hoi An is famous for its hand-made lanterns, which adorn all the main streets in the Ancient Town.

Colourful flowers also adorned the streets of Hoi An’s ancient town.

We stayed 4 nights in Hoi An and we spent each night around the river-side area. There are plenty of photo opportunities in the historic old town of Hoi An. The best times for photography are during the hour just before and just after sunset. 

Here are some of the best things to do in Hoi An during the evenings and nights.

Enjoy the views of the river and take boat rides on the river in the evening

River is full of boats giving rides to tourists in the evening.

A popular activity for couples and families is a boat ride on the Thu Bon river during the evening. There are many vendors canvassing for business by the banks on the river. The boat ride may include the releasing of floating candles on lotus flower shaped cardboard holders down the river. 

Many old women are making a living selling fruits, food and floating candles around the Hoi An riverside.

Vendors also sell floating candles to tourists who could release them from the banks of the river using long poles with a plastic carrier.

You are to make a wish before releasing the floating candles and the wish should come true.

My wish was to stop polluting the earth, so we forego this activity. Hope my wish would still come true.

Visit the Night Market

The night market is located across the crowded bridge over the river.  

Crowded bridge across the river in Hoi An.

The night market is easy to find. Right at the entrance to the night market, there are many different stores selling lanterns. Crowds gathered here to snap photos of the incredibly beautiful lanterns. On most nights, we could see local couples getting their wedding photos taken with these lanterns, with the blessings of the store keepers.

Beautiful handmade paper lanterns for sale in Hoi An.

Although it is not immediately obvious, the night market is actually on an island and the 300-meter street runs from the river to the other end of the island. There are many roadside stalls on both sides of this street offering local street food, handicrafts, souvenirs, clothing and accessories for mobile phones, humans and home.

Like most nights markets in South East Asia, bargaining skills are needed to secure a reasonable good deal where both the seller and buyer are happy with the transaction.

We stopped by a craft stall to observe a young girl write words (such as names) on tiny grains of rice. The tiny grain, with engraved name, is then inserted into small glass trinket that could be made into a necklace or bracelet. Three of my young nieces would be receiving these as gifts after my trip.

Go eat, shop and drink - check out the stores in the old town

There are many stores (not roadside stalls) that sell higher quality goods and clothing.  Most of these stores are also opened at night.

Shopping in Hoi An ancient town.

Intersperse with these stores are cafes, restaurants and pubs that made ideal pit stops on a night out.

Massage and Spa

The spa by the riverside where we did our leg and foot massage.

An hour of leg and feet massage was especially good after a day of exploring Hoi An on foot. There are many such spas offering massage services around town at reasonable prices.

Enjoy dinner at a restaurant by the river

On one of the cooler nights, after a day of rain, we decided to have dinner in one of the restaurants by the river.  Reservations are recommended. We went to a few restaurants without prior reservations and could not get a table with views of the river.

We managed to get a table by the river at the Copper Pot Restaurant & Bar.  We were quite impressed with the delicious food and good service. 

Our happy hour cocktails, followed by delicious main courses of Vietnamese food and plenty of people watching.

Mango on Sticky Rice is my favourite Thai dessert. This is deliciously done in Vietnam as well, with roasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

A happy hour cocktail, followed by delicious main course, dessert and plenty of people watching was a good way to spend the evening.

Alternatively, have dinner at the Morning Glory Restaurant. This is one of the best restaurants in Hoi An. The food is so good that we had dinner there twice during our four days at Hoi An. 

Enjoy the local events and festivals

Giant lanterns in the forms of animals are displayed along the banks of the river in Hoi An.

Festivals take place in Hoi An according to the lunar calendar. The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on 1 to 4th October (on the 15th day of the 8th Month in the Lunar Calendar). Since we visited Hoi An in late September, we were a little early. Despite that, we managed to witness some of the celebrations which started early. Groups of children went around the old town, performing lion dances. The sound of drum beats and sounds of excited children filled the air.  There were a few dance troupes performing or practising on the streets.

One of the group of kids performing lion dances outside the Copper Pot Restaurant where we had our dinner.

This young lion dancer is perched on top a pole. I was pleasantly surprised when it started spewing sparklers from its mouth.

The “lion” would also go into shops, start dancing as a blessing of luck and fortune. Some shop keepers will reward the lion dancers with red packets filled with money for good luck.

Enjoy the sights of the lanterns-lit ancient town

It would be even more dramatic for visitors during the Full Moon Festival, held on the 15th day of the every lunar month. On this night, the town switches off all electricity, to be lit up only by multi-coloured paper lanterns and flickering candles.

You don’t have to visit during a festival to enjoy the beautiful sights of the lantern-lit streets and alleys of the old town.

One of Vietnam's most iconic attractions, Hoi An's Japanese covered bridge which dates back to the 18th century. Lit at night, it is a beautiful historical piece of Japanese architecture.

The streets of the ancient town are perfect for walking. No motorised vehicles are permitted. It could get pretty crowded with foot traffic and the occasional cyclos and bicycles.

Further away from the central and night market area, one could enjoy the slightly quieter side of Hoi An in the evening, without the hordes of tourists.

Quieter part of Hoi An ancient town at night.

River boats at the pier next to the Central Market at night.

For personal safety, we did not wander too far away from the touristy area at night.

We spent 4 nights exploring the lantern-lit streets, eateries, night market and stores in this old town. And each night, we enjoyed something that is different in this quaint old town.

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