Bucket List: Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary

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Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary,  Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam

I have always been fascinated with archeological sites, probably inspired by the Indiana Jones movie series and Tomb Raider media franchise.

Visiting the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary in April 2025 was indeed a travel bucket list item for me. While this was a very short trip that lasted for just a couple of hours, it was a good introductory visit to the site for me. I joined an organised tour to the site and the information from the guide for our group was really very informative, especially for first time visitors like myself.

Another archaeological site visited, another travel bucket list item fulfilled.

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On my cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong in April 2025, the ship had a Port Day at Vietnam's Chân Mây. Taking opportunity of the day long port visit, I took a land excursion to Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, ancient Hindu Temples built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the Champa Kingdom can be found. Some of the structures are now crumbling and in ruins as time progresses. Nevertheless, they stood as a testament to a civilisation's rich culture and history that spans several centuries.

I was glad I joined an organised tour for this visit because getting to the site from Chân Mây Port was an expedition in. itself. While I cannot remember exactly how long the bus journey took, but I could still recall the bus travelling through long distances, over dirt tracks and of course, passing by many scenic locations as well as a rather long tunnel that has been carved through a rather large hill.

The weather on the day of any visit was really warm and humid and I almost suffered a heat stroke. Slowing down and drinking lots of water help to avert a personal health crisis! And that is for someone like myself who has lived my entire life in sunny tropical and humid Singapore!

Overall, my trip lasted only a couple of hours because of the need to get back to port to re-board the cruise ship after factoring the travel time to and from the port and the site. So, a full day trip, but only a couple of hours at the site. I was not complaining though because I had expected all these before I actually booked the tour. A good introductory visit to Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary for me and certainly a travel bucket list item checked off.

I shall be back one day in the future. 

Ancient Hindu Temple of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th to 13th centuries, Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam (2025)

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