The best way to My Son
 

My wife and I will be in Hoi An for about 4 days, and were planning on going to My Son for part of a day. Of those who have been there, do you think we should get a guide to take us and to show us the best spots, or can we just hire a taxi in Hoi An to take us there and back?

The easiest way is to take a bus tour--your hotel in Hoi An can arrange it instantly. When I was there (some years ago) you had to switch to jeeps or minibuses for the last part, which jumbled up the groups and I used this to attach myself to a better guide. No one seemed to care. Be aware that the place is an almost total ruin. The Cham sites at Po Klong Garai (on the way/detour between Dalat and Nha Trang) and Po Ngar Cham (in Nha Trang) are in much better shape.

But if you want to beat the tour groups, or arrive after they have left, you are better off hiring a taxi. I did not find a guide necessary, but I had already visited the excellent museum in Danang.

We visited my son a couple of days ago. Group tours were leaving at 8-9 and returning at 2-3 and costing $5-8. We opted for a private car via our hotel leaving a little earlier to avoid the crowds and the heat. We also stopped at a church on the return. The cost was 750k Dong, $33. We left at 07.30 and were back by 12.30 and saw relatively few other people at the site, at least until we were leaving.

The site is relatively small and only takes an hour or so to explore. Some sympathetic restoration has happened over the years and the site is et in a pleasant wooded valley.

You do have the option on some tours of returning to Hoi An by boat for the last part of the journey.

Agree with Thursdaysd, a guide is unnecessary. All the info is online or in a guidebook.

Thanks everyone. I will plan on hiring a car to take us directly, and will make sure to leave early to avoid the tours!

Thursday has it right. I hired a taxi and went out myself early, starting around 7:45am from the old town Hoi An.

When I got there, I had the little park bus/giant golf cart thing to myself from the car park to the visitors centre. I went left to head around the walking loop and saw very few people. Quiet enough I could hear lizards in the grass along the path and I had the first sites all to myself, other than maintenance people.

About an hour after I arrived, I made it to the main structures just as a few other independents were arriving from the other direction. Still very easy to see everything at my own pace. As I was leaving the main complex, big chatty groups of people were coming in waves up the path going the other way. I was very glad I did it the way I did. It's not Angkor by any stretch of the imagination, but they've made it a comfortable place to visit.. a shady, even walk. And if you time it right, it's a peaceful, interesting visit.