Hoi An and My Son for Photographers: Dawn and Lanterns
Four days timed to the light, with rest built in for the early starts.
A photography trip to Hoi An and My Son comes down to timing. You need the site’s opening time for My Son, sunset for the old town and clear weather for the beach. This four day plan lines them up and keeps rest between the early mornings.
Who is this itinerary for?
It suits photographers and slow couples who care more about light than about ticking off places. If you are choosing a wider region first, see North Vietnam photography regions for a comparison. For a gentler pace, read the Hoi An and Cham Islands slow-couples itinerary.
Fly into Da Nang. It is listed with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air1. Hoi An lies some 28 km south of Da Nang2, so you can base yourself there.
The route at a glance
- Day 1: arrive, then the old town at blue hour.
- Day 2: My Son in the early morning, rest, soft afternoon.
- Day 3: An Bang beach at dawn, rest, lanterns in the evening.
- Day 4: a spare light window, then your flight home.
What does each day look like?
Day 1: arrive and the old town at blue hour
Land, check in, and rest. Check the sunset time for your date on a weather app. Be at your first position about half an hour before.
Hoi An Ancient Town joined the World Heritage List in 19993. The Japanese bridge is a wooden bridge about 10 m long, built at the start of the 17th century4. Shoot it from the bank as the lanterns come on, then walk the lanes while the sky holds colour.
Day 2: My Son at first light
My Son is about 68 km southwest of Da Nang city centre and 36 km south of Hoi An5. The site was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 19996. Its Shaiva Hindu temples were built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the kings of Champa7.
The site’s entry time decides your first frame, not sunrise. Confirm it with the site or your guide, and leave early so you are at the gate when it opens. If it opens after first light, use the soft low sun of the early morning.
Come back to the hotel and sleep. Do not plan a second major shoot until late afternoon. Read My Son Sanctuary before you go.
Day 3: An Bang beach, then the lanterns
Go to An Bang beach for dawn if the forecast is clear. Look for fishing boats, long low light and empty sand. Rest in the afternoon.
In the evening, return to the old town for the lantern hour. Your first night was for blue hour. This night is for people, reflections on the river and the busiest lanes, so arrive early to find a spot.
Day 4: a spare light window
Keep one flexible slot. If a dawn was cloudy, repeat it. If not, sleep late, take a slow coffee and make a calm trip to the airport.
Where should you stay?
Stay in Hoi An for the old town and dawn starts. Choose the old town edge for evening access, or toward the beach for quiet and An Bang. Read the Hoi An guide to decide. A Da Nang base gives you easier airport access but longer drives for dawn starts.
When is the light best?
Weather decides more than the calendar. Da Nang’s wet and typhoon season runs from September to December and the dry season from January to August8. On the central coast the rainy season starts around August to September and peaks in October to November9.
The drier months give you more clear dawns. In the wet months, keep a spare day and read the rainy-day plan. See the weather by region data for month by month detail.
How can you adjust it?
For a shorter trip, drop Day 4 and keep your spare light window on Day 3. For a slower trip, add a second beach morning. If you want an island, the Cham Islands are a day trip or stay from Hoi An.
What should you book ahead?
- A driver for the My Son morning, with an early pickup confirmed.
- Your Hoi An stay, especially near festival dates.
- A weather-sealed bag and spare batteries.
- A flexible final day.
What will it cost?
Price flights, three nights, the My Son transfer, entry tickets and meals as separate lines. Rates change by season, so use the trip budget builder. Check each day in the travel-day checker, and compare bases in the Da Nang guide.
Tell us your travel dates and what you most want to shoot, and we can check the sunrise and sunset times against your plan and suggest the best nights for the old town.
Common questions
Can we really photograph My Son at sunrise?
It depends on the opening time, which can be later than first light. Confirm the entry time with the site or your guide before you commit. If gates open after sunrise, plan for the soft early-morning light instead. Cloud and mist can change the result, so give yourself a second chance.
What is blue hour and when is it in Hoi An?
Blue hour is the short window just after sunset, when the sky turns deep blue before full dark. Check the sunset time for your date on a weather app, and be in position about half an hour before it. The lanterns come on as the light fades.
Is a tripod allowed?
Rules differ between sites and can change. Ask at the entrance, and check with your guide before you carry one up. A small, lightweight tripod is easier in crowded lanes. Be considerate near other visitors.
How many days do we need?
Four days suit this plan: one for the old town, one for My Son, one for the beach and a spare for weather. A three day version works if you drop the buffer, but a cloudy dawn then costs you the shot.
What about the wet season?
Da Nang lists September to December as its wet and typhoon season. Cloud and rain can blank out sunrise and make roads slow. Keep at least one flexible day, protect your gear, and read the rainy-day plan.
Sources
- Da Nang to Kuala Lumpur International is listed as served by AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air. Wikipedia
- Hoi An lies some 28 km south of Da Nang. Wikipedia
- Hoi An Ancient Town was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999. Wikipedia
- Hoi An's Japanese bridge is a wooden bridge about 10 m long built at the start of the 17th century. Wikipedia
- My Son is about 68 km southwest of Da Nang city centre and 36 km south of Hoi An. Wikipedia
- My Son Sanctuary was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1999. Wikipedia
- My Son's Shaiva Hindu temples were built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the kings of Champa. Wikipedia
- Da Nang's wet and typhoon season runs from September to December and the dry season from January to August. Wikipedia
- On the North Central and South Central coast the rainy season starts August to September and peaks October to November. Wikipedia
Keep planning
Tell us your travel dates and what you most want to shoot, and we can check the sunrise and sunset times against your plan and suggest the best nights for the old town.