vietnam travel hoi an

The Official Hoi An Travel Guide (MUST READ)

By the estuary of Thu Bon river, Hoi An is one of the best places to visit in Vietnam. This Vietnamese town is a package for travelers – a pretty town close to the beach, rice fields, wooded hills and islands. As a trading port for many centuries, Hoi An is a melting pot that is also famous for special culinary culture. Food here is delicious. In 2022, it’s listed in the top 20 world’s best cities, by the Travel + Leisure. And before that, so many winning prizes for it as the most attractive destination in central Vietnam by the international press.

This official Hoi An travel guide helps travelers to plan their trip easier. It provides reliable and updated information, recommendations and expert tips. For tours and transfers, texting us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to chat and reserve.

Travelers also visit Da Nang – the sister city of Hoi An, 30 kilometers away and Hue – former Vietnamese capital city, 130 kilometers north of Hoi An. Da Nang has an international airport that is closest to Hoi An. For that reason, travelers anyway will see something there if they plan to visit Hoi An (or return). We highly recommend reading  Da Nang official travel guide  also.

• Hue City Official Travel Guide
• Phong Nha Travel Guide
• Hue Imperial City Travel Guide
• Ba Na Hills Travel Guide

Table of content

• 1 An Introduction about Hoi An
• 2 What is Hoi An Famous for?
• 3.1 Where is Hoi An in Vietnam?
• 3.2 Flights to Hoi An
• 3.3 Car and Taxi
• 3.4 Bus to Hoi An
• 3.5 Motorbike
• 4.1 Walking
• 4.3 Shuttle Bus
• 4.4 Bicycle
• 4.5 Motorcycle
• 4.6 The Best Way to Get Around Hoi An
• 5 Brief History of Hoi An
• 6.1 Monthly Weather in Hoi An
• 6.2 When Are the Best Times to Visit Hoi An?
• 7.1 How Many Days Do You Need in Hoi An?
• 7.2 Areas to Stay in Hoi An
• 8.1 Hoi An Ancient Town World Heritage
• 8.2 Beaches in Hoi An
• 8.3 My Son Sanctuary
• 8.4 The Marble Mountains
• 8.5 The Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills
• 8.6 Hoi An’s Countryside and Villages
• 9.1 Custom Tailors in Hoi An
• 9.2 Basket Boat Ride in Coconut Forest
• 9.3 Go Diving and Snorkeling the Cham Islands
• 9.4 Thu Bon River Cruise on Sunset
• 9.5 Learn How to Cook Vietnamese Foods
• 9.6 Instagrammable Spots in Hoi An
• 10.1 Full Moon Lantern Festival in Hoi An
• 10.2 The Hoi An Night Market
• 10.3 Hoi An Memories Show and Hoi An Impression Theme Park
• 10.4 Lantern Boat Ride on Hoai River
• 11.1 Hoi An Food Specialties
• 11.2 Street Foods in Hoi An
• 11.3 Coffee and Coffee Shops in Hoi An
• 12 Hoi An Shopping: What to Buy in Hoi An?
• 13.1 Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour
• 13.2 Golden Hands Bridge Tour from Hoi An
• 13.3 My Son Sanctuary Tour from Hoi An
• 13.4 Cycling Tours in Hoi An Countryside
• 13.5 Hoi An Food Tours
• 14 Related Posts
• 15 Non Nuoc Beach: The Famous Beach of Da Nang
• 16 How to Get from Da Nang to My Son Sanctuary
• 17 Thieu Tri Tomb: The Peaceful Royal Tomb of Hue
• 18 Bach Ma National Park: Hiking, Trekking in Da Nang and Hoi An
• 19 Hoi An Wet Season: What to Do in Hoi An When It Rains?
• 20 Hue to Da Nang By Train: The Best Train Ride in Vietnam
• 21 Hue Royal Tombs: A Complete Guide and What is Best?
• 22 The Hue Abandoned Water Park (Thuy Tien Lake Waterpark)
• 23 Minh Mang Tomb Complete Visitor Guide
• 24 Tu Duc Tomb Complete Visitor Guide
• 25 Thanh Ha Terracotta Park
• 26 Vinwonders Nam Hoi An Theme Park (formerly Vinpearl Nam Hoi An)
• 27 Am Phu Cave Complete Travel Guide
• 28 Hoi An or Hue: Which is Better?
• 29 Asia Park and Sun Wheel in Da Nang (Sun World Da Nang Wonders)
• 30 The Official Hoi An Travel Guide (MUST READ)
• 31 The Hoi An Market (Hoi An Central Market) Complete Guide
• 32 Hoi An Memories Show: The Best of Hoi An Impression Theme Park
• 33 How to Get to Golden Bridge from Da Nang
• 34 Hoi An Bridge: Famous Bridges in Hoi An
• 35 Da Nang Food Specialties: What to Eat in Da Nang
• 36 How to Get From Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary
• 37 Hoi An’s Chinese Assembly Halls and Chinese Temples
• 38 Hoi An Walking Tours: Heritage, Foods, Photography & Locals
• 39 Hoi An Self Guided Walking Tour (Hoi An By Yourself)
• 40 How to Visit Golden Bridge Vietnam
• 41 Da Nang Shore Excursions: Guided Tours From Tien Sa Port
• 42 Unique Experiences in Hoi An and Why?
• 43 Han Market (Cho Han): Where to Shop in Da Nang?
• 44 An Bang Beach: A Guide to Hoi An’s Best Beach
• 45 Experiences in Hoi An: Get Insight Into Hoi An’s Local Culture
• 46 Da Nang Cathedral (Da Nang Pink Church)
• 47 Things to Do in Ba Na Hills Besides Golden Bridge
• 48 Hoi An Nightlife: What to Do in Hoi An At Night?
• 49 Hoi An Countryside: Villages, Rice Fields & Tours
• 50 How to Get to Golden Bridge From Hoi An
• 51 Hoi An Entrance Fee: Old Town, Golden Bridge, My Son, More
• 52 Hoi An Airport: Everything You Need to Know
• 53 Hoi An Lantern Boat Ride on Hoai River
• 54 Da Nang Half Day Tours
• 55 Hoi An Private Car and Driver
• 56 Da Nang Private Car and Driver
• 57 What to Do in Hoi An Ancient Town
• 58 Da Nang and Hoi An Itinerary for Visitors Staying Overnight in Hoi An
• 59 Hoi An 3 Day Itinerary: A Travel Plan for 3 Days in Hoi An
• 60 Hoi An Free Things to Do: Budget Travel in Hoi An Vietnam
• 61 Hoi An One Day Itinerary: A Travel Plan for One Day in Hoi An
• 62 Da Nang Things to Do: Guide to What to Do in Da Nang Vietnam
• 63 Da Nang Best Things to Do and Reasons
• 64 Hoi An Half-Day Tours: Guide to Half Day Trips From Hoi An
• 65 Hoi An Day Tours: A Guide to Best Day Trips From Hoi An
• 66 Hoi An Beach: A Guide to All Beaches in Hoi An Vietnam
• 67 Hoi An Food Specialties
• 68 How to Get From Hoi An to Da Nang
• 69 Hoi An Cheap Things to Do: All Solo Travelers Need to Know
• 70 Hoi An Best Things To Do: Recommendations from Local Experts
• 71 Hoi An Things to Do: All What Can You Do in Hoi An Vietnam
• 72 Hoi An Things Not to Miss: A Guide to Must Do in Hoi An
• 73 Hoi An or Da Nang: Which is Better?
• 74 Hoi An Pottery Village: A Guide to Thanh Ha Pottery Village
• 75 Hoi An Ancient Town Tour
• 76 Hoi An Old Town Ticket: Price, Sellers, Included Sites, More
• 77 My Son Sanctuary Tour
• 78 Hoi An Lanterns: Festival, Making Class, Where to Buy, More
• 79 Hoi An Best Area to Stay: Guide to Where to Stay in Hoi An
• 80 Hoi An Weather by Month: Guide to Hoi An Monthly Weather
• 81 Da Nang Best Area to Stay: Guide to Where to Stay in Da Nang
• 82 Da Nang Cave Tour: Best Underground Activities in Da Nang
• 83 Da Nang Best Time to Visit: Guide to Best Weather in Da Nang
• 84 Da Nang Weather by Month: Guide to Monthly Weather in Da Nang
• 85 What to Do in Da Nang At Night
• 86 Lang Co Vietnam Travel Guide
• 87 Hoi An River Cruise: Guide to The Best Boat Tour in Hoi An
• 88 What to Do in Da Nang for 3 Days
• 89 Hoi An Old Town Boats: Guide to Boat Rides in Hoi An Town
• 90 Hoi An 2 Day Itinerary: Traveler Guide to 2 Days in Hoi An
• 91 Cham Island Hoi An
• 92 Hoi An Basket Boat Ride
• 93 Hoi An Coconut Village: A Guide to Cam Thanh Coconut Village
• 94 My Khe Beach: A Complete Guide to Da Nang’s Best Beach
• 95 Thien Mu Pagoda: Guide to Hue’s Most Famous Buddhist Temple
• 96 Perfume River Cruise: Guide to Best Boat Tour in Hue Vietnam
• 97 Tomb of Khai Dinh: The Most Unique Royal Tomb of Hue
• 98 Da Nang Day Trips: Guide to Best Day Tours From Da Nang
• 99 Museums in Da Nang
• 100 Linh Ung Pagoda: Trio of Da Nang’s Holiest Mountain Temples
• 101 Da Nang Night Market: A Thing To Do in Da Nang at Night
• 102 Guide to Son Tra Mountain aka Monkey Mountain Vietnam
• 103 Ba Na Hills Tour
• 104 Hoi An Cham Temples: My Son Sanctuary & Quang Nam Temples
• 105 Da Nang Cable Car
• 106 How to Get from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An
• 107 Da Nang to Hoi An: Best Da Nang Airport Transfer and More
• 108 Hoi An Tour Guide: How to Find a Private Tour Guide in Hoi An
• 109 Hoi An Ancient Town Attractions
• 110 Hai Van Pass Da Nang: Map, Route, Weather, History, Tour
• 111 Hoi An Old Town Map
• 112 Tra Que Vegetable Village
• 113 Hoi An Lantern Festival
• 114 Hue Imperial City and Forbidden City
• 115.0.1 Golden Bridge and Ba Na Hills Night Tour
• 115.0.2 Golden Hands Bridge Tour In Sunrise or Sunset (1/2 Day)
• 115.0.3 Cam Kim Island Bicycle Tour From Hoi An
• 115.0.4 Cham Island Tour From Hoi An (Group Tour)
• 115.0.5 Cham Island Tour From Da Nang (Group Tour)
• 115.0.6 Hoi An Vegetarian Food Tour
• 115.0.7 Hoi An Evening Walking Food Tour Through Laneways
• 115.0.8 Private Hoi An Basket Boat Tour (Shuttle Bus, Bicycle, Bike)
• 115.0.9 Half-day Am Phu Cave Tour (Private)
• 115.0.10 Hoi An Countryside Tour (Bicycle, Car, Electric Shuttle)
• 115.0.11 Da Nang Tour Package From Singapore
• 115.0.12 Hoi An Evening Tour From Da Nang
• 115.0.13 Hoi An Walking Food Tour Through Laneways
• 115.0.14 My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Old Town Tour with Thu Bon River Cruise
• 115.0.15 My Son Day Trip From Hoi An including Marble Mountains and Basket Boat
• 115.0.16 Half Day Hoi An City Tour With River Cruise
• 115.0.17 Son Tra Peninsula Tour with Marble Mountains (Private/Small Group)
• 115.0.18 Hue Day Trip From Hoi An with Hai Van Pass, River Cruise & Lunch
• 115.0.19 Hoi An Ancient Town and Countryside Tour (Bests of Hoi An Tour)
• 115.0.20 Hoi An Tour From Da Nang Airport (Private, Optional Lunch)
• 115.0.21 Hoi An Day Trip From Da Nang (Marble Mountains, Basket Boat, Old Town)
• 115.0.22 Da Nang City Tour From Airport (Private, Optional Lunch)
• 115.0.23 Hoi An City Tour with Lantern Class, Lantern Boat, Night Market & Local Food Sampling
• 115.0.24 Marble Mountains, Basket Boat Ride & Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour
• 115.0.25 Marble Mountains & Golden Bridge Day Tour with Buffet Lunch
• 115.0.26 Marble Mountains & Monkey Mountain Tour (Half-day, Private)
• 115.0.27 Private Golden Bridge Sunrise Tour (Half-day, Optional Lunch)
• 115.0.28 Hoi An Ancient Town & Golden Bridge Day Tour (Private/Small Group)
• 115.0.29 My Son Sanctuary & Golden Bridge Day Tour (Private/Small Group)
• 115.0.30 Private My Son Sanctuary Sunrise or Sunset Tour
• 115.0.31 Full Day Hoi An Ancient Town & Countryside Experience With Local
• 115.0.32 Full Day My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Countryside Tour With Local
• 115.0.33 Full Day Hoi An Ancient Town & Coconut Village Experience
• 115.0.34 Son Tra Peninsula, Marble Mountains and Hoi An City Tour
• 115.0.35 Half-day Marble Mountains Tour from Da Nang or Hoi An
• 115.0.36 Da Nang Cave Tour (Half Day Underground Tour in Da Nang)
• 115.0.37 Hoi An Old Town & Lantern Making Class (Morning Tour, Half-day)
• 115.0.38 Full Day Bests of Da Nang & Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour
• 115.0.39 Full Day My Son Tour From Da Nang with Da Nang City Tour
• 115.0.40 My Son Sanctuary Tour From Hoi An or Da Nang With Local Guide

An Introduction about Hoi An

Hoi An (meaning “peaceful meeting place” in Vietnamese) is a well-known tourist destination in Vietnam. By a white-sandy coast and rivers, its centre is a colorful, charming old town that prospered from trading with foreign countries. This Unesco world heritage site comes to life in the evening while millions of lanterns are lit. Full moon night is most worthy to wait for. It’s spectacular thanks to the local traditional lantern festival and wishing candle lanterns on the river. All photographers love Hoi An.

Surrounding Hoi An’s ancient quarters, it is a peaceful countryside studded with small villages. Rice fields, mangroves, vegetable gardens and palm forests make it much more green. Some communities specialize in making pottery, coconut products or sleeping mat and in carving wood works.

Not far away from paddy fields, Hoi An has a quite long coastline that stretches until Monkey mountain in Da Nang. Here, beaches are fringed with crystal clear seawater and medium waves. Around the horizon, the Cham islands increase the beauty of Hoi An’s beaches. 

Read also: Experiences in Hoi An

What is Hoi An Famous for?

Hoi An is famous for many things. The first one is its Old town that Unesco inscribed to be a world heritage site. The town has well-preserved houses, all feature yellow walls, tiled roofs and wooden furniture as a uniform. Blooming flowers, blue sky, green rivers, and colorful lanterns make it so pretty. Hoi An is loved by photographers and instagrammers worldwide.

Secondly, Hoi An becomes famous for its beauty (and atmosphere) at night. After it’s dark, the town is filled by uncountable lantern lights. And, visitors will see them most in the full moon when people celebrate their traditional Lantern festival On the river, boats and floating paper lanterns make seers once again fall in love.

Local food at Hoi An is what travelers love next. The cuisine is unsimilar to anywhere else in the country thanks to long-time exchange of cultures. The best known dishes include banh mi (people believe that local banh mi is the best in Vietnam), chicken rice, white rose dumplings, Mi quang noodle, Cao lau noodle or Pho noodle soup.

Shopping in Hoi An is a good experience too. Tailors in town are able to complete a suit within 24 hours, up to personal features and specifications. Plus, the price is really high, therefore travelers come to Hoi An for custom tailoring. 

Read also: Lady Buddha in Da Nang

Location and How to Get to Hoi An

Where is hoi an in vietnam.

Hoi An is a provincial city of Quang Nam province, in the middle of Vietnam. It lies by the estuary of Thu Bon river, to the south of Da Nang city. This historical trading port is also close to Pacific ocean. From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city, the flight to Hoi An is 1,5hrs.

Flights to Hoi An

Travelers have to fly to Da Nang city and then have a transfer from Da Nang airport to Hoi An . From two main cities of Vietnam – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, there are lots of non-stop flights in the day to choose from. All operating domestic airlines now provide them. From some famous tourist destinations, such as Da Lat, Can Tho or Ha Long, it’s possible to reach by air too. Browse How to Get to Da Nang for further information.

Today, direct flights from another country to Da Nang are available. Traveler lovers can book one from South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia or India.

Both domestic and international terminals are in the same ground (airport) that is within Da Nang city’s downtown.  

Car and Taxi

Car is the most popular vehicle to get from Da Nang to Hoi An due to convenience and affordable cost. The price for a roundtrip ranges from 700,000 to 1,000,000 VND, depending on the length of the trip and size of the group. Travel time by private car or taxi from Da Nang to Hoi An may be up to 1 hour. Chat with us on whatsapp number +84968009827 to book.  

Bus to Hoi An

By 2020, there was a public bus connecting Da Nang and Hoi An. It’s the cheapest way to get from a city to another. Now, it is not available anymore. Please follow up your website for updated information.

Many travelers don’t stay overnight in Hoi An, and instead, they choose a hotel in Da Nang. To visit Hoi An, they ride a motorbike. The distance between cities is some 30 kilometers, so the drive is from 45 to 60 minutes. The quickest way is the coastal road, namely Vo Nguyen Giap and Truong Sa in Da Nang, and then Lac Long Quan in Hoi An. Halfway, that is the Marble mountains.

From Hue, motorbike rental providers allow travelers to drop the bike in Hoi An (don’t have to ride back to Hue!) if self driving. The distance is 140 kilometers, including the Hai Van pass – Vietnam’s best coastal road. For those who would like to experience but worry about their own skills and safety, it’s also available to book a local rider.

The nearest railway station to Hoi An is in Da Nang. So, travelers can get a train from other cities to the Da Nang train station, and then take another vehicle to Hoi An. The most popular choice is going from Hue, Ha Noi or Quy Nhon. Read How to get Da Nang from Hue by train for more details. During the daytime, the passengers will enjoy the breath-taking view of the Hai Van pass.

Get Around Hoi An: What is Best?

Once again, we have to mention that Hoi An is a small city. Travelers absolutely can explore it by foot if book a hotel in the Minh An, Cam Pho and Son Phong areas. Within the Old town, pedestrian hours are daily from 9 to 11:30 am, and from 3 to 9:30 pm. The nearest beach – An Bang is only 3 kilometers away from here. Many people choose to walk there (rice fields, rivers, water buffalos, and scenic spots on the way).

Getting around Hoi An by taxi is fairly easy. In the surroundings of Hoi An’s walking street (in Old town), there are many taxi cars and drivers to choose from. The cost is metered, around 15,000 VND for one kilometer. If stay in a hotel tucked away in small roads or laneways, let’s walk to the closest main road to hail. People in the reception can help to call one also. Passengers will pay by cash.

Read also: Hoi An Private Car and Driver

Shuttle Bus

Shuttle buses run by electricity are new to Hoi An. Local authorities aim to reduce traffic congestion in town, especially in the evening and air pollution. The experience on a shuttle bus is more interesting than cars. The cost depends on the length of the drive, and number of passengers. If the group is bigger than 5 and the distance is smaller than 2 kilometers, the price is 10,000 VND per person. Small kids and toddles are free of charge. It’s exactly how much visitors pay when they move within Hoi An’s downtown. For further places, such as beaches or the coconut village, the price is higher, but not more than 40,000 VND per person. There are 2 simple ways to have this vehicle: hailing in main streets or coming to car parks.

Hoi An is small enough to cycle around. Many hotels provide free bicycles for the guests (come first, serve first, no reservation). If not available for free, the rental is really cheap. It’s around 1 USD for one day full. No doubt, the cheapest way to get around. Travelers can ride to the beaches, rice fields, Cam Thanh coconut village or Cam Kim island.

Anytime of the day, it’s possible to tour the Hoi An ancient town by bicycle. This Unesco heritage is in the list of the towns that are most friendly to bicycles worldwide. Late afternoon onwards, tourists coming from Da Nang visit the town and make it full of pedestrians. Therefore, riding a bicycle during that time is a little bit difficult.

Riding a motorcycle is a faster way to get somewhere than a bicycle. Rental price is really cheap, between 100,000 and 200,000 VND for one full day or 24 hours. Helmet (or maps) is provided. Gasoline cost fluctuates around 1 USD/1 littler. So, the motorbike is amongst the cheapest vehicles to get around Hoi An.

Note: Vietnam follows a right-hand traffic system. If you drive to the left in your country, you should consider carefully. 

Inside the Hoi An old town heritage, except for walking hours (9 to 11:30 am and 3 to 9:30 pm), it’s possible to tour around it by bike. If just like to get there and then walk, the parking fee is from 5,000 to 10,000 VND. The latest service is up to 10 pm.

To go to the beach or discover the countryside, travelers can save their time (and even money) when riding a scooter. It’s easy and safe, but the riders need to be careful and pay attention to avoid dangerous situations. Further in distance, My Son sanctuary, the Marble mountains and Hai Van pass are popular attractions. The mountain pass requires good driving skills and confidence because it’s winding, featuring hairpin-like turns, twists and dense fog. 

The Best Way to Get Around Hoi An

The best way to get around Hoi An depends on different situations. So, this is our thoughts:

– Hoi An old town: walking

– Hoi An’s countryside: bicycle or motorcycle

– Solo travelers: bicycle or motorcycle

– Families or a group of friends: car, taxi, shuttle bus

Brief History of Hoi An

Hoi An was known as a busy international trading town in Vietnam and Southeast Asia from 15 th to 19 th centuries. During that period, merchants and their sailing boats docked here, to exchange different products (spices, ceramics, silk, etc). They came from Japan, China, and Europe. Hoi An got its European name “Faifoo”. Heritage left by these nationalities are around its old town today. 

Late 19 th century was the turning point in Hoi An’s history. Geological activities in the river estuary didn’t allow boats to easily access the town. Vietnamese kings also prohibited westerner’s boats to get there directly (have to stop at Da Nang before). They got worried about military power and religious missionaries from the west. For that reason, commerce in Hoi An declined. Since then, Da Nang has been replacing its role as the most important center of commerce in the area (until now).

During the colonial time, 19 th and 20 th centuries, French based in Hoi An and designed it as a provincial capital. Influences from French people are still seen today.

In 1999, Hoi An was added to the Unesco world heritage site list, together with My Son sanctuary. Since then, it has been popular with both local and foreign tourists. At the present, this little town draws millions of visitors although its population is only 120,000 people.

Read also: Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture

Hoi An Weather by Month and Best Time to Visit

Monthly weather in hoi an.

Weather is important when travelers plan to visit somewhere. In Hoi An, there’re two seasons in the year: the dry season, from February to August and the wet season (rainy season), from September to January. It’s dry, hot in the dry season, and it rains frequently in the other season. See details of the weather each month in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-weather-by-month/ .

When Are the Best Times to Visit Hoi An?

The best time to visit Hoi An in Vietnam is January, mid-February to mid-April, mid-May to September. During these periods, it’s sunny, perfect for outdoor activities and going to the beach. From May to August, the temperature reaches its peak. Therefore for those who don’t like strong heat, earlier or later times will be more nice and comfortable. From October to December, although it’s cooler, heavy rains and typhoons make people not really enjoyable. However, sunny days are still available and that’s so perfect to explore places outside.

Read also: Monthly Weather in Da Nang

Hoi An Accommodation: Where to Stay in Hoi An?

How many days do you need in hoi an.

Three full days are perfect to visit Hoi An. For more relaxation, a longer stay is needed. Within 3 days, travelers have time enough to see major landmarks of the area, such as the Ancient town, the Marble mountains or My Son sanctuary. Read 3 days in Hoi An itinerary to arrange them properly. The town is not really big, so joining other activities or tours is also convenient (for pick up, drop off). If planning to have a custom-made suit (or more), it’s possible too and don’t have to see any tailor immediately after arriving in town.

Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 for free assistance to make the best travel itinerary for you.

Areas to Stay in Hoi An

If prefer somewhere that it’s near Hoi An old town, travelers should choose one in Minh An, Cam Pho, Cam Pho and the Tiger market areas. The distance is within 1,5 kilometers. No doubt that it’s great to walk (of course, Hoi An is flat). Restaurants, coffee shops, bars, shopping places, tailors, and convenient stores are all around.

Beaches are the favourite for many travelers. In the Cua Dai beach area, there are a handful of all-inclusive beachside resorts. Shuttle bus is available there to get to the Old town and back every single day. Inside quiet laneways of An Bang beach area, homestays are run by local families, with a pool. For sure, the beach is just a short walk away.

More information in https://centralvietnamguide.com/where-to-stay-in-hoi-an/ .

Hoi An Tourist Attractions: What to See in Hoi An?

Hoi an ancient town world heritage.

Hoi An ancient town is the heart of Hoi An. It’s home to more than 1,100 traditional style houses, a Japanese bridge, Chinese temples, a living market, and a quay where boats dock. From 15 th  to 19 th  centuries, foreign merchants came here to trade, making it bustling and wealthy. Nowadays, this complex is a Unesco world heritage site, inscribed in 1999. Visitors can buy  Hoi An old town ticket  to sightsee 4 buildings and watch a show at the Traditional Performance House.

In the evening, locals light lanterns and by that, it’s filled by colorful lights. Especially, in full moon, they also release paper lanterns lit by candle, down the river and make wishes. Many tourists believe that full moon night is a must-know experience. Read everything else in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-old-town/

Beaches in Hoi An

Hoi An owns a 6-kilometers-long coastline, with several beautiful white sandy beaches. During sunny months, these places are full of people who go swimming, go surfing, play water sports, meditate, sun bath, or simply cool off. It’s free to visit every beach in Hoi An. For eating and drinking, restaurants and bars line the beachfront, serving delicious seafood dishes. Islands of the Cham archipelago and Da Nang’s hills together just make the scenery more wonderful. Further information in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-beach/ .

Two famous beaches in Hoi An are An Bang and Cua Dai. Now,  An Bang beach  is busier because it’s damaged by erosion. That’s why people say it’s best to go, especially for families with kids.

My Son Sanctuary

Located in the jungle, 40 kilometers away from Hoi An, My Son sanctuary is a popular place to visit for day trippers. It has about well-preserved 20 Hindu temples which survived from harsh climate and bombings in the Vietnam war. These brick buildings were constructed from 4 th  to 13rd centuries by request of Cham kings, for worship of Shiva god. At several times of the day, at the Public Stage, traditional performances are available to watch (it’s free!). See full details in  My Son sanctuary travel guide .

The Marble Mountains

Only a 30 minutes drive from Hoi An, the Marble mountains is also very popular to travelers. It’s a group of five striking marble hills that rise up suddenly from the surroundings, between a river and the sea. Thuy Son (literally “the Water mountain”) is the only mountain where people can climb to the top. Here, there are many stunning sights to visit, including Buddhist temples, magnificent caves, viewpoints, and peaks with a panoramic view. Hiking shoes is required. See further information in the  Marble mountains travel guide .

The Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills

Built in 2018, the Golden Bridge of Ba Na Hills today is well known all over the world. It’s a 160-meters-long pedestrian bridge, with golden handrails and a pair of massive stone-like hands. From here, 1,414 meters above the sea level, visitors enjoy a panoramic view. Read  Golden Bridge travel guide  to get more details and  How to get to Golden Bridge from Hoi An  to find the best transport for you. The best time to visit is early morning when the crowds and the heat don’t come yet. A  private Golden Bridge sunrise tour  is the choice for smart travelers.

Hoi An’s Countryside and Villages

Surrounding the Old town, Hoi An countryside is lovely and tranquil. In addition to rice fields, vegetable gardens and animal farms, there are 4 villages interesting to visit. Near An Bang beach,  Tra Que vegetable village  is famous for its herbs. Some local food specialties require them as a must-have ingredient. Also 3 kilometers away,  Thanh Ha pottery village  produced high-quality products for exportation. Today, the artisans teach visitors how to make pottery.  Kim Bong carpentry village  is least known by tourists because it’s located on an island.  Cam Thanh coconut village  is furthest, 10 mins drive from the town’s centre. Locals here use basket boats to show visitors the water coconut forest and countryside entertainments.

Opposite to the Old town by the Thu Bon river, Cam Kim island is the host for cycling tours thanks to its peacefulness. Lifestyle of the islanders is still unchanged, and their traditional handicrafts are still well kept.

Hoi An Activities: Things to Do in Hoi An

Main article: Things to Do in Hoi An

Custom Tailors in Hoi An

History of tailoring and fabric silk trading in Hoi An is long. Today, there are so many tailors and tailor shops in town where people can make clothings at their own measurements. Shoppers have a wide range of material, color and price to choose from. They can have a look at styles on the catalogues but also show favourite ones by phone, to let local tailors know. 24hrs service is available. See more information in our guide to tailoring in Hoi An .

Basket Boat Ride in Coconut Forest

Round basket boats are unique to central Vietnam. It’s made of bamboo, and used by locals to get around the water coconut forest of Hoi An. During the ride, visitors have the chance to be close to nature, and join fun-filled entertainments, such as the “spinning boat ride”. To experience, it’s needed to come to the Cam Thanh village, 10 mins drive from the Old town. See further details in  https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-basket-boat-ride/ .

Go Diving and Snorkeling the Cham Islands

The Cham islands is known for its richness of underwater life and its great natural scenery. It’s under the protection of the Vietnam government as a marine park and Unesco as a world biosphere reserve. Here, visitors have the chance to explore a fantabulous world under the sea while go snorkeling or scuba diving. Daily tours include an experience by snorkel, but to see pristine coral reefs, travelers must book a tour specializing in diving. Staying overnight is required if many spots in the itinerary. Please read our Cham islands travel guide to know everything else.

Thu Bon River Cruise on Sunset

Hoi An ancient town sits on the north bank of the Thu Bon river, the largest river in the province. In the sunset, this river becomes such awe-inspiring. Along the quay – Bach Dang St, visitors can see cruises and then travel (downstream or upstream) to enjoy the beautiful scenery, peacefulness, breeze and photography. When the darkness falls, people light up the lanterns in waterfronts, making the town really lovely. One of the best spots to see it is from the river cruise. See further information in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-river-cruise/ .

Learn How to Cook Vietnamese Foods

Participating in a cooking class is fun. Visitors will follow local people to visit the market, shop like a local and then bring ingredients to the school for cooking. The chief shows the learners different Vietnamese dishes. For example, spring rolls or fried spring rolls, banh xeo pancakes, pho noodle soup, and traditional salads. If would like to know deeper local cuisine and also cooking skills, this is an activity that is not to miss. The class time is usually a couple of hours. Read more in our complete guide to Hoi An’s cooking classes .

Instagrammable Spots in Hoi An

Absolutely, Hoi An is a photogenic, instagrammable town. Both daytime and nighttime, visitors will find good spots to take pictures. When it’s still bright, quarters with yellow-wall houses, blooming bougainvillea flowers, reddish temples and vintage café are stunning. It’s really colorful. In the market, the variety of local procedures and lively local life (vendors, shoulder pole ladies, etc) are also great to have a photo with. At night, for sure, lantern lights together make a perfect backdrop. No photography lovers miss Hoi An when they come to Vietnam.

Hoi An Nightlife: What to Do in Hoi An at Night?

Main article: What to Do in Hoi An at Night?

Full Moon Lantern Festival in Hoi An

Full moon lantern festival is unique to Hoi An. It takes place every single month on the 14 th  day in the Vietnamese lunar calendar (now people can check online). In the fairly moonlight, so many lanterns are hung up and lit by locals, giving the town a great beauty and a great atmosphere. By the river, they light up paper lanterns by candle, and then release, to make wishes. This night is a thing not to miss. Read full details in  Hoi An lantern festival travel guide .

The Hoi An Night Market

This night market includes around 150 stalls selling lanterns, souvenirs and foods, along Nguyen Hoang St, on the opposite side to the Old town. It’s the largest and busiest. See all you need to know about it in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-night-market/ .

Hoi An Memories Show and Hoi An Impression Theme Park

The Hoi An memories show is the largest outdoor visual art performance in Vietnam. Debuted in 2018, today it becomes a must see in Hoi An at night. This spectacular show tells spectators the history and culture of the town exceptionally. The production is really stunning, giving a great time (experience). Please browse https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-memories-show/ for full details. Before and after the Hoi An memories show, travelers can visit around the Hoi An impression theme park.

Lantern Boat Ride on Hoai River

Hoai river runs alongside Hoi An Old town, to the south. At night time, visitors can cruise it by boat and drop paper lanterns down the water, to make wishes. This leisure ride allows the passengers to enjoy the beauty of the town and photograph it. The price is 150,000 VND (1 to 3 people), and 200,000 VND (4 to 5 people), for 20 minutes. See full details in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-lantern-boat-ride/ .

Eating and Coffee in Hoi An

Hoi an food specialties.

Hoi An cuisine is unique in the world thanks to cultural exchanges in the past. Travelers should try bánh mì – sandwich filled by pate, raw vegetables, herbs and meats, cao lầu – the most special local noodles, mì quảng – another famous noodle dish, bánh bao bánh vạc – white rose dumplings, more. See all dishes as you can see in Hoi An in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-food-specialties/ .

Note: Cao lau is seen as the signature food of Hoi An. Nowhere else outside its old centre, people can try it.

Vietnamese restaurants in the Old town serve at least several local food specialties. At some venues, it’s possible to see almost everything on the menu. Thanks to that, travelers just need to visit one place, and then can taste many dishes. We recommend coming to restaurants where the food is amongst best sellers all over Hoi An. For example, the couple of stores selling banh mi sandwiches: Madam Khanh and Banh Mi Phuong.  

Street Foods in Hoi An

Hoi An is also known for street foods that are many and tasty. In  Nguyen Hoang night market , visitors will see vendors and they serve a lot of options (even for vegetarians too). Bánh tráng nướng – grilled rice paper with toppings and sauces, bánh ướt thịt nướng – grilled pork skewers, rolled with rice papers and vegetables or banana pancakes are deserving to try. Around sunset, in old streets, rice cakes, clear dumplings, mango cake (no mango!) and other snacks are also sold.   

Coffee and Coffee Shops in Hoi An

Vietnam is the 2 nd  largest coffee producer globally. Inside the Hoi An ancient town, there are many coffee shops where tourists can try Vietnamese traditional coffees and western styled ones, the new arrivals. Beans are bought from farmers living in the Highlands, and then roasted in the shop (that’s why some places are named “roasteries”). Rooftop cafes also provide an incredible view that is ideal for Instagrammable pictures.

Read also: Hoi An Central Market Travel Guide

Hoi An Shopping: What to Buy in Hoi An?

Main article: Hoi An Shopping Guide

Travelers can stroll around the Ancient town, markets, night markets and other shops in the centre to buy favourite things. The lantern is one of the best reminders about Hoi An. Size, shape, color, and pattern are diverse here. Luckily, local lanterns are foldable, so packing them into the luggages is free of difficulty. In addition, handicraft products are what travelers are interested in Hoi An too. The material is varied (wood, bamboo, ceramic, clay, leather, etc). That’s why shoppers have so many choices to select and bring home then.

Tailor-made clothings is loved by many travelers. They can find good-quality fabric and skillful tailors to make it, with a cheaper price than their home country. Within 24hrs, it’s possible to go for the first fitting to the suit or dress or any other garments. Shipping abroad and card payment are available at most tailors in town.

For those who love cooking, there are plenty of spices, seeds, seasonings and dried fruits to buy. Make sure that your country accepts.

All Guided Tours from Hoi An

Main article: Hoi An Day Tours – Best Day Trips from Hoi An

Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour

The Old town (Unesco world heritage site) is a must-visit attraction in Hoi An. To get insight into its history, explore local culture and photograph, walking is the best way. That’s why many travelers join a walking tour, with a local guide.

We recommend having a morning tour when the sun is not high yet, or an  afternoon tour  when the temperature goes down. A lantern making class is optional. From Da Nang, an  evening tour  is helpful because travelers can spend longer in town, experience further and have more memories (and pictures!). Here, local food tasting, lantern boat ride, night market or the Hoi An memories show is selected by yourself. 

Golden Hands Bridge Tour from Hoi An

Golden Hands Bridge tour from Hoi An is one of the most popular day trips. We highly recommend starting it early in the morning (around 6, 7 am) to avoid the heat and crowds. Please see details in https://centralvietnamguide.com/tour/golden-bridge-sunrise-tour / . “Sunset tour” is available as well, with the same price. See its itinerary in https://centralvietnamguide.com/tour/golden-hands-bridge-tour/ . However, due to weather at Ba Na Hills where the bridge’s located, we suggest the best option on the day before. By the way, all entrance fee and cable car are included in the tours.

My Son Sanctuary Tour from Hoi An

A visit to My Son sanctuary is a perfect half-day tour from Hoi An. It’s not really far away, and definitely worth sightseeing (not only about its world heritage site title). To avoid the heat and crowds, many travelers like getting there early in the morning, around 5 am. This  sunrise tour  also includes a local guide as normal. Later in the day, the sunset tour has the same purpose, but not for early birds. Joining a “classic tour” that departs at 8 or 9 am, it’s possible to witness full traditional performances at My Son’s public theatre.

Cycling Tours in Hoi An Countryside

Over such a long history, fortunately, Hoi An still keeps its countryside peaceful. We highly recommend a bicycle tour to discover this wonderful rural land. Following a local guide, travelers will cycle through villages on backroads where the traffic is low (or no traffic) and visit local families to know their life. Some activities and experiences are in the itinerary alike, such as basket boat ride in palm forest, making rice papers, etc. Read more information in https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-cycling-tours.

Hoi An Food Tours

Roaming around and tasting delicious local foods (especially street foods) is amongst the most interesting cultural experiences in Hoi An. Travelers can choose a food tour run by foodies in town, with a bicycle, motorcycle or by foot. Within some hours, they will show different dishes and tell stories (including Hoi An’s specialties, such as banh mi sandwich). It’s a great time to get insight into local culinary culture and ways of life. Of course, there’re many opportunities to take fun pictures. Late afternoon and evening is the best time. Browse  our Hoi An evening walking food tour  if you’re interested. For vegans and vegetarians, we have  Hoi An vegetarian food tour . 

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Featured Tours and Experiences

Golden Bridge and Ba Na Hills Night Tour

Golden Hands Bridge Tour In Sunrise or Sunset (1/2 Day)

Cam Kim Island Bicycle Tour From Hoi An

Cham Island Tour From Hoi An (Group Tour)

Cham Island Tour From Da Nang (Group Tour)

Hoi An Vegetarian Food Tour

Hoi An Evening Walking Food Tour Through Laneways

Private Hoi An Basket Boat Tour (Shuttle Bus, Bicycle, Bike)

Half-day Am Phu Cave Tour (Private)

Hoi An Countryside Tour (Bicycle, Car, Electric Shuttle)

Da Nang Tour Package From Singapore

Hoi An Evening Tour From Da Nang

Hoi An Walking Food Tour Through Laneways

My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Old Town Tour with Thu Bon River Cruise

My Son Day Trip From Hoi An including Marble Mountains and Basket Boat

Half Day Hoi An City Tour With River Cruise

Son Tra Peninsula Tour with Marble Mountains (Private/Small Group)

Hue Day Trip From Hoi An with Hai Van Pass, River Cruise & Lunch

Hoi An Ancient Town and Countryside Tour (Bests of Hoi An Tour)

Hoi An Tour From Da Nang Airport (Private, Optional Lunch)

Hoi An Day Trip From Da Nang (Marble Mountains, Basket Boat, Old Town)

Da Nang City Tour From Airport (Private, Optional Lunch)

Hoi An City Tour with Lantern Class, Lantern Boat, Night Market & Local Food Sampling

Marble mountains, basket boat ride & hoi an old town walking tour.

Marble Mountains & Golden Bridge Day Tour with Buffet Lunch

Marble Mountains & Monkey Mountain Tour (Half-day, Private)

Private Golden Bridge Sunrise Tour (Half-day, Optional Lunch)

Hoi An Ancient Town & Golden Bridge Day Tour (Private/Small Group)

My Son Sanctuary & Golden Bridge Day Tour (Private/Small Group)

Private My Son Sanctuary Sunrise or Sunset Tour

Full Day Hoi An Ancient Town & Countryside Experience With Local

Full Day My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Countryside Tour With Local

Full Day Hoi An Ancient Town & Coconut Village Experience

Son Tra Peninsula, Marble Mountains and Hoi An City Tour

Half-day Marble Mountains Tour from Da Nang or Hoi An

Da Nang Cave Tour (Half Day Underground Tour in Da Nang)

Hoi An Old Town & Lantern Making Class (Morning Tour, Half-day)

Full Day Bests of Da Nang & Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour

Full Day My Son Tour From Da Nang with Da Nang City Tour

My Son Sanctuary Tour From Hoi An or Da Nang With Local Guide

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©Michal Jastrzebski/Shutterstock

Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

Leave the planning to a local expert

Experience the real Hoi An. Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Tan Ky House

Built two centuries ago by an ethnically Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. Look out for signs…

Japanese Covered Bridge

Emblematic of Hoi An, this beautiful bridge was first constructed in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link it with the Chinese quarters. Over the…

Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation

Originally a traditional assembly hall (or guildhall), this structure was later transformed into a temple for the worship of Thien Hau, a deity who…

Tran Family Chapel

Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (陳) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by…

Hoi An Old Town

By Unesco decree, more than 800 historic buildings in Hoi An have been preserved, so much of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. Eighteen…

Confucius Temple

Behind an impressive gate emblazoned with Chinese chu nho characters that simply translate as 'Confucius Temple', this magnificent temple to the west of…

Phung Hung Old House

Just a few steps down from the Japanese Covered Bridge, this old house has a wide, welcoming entrance hall decorated with exquisite lanterns, wall…

Precious Heritage Museum by Réhahn

Hoi An–based French photographer Réhahn has conceived this cross between museum and gallery, combining his outstanding photos of Vietnam's hill tribes…

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Where is Hoi An?

Hoi An, located in the heart of Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam, is approximately 860 km from Hanoi to the north and 865 km from Ho Chi Minh City to the south. Its strategic location along the North-South axis has made it a culturally rich and diverse town, where cultures from the two regions intersect. The architectural and cultural values of the Hoi An Ancient Town gained recognition on the travel map in the 1980s and were officially designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. As a result, Hoi An has become a must-visit destination for international travelers visiting Vietnam.

Hoi An tourist map

Having a detailed map can save you from any hassles and allow you to fully enjoy your visit. We have provided one for you that includes information on destinations, restaurants, cafes, bars, and other public services. You can easily download it to your phone for offline use or print it out.

When you should travel to Hoi An?

Hoi An is situated in a tropical climate with only two seasons: the dry season from February to August and the rainy season from September to January of the following year. Despite its location in the central region near the South Central Coast, Hoi An’s weather is still impacted by the cold winter in the North. The best time to visit Hoi An is from February to April, when the weather is agreeable and there is less chance of rain and flooding.

How to get to Hoi An?

Discover transportation deals for Hoi An from our partners >

As a popular tourist destination, Hoi An is very accessible from all parts of the country.

1. Getting to Hoi An from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City

To reach Hoi An from either of the two major cities, you will first have to land in Da Nang, which is located 30 km away from Hoi An, as there is no airport in the ancient town. You can book flights with airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietravel Airlines, and Vietjet Air, which operate routes from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang.

Another way to get to Da Nang from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City is by train, with ticket prices ranging from $20 to $50 (470,000 to 1,200,000 VND). You have several options for train carriages, including 4-bed rooms and clean and comfortable V.I.P 2-bed rooms. The travel time varies from 14 to 20 hours, depending on the type of train you choose. If you have time and want to explore the country on the move, taking the train is a great option. You can book train tickets on the official website of the Vietnam Railway Corporation.

Buses are also an option for getting to Da Nang from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, with ticket prices ranging from $20 to $30 (470,000 to 700,000 VND). However, keep in mind that this mode of travel can be tiring and take a long time. Some recommended bus companies are Futabus, Phuc Thuan Thao Bus, and Quoc Hung Bus.

2. Getting to Hoi An from Da Nang

As soon as you arrive in Da Nang, there is a wide range of options to get to Hoi An.

Travel by bus

Bus number 1 from Da Nang can take you directly to the Hoi An Bus Station. You can refer to the bus route below to find the nearest bus stop.

• Advantages: inexpensive
• Disadvantages: long travel time (70-80 minutes), often crowded with limited space for luggage
• Cost: 30,000 VND ($1.25)
• Timing: buses run every 20 minutes from 5:30 AM to 6 PM
• Route: Da Nang Central Bus Station to Ton Duc Thang, Dien Bien Phu, Ha Huy Tap, Ha Khe, Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ong Ich Khiem, Le Duan, Chi Lang, Hung Vuong, Tran Phu, Trung Nu Vuong, Nui Thanh, Duy Tan, Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Ngu Hanh Son (The Marble Mountains), Le Van Hien, Tran Dai Nghia, and finally Hoi An Bus Station.

Travel by taxi

Travelers can book a taxi on arrival in Da Nang City or the airport to go directly to Hoi An.

• Advantages: convenient, comfortable, and flexible
• Disadvantages: slightly expensive
• Cost: 400,000 VND – 500,000 VND ($17 – $21) for a 4-seat car or 500,000 VND – 600,000 VND ($21 – $25) for a 7-seater
• Timing: unlimited, with a one-way trip taking about 45-55 minutes (depending on traffic conditions).

Travel by motorbike

Riding a motorcycle can be a great option if you’re comfortable with it. Note that a motorcycle license is required. The route from Da Nang to Hoi An is scenic with good road conditions.

• Advantages: flexible and interactive, with a great local experience of riding a motorbike
• Disadvantages: a motorcycle license is required
• Cost: 100,000 VND – 120,000 VND ($5) to rent a bike for one day
• Timing: a one-way trip takes about 45-55 minutes (the time may vary depending on the number of stops along the way, which you may make due to the stunning views along the route).

Generally, there are many cost-effective and comfortable options for traveling from Da Nang to Hoi An. The choice will depend on your budget, time availability, and desired experience. Regardless of your method of transportation, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind experience and when you reach the historic town of Hoi An, you’ll find that it was worth the journey.

Top 5 exciting activities in Hoi An

Aside from exploring Hoi An’s attractions and culinary offerings, there are several recommended activities to fully experience the town.

Watch the Hoi An Memories Show

The “Memories of Hoi An” is a stunning outdoor art performance featuring over 500 professional actors. It takes place on a massive stage measuring up to 25,000 square meters, and presents the history and cultural beauty of Hoi An through its costumes, dances, and props. This show will give you a breathtaking experience of light, sound, and movement.

Release paper flower lanterns

Hoi An takes on a mysterious beauty, particularly at night. One of the most profound experiences for visitors here is releasing lanterns on the tranquil Hoai River. You can purchase a lantern for approximately 20,000 VND and join the local community in this peaceful and sacred tradition.

Take an evening boat ride on the Hoai River

The Hoai River is a branch of the Thu Bon River that runs through Hoi An and is a symbol of the historic ancient town. Young people, particularly couples in love, enjoy rowing on the river at night and releasing flower lanterns as they believe the lanterns are witnesses to their commitment and carry their wishes. The best time to take a boat ride is from 4 PM to 5 PM, just before sunset, allowing you to take in the sunset view before being captivated by the magical lights along the river at night. A boat ride can accommodate 2 to 5 passengers and typically costs 150,000 VND ($7) per person for a 30-minute ride.

Join in traditional games

Every night, Hoi An attracts thousands of tourists for a stroll through the heart of the old town. In addition to sightseeing and trying the town’s specialties, visitors can also participate in the traditional folk games of the Vietnamese people. Games such as bingo and chess are hosted by a passionate team of locals, who use traditional costumes and instruments, making the experience exciting and entertaining.

Savor the coffee

While it may be a familiar refrain that you should try coffee when visiting Vietnam, this is especially true in Hoi An. The coffee here is not just a drink but an experience, with atmospheric coffeehouses featuring iconic yellow color themes. Each coffeehouse exudes a nostalgic and vintage ambiance that is difficult to describe in words. You must visit, sit on one of the small bamboo chairs, and savor a rich coffee or chocolate drink while immersing yourself in the peaceful and ancient atmosphere to truly capture the essence of this charming town.

Here are some recommended coffee shops to try:

• Reaching Out Tea House: 131 Tran Phu Street
• Hoi An Roastery: 135 Tran Phu Street
• Cocobana: 16 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street
• Chu Chu: 74 Tran Phu Street
• Cocobox: 94 Le Loi Street
• Mot Hoi An: 150 Tran Phu Street
• The Chef: 166 Tran Phu Street.

A detailed travel guide for Hoi An in 2023 is for those who are planning to explore the historic ancient town. We hope you will have a perfect trip with many exciting experiences in this town!

Top attractions in Hoi An

An bang beach, where to stay in hoi an, stay in hoi an, must-try dishes in hoi an, 8 must-try foods in hoi an, other destinations, mui ne, phan thiet, ha long bay.

Ultimate Guide: What to Do in Hoi An Vietnam

Hoi An has become our favorite destination in Central Vietnam , if not all of Southeast Asia. Its old world charm, recognized with a UNESCO World Heritage designation, variety of restaurant options , and full moon lantern festivals draw visitors from around the world to this unique port town.

While tourism does overwhelm certain parts of Hoi An sometimes, we still find it very worthwhile to visit.

What travel restrictions and rules are in place in Vietnam? Find post-pandemic travel updates for Vietnam here: What you need to know about Vietnam travel right now

In this post we’ll share:

• Map of places to visit – get the interactive version free via e-mail
• 3 absolute “must do’s” for first time visitors
• Recommended best things to do in Hoi An
• Local food to try in Hoi An
• Where to stay and how to get around

Notes: This post was updated March 2024, originally published 2016. Our article contains affiliate links, which means if you use our links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. (We only recommend things we love and believe in.)

After our first stay in Hoi An back in 2016, it became one of our favorite places to visit. We started returning for months at a time. We have stayed in Hoi An five times and counting, about 9 months in total.

Map of Places to Eat and Things to See in Hoi An

We created an interactive map of all the attractions and restaurants in Hoi An that we love – including some we didn’t have space to mention in this post. You can click on each map point to see more details (pictures, prices, and our tips).

Table of Contents

Top 3 Must Do Hoi An Activities

Whenever someone visiting Vietnam asks me what they should do in Hoi An, these are the top three things I think every first time visitor absolutely must do :

1. Explore Hoi An Ancient Town

By far the biggest attraction in Hoi An Vietnam is the area called Ancient Town, a.k.a Old Town. I’ve highlighted this area on our interactive map.

Hoi An’s Ancient Town has earned a UNESCO World Heritage designation and “most charming city in the world” by Travel + Leisure in 2019.

This well-preserved trading port dates from the 15th to the 19th century with influences from China, Japan, and Europe. Today, the area is full of shops and restaurants with endless opportunities for beautiful photos.

Some highlights of Ancient Town include the Japanese Bridge (under construction in 2024) , traditional temples, local markets, lantern-lined pedestrian streets and riverside. More on these later.

Full disclosure: Your experience of Ancient Town will vary drastically depending on the time of day you visit. Even during the time we’ve been coming here (since 2016), the area has continued to change and get more crowded.

In the evening, tour groups are brought in the by bus load. Groups of 20, 30, or more follow their guide en masse, which quickly fills the streets.

Everyone should witness the beauty (and buzz) of the illuminated Ancient Town in the evening at least once.

However, to truly enjoy Ancient Town without crowds of tourists, visit around 7am . Before the souvenir shops are open, only local people can be found shopping for produce and poultry at the market or picking up breakfast from a street vendor.

How To: Use our interactive Hoi An map to make your own self-guided walking tour. 

2. Explore the outskirts of Hoi An

While Ancient Town is the main draw for tourism, the rest of Hoi An provides foreigners an accessible immersion into the beauty and culture of everyday Vietnam.

Natural beauty , like the rice paddies, vegetable gardens, small farms, and the beach are all within easy reach.

Walking or riding through the neighborhoods of Hoi An gives a glimpse of family shrines, backyard chickens, neighborhood coffee shops, and living rooms that open to the street. We encourage visitors to observe local life this way, while of course, always being respectful and conscious of boundaries.

If you’re only in Hoi An for 1 or 2 days, I recommend either riding a bicycle around the rice paddies and outer neighborhoods of Hoi An (see our recommended bike route) or booking a half day motorbike tour .

If you have more time in Hoi An, there are plenty more historic and cultural experiences, from archeological temple ruins to artisan villages, that make great day trips from Hoi An . Read on for details.

How To: Use our interactive Hoi An map to follow our self-guided cycling route or book a guided tour.

We recommend:  Mr. Phu Motorbike Tour Adventures Bicycling Tour Around Hoi An Countryside

3. Eat in Hoi An!

In Hoi An, you can find a huge range of dining options , from cheap street food to high end restaurants and everything in between. There’s hyper-local cuisine , like noodles that are only made in Hoi An, as well as Central Vietnam regional specialties and Vietnamese dishes from the North and South.

Plus, there are plenty of other international cuisines, too – burgers, sushi, pizza, Greek, Indian, Italian, French, Thai, etc. There are quite a few vegetarian and whole foods vegan restaurants as well. 

Food in Hoi An is generally safe to eat. Hygiene standards vary when it comes to street food stalls, but we never worry about getting sick when dining out at local restaurants. Yes, we eat fresh, raw vegetables and herbs here, though we only drink bottled water.

Plenty of Hoi An restaurants cater to tourists (or a mix of Vietnamese and foreign clientele). Because TripAdvisor is so revered here, there’s a natural accountability through online reviews. 

How To: Use our interactive Hoi An map to find our recommended restaurants and read our guide to eating in Hoi An .

Explore Hoi An Food with a Local

Looking for a local guide to take you off the beaten path and introduce you to authentic, local foods in Hoi An? You won’t find a better experience than this Hidden Gems Hoi An Food Tour .

Not only will you enjoy your fill of Hoi An’s famous specialties and lesser-known treats, you’ll also meet local producers, learn about their traditional methods that have passed down for generations, and explore back alleys you’d never find on your own.

Book your Hidden Gems tour through Viator >

More of the Best Things to Do in Hoi An Vietnam

Walk and Shop in Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage buildings reflect influences from China, Japan, and Europe – such as the Japanese Bridge pictured above. 

You could spend at least half a day wandering the golden-walled streets, shops, and historic sites.

It’s a photographer’s dream, though the area gets busy as evening comes . Colorful lanterns illuminate the streets but crowds of tour groups make getting around less fun at night.

As mentioned before, the nicest time to visit Ancient Town without tourist crowds is around 7am.

The Ancient Town area north of the Thu Bon River has booths selling entrance tickets (120,000 VND for foreign visitors) as you enter the UNESCO World Heritage zone.

Enforcement of the entrance fee has varied over the years. Signs around Hoi An encourage purchasing the ticket to support restoration and upkeep of the ancient town. During our 2023 visit, tickets were not required to enter Old Town, at least for individuals visiting without a tour guide.

The ticket apparently doesn’t expire, so if you get one, keep it on you just in case you’re asked for it.

The ticket covers entrance to your choice of 5 out of the 20+ heritage sites:

– Japanese Covered Bridge museum – Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House – Several traditional Vietnamese Old Houses  – Chinese Assembly Halls – Museums: Sa Huỳnh culture, Trade ceramics, Folk culture, Traditional medicine and History and culture – Temples and pagodas, family chapels, and communal houses of worship

Explore the local market in Ancient Town

Visiting local markets is always one of our favorite activities when we travel. Hoi An’s produce market is on the east end of the Old Town, bordered to the south by the river.

One of our homestay family members took us the first time as part of a cooking class, and we returned frequently to buy our new favorite fruits: bon bon (a.k.a langsat ) in the Fall; and rambutan in early Spring.

There is bicycle parking next to the market for a small fee. 

Heads up! Motorcycles and bicycles drive through the narrow alleys around the market, so stay alert when you’re wandering around.

P.S. We put together an interactive map of all these recommendations, including bicycle parking locations, a cycling route, and all of our best tips in an ultimate Hoi An Travel Guide.

Shop for souvenirs

Souvenir shops are plentiful in the Old Town and surrounding areas. Most shops don’t display prices because you are meant to bargain.

You can buy: – clothing – woodwork – jewelry – handicrafts – collapsible lanterns – leather goods – paintings – many other gift items

Quality and craftsmanship vary, so you can find very cheap souvenirs as well as high-end crafts at near-Western prices.

We recommend: Reaching Out Arts & Crafts – truly beautiful crafts made by local artists with disabilities

Get a custom outfit made at a Hoi An tailor shop

Tailors are another popular draw to Hoi An. Nearly every street corner has at least one tailor shop – if not three or four.

If you’re in the market for made-to-order, custom clothing , then Hoi An is the place to get it quickly and affordably. You can have them tailor something you already own, copy a style from a photo, or create an outfit from scratch.

Not all tailors provide equal quality or choice, and some outsource the work. Full custom suits can be made for $60 to $100, or more for higher quality materials. When we got a quote for a fitted jacket only, one shop was asking $180. Quick resizing of shirts is about $5. 

Hoi An tailors are accustomed to visitors needing garments finished quickly. Plan to visit early in your trip and allow 3-4 days for more complex designs that might need multiple adjustments.

We recommend: Two Ladies Tailor on Trần Hưng Đạo Street

View the portraits at Precious Heritage Gallery

There are a number of art galleries in Hoi An. Our favorite gallery has the captivating portraits by French photographer, Rehahn at the Precious Heritage Art Gallery and Museum. Entrance is free.

How to: Stop by 26 Đường Phan Bội Châu from 8am-8pm

Experience Hoi An’s lantern festival

Lantern festivals take place during the full moon each month. To be honest, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit during lantern festival anymore.

Colorful lanterns adorn the streets of the Old Town year-round, so you can always get picturesque photos any time you go.

But when the moon is full, building lights are dimmed to highlight the lanterns. Floating lanterns are sold for about 25 cents, the idea being that you make a wish and release it into the river.

It’s actually become quite a commercial event. This used to be the busiest night in Ancient Town each month, but we’ve noticed that the floating lantern tradition has become a daily occurrence for the benefit of tourists.

Boats and canoes illuminated with lanterns have also become a regular nightly activity, taking tourists on the river for about 20 minutes for a flat fee. We’ve heard that you may be pressured for a tip at the end.

Sometimes there’s also live music on the streets. Many visitors find restaurants with patios where they can watch all the activity while enjoying dinner or drinks. 

Relax at Hoi An’s beach

The beach is just a bike ride away from Hoi An. There are actually two beaches – An Bang and Cua Dai . Unfortunately, both beaches have eroded and depending on the time of your visit, may be found in different states of restoration.

The bike ride from town to the beach is easy.

Note that you cannot bring bikes onto An Bang beach, but you can park a block away from the entrance for 5,000 VND each (about 20 cents) or for free behind some of the restaurants.

Many locals come to exercise and swim at the beach in the mornings and you can see the basket-like boats that are used for fishing in the ocean.

There are also many beach-side seafood restaurants and cafes at An Bang with beach chairs, palapas, and places to get massages nearby.

Cua Dai beach has a small shop, volleyball net and a few vendors selling coconuts and other refreshments. As of 2023, Cua Dai beach is still much less developed for tourism compared to An Bang.

Explore the outskirts of Hoi An by bicycle

We’ll talk more about getting around by bicycle later on, but we often chose biking over walking because of the heat. On a bike you get a nice breeze and it takes little effort because Hoi An is fairly flat.

Here are some of the places around Hoi An you can visit easily by bicycle:

– The Kim Bong wood carving village is across the river via a narrow, metal bridge. There, you’ll find some local wood shops and handmade souvenirs. – We also took a leisurely ride on Cam Nam island, starting from the market. There aren’t any big attractions but it’s nice to explore and relatively quiet in the middle of the day. – An Bang beach is another good destination to visit by bike. – Tra Que vegetable village and the surrounding rice fields are usually quiet and relaxing – this can be done on the way to the beach as well. – Van Duc pagoda is a Buddhist temple and monastery with nice grounds to explore. Be sure to dress appropriately with covered shoulders and knees.

How To: Follow our self-guided cycling route, included with our Interactive Map + Hoi An Travel Guide

Get a massage

Hoi An has a large number of spas that offer beauty and massage services. One hour body massages can be found for $12 and up. Some spas will coordinate transportation pick up and drop off from your accommodations.

Massages in Vietnam tend to be a little less intense than Thai-style, though you can still find Thai massages or those with strong pressure and stretching here. Relaxing oil massage and foot massages are also common.

How To: Find our spa recommendations on our interactive Hoi An map

Try a cooking class

Many homestays and restaurants in Hoi An offer cooking classes. The most budget friendly is probably cooking with your homestay hosts – ours was $5 per person – and it’s a great way to get to know the family better.

We also enjoyed a cooking class, market visit, and boat ride with a local family restaurant. This half day experience helps you see many aspects of daily life for locals in Hoi An.

After purchasing vegetables from the market with our guide, we returned to her home restaurant via a peaceful basket boat. Then we prepared a set meal together and dined on our creation. Afterward, the teacher emailed us the recipes.

Check out local cooking classes here >

Try Vietnamese coffee and tea

Locals of Hoi An love to hang out in coffee shops, and there are all different kinds in town.

The most basic coffee shops have short chairs and a small menu – you’ll see them full of young Vietnamese men smoking, sipping coffee, scrolling on their phones, or having a chat.

Other cafes have a little more atmosphere and are popular for group gatherings – our personal favorites are Cong Ca Phe and Magnolia (a.k.a. Moc Lan) on the river, where we would sometimes go to work.

We like the local white coffee, also called milk coffee – strong, small, with sweetened condensed milk. For a special treat, try coconut coffee – it’s like a coconut milk snow cone with coffee poured over.

And though Hanoi is really the best place to get sweet, creamy egg coffee , it is now more frequently found in Hanoi as well.

For higher-end and Western style coffee shops, there’s Highlands Coffee, Cocobox (pictured above), and several Hoi An Roastery locations.

If you’re looking for a tasting experience with specialty coffee or tea to take home, check out Hoachampa Coffee and Tea or the Reaching Out Teahouse, both in Ancient Town.

Reaching Out is part of a social enterprise that provides meaningful employment for people with hearing impairments, so the cafe is meant to be silent/whisper-only and word blocks are provided to help communicate with the staff.

Make your own souvenir at a Lantern Making Class

Hoi An’s lanterns are an icon of the town. At local lantern workshops, you can learn the delicate process of making lanterns with bamboo and silk cloth. And thanks to the expert guidance of the local craftsman, you can make a lantern yourself.

Basic lanterns take at least 2 hours to complete. The teacher will guide you through the steps and help make any necessary adjustments. In the end, you come away with a handmade souvenir you can take home (the lanterns fold up into a cylinder for transport).

We really enjoyed our private class with Hoi An Handicraft Tours. 

We recommend: Lantern Making Class with Hoi An Handicraft Tours

Hoi An Photo Shoot with a Personal Photographer

Ancient Town is one of Vietnam’s most photogenic destinations, so it’s no surprise that photography is one of the most popular activities here. 

We needed updated photos for our website that included both of us (not just selfies), so we worked with Trung of Hoi An Photographer and can recommend their service.

Schedule a photo shoot with Hoi An Photographer here >

Cowork at Hub Hoi An

For remote workers and digital nomads, Hoi An is a great place to work online . To connect with a community of international nomads and enjoy one of Vietnam’s most beautiful workspaces, check out the coworking space at  Hub Hoi An .

The Hub reopened in a new location (very close to the original spot) in 2023, and the space is even more stunning.

You can purchase a monthly membership as well as weekly, daily, or flex passes. Set up at a desk indoors or in open air, enjoy free coffee and tea, and take advantage of blazing fast wifi (300 MB upload and download).

The Hub is just as much about community as it is about a place to work. They often host community lunches, game nights, or go out to dinner together. They can also set you up with a nearby homestay, motorbike rental, and other local business discounts so it’s easy to hit the ground running.

Day Trips from Hoi An

Hoi An  is a great base to do some pretty cool day trips. Two of the most popular day trip destinations are My Son Sanctuary and the Marble Mountains .

Both of these day trips can be visited independently, as part of a motorbike tour, or through a guided day tour by van or bus.

The My Son temple ruins are an archeological site about half an hour away by motorcycle. There is a small museum with English translations and then little shuttles that drive you out a mile or two to the ruins (it’s also a nice walk as long as it’s cool out).

There are a number of different plots with temples, and you can walk through all of them within an hour. Sadly, many of the temples were heavily affected by the Vietnam-American war, and you can even see craters from the places where bombs landed.

Even so, several areas have been preserved. Hiring a guide on site or joining a group tour is a good idea to add more context when you visit My Son.

Marble Mountains are both a natural and cultural site, located between Hoi An and Da Nang .

It’s hard to describe. They’re karst formations that pop out of otherwise flat land. You can walk around and through various caves, which are used as sacred temples and hold historical significance even from the Vietnam-American War.

You can also climb to some nice viewpoints. The area also has many marble and stone statue shops around here, which are interesting to check out as well.

You might also like this post: Best Day Trips from Hoi An Vietnam

What to Eat in Hoi An

Central Vietnam , and Hoi An itself, have some unique regional cuisine that can’t be found (at least not widely) in other parts of the country.

Below are some of the local specialties you should definitely seek out.

For a more detailed food guide, see our post on Best Food and Hoi An Restaurants .

• Cao Lau noodles
• Mi Quang noodles
• White Rose dumplings
• Bahn Xeo savory pancake
• Bun Thit Nuong (noodles)
• Com Ga chicken rice
• Banh Mi sandwiches
• Vietnamese Coffee

Restaurant Recommendations in Hoi An

The small restaurant is clean with actual sit-down tables, English menus, and most staff understand English as well. Conveniently located on the edge of Ancient Town, yet it maintains reasonable prices. The food is tasty, and we’ve never had a dish we didn’t like there.

Madame Kanh Bánh Mì Queen originally gave you just one option: with or without chilis. Since then, the menu choices have expanded, and she’s moved into a nicer storefront.

Our favorite “Mixed” sandwich comes with egg, pate, pork, and pickled veggies. It’s slightly sweet, truly scrumptious, filling and definitely worth the 30,000 VND. You can eat in or take away – and it gets pretty busy during peak meal times, but there’s additional seating on the second floor.

For many more restaurant recommendations, including Vietnamese food as well as other cuisines – like Greek souvlaki, fusion tacos, vegetarian and vegan, desserts and pastries – purchase our curated Hoi An map and 50+ page Hoi An Travel Guide.

Where to Stay in Hoi An

Hoi An has an abundance of choices when it comes to accommodations. From fancy boutique hotels to family-run homestays to backpacker hostels, you’ll find it all. Just maybe not a Marriott or a Hilton.

See our complete guide on where to stay in Hoi An here

Many accommodations can be found around the Old Town area or within walking distance. Others will be in neighborhoods out by the rice paddies or the beach – these may be more peaceful but would require a bike or taxi to get around.

Staying closer to Old Town (the highlighted area on our map) is recommended if you have only one or two days to stay. However, we prefer to stay just outside of this touristy area for a more calm experience.

In our opinion, a family-run homestay is the perfect choice for intentional travelers. There is quite a variety even among homestay options, and reading reviews is critical for finding something that’s right for you.

We chose our first homestay based on great reviews on Airbnb and the family’s emphasis on sharing culture with their guests . They retired during the pandemic, but were an excellent example of the amazing experience Hoi An families can provide through homestay.

The owners started the homestay by remodeling their house and enlisting the help of extended family to run day-to-day tasks. The private bedrooms were appointed like nice hotel rooms, each with its own bathroom and mini fridge .

Located a short bike ride into Old Town, there was easy access to the main road leading out to An Bang beach (about 10-15 minutes by bike). Across the street were fields of rice paddies. Bicycles were included and they arranged a motorcycle rental as well.

The wifi was pretty strong and, for the most part, consistent. Another great benefit was that breakfast was included.

Each night we let them know our breakfast and drink choice for the following morning – options included local specialties like pho, cao lau, and mi quang or you could get a baguette with egg, omelette, or cheese and jam. We loved their Vietnamese “white coffee” with sweetened condensed milk.

Our host was a big advocate for cross-cultural exchange and offered a number of activities guests could participate in with them throughout the week. Cooking class and family dinner, language lessons, visits to the family’s wood carving workshop in a nearby village.

Although they were all still working to improve their English, they were always super attentive and helpful whenever we needed anything. There were also a number of special things that we enjoyed with the family because we stayed longer than most guests.

We returned to stay with the family on three occasions, for a total of about 4 months over the years. Though they no longer host guests, we still get together with them when we’re in town. We strongly encourage you to seek out personal connections like this of your own in Hoi An!

Other Guest Houses and Hotels in Hoi An

We have also enjoyed staying at Yen Villa Homestay  for their generous breakfast and nice neighborhood setting. Also the The View Homestay , for its central location and good value.

We’ve done quite a bit of research into accommodations in Hoi An, partly for tours we’re hosting and also so we’d know what to recommend to our readers.

We literally biked around to the best rated hotels, homestays, and villas in the top areas to see them for ourselves. 

Getting Around in Hoi An

Biking and walking are the best methods of transportation for most purposes. We happened to be in Hoi An in October, during the rainy season, so we quickly learned the value of carrying umbrellas and ponchos with us.

When the rain comes, it pours. You can get completely drenched in a matter of seconds, and roads can flood quickly as well. When we returned in February and March, rain was rare and not as heavy.

Motorcycles or moped rentals are another option, if that’s what you prefer. Helmets are required for motorized vehicles in Vietnam and it’s best to have an international license with motorcycle permit.

Taxis, Grab rideshare, and electric Hoi An shuttle buses are also options to get around Hoi An. Since Vietnam is built for motorbikes, cars have a little more difficulty getting through traffic, so always allow yourself extra time when traveling by vehicle.

The main taxi service in Hoi An are the green Mai Linh taxi cars, which you can always find at the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Le Loi.

To skip dealing with the language barrier and negotiating prices in cash, we usually prefer Grab – a rideshare app in Southeast Asia.

Grab drivers are not as common in Hoi An as they are in other cities, so don’t be surprised if you’re waiting a while for a driver to come. The Grab app often designates specific pick up points in Hoi An, so rather than call the driver to your current location, you may need to walk to the nearest pick up location.

New as of 2019 are electric shuttle buses , which usually hang out where Phan Chu Trinh meets Hoang Dieu street. You can hire a private shuttle for up to 8 people for sightseeing. Rather than meters like the taxis use, the shuttle will give you a fixed price in advance based on where you want to go or the duration of time you want to ride.

New in 2024 are turquoise electric vehicle taxis and motorbikes from Xanh SM . They also have a ride-share and rental app.

Rules of the road in Vietnam

Regardless of which vehicle you take, it’s important to observe the rules of the road carefully before jumping in, because they are different in Vietnam. Some say “there are no rules” but they’re actually more unspoken rules .

For example, right of way is usually determined by the size of the vehicle . Trucks beat cars, cars beat motorcycles, motorcycles beat bicycles, etc.

You must be very attentive and alert while driving or biking, but you can trust that others will be doing the same. Only go as fast as your ability to react to obstacles allows.

Everyone is responsible for the space in front of them , which means drivers don’t worry about what’s going on behind them because that’s someone else’s job. Be aware the people will not look when backing up a bike into the road, so you are responsible for slowing down and avoiding them.

People will also drive on the opposite side of the road for short periods and will take left turns before oncoming traffic has passed. So keep an eye out for people coming from every direction – not just the directions you might expect.

If you can handle that and stay calm, you’ll be good to go. Traffic tends to move relatively slowly, so stay calm, stay alert, and enjoy the harmony amidst chaos!

There are a number of places in Hoi An where paid bike parking is required – for example, to enjoy An Bang beach or to enter Old Town during bike-free times.

These spaces are watched over by an attendant, so they will charge a small fee. Otherwise, when you’re on any other street and parking at a restaurant, we found it was best to ask the restaurant staff where to park bikes because certain spaces can be off limits.

Compare and book Vietnam train tickets, bus tickets, and car hires on BookAway >

Our Top Tips for Intentional Travel in Hoi An

• Save all this info offline! It’s included with our curated Hoi An Map and Travel Guide .
• Try to make a local connection , whether it’s staying in a family homestay or hiring a local guide. We recommend doing the local-led Hidden Gems Hoi An Food Tour .  Also check out the experience listings on LikeLocal.
• Shop at family owned, independent businesses and support local artisans when purchasing souvenirs
• Visit the Ancient Town during off-peak times , like early morning, to avoid crowds
• Take this article with you as your guide! Upload the article for free to your phone with the  GPSmyCity app . (You can also upgrade to get an offline GPS map that guides you to each location we mention. Or subscribe to access all articles and maps for a full year.)
• For more guidance, see:  how to have authentic, meaningful travel experiences in touristy areas  and our simple rules for intentional travel series

For further reading about Hoi An:

– Our Ultimate Hoi An Travel Guide + Curated Map – Best food in Hoi An: Our favorite restaurants – Where to stay in Hoi An – 5 Best day trips from Hoi An – 3 Day Hoi An Itinerary and Self-Guided Walking Tour Map – Hue to Hoi An Motorbike Tour/Transfer

For other Vietnam destinations:

– Suggested Vietnam Itineraries: 10+ Days in Vietnam – Best Central Vietnam Destinations – Unique Things to Do in Da Nang Vietnam – A budget guide to Ninh Binh – A budget guide to Hue – A budget guide to Hanoi – Dalat Vietnam Itinerary – A budget guide to Mai Chau Vietnam

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Thanks for taking the time to share your travel experience. I have to let you know that you incorrectly spelled the word “Bahn My,” It should by “Banh My.”

Thanks for reading! I’ve always seen it written bahn mi – maybe it’s regional??

Banh mi is the correct one, although some regions use banh my.

Beautiful post! There was this vegetarian restaurant, Minh Hien, that was so good that we had to go back a second time after trying a few other “chay” eateries that did not live up to Minh Hien. I also recommend taking a motorbike trip up to Danang, the Hai Van Pass, and Marble Mountains if one didn’t stop there yet!

Thanks for the recommendations! We did the motorbike tour to get ourselves from Hue to Hoi An and it was pretty awesome.

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14 Things To Do in Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An: Vietnam’s most loved travel destination, and home to the charming lantern-lit streets of the old town, which lie nestled along the river bank. The Japanese, Chinese and French influences translate back into the street scene where traditional old wooden and yellow colonial buildings sit side-by-side. Not to mention the baguettes being sold on every street corner- yum! Hoi An is a long-established UNESCO world heritage site and, therefore, has perfectly preserved its history. Here are the top things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Best Things To Do in Hoi An

1. wander down the old streets of hoi an.

Spend hours wandering slowly through the streets and admiring the French & Asian style houses, shutters, and colors. Join a guided walking tour to learn more about the city’s past as you discover this ancient town. The architecture provides a real nostalgic feeling and has been perfectly maintained as a result of its UNESCO status.

Also read: Best Things to do in Vietnam

Stop off at charming coffee shops, some of which have terraces that provide views over the archaic roofs and the river. During the night, lantern-lit streets give a charming and romantic feel.

Here are all your hotel options in Hoi An.

2. Quan Cong Temple

The Quan Cong Pagoda Temple is decorated in bright gold and red, which is typical for Chinese temples. It stands out against the yellow buildings and is a perfect example of cultural influences. Enjoy the calmness of the inner courtyard but keep an eye on the signs that mention things such as removing shoes when standing in front of the sacred statues.

In order to enter the temple, you need to purchase the Hoi An Old Town ticket at any of the ticket stalls .

3. Japanese Bridge

The iconic sight of Hoi An is the majestic Japanese Bridge that sits over the river. This bridge, built in the late 16th century at the time of Japanese immigration, is one of the most popular things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam.

See the architectural details of the charming and well-preserved bridge by day or see it beautifully lit up by night. 

In order to cross the ancient bridge, you will need to have the Hoi An old town ticket .

Join one of the popular Hoi An Walking Tours

4. Day trip to Da Nang

Da Nang is a large and developed city located 30 minutes from Hoi An. It has great food hot spots, interesting architecture like the Dragon Bridge, and arguably some of the best beaches in Vietnam. Additionally, visit the Lady Buddha and Marble Mountains ( book a day tour here ).

Don’t forget to: get your Visa for Vietnam

5. Hoi An Market 

Engage in the hectic local life and visit the Hoi An Market (Chợ Hội An). You can find products like fresh vegetables and fruits, flowers, spices, baskets, and meat and fish. Experiencing the intense crowds and beeping motorbikes during the morning is a thing you must do in Hoi An. You can also combine a visit of the market with a cooking class and a basket boat ride by booking a day tour .

Read: Complete 3-week Vietnam Route Guide

Additionally, visit one of the many tailor shops at the nearby located Hoi An Tailor Market and have a high-quality suit or dress custom-made for a very reasonable price if you’re comfortable with bargaining.

6. Hoi An Night Market 

Find hundreds of glowing lanterns strung up along the Hoi An Night Market, where you can find vendors selling clothing and so much more. Different than the daytime market, the Night Market is focused on tourists and is located on the other side of the bridge.

It is possibly Vietnam ‘s most popular market, and, therefore, it tends to get busy after sundown. The Hoi An night market opens at 5 PM until 10 PM. 

Tip: Visit the market after 8 PM when the crowds start to die down.

7. Reaching Out Tea house

Run by men and women who suffer from hearing and speech impairments, this charming tea house is a must-do in Hoi An. It is an incredibly peaceful environment, as silence is respected, and orders and communication are all done through the use of speech cubes and body language. Not only are the tea, coffee, and biscuits fantastic, but it is a wonderful way to use tourism for good.

Here are 10 tips on how to travel more sustainably

8. Hoi An Free Bike Tour

Vietnamese students organize free biking tours in order to practice their English. Get to know Hoi An as the locals do by cycling along with the rice fields, preparing traditional foods, and visiting the outer parts of Hoi An, which you might not usually see.

The tour is organized every Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday and can be booked here .

9. Ba Mu Temple Gates (Tam Quan)

Only recently has this stunning three-gated Pagoda opened its doors to the public. The old temple and beautifully colored complex, built in 1626, features a round open circle flanked by two large doors. This is a prime example of the typical style of Vietnamese architecture.

10. Banh Mi – Taste the best ones in Hoi An!

The French colonial influences have left their mark in Vietnam through the introduction of the baguette. The Banh Mi sandwich filled with meats, coriander, cucumber, pathé or cheese, chili, and mayonnaise is now a traditional Vietnamese dish. 

Also read: Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital

Hoi An has been dubbed the Banh Mi Capital of Vietnam, so there couldn’t be a better place to try this incredible Vietnamese take on a sandwich. We’re warning you; these are highly addictive!

Tip: Vegetarian or vegan? You HAVE TO try the oh-so-good banh mi stall at this spot .

11. Hoi An Cooking Classes

Vietnamese cuisine is arguably one of the best in the world, and within Vietnam, Hoi An takes precedence for its explosive flavors. Due to this, cooking classes are extremely popular, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Cooking classes usually take 3 to 5 hours.

In the Tra Que Herb village they will teach you how to cook 4 traditional Vietnamese meals inside a beautiful herb garden.

Another option is to join a cooking tour where you get taken to the market to buy the cooking class ingredients. A beautiful bamboo basket boat trip brings you to the cooking class location while you also learn how to fish with a fishing net.

Join a market, boat, and cooking class tour 

12. Boat Along the river

Take a lazy river ride in one of the traditional Vietnamese basket boats! Thung Chai is the name of this round basket-style boat, which is made from bamboo. Try navigating for yourself, and you’ll see it’s almost impossible to not spin around in circles due to the shape of the boat.

There are lots of options to learn this and enjoy an entire morning or afternoon learning about this ancient craft. A must-do experience whilst in Hoi An!

Book a basket boat tour

13. An Bang Beach

Although the old town is the main thing to do in Hoi An, another great attraction is its coastline. An Bang Beach is a 4km stretch of sand lined with deckchairs and relaxed beach bars. Kick back here with a drink and enjoy the beautiful outlook on the ocean.

14. Precious Art Gallery

Visit the great gallery of photographer Rehahn, who displays the culture and importance of the ethnic tribes of Vietnam. The series of photos were taken over a period of 8 years, documenting 51 out of the 54 remaining tribes left in Vietnam. New photographs have been added too. Also available to see are some traditional ethnic costumes, all of which provide a real insight into the history of one of the most important cultural aspects of Vietnam.

How to Visit Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An is located centrally in Vietnam , and although it does not have an airport, it is easily connected. The nearest airport is Da Nang, which is only a 45-minute drive away. There is a public bus which runs regularly and only costs 1 USD, or there is the option to take a taxi.

There are daily flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh to Danang, and more international flights are starting to become available.

Buses Although flying is the quickest option, there are also multiple good sleeper buses running from locations throughout Vietnam or an overnight train that runs from Hanoi to Danang.

Find all transport options here

Getting Around

Walking or biking is the mode of transport inside Hoi An old town. Pedestrianized streets make it a perfect place for a wander. Hire bikes to cycle to the beach or amongst the rice paddies. Hotels and guesthouses in Hoi An sometimes offer bicycles, so it’s smart to look for a hotel that does this. 

These hotels offer free bikes

Hoi An Old Town Ticket

In order to preserve Hoi An old town, a ticket is required to enter some buildings. Purchase your ticket at one of the counters that surround the outskirts of the city center. The ticket is 120.000 VND (5 USD) and is not needed to walk around in Hoi An.

The Best Restaurants in Hoi An

Hoi An is a place for food lovers with well-established local and international cuisines. These are our favorites:

• Nú eatery (Fusion Vietnamese)
• Nourish eatery (International, Vegan)
• Streets Restaurant (International)
• Vegetarian Ban Mi (Vietnamese)
• Avo’s and Mango (International)
• Quán Cao lầu Bá Lễ (Vietnamese)
• Nhan’s Kitchen (Vietnamese)
• The Espresso Station (Best coffee)

Where to Stay

Depending on what kind of trip you want, you can stay either by the beach or situate yourself more centrally by the old town. It’s best to stay just outside of the old town, as the accommodation will be cheaper and both the beach and the old town will still be easy to reach.

Hotels in Hoi An 😴

Best Time to Visit Hoi An

The climate in Hoi An is warm year-round but is particularly dry from February to July. Make sure to avoid Vietnamese public holidays, especially TET, which is the biggest holiday of the year and causes shops and restaurants to close.

Recommendation: The monthly and extremely popular Hoi An Lantern Festival is beautiful but causes an insane amount of rubbish in its rivers. We recommend not attending.

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• Book a Bus/Train/Transfer via 12Go

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Hello there, Your blog has been extremely useful. Not entirely sure whether you’ve got the most updated link for the Hoi An Free Bike Tour. The one loaded is not working.

Thank you heaps

Hi John, thank you! The link is working for me so I assume their website had problems.

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• The best ways to explore the ancient town of Hoi An

The charming ‘yellow town’ is packed with history and full of opportunities to create magical memories. Here are the top suggestions for what to do when visiting…

With its old-world architecture, cobbled streets, and distinctive yellow shop fronts festooned with colorful lanterns, it’s no wonder Hội An’s considered one of the most beautiful places in all of Vietnam. In 2021, Hội An – a UNESCO world cultural heritage site since 1999 − was named Asia's Leading Cultural City Destination at the World Travel Awards. Yet there’s more to it than awards and postcard-perfect beauty. The town boasts a long history of drawing people from across the world.

Archaeological evidence suggests a trade in the region was happening as early as the second century BC. Hội An grew into a bustling trading port. During the Cham Dynasties (7 th -10 th centuries), it was an economic hub, where merchants from Asia, Persia, and Arabia traded. Later, the famed Silk Road maritime route saw ships from Europe start flocking to the port. From the 15 th to 19 th centuries, Hội An was a major Southeast Asian trading post. Here, goods were traded, and ideas and cultures were shared.

Today, tourism is the town’s major trade. But evidence of its fascinating history is everywhere. Wander any of its picturesque, pedestrian-friendly streets and you’ll see influences from a range of eras, places and cultures. And with its many shop-houses, it’s still considered a mecca for purchasing silk and other valued items.

Planning to visit Hội An? Here are some ideas to add to your itinerary…

MARVEL AT THE BEAUTY OF THE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Why is the lantern the most iconic symbol of Hội An? Ever since Chinese and Japanese traders introduced them hundreds of years ago, lanterns have always been hung – and made – here. For the most memorable trip (and most stunning photos), the best time to visit Hội An is during the lantern festival, held on the 14 th day of every lunar month, when the moon is full. At night, the town reduces its electricity usage, so the candle-lit lanterns steal the show. Find a spot by the river, where lanterns are cast adrift to bring good luck. Or hop onto a boat and drop a lantern as you make a wish of your own.

TOP TIP : Go during the first festival of the Lunar New Year for the biggest celebration of them all.

TAKE A BOAT TOUR

Given its estuary location, traditional boats are another distinctive feature of Hội An. The river that’s welcomed generations of trade is still a source of livelihood for many locals. A boat trip is a cooling, soothing way to experience the city from its waterways. The most popular choice is a sunset cruise on one of the sampans that line the riverside. Early birds should try a sunrise tour of the fish market on a traditional wooden boat. Help the fishermen returning offload their catch, ready to sell. For something different, hop into one of the quirky circular bamboo boats unique to Vietnam.

TOP TIP: Brave enough to take a bamboo boat for a spin? Stand up, keep your core steady … and be prepared to (potentially) get wet.

STROLL AROUND THE OLD TOWN

With its historical buildings and mix of European and Asian architectural styles, there’s plenty to admire on an unhurried walk through the ancient town. The original street grid plan remains as it was, and 844 of the 1107 buildings making up the townscape are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. So walking the streets of Hội An is like moving through a living museum. Give yourself enough time to stop for a ‘ cà phê sữa đá ’ (delicious Vietnamese iced coffee), enter a gallery, or shop for souvenirs.

TOP TIP: Buy an Old Town Ticket at the entrance to the old town to get entry into five of Hội An’s heritage buildings.

BUY FABRIC AND CUSTOM-MADE CLOTHES

Fabric, particularly silk, is woven into Hội An’s history. During Silk Road times, it was currency. Over time, many families took to selling fabrics or making garments. Now, Hội An is a hotspot for travelers wanting quality items tailor-made. For a sensory experience like no other, visit the Hội An Cloth Market. Here, at over 50 stalls stacked high with fabrics of all kinds and colours, sellers entice passers-by to buy. The experience can be overwhelming. So keep a cool head, and get ready to hone your bargaining skills. Looking for a gentler, more genteel experience? Visit one of the town’s many tailors. The cost of fabric is included, so you don’t have to source it yourself. And if it’s silk you’re after, head to the Hội An Silk Village.

TOP TIP: Place your order early in your trip, so the tailors have enough time to make up your outfit.

VISIT THE JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE

Back in the 15 th century, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese merchants began to settle around the port. As communities grew in different areas, so did their interactions. Around 1593, the Japanese built a bridge to link their neighborhood to the Chinese one. Some say the bridge was also meant to subdue Namazu, the mythical Japanese catfish creature believed to cause earthquakes. All these years later, the Japanese Covered Bridge still stands strong. The landmark even features on the 20,000 VND banknote – that’s how significant it is.

TOP TIP: An Old Town Ticket gives you access to the interior temple. Money from ticket sales goes towards preserving the bridge.

EXPLORE THE MUSEUMS

Unsurprisingly, the old quarter is full of museums that offer detailed insight into the story of this stunning town. Among these are five top attractions: the Museum of History and Culture gives a comprehensive overview, with artifacts spanning about 2,000 years; the Museum of Folklore looks at traditional crafts and includes a performance; the Museum of Sa Huỳnh Culture gives insight into the Sa Huỳnh period; the Museum of Trade Ceramics showcases pottery and ceramics; while Tan Ky Old House is a stunning example of Asian architecture and Oriental philosophy. Built in 1741, it’s been home to seven generations of one Vietnamese family and is a great example of an 18th-century merchant’s home.

TOP TIP: At Tan Ky House, look out for the stunning One Hundred Birds lacquered board. Written in 100 letters, each stroke of writing is actually an image of a bird in flight.

HEAD TO THE BEACH

Need a break from all that art and culture? A beachy break is less than 10km away. Some visitors opt to stay at a beach-side resort, venturing into the old town for day trips. The nearest and most popular beach in An Bang. There are sun loungers and umbrellas for those wanting to relax. Watersports include parasailing, jet skis, and stand-up paddleboarding. There are plenty of bars and restaurants for food and refreshments. Cua Dai Beach is where most of the resorts are. Erosion has made the beach frontage fairly narrow, but it’s still favored among locals. Hidden Beach, which lies between these two, is a quiet option. There’s a spa and restaurant for those seeking some R&R.

TOP TIP: Do as the Vietnamese do: Avoid the harsh sun during the middle of the day. Mornings should be quiet, while late afternoons and early evenings may be busy.

VISIT THE CHAM ISLANDS

For a trip within a trip, go to the Cham islands for the day or overnight. Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, consists of eight islands 15km off Hội An’s coast. Day-trippers go there for snorkeling, diving, or to enjoy one of eight beaches. But to really experience the peace and quiet of island life, book an overnight stay. The extra time will allow you to see the sleepy Bai Huong fishing village or visit one of the island’s monuments.

TOP TIP: Take a speedboat for the quickest ride there. Or go via ferry for a more leisurely and authentic journey.

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Ho Chi Minh City

Colorful Temples, Boutique Shops, Riverside Resorts, Tranquil Old Port - Hoi An has it all

A once bustling trading port, Hoi An is nowadays a rustic and charming cultural magnet to any visitors. The city seems to be forgotten by time, and retains much of its traditional heritage since the golden days: this place is clearly an intersection of Eastern-Western culture, the crystallization of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European countries manifested in cuisine, architecture, and local traditions.

Always ranking first in the list of most attractive destinations of Vietnam, Hoi An captures the hearts of travelers through a nostalgic, peaceful beauty with red tile roofs, iconic yellow walls, dreamy and romantic rivers, and stunning calm beaches.

Those who have visited the city find it hard to leave and almost impossible to forget.

Weather and best time to visit

With the humid tropical climate of the southern Hai Van region, Hoi An's climate is divided into two distinct seasons: dry and rainy.

The rainy season lasts from September to the end of January. Unlike the North of Vietnam (such as Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa) which sees cool winter breeze, the same period in Hoi An experiences average temperature in the 20s.

The dry season lasts from February to August with little rainfall and high temperatures. But thanks to its proximity to the ocean, the weather in Hoi An is not as scorching hot as elsewhere in Vietnam.

In recent years, due to climate change, Hoi An Old Quarter often experiences heavy flooding in the rainy season, so visitors are advised to visit in the dry season instead.

In short, the best time for you to explore Hoi An is from February to July - the spring and early summer climate with pleasant cool weather and endless blue skies.

Learn more about Hoi An's weather

What to do in Hoi An

Visit well-known attractions.

As one of the top places to visit in Vietnam, Hoi An still retains almost 1,000 architectures from streets, houses, assemblies, to communal houses, temples, shrines and bridges. So the first must-do thing in Hoi An is to explore the city with renowned places like Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House. Phung Hung Old House, Cantonese Assembly Hall. With a tourist map, you can easily explore the city on foot.

If you have more time to spend, make sure to include trips to the nearby highlights such as My Son Sanctuary, Tra Que Vegetable Village or Kim Bong Carpentry Village, Cam Thanh Coconut Village or Cham Island. Book a tour from one of the agencies in town so you can make the best of your time there. Relax on the beaches

In addition to the ancient and peaceful beauty of the old town with its red-tile roofed houses, iconic brilliantly yellow statues, or colorful lanterns, Hoi An also captures visitors by stunning An Bang Beach. The natural picture drawn by stretching white sand strips, emerald blue sea surface and rustic boats, along with the cool breeze from the sea, will dispel all fatigue and anxiety in your daily life’s hustle and bustle.

Taking a bicycle tour

Hoi An is considered one of the most beautiful cycling paths in the world besides Florence (Italy), Paris (France), Amsterdam (Netherlands), so it will be a mistake if you do not explore the tranquil and poetic beauty of Hoi An in an eco-friendly mode.

In addition, to protect the fresh and clean environment of Hoi An, the local government has encouraged visitors to use bicycles to travel while visiting the town. The price for renting a bike is very affordable, only from 20,000 - 50,000 VND (1-2 USD), or the hotels also offer free bike-rental service. Shop at the central market

During your stay in Hoi An, do not miss Hoi An Market - the largest market in Hoi An, with a full range of consumer goods, essential foods for daily life. In addition, the market is also a gathering place for a variety of local specialties such as souvenirs, lanterns, "non la", giving you a huge range of choices as you pick your souvenirs for friends and family.

Besides the handicrafts that are meticulously and beautifully crafted through the skillful hands of artisans, do not miss the street food at Hoi An market - which was chosen as one of 6 culinary paradise by Lonely Planet magazine - with a variety of specialties in Hoi An in particular, Quang Nam Province in general. A few must tries are cao lau, my quang and com ga Hoi An.

Order your bespoken clothes

One of the many must-do things in Hoi An is to get yourself an outfit tailored directly by professional and skillful tailors. Well-known for its soft and high-grade silk, Hoi An quickly captures the visitors' hearts by made-to-measure service for visitors who want to have a personalized outfit or as an impressive gift for loved ones.

There are many tailor shops located on the old streets with 5-7 professional tailors in each shop, giving you a variety of choices for ideal clothes. 

Learn more about the best tailor shops in Hoi An.

Places to visit in Hoi An

Japanese covered bridge.

As a jewel in the heart of Hoi An, the 400 year old Japanese Bridge is like a piece connecting the past, present and the future. Lying across a small branch of the poetic Thu Bon River and surrounded by the old quarter with the history of a thousand years, it acts as a witness to the once-sparkling history but still shining forever in the old town. This will be the perfect stopover for your trip not only thanks to its ancient majestic beauty, but also its unique oriental architecture. Spend some time to admire the meticulously engraved and painted wooden pillars and feel a part of glorious Hoi An’s past.

Tan Ky Old House

Built nearly 200 years ago, Tan Ky Old House - which was granted the national cultural and historical relic site in 1990 - carries the typical architectural style of Hoi An old house. Its interiors are divided into many rooms with separate functions. The house's front is a place to open a shop, while the back is connected to the river wharf to serve as a place to import and export goods.

The house impresses visitors with its bold design and elegant look, built with traditional materials under the creation of skilled local carpenters. Phung Hung Old House

With its origin dating back over 100 years ago, Phung Hung Old House used to be the home of the richest businessman in ancient Hoi An with its modern and liberal beauty. The name of the house expresses the meaning of wishing prosperity in business. The house's structure is made of high-quality wood and influenced by oriental architecture.

Cantonese Assembly Hall

Built at the end of 1885, Cantonese Assembly Hall is a very famous and unique building of Hoi An in the late 19th century.

Impressive architecture made from wood, stone and cement has made up an elaborate and sophisticated work. Besides, the Assembly Hall also reflects the beauty of Chinese architecture through delicate details. The Assembly Hall currently preserves artifacts made of beautiful ceramics.

Trieu Chau Assembly Hall

Highly praised among the must-visit list in Hoi An, The Trieu Chau Assembly Hall attracts visitors with its fine lines in detail and unique delicate carvings. This is also a familiar point for those who are interested in learning about Vietnamese history as well as the development process of Hoi An.

Beyond the Old Quarter

Cua Dai Beach

Stretching about 5 kilometers from the center of Hoi An, Cua Dai Beach was honored as one of the 25 most beautiful beaches in Asia with its pretty sand dunes and turquoise seawater. Walking on the beach and watching the sunrise lighting up the sky will give you a feeling of incredible relaxation and peace. Unfortunate due to land erosion, it is no longer the best option for your swimming hours. You can still admire the natural beauty, especially in late afternoon, when the whole sky is dyed orange-red, and the water surface is shimmering by the sunset. A better alternative if you really want to soak in the ocean water is An Bang beach nearby.

An Bang Beach

An Bang Beach is an indispensable attraction when you visit the ancient Hoi An. The beach impresses visitors with its white sand strip, tranquil and blue sea surface, cool-shading coconut groves and especially its tranquility and wilderness. The beach's contemplation and tranquility together with the fisherman's simple basket boats will surely help you shake off all the fatigue, sorrow and worries of daily life.

Thanh Ha Pottery Village

Located on the side of the peaceful Thu Bon River, Thanh Ha Pottery Village has more than 500 years of establishment and development, and is a place for talented and enthusiastic artisans to blow souls into the soil.

The village not only gives visitors a peaceful, rustic village space, but also offers you various choices of meaningful souvenirs for loved ones, or experience of making your own unique work. Besides, you can also witness the process of creating beautiful ceramic products through the hands of skillful and talented artisans.

While visiting The Ancient Pottery Village of Thanh Ha, do not forget to visit Thanh Ha Terracotta Park - Vietnam's largest ceramic park which is considered a unique pottery museum with many areas of markets, exhibitions, and museums showcasing exclusive ceramic products.

Tra Que Vegetable Village

If you are a lover of the peaceful and fresh beauty of nature and rural countryside, Tra Que Vegetable Village is definitely the ideal place for you during Hoi An trip. The vegetable village not only gives you a vibrant green picture of more than 70 types of vegetables, but also helps you to have more memorable experiences when learning more about local people's lives, knowing know-how to take care of vegetables or trying to harvest vegetables. In addition to walking and breathing the fresh air here, visitors can cycle or ride a buffalo between the vegetable-scented streets.

• My Son Sanctuary

More than 40 kilometers from the center of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary is recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage with an extremely unique architecture located in a valley with a diameter of about 2 kilometers with the ancient Champa culture. This is a complex of more than 70 temples with many typical architectural and sculptural styles for each period of Champa Kingdom. Not only architecture, My Son Sanctuary also has bold Cham culture with gentle and flexible Cham dance, and various special artistic activities like fire dance, water on head dance, folk performing arts. Admission tickets for this relic are 150,000 VND for foreign visitors, and 100,000 VND for Vietnamese visitors.

What to eat in Hoi An

Besides the ancient streets and fanciful shimmering lights of lanterns, Hoi An also captivates visitors' hearts with a unique and diverse culinary paradise.

“Cao lau” – A pork noodle dish

Those who have been to Hoi An must definitely enjoy a specialty of Quang Nam called "Cao lau" - which is more special than other dishes such as Quang noodles, "pho", and vermicelli thanks to the meticulous and elaborate noodle processing. The dish is a combination of rich broth, chewy noodles, the side dishes as minced meat, raw vegetables and the sour-spicy taste of lemon and chili. Despite originating from China, this dish has long been a culinary icon that visitors should not ignore in Hoi An.

Some of the best "Cao lau" addresses in the old town:

• Cao lau Lien Restaurant: No.21, Thai Phien Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An
• Cao lau Ba Be Restaurant: No.19, Tran Phu Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An
• Cao lau Thanh Restaurant: No. 26, Thai Phien Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An

“Banh my” - Bread

Bread is a famous and popular street food in Vietnam, however, each region has different ways of processing, creating a great variety for this dish. When it comes to Hoi An cuisine, domestic and international tourists cannot ignore the two famous bread brands: Phuong bread and Madame Khanh bread. Made from familiar ingredients but with its own recipe, Hoi An bread is described by Anthony Bourdain as “a symphony in a sandwich".

• Phuong bread: No.2B, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An
• Madame Khanh bread: No.115, Tran Cao Van Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An

Chicken rice

It will be a mistake if you do not enjoy the chicken rice prepared by the hands of Hoi An's child during your Hoi An trip. Made with good and sticky rice, chicken mixed with onions, papaya, and herbs, served with a salad with 1 cup of chicken's heart soup, a unique and delicious dish is born with the name chicken rice - one of the must-try dishes in Hoi An.

Some of the best places to enjoy chicken rice in Hoi An:

• Ba Buoi Restaurant: No.22, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An
• Ba Ty Restaurant: No.25-27, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An
• Ba Nga Restaurant: No.8, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An

Hoi An sweet soup

Hoi An is like a sweet soup paradise with a variety of dishes such as corn sweet soup, lotus sweet soup, black bean sweet soup, black sesame sweet soup, rice ball sweet soup, etc. A cup of mixed sweet soup is a great choice for those who want to enjoy all kinds of sweet soup at the same time. Hoi An sweet soup is available all year round but it would be great to enjoy on a hot summer day in Hoi An.

Some of best places to enjoy a cup of sweet soup in Hoi An:

• Ba Muoi’s sweet soup: No.4, Hoang Dieu Street, Cam Nam Ward, Hoi An
• Co Sau’s sweet soup: No.369, Cua Dai Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An
• Co Suong’s sweet soup: No. 57, Tran Cao Van Street, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An

What to buy as gifts

Green bean cake.

The green bean cake is a specialty of Hai Duong Province, however, Hoi An's green bean cake owns a distinctive sweet-salty taste created by crispy fried pork fat, and soft green bean cake crust. The special taste and beautiful packaging make green bean cake an ideal gift for friends and relatives after your trip in Hoi An.

Toy figurine

Toy figurine - a simple toy but carrying a part of Hoi An people's memories - is a ceramic product of the well-known pottery village Thanh Ha. Toy figurines have many different shapes such as 12 zodiac signs, elephants, turtles, peacocks, birds, etc. This will definitely be a special and novel gift for loved ones after visiting this ancient town.

Hoi An's specialties include not only cuisine, but also silk - one of the most valuable garment materials. Exported to Asian-European countries 300 years ago, silk is made from natural silk material while its products contain both the cultural and historical beauty of Quang Nam. Silk and its products - which are made up of skillful hands of talented and experienced artisans - surely make a great gift in your Hoi An trip. Lantern

Referring to Hoi An, it is impossible not to mention colorful lanterns present in every corner and street of the old town. Let's impress your loved one with a gift as lanterns - which are both reminiscent of Hoi An and can be used to decorate the house. Sold throughout the old town space, lanterns have been improved so that buyers can fold them up for easy carrying.

How to get around in Hoi An

Motorbike .

It is a popular vehicle in Vietnam that helps you to be proactive in the schedule and time, and save travel money. You can easily rent a motorbike in Hoi An for 120,000 - 150,000 VND/day.

Bicycles 

This is the recommended vehicle to use in Hoi An to protect the environment as well as help you enjoy ancient beauty of the town in the most detail. Bicycle rental service is quite popular in Hoi An for 40,000 VND/day or you can use free bicycles from the hotel where you are staying. Cyclo: While cyclo is a rare vehicle in many cities, it is one of the most popular means of transport in Hoi An. You can pick up a cyclo at Phan Chu Trinh Street or Tran Phu Street for about 150,000 VND/hour/cyclo.

If you intend to explore tourist attractions far from the center of Hoi An, you can travel by taxi for more convenience in traveling. Some familiar taxi companies in Hoi An include Mai Linh Taxi (phone number: 0235.3.92.92.92), Hoi An Taxi (phone number: 0235.3.91.99.19), and Faifo taxi (phone number: 0235.3.91.91.91).

To have a perfect Hoi An travel, you should not miss the chance to take a boat ride on Hoai River, Thu Bon River - a perfect idea to admire the beauty and peacefulness of Hoi An. You can easily catch the boat at the river wharf in the city center.

Where to stay in Hoi An

Hotels in hoi an.

There are 2 main areas preferred by visitors when choosing a place to stay in Hoi An including hotels in the Old Quarter and hotels by the sea. Some of the best hotels for your reference include La Residencia Hotel, Little Riverside Hoi An Hotel, Maison Vy Hotel, Hoi An Rose Garden Hotel, etc.

Homestays in Hoi An

Hoi An is the perfect venue for you to find an attractive hotel or homestay - where you can get an experience full of local features. The homestays own a variety of designs and concepts as well as having a nostalgic and peaceful atmosphere of Hoi An. Some homestays loved by visitors are Loongboong Homestay, An Bang Garden Homestay, Le Bleu Homestay, An Bang Beach Hideaway, etc.

Resort in Hoi An

Hoi An is like a resort paradise for those who love private space with sea or river view as well as a comfortable place to relax after hard working days. You can consider some best resorts in Hoi An such as Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa, The Palm Garden Beach Hoi An, Sunrise Premium Resort Hoi An, Vinpearl Hoi An Resort & Villas, Beach Resort Hoi An, etc.

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Frequently asked questions, how close is the beach from downtown hoi an.

There are An Bang beach and Cua Dai beach that you can visit from Hoi An downtown. An Bang Beach is around 5 km and Cua Dai is around 7 km far away from the town. You can easily take a taxi, drive a motorbike or even ride a bike to the beach.

Can you give some quick recommendations on place to eat?

Besides the ancient street corners, pagodas, old houses, Hoi An is also very famous for its cheap but really tasty food.

Here, you will meet countless unique dishes such as Cao Lầu (Rice Noodles With Barbecued Pork, Greens And Croutons), Bánh vạc (White Rose Dumplings), Cơm gà Hội An (Rice with chicken), Mì Quảng (Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles), Bánh mỳ Hội An (Vietnamese Baguette), Bánh đập (Vietnamese Rice Crackers) and so on.

Some good restaurants to enjoy these dishes are:

• Cơm Gà Bà Buội - 22 Phan Chu Trinh
• Bánh Mì Phượng - 2b Phan Chu Trinh, Cam Châu, Hoi An
• Aubergine 49 Restaurant - 49A, Ly Thai To Street, Hoi An
• Ancient Faifo - 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An
• Orivy Hoi An - 578/1 Cua Dai Street, Hoi An
• Morning Glory Restaurant - 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An

What are the main attractions of Hoi An?

Apart from the ancient town with the old houses and old street decorated with beautiful lanterns, there are many other attractions you can visit and discover. Here are some main attractions you should visit:

• Hoi An Old Town
• Tan Ky House
• Cham Islands
• Japanese covered Bridge
• An Bang Beach or Cua Dai Beach

See full list of attractions in Hoi An

How to get from Danang Airport to Hoi An?

The distance from Danang Airport to Hoian is around 50 km and you can take a public bus, a taxi, or a private car to get to Hoi An. The bus starts from the bus station in the Danang center and stops at Hoi An bus station which is 20 minutes walking or 10 minutes by car to the ancient town. Thus, if you do not mind some stopovers, this is most cost-saving. Otherwise, a taxi or private car is also a good option to go directly from Danang Airport to Hoi An ancient town.

When is the best time to visit Hoi An?

Thanks to the tropical weather, the temperature in Hoi An is quite comfortable all year round. However, the rainy or monsoon season from September until January next year will affect your trip more or less. Therefore, the best time to visit Hoi An is from February to July when it is dry, sunny, and very convenient for you to wander around the ancient town and visit some nearby attractions.

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Hoi An Travel Guide

Last Updated: July 17, 2023

Hoi An was my favorite destination in Vietnam .

When I backpacked Hoi An, I fell in love.

I loved spending time by the river, watching the sunset, strolling through the narrow streets of the Old Town strung with colorful lanterns, and drinking cheap beer. The city is packed with picturesque historical homes, pagodas, and street-side cafes.

It’s amazing.

Hoi An is an extremely popular place for buying handmade clothing and is one of the main reasons why people come here. The garment industry is the city’s main non-tourist industry. You can get anything made here, from custom-made suits to gowns to sundresses to leather boots to sneakers. The tailor shops will even mail all your goods home to you.

But, even if you don’t want to shop, Hoi An makes for a relaxing destination in an otherwise hectic country as the beach is only a 15-minute bike ride out of town.

This city was also my favorite place to gorge on Vietnamese food (don’t miss trying the cau lao that Hoi An is known for!).

Use this Hoi An travel guide to figure out how to make the most of your time in this amazing city. You definitely shouldn’t miss it.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Hoi An

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Hoi An

1. Explore My Son

My Son is one of the most important sites relating to the ancient Kingdom of Champa and is said to have been Vietnam’s religious and intellectual center. Even in their ruined state, the remaining Hindu temple structures are impressive. Over 70 temples and tombs were constructed at the site between the 4th and 13th centuries by the former Kings of Champa in honor of the Hindu god Shiva. The temples are in a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) wide valley surrounded by mountains, and the mouth of the sacred Thu Bon River flows past them. Excavation and restoration began in the 1930s and the area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission is 150,000 VND per person. You can easily get to and from the site for less than 235,000 VND round-trip.

2. Relax on the beaches

An Bang and Cua Dai beaches are both close to Hoi An and are great places to spend an afternoon. Cua Dai is a 3-kilometer (2-mile) stretch of coastline that is part of the Hoi An Ancient Town UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Vietnam. It provides a gorgeous retreat from the bustling streets of the city. North of Cua Dai, just 10 minutes outside of town, you’ll find An Bang. This laid-back beach and village attract artistic types and there are plenty of bars offering lively places to party. Both beaches offer soft white sand, bright blue water, and excellent beachside restaurants.

3. Take a cooking class

Many places in Hoi An offer lessons where you can learn to make tasty local dishes. You start off by picking the raw ingredients — such as sprouts, herbs, bamboo shoots, cucumber, and other fresh veggies — at a market. Then, you learn how to prepare the food. During your class, you get to prepare traditional dishes like spring rolls, banana flower salads, Pho, and Vietnamese pancakes. Prices vary, but most cost between 700,000-1,100,000 VND. The Hoi An Eco Cooking Class is the best option for lessons and classes.

4. Take a bicycle tour

On a guided tour around the city you’ll get to explore rice fields and see some of the neighborhoods that you wouldn’t normally venture through as a tourist. A morning of bicycling around in a small group starts at around 300,000 VND. Many of them are guided by local students who offer unique perspectives on the city. Tours usually last a few hours with stops at local businesses along the way. I recommend Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours or Grasshopper Adventures.

5. Shop at the Central Market

Hoi An’s Central Market is one of the best in Vietnam. The market sits on the riverside and is packed full of excellent food at rock-bottom prices. If you’re looking to experience the flavors of Vietnam, this is the spot. Hoi An has always been a thriving center for trade and commerce and the market has origins in the 15th century when the city was part of the empire of Cham. The market gets going as early as 6am and quickly gets busy. If you want to beat the crowds, get there early. This is the place to pick up spices and souvenirs, try local food, and have your tailoring done.

Other Things to See and Do in Hoi An

1. cross the japanese covered bridge.

This bridge is thought to have been built by Hoi An’s Japanese community in the late 16th century and roughly translated from Vietnamese, its name means “Pagoda in Japan.” NOTE: Nearly all of the attractions in the Hoi An Old Town are covered under the ticket price of 120,000 VND, including the bridge, the Old Houses, and the Museum of Folk Culture.

2. Visit Quan Cong Temple

The temple was built in the early 17th century to honor the Chin Dynasty, but nowadays it serves as one of Hoi An’s most spectacular architectural accomplishments. Inside there are two huge wooden statues, one of Quan Cong’s protector, Chau Xuong, and the other of his administrative official, Quan Binh. Of course, between them is the imposing statue of Quan Cong himself (also known as Zihuang), one of China’s most famous generals.

3. Experience Da Nang city

Located about 30 minutes from Hoi An, Da Nang is a bigger city famous for its Marble Mountains, sandy beaches, and active surfing scene. There is also an extravagant party scene here that is good for a night out once in a while. Most hostels can help groups of guests arrange transportation to and from Da Nang for the night.

4. Attend the Full Moon Festival

Hoi An’s Full Moon Festival is held on the 14th day of the lunar cycle each month and is probably the best time to visit the city if you don’t mind the crowds. The streets are shut down to all traffic and are lined with brightly colored lanterns. This is a fun time to party with locals as the streets come alive with folk music, plays, and dancing!

5. Take a trip to Cham Island

Cham Island lies just 21 kilometers (13 miles) from Hoi An in the South China Sea. The diverse marine life around Cham Island draws lots of divers, and because you’re in Vietnam, it’s very cheap to dive here (dives start from 000 VND). Most tours include lunch and free time on the beach, and it’s also possible to include a night dive in your excursion. If you are not into diving, a snorkeling tour costs around 1,060,000 VND.

6. See the Fujian Assembly Hall

Built in 1697, Fujian is the grandest of the Chinese assembly halls and is a first-rate example of Chinese architecture. The main colorful temple is dedicated to the goddess of the sea, Thien Hau, while the statues of Thuan Phong Nhi and Thien Ly Nhan are said to protect sailors in distress. There is a scale model of a sailboat inside too.

7. Visit the Museum of Folk Culture

This small museum aims to preserve the traditions and dress of rural Vietnamese culture. It is filled with plaster statues of figures in costumes that highlight life from here the past few centuries. There are almost 500 items in the collection and the museum is housed in a 150-year-old building. You can purchase a ticket that includes five sites of your choosing (including this museum) for 120,000 VND.

8. Head to the Marble Mountains

The Marble Mountains are a series of five mountains located 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Hoi An. Besides the natural appeal, they also have many pagodas, and some also served as a base for Viet Cong fighters during the Vietnamese War. To get there, take the bus from Hoi An towards Nha Trang and get off at the Marble Mountains stop. It costs 40,000 VND to access the mountains.

9. Enter the Old Houses

Some of the houses in Hoi An have had their interiors turned into museums, giving tourists a glimpse at what life was like for wealthy merchants in the colonial and pre-colonial period. The Tan Ky and the Duc An homes are two of the more popular ones to visit and shouldn’t be missed if you’re a history buff.

Hoi An Travel Costs

Hostel prices – Hostel dorms with 10 or more beds go for about 117,000 VND per night while dorms with fewer beds cost 200,000-300,000 VND per night. Keep in mind that most of Hoi An’s main attractions are in the Old Town, so if you want to spend most of your time there, make sure your accommodation isn’t too far away. Private rooms start at about 352,112 VND for a double. Most hostels include free Wi-Fi, breakfast, and bicycle rentals.

Budget hotel prices – A night in a two-star budget hotel costs around 470,000 VND for a double room. A number of hotels have pools, and most have air-conditioning. Some even include free breakfast.

On Airbnb, you can find a private room for around 275,000 VND. Entire homes or apartments (some with swimming pools) are available starting from 470,000 VND per night.

Food – Vietnamese cuisine is fresh, flavorful, and uses a lot of herbs and vegetables. Rice and noodle dishes are common, as are various soups such as the iconic pho (a beef noodle soup). Wonton soup, meat curry, fresh French bread (known as banh me , and grilled fish are just some of the popular dishes you’ll encounter. Standard ingredients include fish sauce, lemongrass, chili, lime, Thai basil, and mint.

Street food starts at 15,000 VND per meal. Meals in restaurants start at about 30,000 VND and go up from there. You can get delicious banh mi at Bahn Mi Phuong for less than 46,440 VND. Wine is expensive so I would skip it (especially in restaurants).

Fast food (think burger and fries) costs around 120,000 VND for a combo meal. If you want to splash out, a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant costs around 175,000 VND.

Beer costs 20,000-30,000 VND. Coffee costs about 20,000-30,000 VND.

Food is so cheap here that I would not recommend cooking your food. Just grab street food, eat cheap, and you’ll save. It will cost you more in time and money to make your own meals.

Backpacking Hoi An Suggested Budgets

On a backpacker budget, you can visit Hoi An for 600,000 VND per day. This budget covers a stay in a hostel dorm, eating street food for all of your meals (pho and banh mi are very filling!), limiting your drinking, walking or cycling everywhere, and doing mostly free activities like enjoying the beach. If you plan on drinking, add another 20,000-40,000 VND to your daily budget.

A mid-range budget of about 1,125,000 VND per day covers staying in a cheap hotel, eating street food and at the occasional sit-down restaurant, enjoying a few more drinks, taking the occasional taxi to get around, and doing more paid activities such as museum visits and river tours.

On a “luxury” budget of 2,460,000 VND, you can stay in a nice hotel, eat out for all your meals anywhere you want, enjoy lots of drinks, and more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day. Who knows?). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in VND.

Hoi An Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Your dollar goes a long way in Hoi An (like it does in the rest of Vietnam)! That said, it never hurts to save even more money! Here are some ways to save in Hoi An:

• Camp on Cham Island – If you’re heading to Cham Island on a diving trip, it’s possible to save money on accommodation by camping on the beach.
• Shop around for handmade clothing – There are hundreds of tailors in Hoi An. If you’re having clothing made, check prices with a few places before settling on one. Asking a local to bring you to a tailor they trust is also a good suggestion.
• Skip the SIM Card – Hoi An is highly connected to Wi-Fi. You can access the Wi-Fi in just about every hotel, shop, restaurant, and convenience store for free!
• Eat at the market – Market stalls are some of the cheapest food you can find. Enjoy everything from Vietnamese donuts, banh mi , to soups and food with more substance — all for super cheap!
• Rent a bicycle – Bikes can be rented starting from 30,000 VND per day. This is a great way to leisurely explore the city.
• Drink in hostels – Lots of hostels have bars, cafes, restaurants, or something that acts as all three. Hostel owners know their audience, so they keep their prices down to keep people in their space. Win-win!
• Pack a reusable water bottle – The tap water here isn’t safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle with a filter. It will save you money and thousands of plastic bottles. My preferred bottle is LifeStraw as it has a built-in filter to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Hoi An

Hoi An has some of the most affordable accommodation options in Vietnam. Here are some of my favorite places to stay in the city (if you want to be close to the Old Town make sure to check the distance from these hostels before booking):

• Sun Paradise Villa
• Tribee Bana Hostel
• Fuse Beachside

How to Get Around Hoi An

Everywhere in central Hoi An is within walking distance, so it’s unlikely you’ll spend much on transportation here. The city is small (there are just 152,000 people here) and walking the Old Town is part of the experience.

Bicycle or Motorbike – If you choose to explore, you can rent a bicycle for about 30,000 VND or a motorbike for 165,000 VND per day. The Old Town is closed to motor traffic during certain hours of the day, but you’ll be able to take your bicycle in there. Many hostels/hotels have bicycle rentals available as well.

Cyclo – Cyclos (bicycle rickshaws) are common within the Old Town, and they make a leisurely way to get around. The cyclos can hold up to two people at a time and the drivers are super friendly and often keen to point out landmarks. You can negotiate a fixed hourly rate, or expect to pay about 22,000 VND per kilometer.

Taxi – The taxis are metered (and cheap) here. They start around 20,000 VND for the first kilometer and around 27,000 VND per kilometer after that. Grabbing a taxi from the airport to the center of the city should take about 30 minutes and costs about 200,000-330,000 VND. Don’t go in an unmetered taxi.

Car rental – You won’t need a car to get around Hoi An, and I wouldn’t recommend driving here as the roads are very hectic and the rules are almost never followed. Accidents are common so skip the car rental here.

When to Go to Hoi An

Hoi An is warm the whole year round, with an average daily temperature of 29°C (84°F). It rarely ever goes below 19°C (66°F) here. Unlike Northern Vietnam, Hoi An only has two seasons: rainy, and dry.

February through May is the best time to visit Hoi An thanks to pleasant daily temperatures and endless blue skies. If you want to hit the beaches (like Cua Dai and An Bang) this is also an excellent time to come.

June through August are the hottest months, with temperatures soaring as high as 38°C (100°F). Humidity can be high as well.

Hoi An’s rainy season lasts from September to January, with frequent heavy rain showers. These showers typically do not last long, but Hoi An has been prone to flooding in the past. Tourism traffic is also slowest during this time so expect lower prices.

If you want some excitement during your visit, plan your trip around the 14th day of the month’s lunar cycle. This is Hoi An’s Full Moon Festival and the city comes alive with music, dance, and celebrations.

How to Stay Safe in Hoi An

Hoi An is a very safe place to backpack and travel – even if you’re traveling solo or as a solo female traveler. Violent crime against travelers is infrequent, and petty crime isn’t a huge deal here either. In crowded places (especially the markets) you’ll want to keep your purse/wallet close and be mindful of the activity around you.

Be on the alert for scams. Most people are really just going to try to nickel and dime you and try to get you to spend extra money since they know, as a tourist, you have more than they do. Just keep an eye out.

If you’re worried about getting ripped off you can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

If you experience an emergency, dial 113 for assistance.

The most important piece of safety advice I can offer is to purchase suitable travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Hoi An Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Agoda – Other than Hostelworld, Agoda is the best hotel accommodation site for Asia.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.

Hoi An Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Vietnam travel and continue planning your trip:

Is Southeast Asia Safe for Travelers?

Biking the Mekong Delta in Vietnam

Why I’ll Never Return to Vietnam

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36 Hours in Hoi An

This ancient town on the Vietnamese coast has charm, history and beauty to spare. It is also budget-friendly, and for foodies, a delight.

By Patrick Scott

Situated on the coast of central Vietnam, the former commercial port of Hoi An offers endless wonders, from fishermen launching bamboo basket boats along palm-fringed beaches, to farmers in conical hats harvesting rice in swathes of green paddies. But the marquee attraction is the well-preserved ancient town, brushed mustard yellow and festooned with colorful silk lanterns. Many of the wooden merchant houses and ornate temples and assembly halls — a fusion of styles from China, Europe and Japan — date back to Hoi An’s prime in the 1700s. By the early 1800s, though, the river port was supplanted by Danang to the north, and largely forgotten. Unesco World Heritage site status in 1999 boosted a revival, and in recent years mass tourism has landed hard, with multitudes of tour buses and resorts. Still, Hoi An holds plenty of charm, with budget-friendly prices and a vibrant gastronomic scene.

1) 1 p.m. Step back in time

Many of the narrow, two-story shophouses have been repurposed with restaurants, cafes and a glut of tailor and leather shops. But several have been frozen in time and opened to tourists, like the two-century-old Tan Ky house. Start your old town tour here (120,000 dong, or about $5.15, for entry to five of the more than 20 historic sites), and roam its 100-foot length, past intricately carved columns and beams, through the open-roof courtyard, to a wall in the back, marked with the height of fall floods. Next up is Phuc Kien, one of five assembly halls built by Chinese merchants to plot trade deals and honor ancestors. Its sea goddess temple holds an unforgettable life-size statue of an aquamarine-skinned immortal with protruding ribs and bulging white eyes. End up at the Japanese covered bridge, an arched pagoda built in 1593 and later reconstructed by the Chinese and Vietnamese. Its roof is adorned with the town’s ubiquitous alternating rows of yin yang tiles.

2) 3 p.m. Silk row

Spinning and selling silk to foreign traders was a thriving business in Hoi An centuries ago. Now the transactions occur inside more than 600 tailor shops. The quality and fit can be hit or miss. (Bring a favorite garment to be copied and allow time for alterations; turnaround is within 24 hours. My wife was thrilled with silk pants, 940,000 dong each, from Le Le Cloth Shop.) If you’re more interested in the silk-making process, stop by Thang Loi for a tour and watch how silkworms munch on mulberry leaves and create cocoons that yield nearly 1,000 yards of thread, woven on a clacking loom.

3) 7 p.m. Ancestral cuisine

Since he first traveled to Vietnam 27 years ago, Didier Corlou has been on a mission to promote its cuisine through his cookbooks and restaurants in Hanoi. Now the renowned French chef is serving up his passion in Hoi An at Co Mai. Opened last year with his co-chef wife, Hoang Phuong Mai, the restaurant fittingly occupies a former spice house. The tasting menu (395,000 dong) is your best bet for a bounty of “Hoi An on the plate,” as Mr. Corlou puts it. Recently, the fresh and flavorful mains of braised pork, Saigon Marseille curry and barracuda in banana leaf followed starters like banana flower salad with chicken, and fried rolls with mackerel and pork and mushroom. Save room for the dessert tray that includes mango sorbet and banana cake with caramelized cream.

4) 10 p.m. Scotch hideaway

The town starts to shut down around 9 p.m., but a few bars stay open late. Watch boat owners coax tourists onto the river from the curbside tables at Shamrock Irish Pub, which features a craft stout from Saigon’s Heart of Darkness brewery, or shoot pool to classic rock at the Dive Bar on Nguyen Thai Hoc street. The closest thing to a speakeasy is Tadioto , a new whisky bar in the French Quarter. It’s hidden behind An Store clothing boutique, which leads to Tadioto’s sushi counter in the stone courtyard and then to the elegant bar in the back. Sip Tadioto’s namesake scotch (180,000 dong) or Suntory’s Hibiki (250,000 dong). Open till midnight. (Nguyen Qui Duc, the owner, is set to open a Japanese grill and beer garden next door in the spring.)

5) 7 a.m. Pedals and pancakes

Most hotels and home-stays include bikes, so cycle out to the rice paddies between the town and the beach and marvel at acres of green patched with shrimp and fish ponds. Ride along sandy paths under canopies of coconut trees, past lolling water buffalos and farmers ushering flocks of ducks into narrow canals. Pull into the Tra Que Vegetable Village , organic gardens where you can take an 8 a.m. tour and learn how to till the sandy soil and plant red leaf lettuce before sampling just-picked greens at breakfast in the shade of the outdoor cooking school and cafe. The waiters will show you how to assemble a roll of rice-flour-and-egg pancake with mint, lemon basil and lettuce. Tour and breakfast 280,000 dong.

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6) 11 a.m. Coconut coffee

Coffee in Vietnam is a sit-down affair, often on a sidewalk at child-size plastic chairs and tables. For a delightful twist on the traditional condensed milk iced coffee, take a seat riverside at Cong Caphe, with its Communist army décor, for a coconut-milk-and-cream coffee smoothie (45,000 dong). For a more refined coffee break with larger chairs, try Mia Coffee amid a low-slung row of French colonials on Phan Boi Chau street. Le Quang Huy, the owner, sources beans from the mountains of Dalat, roasts them on site and compresses cappuccinos (37,000 dong) and traditional Vietnamese brews (30,000 dong) with a machine from Seattle.

7) 1 p.m. Market feast

Hoi An is known for several local dishes like white rose dumplings and chicken rice. Most emblematic of its multicultural past is Cao Lau — with the flavors of Japan in the thick rice noodles, China in the soy pork and France in the rice flour croutons. Try it at Hoi An Market . Barnlike, it stretches from the river, where a riot of tables loaded with papaya and dragon fruit lead to the raw meat counters inside, then to stalls loaded with incense and spices, and women napping on benches (it opens at 6 a.m.) The main hall is filled with about 60 brightly lit glass hutches stocked with spring rolls and plates of orange shrimp. Perch at the metal counter at No. 50 and plop fresh greens into a bowl of cao lau spiced with red chili paste. Lunch for two 150,000 dong.

8) 4 p.m. Photogenic heritage

Take a truncated tour of Vietnam’s ethnic communities at the Precious Heritage Museum , opened in 2017 by the French photographer Réhahn. He spent eight years traveling to 53 of the country’s 54 ethnic groups, photographing villagers and collecting costumes, including a tree bark jacket on display upstairs. The free museum in the French Quarter is also a gallery of Réhahn’s portraits, on sale as postcards for 30,000 dong, up to large, metallic paper prints for tens of thousands of dollars. If he’s there, he’ll share the backstory of his most famous shot, “Hidden Smile,” a close-up of a puckish woman in a conical hat covering her forehead and mouth with her hands. The portrait was presented to President Emmanuel Macron of France by Communist officials last year. On most mornings the subject, 80-year-old Bui Thi Xong, is on the river in Hoi An (near Cargo restaurant) offering rides in her row boat.

9) 6:30 p.m. Doyenne of dishes

Even if you didn’t mean to, you may find yourself in one of Trinh Diem Vy’s eight restaurants in and around the old city. Definitely make it to Vy’s Market . Its food-court-meets-street-cart setup has 200-plus traditional dishes, from steamed pig brains to monk fish curry. Try the beef rolled in betel leaves (105,000 dong) and the pumpkin curry served in the gourd (85,000 dong). As tasty as those are, do not miss the squid stuffed with pork (175,000 dong). The meat is minced with mushrooms and spring onions and peppered with spices, and the pan is caramelized by the fried squid skin.

10) 8 p.m. Magical stroll

After dinner, step into the side street and Hoi An’s main night market. Zigzag through the banana pancake carts and shuffling tour groups, to a row of stalls alight with silk lanterns. Make your way across the footbridge (mind the bikers pedaling through the throngs) to a small square with elevated bamboo huts where locals gather for a sort of singing bingo. On certain nights, you’ll find families curbside at metal drums burning fake money and other offerings for ancestors. Every night, you’ll find touts offering river rides. For 120,000 dong for 15 minutes, step into a little wooden boat, join the flotilla and watch an oil painting come to life, the profusion of lanterns on the boats and river bank reflecting on the dark, crinkled water.

11) 9 a.m. Sun and surf

Within a half-hour drive of the ancient town, you can ride a basket boat through river channels thick with water coconut trees or climb the steps of the Marble Mountain into caves with towering Buddhas. This being a beach town, why not just relax at Tan Thanh Beach? Not as busy as An Bang Beach to the north, this stretch of sea and sand is mesmerizing with a moderate surf, and view of the Cham Islands on the horizon. You can’t go wrong with a coffee or a smoothie at Salt Pub or Sound of Silence , where you can use the lounges and thatched gazebos and on a clear day see the skyscrapers of Danang in miniature up the coast.

12) 12 p.m. Fusion delight

Some of the best discoveries are along the narrow walkways off the ancient town. That’s where you’ll find Nu Eatery , just west of the Japanese bridge, in a distressed looking former house with three small rooms and a balcony for dining. Phuc Ngo honed his craft at restaurants in New York City before returning to Vietnam in 2014 to open Nu. He calls it modern Vietnamese, which like American food, is “a mix of everything,” he said. That produces delectable dishes like avocado salad with sweet potato, fried egg and lima beans; vegetarian rice with charred eggplant, mustard greens and mushrooms, and steamed buns with pork belly, pickles and spicy mayo. Lunch for two, 270,000 dong.

Through Airbnb you can find a charming room in one of Vietnam’s ubiquitous homestays, where local families open several rooms in their homes for visitors. You can book one with a balcony and en suite bathroom for $20 to $30 a night. Escape the Ancient Town crowds on the edge of farmland north of the town off Hai Ba Trung or along a tributary of the Thu Bon River east of town. Near the sea, where prices are a bit higher, you can’t go wrong at Tan Thanh Beach.

Steps away from the historic core, Ha An Hotel mimics the heritage streetscape with double doors, arches and balustrades fronting handsome and cozy rooms decorated with local pottery and prints. Open since 2003, with 24 rooms, doubles start at $65.

In a shophouse 200 years old, Vinh Hung 1 Heritage hotel is perhaps the only place where tourists can stay in the ancient town core. But its six spacious, wood-plank rooms will likely be booked months in advance. Doubles cost about $100.

For some tropical bliss with stunning views, book a seafront room at the Victoria Hoi An Resort . Built in 2000 between the river and the sea, its breezy main building and 109 ample rooms blend French colonial and Asian architectural styles, with pitched, beamed ceilings and dark wood floors. Doubles start at $140.

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Stubbornly traditional and jam-packed with sights, the small city of Hoi An also exudes a laid back, almost dreamy atmosphere that makes it an essential stop on any tour of the country. This intriguing place, with its narrow streets comprising wooden-fronted shophouses topped with moss-covered tiles, has much to recommend it, not least the fact that a concerted effort has been made to retain the city’s old-world charm: by way of example, it’s the only place in Vietnam that places restrictions on motorbike use, and the only place that forces local businesses, by law, to dangle lanterns from their facades. These come to the fore as evening encroaches, and by nightfall you’ll see them shining out from narrow alleys and the riverbank in their hundreds, the light reflecting in the waters of the Thu Bon River. Also notable are the city’s many cheap tailors, who will whip up made-to-measure clothes in no time, and a culinary scene that ranks among the best in Asia.

Brief History of Hoi An

Activities in and around hoi an, arts and festivals, fai fo spring fair, hoi an specialities, unravelling the architectural features of hoi an, around hoi an, hoi an to da nang.

Hoi An’s ancient core is a rich architectural fusion of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European influences dating back to the sixteenth century. In its heyday, the now drowsy channel of the Thu Bon River was a jostling crowd of merchant vessels representing the world’s great trading nations, and the mellow streets of this small, amiable town still emanate a timeless air.

The city’s most photographed sight is, without a doubt, the beautiful Japanese Covered Bridge. However, the most noteworthy monuments in town stem from Hoi An’s resident Chinese population. First are the merchant homes, some of them more than two hundred years old, and still inhabited by the descendants of prosperous Chinese traders. Between their sober wooden facades, riotous confections of glazed roof tiles and writhing dragons mark the entrances to Chinese Assembly Halls, which form the focal point of civic and spiritual life for an ethnic Chinese community that, today, constitutes one quarter of Hoi An’s population.

Granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999, Hoi An is now firmly on most visitors’ agendas. For some it’s already too much of a tourist trap, with its profusion of tailors’ shops and art galleries and its rapidly proliferating hotels – try telling those who come for a day and stay for a week. It’s easy to while away the time, taking day-trips to the atmospheric Cham ruins of My Son, biking out into the surrounding country or taking a leisurely sampan ride on the Thu Bon River. If possible, try to time your visit to coincide with the Full-Moon Festival, on the fourteenth day of the lunar calendar every month, when the town centre is closed to traffic and traditional arts performances take place in the lantern-lit streets. Notable in a different way is the flooding which hits every year, usually in October – at this time the riverside roads can be under several feet of water, and if you’ve brought your wellies along, it actually makes for a great time to visit.

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Southern Vietnam is home to modern Ho Chi Minh City, a vibrant southern capital full of historic attraction and old Saigonese charm. Soak up some café culture, enjoy authentic street food, and get a taste of the city’s thriving markets.

For centuries, Hoi An played an important role in the maritime trade of Southeast Asia. This goes back at least as far as the second century BC, when people of the so-called Sa Huynh culture exchanged goods with China and India, but things really took off in the sixteenth century when Chinese, Japanese and European vessels ran with the trade winds to congregate at a port then called Fai Fo, whose annual spring fair brought in traders from far and wide (see Fai Fo spring fair). Tax collectors arrived to fill the imperial coffers, and the town swelled with artisans, moneylenders and bureaucrats as trade reached a peak in the seventeenth century.

Commercial activity was dominated by Japanese and Chinese merchants, many of whom settled in Fai Fo, where each community maintained its own governor, legal code and strong cultural identity. But in 1639 the Japanese shogun prohibited foreign travel and the “Japanese street” dwindled to a handful of families, then to a scattering of monuments and a distinctive architectural style. Unchallenged, the Chinese community prospered, and its numbers grew as every new political upheaval in China prompted another wave of immigrants to join one of the town’s self-governing “congregations”, organized around a meeting hall and place of worship.

In the late eighteenth century, silt began to clog the Thu Bon River just as markets were forced open in China, and from then on the port’s days were numbered. Although the French established an administrative centre in Fai Fo, and even built a rail link from Tourane (Da Nang), they failed to resuscitate the economy, and when a storm washed away the tracks in 1916 no one repaired them. The town, renamed Hoi An in 1954, somehow escaped damage during both the French and American wars and retains a distinctly antiquated air.

There are a number of activities to enjoy in and around Hoi An – even more reason to make your stay here longer. Easiest to organize is bicycle or motorbike hire, which will enable you to see some of the gorgeous surrounding countryside; with a motorbike, you can even make it to My Son. Hoi An Motorbike Tours and Phat Tire Ventures organize great trips around central Vietnam for motorbikes and bicycles respectively.

Slightly more taxing to arrange (but not much) are boat rides around the Thu Bon River; crowded ferry boats leave from the market end of Bach Dang every thirty minutes, and on the same road you’ll be able to haggle with sampan-rowers.

Then there are the cooking classes. A whole bunch of riverside restaurants offer these from around $10 per person, slightly more for those including a visit to buy ingredients at the market. Most notable are the classes laid on by Lighthouse restaurant, which include a bike tour to fetch the ingredients from the countryside.

Lastly, from April–October it’s possible to go diving around the Cham Islands.

With the influx of tourists, Hoi An is becoming a centre for the arts. A delightful hour-long medley of traditional music and dance is performed most evenings in a cramped room rather grandly known as the Traditional Arts Theatre . Folk musicians also play short concerts at the Hoi An Handicraft Workshop.

Once a month vehicles are banned from the town centre, coloured silk lanterns replace electric lights and shopkeepers don traditional costume to celebrate the Full-Moon Festival (fourteenth day of the lunar calendar). It’s a tourist event, but a great occasion nonetheless: there are traditional music performances, with food stalls selling local specialities by the Japanese Bridge and on the waterfront.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, a much bigger affair celebrated nationwide on the fourteenth day of the eighth lunar month, people also float lanterns on the river. In recent years – usually in spring but dates vary – Quang Nam province has also staged a week-long cultural heritage festival in Hoi An and My Son, including Cham dances and folk songs.

Although long since swallowed up by the sands of time, the spring fair of Fai Fo, the former name of Hoi An, had a measurable influence on the city of today. From humble beginnings in the sixteenth century, the event grew into an exotic showcase of world produce. From Southeast Asia came silks and brocades, ivory, fragrant oils, fine porcelain and a cornucopia of medicinal ingredients. The Europeans brought their textiles, weaponry, sulphur and lead – as well as the first Christian missionaries in 1614. During the four-month fair, travelling merchants would rent local lodgings and warehouses; many went on to establish a more permanent presence through marriage to Vietnamese women, who were (and still are) renowned for their business acumen.

Hoi An has a number of tasty specialities to sample. Most famous is cao lau, a mouthwatering bowlful of thick rice-flour noodles, bean sprouts and pork-rind croutons in a light soup flavoured with mint and star anise, topped with thin slices of pork and served with grilled rice-flour crackers or sprinkled with crispy rice paper. Legend has it that the genuine article is cooked using water drawn from one particular local well. Lovers of seafood should try the delicately flavoured steamed manioc-flour parcels of finely diced crab or shrimp called banh bao, translated as "white rose", with lemon, sugar and nuoc mam, complemented by a crunchy onion-flake topping, adding extra flavour. A local variation of hoanh thanh chien (fried wonton), using shrimp and crab meat instead of pork, is also popular. One less heralded dish (and one of the cheapest) is mi quang, which sees a simple bowl of meat noodles enlivened with the addition of flavoursome oils, a quail egg, fresh sprigs of leaves – few tourists order this dish, and your ordering it may be met with surprise. To fill any remaining gaps, try Hoi An cake, banh it, triangular parcels made by steaming green-bean paste and strands of sweetened coconut in banana leaves.

Many Hoi An restaurants serve these dishes, but one good place to head is the cheap, market-like area at the eastern end of An Hoi Island. It’s a very cute place, with each section demarcated by the name of its chef, and their stated speciality.

Fukian Assembly Hall or Phuc Kien in Hoi An © saiko3p/Shutterstock

You can’t walk far in Hoi An without confronting a mythical beast with a fish’s body and dragon’s head; though they’re found all over northern Vietnam they seem to have struck a particular chord with Hoi An’s architects. One of the most prominent examples tops a weather vane in the Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall, but there are plenty of more traditional representations about, carved into lantern brackets and beam ends, or forming the beams themselves. The carp symbolizes prosperity, success and, here, metamorphosing into a dragon, serves a reminder that nothing in life comes easily. To become a dragon, and thereby attain immortality, a fish must pass through three gates – just as a scholar has to pass three exams to become a mandarin, requiring much patience and hard work.

Another typical feature of Hoi An’s architecture are "eyes" watching over the entrance to a house or religious building. Two thick wooden nails about 20cm in diameter are driven into the lintel as protection against evil forces, following a practice that originated in the pagodas of northern Vietnam. Assembly halls offer the most highly ornamented examples: that of Phuoc Kien consists of a yin and yang with two dragons in obeisance to the sun, while the Cantonese version is a fearsome tiger. The yin and yang symbol became fashionable in the nineteenth century and is the most commonly used image on houses, sometimes set in a chrysanthemum flower, such as at the Tan Ky House, or as the octagonal talisman representing eight charms.

From Hoi An you can bike out along meandering paths to the white expanse of Cua Dai Beach or hop on a sampan to one of the islands of the Thu Bon River. River tours take you to low-lying, estuarine islands and the craft villages along their banks, while it’s also now possible to visit the distant Cham Islands, renowned for their sea swallows’ nests.

Vietnam’s most evocative Cham site, My Son, lies 40km southwest of Hoi An, in a bowl of lushly wooded hills towered over by the aptly named Cat’s Tooth Mountain. My Son may be no Vietnamese Angkor Wat, but it is now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list and richly deserves its place on the tourist map. The riot of vegetation that until recently enveloped the site has now largely been cleared away, but the tangible sense of faded majesty still hangs over the mouldering ruins, enhanced by the assorted lingam and Sanskrit stelae strewn around and by the isolated rural setting, whose peace is broken only by the wood-gatherers who trace the paths around the surrounding coffee and eucalyptus glades. The groups of buildings labelled B, C and D most warrant your attention: viewing these, it’s possible, with a little stirring of the imagination, to visualize how a functioning temple complex would have appeared in My Son’s heyday.

Brief history of My Son

Excavations at My Son have revealed that Cham kings were buried here as early as the fourth century, indicating that the site was established by the rulers of the early Champa capital of Simhapura, sited some 30km back towards the highway, at present-day Tra Kieu. The stone towers and sanctuaries whose remnants you see today were erected between the seventh and thirteenth centuries, with successive dynasties adding more temples to this holy place, until in its prime it comprised some seventy buildings. The area was considered the domain of gods and god-kings, and living on site would have been an attendant population of priests, dancers and servants.

French archaeologists discovered the ruins in the late nineteenth century, when the Chams’ fine masonry skills were still evident – instead of mortar, they used a resin mixed with ground brick and mollusc shells, which left only hairline cracks between brick courses. After the Viet Cong based themselves here in the 1960s, many unique buildings were pounded to oblivion by American B52s, most notably the once magnificent A1 tower. Craters around the site and masonry pocked with shell and bullet holes testify to this tragic period in My Son’s history.

Archeologists regard Group B as the spiritual epicentre of My Son. Of the central kalan (sanctuary), marked on maps as B1, only the base remains, along with a lingam discovered under the foundations a few years ago; but stone epitaphs found nearby reveal that it was dedicated to the god-king Bhadresvara, a hybrid of Shiva and fourth-century King Bhadravarman, and erected in the eleventh century, under King Harivarman IV, on the site of an earlier, wooden temple.

The repository room and around B1

Fortunately, other elements of Group B have fared rather better, particularly B5, the impressive repository room. Votive offerings and other ritual paraphernalia would have been stored in B5’s chimney-shaped interior, while its outer walls support ornate columns and statues of deities. The carving on the southern facade is particularly well preserved; on the west look out for a fine bas-relief depicting two elephants with their trunks entwined around a coconut tree.

The carving of Vishnu sitting below the thirteen heads of the snake-god Naga that adorned the roof of B6 was an early casualty of war, but the oval receptacle for the holy water used in purification rituals and statue-washing ceremonies is still intact inside. The two smaller temples flanking B1’s south side, B3 and B4, would have been dedicated to Skanda and Ganesha, the children of Shiva, while posted around the complex are the remains of seven tiny shrines honouring the gods of the elements and of the points of the compass.

Originally separated from Group B by a wall, the Group C complex is quite distinct from it. This time the central kalan, C1, is standing and fairly well preserved, though the statue of Shiva that it was built to house long since went to Da Nang’s museum, leaving only its base in place. The statues of standing gods around the walls have been allowed to stay, though, as has the carved lintel that runs across the entrance.

East of B and C, the two long, windowed mandapa (meditation halls) that comprise Group D have now both been converted into modest galleries. Precisely aligned with the foundations of B1 is D1, the mandapa, where the priests would meditate prior to proceeding through the (now ruined) gate B2 to worship. It also contains a lingam, the remains of a carving of Shiva, and a statue of Nandi, Shiva’s bull, while in D2 you’ll see a fine rendition of many-armed Shiva dancing, and, beside the steps up to its eastern entrance, an impressive statue of Vishnu’s vehicle, Garuda. The ground between these two galleries was named the Court of Stelae by early archeologists, a reference to the stone tablets, etched with Sanskrit script, that litter it. As well as these stelae, altars and statues of deities would have stood in the court, though all that remain of these are their plinths, on whose sides are sculpted images of dancing women, arms raised to carry their gods.

Groups A and G

East of Group D, signs direct you to Groups A and G. Bomb damage was particularly cruel in the vicinity of Group A, reducing the once spectacular kalan, A1, to a heap of toppled columns and lintels that closely resembles a collapsed hall of cards. Unusually, A1 was constructed with both an eastern and a western entrance. Within, a huge lingam base is ringed by a number of detailed, fifteen-centimetre-high figures at prayer. You’ll pass A9, the mandapa, and A8, the gate, en route from B, C and D; A11 would have been the repository room.

The remains of hilltop Group G, 60m north of Group A, are equally poorly preserved. However, you can still pick out horned gargoyles, sporting fangs and bulbous eyes, carved into the corners of the main kalan. The base of a lingam stands at the kalan’s southwestern corner, with breasts around its base.

While we’ve outlined a handful of the site’s particularly noteworthy edifices above, you’ll get most out of My Son simply by wandering at your leisure – but don’t stray far from the towers and marked paths, as unexploded mines may still be in the ground.

Heading between Hoi An and Da Nang is a piece of cake, either by bus or rented vehicle. While most buses take the busy main road between the two cities, travelling by taxi or xe om – or under your own steam – gives you the chance to utilize the newer coastal road, and take in the Marble Mountains on the way. Since 2008 the long stretch of beach running parallel to the road, once unspoilt, has been the subject of huge development. Five-star resorts are springing up like mushrooms and there are now a couple of golf courses in the area, as advertised by Greg Norman and Colin Montgomerie, whose faces adorn billboards along the coastal road.

Top image: Traditional boats in front of ancient architecture in Hoi An, Vietnam © Romas_Photo/Shutterstock

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Hoi An Is the Best City in the World — and the Street Food Is Only the Beginning

Tanner Saunders is a Brooklyn-based travel editor and writer who has worked for Travel + Leisure , The Points Guy , Thrillist , and more.

The world is certainly not short of incredible cities. There are the skyscraper-laden megacities Hong Kong and New York City , historic cities full of charm and romance like Kyoto or Paris , and cities so special they just can't be compared — here's looking at you Udaipur.

At Travel + Leisure , we know our readers have traveled the world near and far, discovering what cities are truly worth experiencing on every continent. That's why, each year, we task them with helping us figure out something that's difficult to determine: What's the best city in the world to visit right now?

For our 2019 World's Best Awards survey, T+L asked readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. And the results are in.

This year, the title of Best City in the World belongs to Hoi Ai, Vietnam. So I went there myself to understand why.

Located in central Vietnam on the coast of the East Vietnam Sea, Hoi An is a charming city with ancient roots, distinct architecture, a contagious energy, and arguably one of the best street food scenes on the planet. Most importantly, Hoi An is home to friendly people who are eager to share the best their city has to offer.

When it comes to places to stay, there are plenty of options: resorts, hotels, hostels, and guest houses. The true stand-out in the area is the Four Seasons Nam Hai , a beautiful resort with one of the best spas in Asia. Located on the beach, the Nam Hai is just a short taxi or motorbike ride into the heart and energy of Hoi An. Opt for a pool villa where the bed is on an elevated platform next to a built in bathtub.

The highlight of Hoi An is definitely its vibrant food scene, where there are a lot of restaurants that might just do one thing, but do it perfectly . The best way to eat your way through the city is by Vespa; Join a food tour with Vespa Adventures and you won't be disappointed. Though, Vespa or not, make sure to stop at two of Hoi An's best restaurants: Hai Dao for Banh Xeo (a sort of Vietnamese crepe filled with simple, but delicious greens and meats that make my mouth water just writing this) and Bong Hong Trang for "white rose" dumplings folded right before your eyes.

"The food in Hoi An was the best in Vietnam," said one reader. "Amazing vegetarian and vegan options and Hoi An–exclusive dishes such as white rose."

Another reader recommends a more involved way to get into Hoi An's world class food scene: "Check out a cooking class." And that's something I managed to do thanks to the Cooking Academy at the Four Seasons Nam Hai. Here, guests can join a morning-, day-, or week-long class to learn the ins and outs of Vietnamese cooking with the resort's local chef. Prior to the class, guests travel with the chef into Hoi An's markets to shop and take in a lesson on local foods and fish. But even if you don't join a cooking class, a trip to the markets is an absolute must.

Out of all of my experiences in Hoi An, the one I'd recommend the most is a sunrise fish market tour with Jack Tran Tours . During this early morning tour, guests hop on a boat and sail out to watch the night ships return with their catch to deliver to the fisherman's wives waiting at a wholesale fish market. Using a traditional Vietnamese basket boat, guests paddle into the madness of the market to see firsthand the art of selling and buying fish, which at times can get fairly aggressive and exciting to watch. The guides will help you pick out your favorite to cook on the ship.

Famous for its textiles, Hoi An is also a great place to get custom-made suits or dresses — even just shopping for souvenirs along the main touristy areas can uncover delightful finds. Beat the heat by stopping in at the Reaching Out Tea House , right near the Thu Bon River, for a traditional Vietnamese Iced Coffee that will send shock waves of caffeine into your body. Designed to reflect "the joy of silence," all of the servers there are hearing- or speech-impaired, meaning that guests get the opportunity to participate in a form of communication that doesn't require sound so much as hand gestures and warm smiles.

And then, there's the beach. Hoi An is the perfect place to combine culture with relaxation, because after a day of shopping and eating, it's incredibly easy to relax on a stunning sandy beach. Grab a chair at one of the many resorts or bring your own towel for a relaxation session with your toes in the sand.

Finish your day with sunset cocktails at Shore Club An Bang Beach , and there's a chance you'll consider packing up and making this lovable city your new home.

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How to get to Hoi An from Hanoi

How to Get to Hoi An from Hanoi - The Complete Guide

Known as a prosperous trading port between 17th and 19th centuries, Hoi An today is one of the most attractive destinations in Vietnam. For those who want to escape from the bustle city life and look for the peace and tranquility in beautiful surroundings, Hoi An is an ideal place.

Hoi An has no airport and train station either. The only way to get there is by road. So if you are in Hanoi – Vietnam’s capital and want to travel to Hoi An, you may wonder how to get Hoi An from Hanoi ? Which transportation can you choose for the first-time visit? Let Vietnam Travel guide you!

Table of Contents

1. Hanoi to Hoi An by plane

2. hanoi to hoi an by train, 3. hanoi to hoi an by bus, 4. hanoi to hoi an by motorbike, 5. hanoi to hoi an by private car.

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes flight Cost: ~35 – 140 USD/ one-way ticket

Vietnam Airlines is currently the best carrier which strives to provide a more luxurious service

The fastest and most convenient way to get to Hoi An from Hanoi is taking a flight to Danang, the closest airport to Hoi An. The flight from Hanoi takes just 80 minutes and there are numerous direct flights operated daily by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Jetstar Pacific Airlines for your selection. Upon arrival Danang Airport , you continue to move to Hoi An.

A flight may be the quickest option, but if you want to see more of Vietnam’s natural beauty, you can opt for one of the choices below.

Time: 15.5 – 16.5 hours Cost: ~18 – 80 USD/ one-way ticket.

For those who want to experience Vietnamese railway system and also enjoy scenic view through seat windows, you may take a train. Like taking a flight, there is no train station in Hoi An so you have to get to Danang, then catch a taxi or bus to Hoi An. There are several trains per day from Hanoi, operated by Reunification (Thong Nhat) Train. The earliest train departs at 6:00 am while the latest one is at 22:00 pm. The train ticket price varies depending on the seat type, which includes a hard seat, a soft seat, a hard sleeper and soft sleeper. Generally, one-way ticket costs you from 18 USD for a hard seat to 35 USD for a soft sleeper.

Reunification (Thong Nhat) Train operates several daily train trips from Hanoi to Danang

Besides, travelers can also book private trains with Violette Train or Livitrans Express, which are decorated nicely and have better services. They both provides nighttime trains leaving Hanoi at 19:30 pm and 22:30 pm. The ticket price is pretty expensive, even more than taking a flight, about 60 – 80 USD for a deluxe sleeper 4-berth.

To buy train ticket, you can go directly to train station to buy ticket or book online via travel agency. It is recommended to purchase ticket as soon as you know your travel date to choose the best suitable seat.

Train stations: – Hanoi Railway Station: 120 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi – Danang Railway Station: 202 Hai Phong, Thanh Khe, Danang.

Note : The train and plane will get you to Danang City, 30km north of Hoi An. From Danang, you have to take another ride to Hoi An which takes about 45 – 90 minutes depending on mean of transport such as private car, taxi, local bus, express shuttle bus. You can read more on how to get to Hoi An from Danang in our article here .

Time: 17-18 hours Cost: ~ 15 USD/ one-way ticket.

The advantage of taking a bus is that you do not have to change the vehicle, you will get directly to Hoi An from Hanoi without stopping in Danang . It is recommended to take a sleeper bus instead of a regular bus because you will spend about 17 hours on it. The inclined, allocated seats or padded flatbeds, Wifi, TV, and charging outlets will make your journey more comfortable and convenient.

Bus is also the easiest and cheapest way to travel from Hanoi to Hoi An, especially for last minute or low budget tourists. Almost buses depart from Hanoi in the evening and arrive in Hoi An around midday of the following day. You take the bus from their offices in Hanoi and will be dropped off at their offices in Hoi An. The journey takes approximately 17 hours. Hung Thanh and Queen Cafe are two companies commonly preferred by locals.

Hung Thanh Bus

Hung Thanh offers a sleeper bus service to Hoi An from Hanoi. There are 2 buses depart daily at 18:00 pm and 18:30 pm. Ticket price: 300,000 – 350,000 VND/ one-way.

Bus stops: – Hanoi Dong Mac bus stop: 287 Tran Khat Chan, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi – Hanoi Hoan Kiem bus stop: 162B Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi – Hoi An bus stop: 105 Ton Duc Thang, Hoi An, Quang Nam.

It is a high-quality sleeper bus company offering buses from Hanoi to Hoi An, also departing at 18:00 pm and 18:30 pm, and arriving Hoi An at 13:00 pm the next day. Ticket price: 300,000 VND/ one-way.

Bus stops: – Hanoi bus stop: 208 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi – Hoi An bus stop: 117 Ton Duc Thang, Tan An, Hoi An, Quang Nam

Time: 2-3 days (recommended) Cost: ~ 10-35 USD/ day.

For those who are looking for an adventurous journey, traveling by motorbike from Hanoi to Hoi An is a great option. If you are familiar with motorbikes, you can simply buy or rent one from a shop. There are many shops, such as Style Motorbikes and Tigit Motorbikes, offering one-way rental options. Specifically, you can rent a motorbike in Hanoi and drop it off in Hoi An.

Traveling from Hanoi to Hoi An by motorbike is a wonderful lifetime experience

Having a good bike will be very important since you may be driving through unpredictable weather and windy roads. However, this option will allow you to freely customize your itinerary and experience all the grandeur Vietnam. If you have time, you should plan at least 3 days to drive from Hanoi to Hoi An by motorbike. Along the way, you can make some stops at some famous places, including Ninh Binh, Phong Nha, Hue, Hai Van Pass and then Hoi An. Before traveling, make sure you have a valid driver’s license and be aware of the rules and regulations in Vietnam.

If you have prior experience and feel comfortable enough to ride a motorbike, it is highly recommended to ride the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This incredibly quiet road offers spectacular scenery of stunning mountains, rivers and villages, ideal for nature lovers who want to experience untouched Vietnam.

Toyora Camry – one of Vietnam Travel’s provided private cars

If you cannot drive a motorbike but still want to enjoy scenery along the way and seek for the privacy, traveling from Hanoi to Hoi An by a private car is a good choice. You can book this service with a local agency. A private driver will accompany with you and a tour guide is recommended since the driver is not good at English. You can also customize your itinerary and stop at some places on the way, same with driving a motorbike. This option is perfect for those traveling with the old people and kids. The price varies depending on your travel program and number of people in your group, so just contact our travel consultant for detailed information.

No matter which option you choose, you also find pros and cons on it as long as it matches your budget and preference. And Hoi An is undoubtedly a wonderful ending place.

Related Posts

Hoi An Weather

Things to do in Hoi An

The 9 Best Nightlife in Hoi An

Hoi An Tourist Attractions: 12 Best Places to Visit in Hoi An

How to get to Hoi An from Danang

Overview of Hoi An, Vietnam

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HOI AN, VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE 2024: IMMERSE YOURSELF IN HISTORY , BEACHES , AND SILK LANTERNS . UNVEILING THE ANCIENT TOWN'S SECRETS , DELICIOUS CUISINE , TAILORED CLOTHING , AND TOP DAY TRIPS . Kindle Edition

" Embark on an unforgettable journey through the enchanting streets of Hoi An, Vietnam, with our meticulously crafted travel guide for 2024. Dive into a world where ancient charm meets modern allure, as we unveil the hidden gems and timeless treasures of this vibrant destination.

Discover the secrets of Hoi An's rich cultural tapestry, where centuries-old pagodas stand in harmony with bustling markets and quaint alleyways. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating aromas of street food stalls, tantalizing your taste buds with a symphony of flavors unique to this coastal gem.

Unearth the city's storied past as a trading port, where echoes of bygone eras linger in its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town. From the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge to the elegant Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation, each cobblestone corner tells a tale of resilience and resilience.

But our guide doesn't stop at the surface; we provide insider tips and expert recommendations to ensure your journey transcends the ordinary. Whether you seek the perfect silk lantern to adorn your home or crave a tranquil escape along the Thu Bon River, we've got you covered.

So, pack your sense of adventure and let our Hoi An travel guide be your passport to unforgettable experiences in 2024. Your next great adventure awaits – seize it today!"

"Don't miss out on the adventure of a lifetime. Grab your copy now and let the magic of Hoi An unfold before your eyes!"

• Print length 171 pages
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D3665H5L
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La nueva ruta de tren de lujo en Vietnam ofrece impresionantes vistas de la costa y té de la tarde

May 14, 2024, 5:17 AM

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(CNN) — No hay nada como recostarse en el asiento del tren y ver el horizonte urbano a través de la ventanilla desvaneciéndose en exuberantes paisajes naturales a medida que avanza hacia su próximo destino.

Según los expertos ferroviarios , un número cada vez mayor de viajeros de lujo busca experimentar esta sensación, todo ello como parte de un cambio global hacia actividades turísticas más lentas y sostenibles.

Anantara se encuentra entre los gigantes de la hotelería que ahora están aprovechando esta demanda, y la marca de hoteles de alta gama ofrece una nueva experiencia en tren de lujo de cinco horas en el sur de Vietnam que conecta los populares destinos turísticos de Na Trang y Quy Nhon, su segunda ruta en el país .

El primer vagón de tren de lujo “The Vietage by Anantara” se inauguró en 2020: un viaje de seis horas que conecta Da Nang y Quy Nhon.

Kate Jones, jefa de relaciones públicas y marketing de Ananatara para Vietnam, le dijo a CNN que el nuevo vagón va en la dirección opuesta y tiene como objetivo exponer a los viajeros a aún más hermosas vistas de Vietnam. Al igual que el primer vagón Vietage, se conectará al ferrocarril comercial estatal de Vietnam que recorre todo el país.

Cada vagón Vietage tiene seis cabinas privadas y una barra de abdominales. (Crédito: Anantara)

“La principal diferencia es que la nueva ruta que conecta Nha Trang y Quy Nhon pasa por muchas más zonas costeras que el viaje entre Da Nang y Quy Nhon”, dice Jones.

“Hay una selección de bahías realmente impresionantes y una costa sorprendente frente al Mar del Este. Hay algunas zonas montañosas y todavía hay muchos arrozales y estanques de lotos, pero el paisaje costero es el mayor atractivo visual para este viaje de cinco horas”.

Se trata de un viaje lento en su máxima expresión: los trenes alcanzan una velocidad media de 51,9 kilómetros por hora, según Anantara.

Eso les da a los huéspedes en la ruta Quy Nhon-Nha Trang tiempo suficiente para disfrutar de su juego de té de la tarde de cortesía, que incluye caviar local, quesos artesanales vietnamitas, una selección de embutidos y tés vietnamitas de primera calidad.

Para los viajes de seis horas entre Da Nang y Quy Nhon, a los pasajeros se les sirve una comida gourmet de tres platos reservada con antelación.

Los huéspedes de cualquiera de las rutas también reciben refrigerios, vino, cócteles, cócteles sin alcohol, tés, café y refrescos de cortesía, además de un tratamiento de cabeza y hombros de 15 minutos.

La ruta Quy Nhon-Nha Trang incluye un juego de té por la tarde. (Crédito:Anantara)

El vagón Vietage está equipado con una barra para sentarse, instalaciones sanitarias y seis cabinas privadas con capacidad para dos personas, cada una de las cuales cuenta con tomas de corriente, estaciones de carga, wifi gratuito y cestas de artículos de tocador con almohadas, mantas y otros artículos esenciales.

Los viajeros pueden reservar sus asientos en línea en Thevietagetrain.com, mientras que aquellos que deseen combinar sus viajes en tren con una estadía en una de las propiedades de Anantara (Anantara Hoi An Resort, Anantara Quy Nhon Villas o Avani Quy Nhon Resort) pueden reservar paquetes a través de esos sitios individuales. sitios web de hoteles.

El costo de un viaje Vietage de ida es de US $ 420 por persona. La nueva ruta sale de la estación de tren de Nha Trang a las 14:00 horas y llega a la estación de Dieu Tri en Quy Nhon a las 18:29 horas. Para aquellos que prefieran viajar en dirección opuesta, los trenes salen de la estación de trenes Dieu Tri a las 14:15 horas y llegan a Estación de tren de Nha Trang a las 18:36.

La ruta original sale de la estación de tren de Da Nang a las 8 a. m. y llega a la estación Dieu Tri de Quy Nhon a las 2:03 p. m. También hay una opción nocturna que sale de Quy Nhon a las 7:00 p. m. y llega a Da Nang a las 00:53 a. m. al día siguiente. Este viaje Vietage es un poco más barato y cuesta $ 315 por pasajero.

En cuanto a la demanda, Jones dice que muchos están recurriendo a los viajes en tren en lugar de “correr a través de los aeropuertos para llegar de A a B”.

“La industria de la aviación nacional en Vietnam también se enfrenta en este momento a algunos desafíos con la desaparición de dos aerolíneas y una flota reducida con la aerolínea nacional, por lo que en general los viajes aéreos actualmente no son populares y además son demasiado caros”, dice.

“El Vietage es la única experiencia de este tipo en Vietnam y, por supuesto, con el regreso del tren Belmond , la conciencia sobre los viajes en tren de lujo está creciendo en el Sudeste Asiático”.

Además de viajar lentamente y de forma más sostenible, Jones dice que los viajeros en tren obtienen información visual real del país, contemplando escenas como “pueblos rurales, pescadores tirando sus redes, agricultores en los campos con búfalos de agua: cosas que definitivamente no se experimentan en 35.000 pies”.

The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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