Hoi An Vietnam Travel Guide – Best things to do
Hoi An Travel Guide – Vietnam’s Most Enchanting Ancient Town 🌟
Hoi An is a charming ancient town on Vietnam’s Central Coast, known for its lantern-lit streets, riverside cafés, beautifully preserved architecture, local markets, and centuries-old Asian trading history. It’s the best place in Central Vietnam for tailored clothing, cycling through rice fields, river cruises, and soaking up authentic old-world charm.
This Hoi An Travel Guide covers the best things to do, what food to try, where to stay, how to visit nearby beaches, and how to explore top attractions like Marble Mountains, My Son Sanctuary, and the Cham Islands.
Whether you’re wandering the night market, tasting iconic dishes like cao lầu and white rose dumplings, joining a local cooking class, or strolling lantern-lit alleys, Hoi An Ancient Town is full of unforgettable moments. From beaches to temples, street food to cultural tours — it’s easily one of the most atmospheric cities in Southeast Asia.
✨ Planning your Vietnam route?
👉 Check my full Vietnam Travel Planner for routes, budgets, and must-know tips:
Why Visit Hoi An?🏮
Hoi An is famous for its ancient trading port history, lantern-filled streets, traditional temples, handmade tailors, and incredible regional food. Visitors come to experience Old Town Hoi An, enjoy a lantern river cruise, relax on nearby beaches, explore the Cham Islands, or taste local specialties like cao lầu.
Whether you visit for a Hoi An day trip or stay 2–3 nights, the city blends culture, nature, history, and food into one picture-perfect experience.
Just 45 minutes from Da Nang, Hoi An is easy to reach and even easier to fall in love with.
📌 Plan your ultimate Vietnam adventure — day-by-day routes, transport tips, and how long to spend in each city, including Hoi An! Check it out
✨ Exploring the region?
👉 See my Complete Da Nang Travel Guide for beaches, viewpoints, and top attractions.
Best Things To Do in Hoi An
Hoi An Ancient Town is famous for its glowing lanterns, historic Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese architecture, vibrant street food, and riverside charm. Spend your days exploring temples, heritage houses, local markets, and quiet alleys; and your evenings cruising the river, visiting the night market, or joining cultural tours. Whether you’re searching for the best food, beaches, bridges, or historical sites — there’s something for every traveller.
1. Wander Hoi An Ancient Town 🏮
A UNESCO World Heritage Site with yellow shophouses, historic temples, artisan workshops, and riverside cafés.
Don’t miss:
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Tan Ky Old House
- Fujian Assembly Hall
- Lantern-filled alleyways
- Magical night markets
- Riverside cafés & tailor shops
📌 Ancient Town ticket: 120,000 VND (covers major sites)
2. Take a Lantern-Lit Boat Ride at Night 🎐
After sunset, the Thu Bon River shines with floating lanterns, creating a picturesque scene and offering fantastic photography opportunities.
Experience the vibrant culture of Hoi An on a nighttime boat trip. This unique journey lets you immerse yourself in the town’s enchanting atmosphere while enjoying the surroundings, night boat ride & lantern release.
One of the standout features of the trip is the chance to release a personal lantern into the sky, creating a memorable experience, particularly for couples looking for a romantic activity ❤️.
👉🌙 Check prices and book your Hoi An night boat ride here!
3. Basket Boat Ride in the Coconut Forest 🛶
Discover the tranquil Cam Thanh Coconut Forest, where you can paddle (or spin!) in traditional round basket boats. Participate in activities like basket boat spinning, crab fishing, and net casting for an authentic village experience.
👉 🛶 Experience the fun spinning dance (Coconut forest + basket boat): book a Hoi An basket boat tour in the Coconut forest.
4. Taste Hoi An’s Famous Cuisine 🍜
Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s best food cities. Cooking classes, markets, and cycling tours create enjoyable culinary experiences called “foodie” tours. You cycle through scenic areas to visit local markets for fresh ingredients, learn to cook regional dishes, and enjoy a meal while connecting with local culture.
Don’t miss Hoi An’s fresh fruits and foods:
- Cao lầu: Authentic Cao lầu from Hội An, featuring Vietnamese noodles, savoury pork, lemongrass, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs. It is served in a rich broth and topped with crispy wonton crackers 🥬.
- Bôt Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Pancakes): My favourite, Bánh xèo is a fun meal that you eat by hand. It usually comes with a big platter of fresh herbs and greens like lettuce, mint, and coriander. To eat bánh xèo, follow these steps:
1) Break off a small piece of the hot, crispy pancake.
2) Wrap the piece in a lettuce leaf and add some herbs🧄.
3) Dip the wrap into the nước chấm, a tasty dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chilli, and garlic 🌶️.
- Vietnamese Dumplings: Bánh Bèo Bánh Vạc (Vietnamese White Rose Dumplings) are delicate rice paper dumplings from Hoi An, filled with shrimp or pork and shaped like roses. Steamed until tender, they are topped with crispy shallots and served with a sweet-tangy dipping sauce, reflecting a blend of Vietnamese and Chinese culinary traditions.
- Bánh mì: Vietnamese Bánh mì is a short baguette from Vietnamese cuisine. It has a thin, crisp crust and a soft inside. People often fill it with meat and savory ingredients, calling it bánh mì thịt. Plain bánh mì is also a common staple food.
Vietnamese seafood dishes
A seafood haven: Vietnam offers fresh seafood like prawns, crabs, squid, clams, and unique options such as peanut worms and mantis shrimp, often sold live in markets. Fresh herbs, fish sauce, & coconut milk are used to create flavourful Vietnamese dishes like clay pot fish and noodle soups (Bún riêu) 🥥.
Love food?
👉 🍜 Join one of the Hoi An street food tours, or →Hoi An Cooking class here!
Vietnamese coffees
- Cà phê is coffee made from roasted and ground coffee beans. It is dark, bitter, and slightly acidic, mainly due to its caffeine content. Decaffeinated coffee and various substitutes are also available. Vietnamese Cà phê is recognised for its intense flavour, prepared using dark-roasted Robusta beans and brewed with a Phin filter over sweetened condensed milk. It can be enjoyed either hot or iced (Cà phê đá). Variations include creamy Cà Phê sữa, milky Bạc xỉu, tropical Coconut Coffee, and savoury Salt Coffee, each displaying a harmony of sweet and bitter tastes.
👉 ☕ Learn how to make the best Vietnamese Coffee in Hoi An
5. Visit Hoi An’s Tailors & Boutiques 🪡
Hoi An is Vietnam’s tailor capital, famous for quality craftsmanship and quick turnaround. Don’t leave Hoi An without visiting the renowned tailors and boutiques in Hoi An. This platform provides an opportunity to request custom-made clothing from high-quality materials, along with stylish accessories to enhance your wardrobe.
Popular items include linen sets, dresses, suits, leather sandals, and bags.
⏳ Turnaround time: 24–48 hours
6. Visit Hoi An Night Market 🌄
Hội An’s Night Market operates nightly from around 7 PM, located across the river from the Ancient Town. It offers a variety of stalls selling souvenirs like lanterns and silk, as well as street food in Hoi An such as pancakes and rolled ice cream. The market is particularly magical after sunset and during the full moon lantern festival. The best way to experience Street food in Hoi An, is on one of the Hoi An food tours 🍜🥭🥥.
Hội An night markets location: On Nguyễn Hoàng Street, easily accessible from the Ancient Town via the famous bridge.
Tips: To avoid crowds, consider visiting early around 5:30 PM or after 10 PM, as peak times are between 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM.
💰Carrying small Vietnamese Dong (VND) bills is recommended for convenience.
7. Cycle the Countryside 🚲
Hoi An is great for cycling. It is quiet, safe, and a wonderful way to see the town and countryside. Biking in Hoi An takes you through rice paddies, traditional villages, pottery workshops, and along paths used by water buffalo.
In Hoi An, numerous hotels and accommodations offer complimentary bicycle rentals for their guests. This makes cycling one of the best free activities to enjoy while exploring the streets and surroundings of the ancient town Hoi An.
👉 🌿Join a small-group cycling tour through Hoi An’s countryside. For prices and bookings, go to Hoi An Cycling tour.
8. Visit Hoi An’s Beaches 🏖️
An Bang Beach
Stylish cafés, soft sand, sunset cocktails — the most popular beach.
Cua Dai Beach
Wide, quiet, great for families. Boats to the Cham Islands depart here.
9. Cham Island Tour ⛵
Experience the stunning Cu Lao Cham Marine Reserve, where you can swim, and snorkel above vibrant coral reefs in crystal-clear waters.
Take an excursion the Cham Islands and experience its unspoiled natural beauty, and white sandy beaches.
👉 Book your spot → Snorkelling trip to Cham Islands 🤿.
10. Day Trips 🏞️
- Discover My Son Sanctuary and Thu Bon River on this guided tour. Learn about Vietnamese history, watch a Champa dance show, make rice paper, and enjoy a delicious lunch → My Son Sanctuary half-day tour here!
- Experience the longest cable car in Asia to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge + over 90 activities at Fantasy Park with late pickups 8:45 AM from Hoi An Bookings → Golden bridge BaNa Hills Tour.
- Don’t miss the extraordinary City of Bridges.
Other Top Tours in Hoi An ✨
Highly recommended:
- ☕ Uncover the mysteries of preparing traditional Vietnamese coffees, book your spot → Vietnamese Coffee culture.
- 🍜 Book an Hoi An Food Tour.
- 👟 Explore the ancient town on a cozy walk → Book your Hoi An heritage walking tour
- 🏮 Learn the art of making foldable Vietnamese lanterns → book a Traditional Lantern class
- 🎭 Hoi An wood carving workshop – Learn traditional woodworking in Kim Bong, a 400-year-old village near Hoi An.
Craft your own piece with help from skilled artisans while enjoying local tea.
👉 Check out and book the best tours for Hoi An, including those mentioned above!
How Many Days in Hoi An?
Most travellers stay 2–3 nights in Hoi An, and almost all say they wish they had stayed longer. Here’s the ideal breakdown so you can plan the perfect Hoi An travel itinerary.
Hoi An 1 Day Itinerary
1 day: Explore Hoi An Ancient Town, wander heritage sites, and finish with a lantern-lit boat ride on the Thu Bon River.
Hoi An 2 Day Itinerary
2 days: Enjoy all the highlights above plus a cooking class, a beach visit (An Bang or Cua Dai), and the Hoi An Night Market.
3 Day Hoi An Itinerary
3 days: Add a day trip to the Cham Islands, cycle through the rice paddies and countryside, and explore local villages for a deeper cultural experience.
📌 Need help planning your Vietnam itinerary?
👉 The Vietnam Travel Planner gives you day-by-day routes, transport tips, and how long to spend in each city.
How to Get to Hoi An ✈️ 🚗
Unfortunately Hoi An has no airport or train station and the nearest airport: Da Nang International Airport is 30 kilometres away. Local buses run frequently from Da Nang Central Station, and shuttles offer specific stops, taking about 70-80 minutes.
Best transport options:
- Taxi or Grab → 30–45 mins 🚗
- Da Nang to Hoi An Shuttle bus (budget friendly) → book bus here 🚌
- Private transfer is easiest → check prices book private transfer 🚐
stops at iHome, Hanh Cafe & Sinh Cafe. - Motorbike → for confident riders to book go to Easy rider Hoi An 🏍️
✨ Coming from Hue?
👉 Ride the legendary Hai Van Pass – one of the most scenic routes in Vietnam.
✨ Planning your route through Central Vietnam?
👉 See the Hue City Guide for Imperial City tips, tombs, and river cruises.
Hoi An Travel Tips
- Best time to visit Hoi An Vietnam: Feb – May
- Avoid: October floods & intense summer heat
- Get around: walk, bicycle, Grab
- Dress modestly for temples
- Ancient Town ticket: 120,000 VND
- Pack for humidity: light clothing, comfy shoes, hat, and sunscreen
✨ Need packing help?
🎒 Pack Smart for Southeast Asia check out the What to pack for Hoi An with everything you need on your Vietnam adventure.
Where to Stay in Hoi An 🏨
Looking for Hoi An Hotels or places to stay in Hoi, your options are Countless. Firstly, let’s look at the best area to stay in Hoi An.
Best Areas to stay in Hoi An
- Ancient Town: Walkable, atmospheric, ideal for first-timers
- Riverside: Quiet, charming, great views
- An Bang Beach: Relaxed, cafés, sunsets
Top Picks:
- Garden Palace Hotel
- Hidden Beach Seaview Bungalow
- Boutique Hoi An Resort
- Vina Beach Pool Villas
🏨 To book Hoi An Hotels, hostels, and places to stay,
👉 visit Hoi An accommodations and check options on Hostelworld.
Where to Next?
🏝️ Discover More Central Vietnam Gems — combine Hoi An with epic adventures in Da Nang, the Hai Van Pass, or the Imperial City of Hue:
- Da Nang Travel Guide — beaches, viewpoints, and top attractions.
- Bridges of Da Nang Guide — Dragon Bridge, Golden Bridge, and more.
- Hue Travel Guide — explore royal tombs, temples, and the Imperial Citadel.
- Hai Van Pass Guide — your complete route, stops, and Easy Rider tips.
- Vietnam Travel Planner to plan your best Vietnam vacation.
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