Vietnam · Quang Nam
Hoi An
Give the Ancient Town its heritage ticket and a full evening for the lanterns, split your days between the old streets and An Bang beach, and add the My Son Sanctuary and a river or Cham Islands trip if you have four days.
Steffen Schmitz (more photos) / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsOverview
Hoi An is a rare thing: a Southeast Asian trading port that survived almost intact from its 15th to 19th century heyday, now a UNESCO World Heritage site of tiled merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls and a Japanese covered bridge. Add a beach 15 minutes away, some of Vietnam’s best street food, and a monthly lantern-lit full moon, and you have the most atmospheric small town in the country.
If you only take one thing from this guide: stay for the full moon if you can time it, and spend at least one night walking the Ancient Town after the lanterns come on. Day-trippers from Da Nang miss the town’s best hour entirely.
Best for
Couples · First-time Vietnam visitors · Food · Slow days and cycling · Tailoring and shopping
Daily itinerary
2 to 4 days
Unlike Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An is small, walkable and low-rise: the Ancient Town core is largely traffic-free, lantern-lit after dark, and best explored on foot or by bicycle. It is a town to slow down in, not to power through.
Best time to visit
February to July is the dry, comfortable window, with February to April the pick for lower humidity and warm-not-scorching days. Central Vietnam’s heavy rain and typhoon risk lands roughly September to November, when the Ancient Town can flood.
- February to April: Driest and mildest of the year; the most comfortable window to walk the town.
- May to July: Warm to hot, still largely dry; good beach weather.
- August to September: Hot and increasingly wet; typhoon season begins in the central coast.
- October to November: Wettest of the year; the low-lying Ancient Town has flooded a metre or more in past seasons.
- December to January: Cooler and can be grey with lingering rain; quieter streets.
Things worth knowing
- Hoi An Lantern Festival: every full moon (the 14th day of the lunar month), the Ancient Town cuts its electric lighting and lights silk and floated paper lanterns from roughly 6pm.
- Lunar New Year (Tet, late January or February): festive but many businesses close for several days.
Where to stay
Ancient Town (Old Town core)
The UNESCO-listed heart: tiled merchant houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese assembly halls and the lantern-lit riverfront. Largely traffic-free and walkable, but busy midday and heavily commercial.
Best for: First-time visitors · Culture · Evening lanterns · No car
Crowds and shopping pressure peak in the middle of the day; low-lying and flood-prone in October and November.
An Bang Beach
The town’s main beach, a short ride northeast: a long stretch of sand with beach bars and seafood shacks, a relaxed counterpoint to the Ancient Town and a good sunrise spot.
Best for: Couples · Beach days · Sunrise · Seafood
Erosion has narrowed some sections; a taxi or bicycle is needed from the Ancient Town.
Cam Thanh (coconut village)
A green fringe of water-coconut palms and canals east of town, known for round basket-boat rides and a rural, low-rise feel; several resorts sit along the river here.
Best for: Couples · A quieter riverside base · Basket boats
The basket-boat tourism can be loud and gimmicky at the busiest spots; you will want transport into town.
Tra Que vegetable village
A working herb and vegetable village between the town and the beach, where visitors join planting and watering and take cooking classes using the produce grown on the beds.
Best for: Cooking classes · A rural half-day · Families
It is a small agricultural village, not a sight in itself; best combined with a class or bike ride.
Thu Bon riverside (Cam Chau and Cam Nam)
The banks of the Thu Bon just outside the Ancient Town, with garden resorts and homestays a short walk or cycle from the old streets and calmer than staying in the core.
Best for: Couples · Quiet but close · Value resorts
Also low-lying and can flood in the wet season; check ground-floor rooms.
Where to sleep
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
luxury · Ha My Beach (north of Hoi An)
Best for: Couples · Honeymoons · Beachfront villas
- All-villa beachfront resort with three-tier infinity pools
- Genuinely private and quiet
- Positioned for the region’s UNESCO sites
- Among the most expensive stays in the region
- A drive from the Ancient Town, so you commit to shuttling in
- Beach here has seen erosion in places
Anantara Hoi An Resort
resort · Thu Bon riverside
Best for: Couples · Walking distance to the Ancient Town · River views
- Riverfront on the Thu Bon under a kilometre from the Ancient Town
- Colonial-style grounds and river cruises
- Close enough to walk in for the lanterns
- Riverside setting is low-lying and exposed in the wet season
- Not a beachfront property
- Older-style rooms than the newest resorts
La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa
boutique · Rice fields near the Thu Bon
Best for: Couples · Spa · Pools and quiet
- Set among rice fields yet close to town
- Multiple pools and a strong spa
- Good value for the level of service
- You need the shuttle or a taxi into the Ancient Town
- Popular, so it books up in peak season
Hoi An Ancient House Resort & Spa
value · Cam Chau (near the Ancient Town)
Best for: Value seekers · Couples · A base near the old streets
- Traditional Hoi An style architecture
- Short walk or cycle to the Ancient Town
- Free shuttle to Cua Dai beach
- Simpler than the luxury resorts
- Grounds can feel busy when full
Essential experiences
Hoi An Ancient Town (UNESCO)
An exceptionally preserved Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999; the original street plan and hundreds of heritage buildings survive.
Japanese Covered Bridge
The 400-year-old covered bridge with a small temple built into it, the emblem of Hoi An and one of the Ancient Town heritage-ticket sites.
Tan Ky Ancient House
A two-century-old merchant house blending Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influences, still owned by descendants and open as one of the ticketed heritage buildings.
An Bang Beach
Hoi An’s main beach, a long stretch of sand with beach bars and seafood shacks a short ride from the Ancient Town; a good sunrise spot.
Tra Que vegetable village
A working herb village where visitors plant and water the beds and join cooking classes using the produce, between the town and the beach.
Cham Islands (Cu Lao Cham)
A cluster of eight islets 15 to 18km offshore, a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere reserve with coral reefs, reached by boat for snorkelling and diving day trips.
My Son Sanctuary (UNESCO)
The ruined tower-temples of the Champa Kingdom, built between the 4th and 13th centuries, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and about an hour from Hoi An.
Marble Mountains
Five marble and limestone hills between Hoi An and Da Nang, riddled with caves and Buddhist shrines and topped with panoramic viewpoints.
Food & drink
- Cao lau: Hoi An’s signature dish: thick noodles with pork, greens and crisp croutons, traditionally made with local well water and found nowhere else.
- White rose dumplings (banh bao vac): Delicate translucent shrimp dumplings shaped like roses, a Hoi An speciality.
- Com ga (chicken rice): Shredded chicken over turmeric-tinted rice with herbs; a Hoi An staple.
- Banh mi: The French-Vietnamese baguette sandwich; Hoi An is famous for some of the country’s best.
- Banh xeo: A crisp turmeric rice-flour pancake filled with pork and shrimp, wrapped in herbs and rice paper.
Street stalls and market kitchens serve the classic dishes cheaply and well; the Ancient Town restaurants trade partly on setting. Cao lau and white rose are the two dishes to seek out.
Where to eat
Banh Mi Phuong
institutionThe banh mi shop made internationally famous after Anthony Bourdain featured it; expect a queue at peak times.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Hoi An Central Market food stalls
marketThe market kitchens are where locals eat the Hoi An classics for a fraction of restaurant prices.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Morning Glory
modernA well-known Ancient Town restaurant serving refined versions of the local street dishes, with an associated cooking school.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Sunrises
An Bang Beach
The beach faces east, so the sun rises straight out of the sea; fishing boats work the shallows and the beach bars are still shuttered and quiet.
Year-round
Sunsets
Thu Bon riverfront, Ancient Town
As the light drops, the lanterns come on along the river and boats sell floating paper candles; the classic Hoi An evening rather than a big open sunset.
Year-round · Blue hour just after sunset gives the best balance of sky and lantern light.
An Bang Beach bars
The beach faces east so it does not catch the sunset over the sea, but the beach bars are a relaxed place for the light to fade with a drink.
Year-round
Cam Nam island riverbank
A quieter bank just across the river from the Ancient Town, looking back at the old town’s roofs and lantern light as it comes on.
Year-round
Day trips
My Son Sanctuary
The UNESCO-listed Cham tower-temples in a jungle valley, best visited early before the heat and the tour buses; often combined with a river-boat return.
About 1 hour each way · Half day
Cham Islands (Cu Lao Cham)
A boat trip to the offshore biosphere reserve for snorkelling over coral reefs, a fishing village and quiet beaches.
About 30 to 60 minutes each way by boat · Full day
Marble Mountains and Da Nang
The cave-riddled Marble Mountains and the beaches and bridges of Da Nang, an easy half-day between Hoi An and the airport.
About 30 to 45 minutes each way · Half day
Daily itinerary
Three days in Hoi An: Ancient Town, beach and My Son
One base in or near the Ancient Town, walking and cycling by day, with one half-day trip to My Son. Time the full moon if you can.
- 1
The Ancient Town
relaxedBuy the heritage ticket and walk the Ancient Town: the Japanese Covered Bridge, an assembly hall and a merchant house.Cao lau and white rose at a market kitchen.Rest through the midday heat; browse the tailors and lantern shops later.The Thu Bon riverfront as the lanterns come on.Dinner in the Ancient Town or across on Cam Nam.A lantern walk and a boat with floating candles.No car needed; the Ancient Town is walkable.Estimate: Swap a merchant house for a cooking class if it is raining.
- 2
Beach and villages
moderateCycle out to An Bang beach for a swim before it heats up.Seafood at an An Bang beach shack.Stop at Tra Que herb village on the ride back.A drink at an An Bang beach bar or back at the river.Banh mi and street food, or Morning Glory for a sit-down version.A quiet night; early start tomorrow.Bicycle or taxi to the beach; no car needed.Estimate: Swap the beach for a Cham Islands boat day if the sea is calm.
- 3
My Son and departure
moderateEarly trip to the My Son Sanctuary before the heat and crowds.Lunch back in Hoi An.Last walk through the Ancient Town or a final swim.A last riverfront hour if your flight is late.Early dinner before a transfer to Da Nang.Departure via Da Nang airport.Leave buffer for the 45-minute drive to Da Nang airport.Estimate: Swap My Son for the Marble Mountains on the way to the airport.
Getting around
- Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is the gateway, about 45 to 50 minutes by car or private transfer to Hoi An.
- Hoi An itself has no train or airport; arrivals come via Da Nang by taxi, Grab, shuttle or private car.
- The Ancient Town is largely traffic-free and best explored on foot; many hotels lend bicycles.
- Taxis and the Grab app cover the beach, the villages and Da Nang.
- Resorts outside town usually run a free shuttle into the Ancient Town and to the beach.
Things worth knowing
- · Visiting only as a day trip from Da Nang and missing the lantern-lit evening.
- · Travelling in October or November without allowing for flood disruption.
- · Ordering a tailored suit on the last day with no time for fittings.
Budget
| Low | Expected | Comfortable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation style / per night | ₫500,000 | ₫1,500,000 | ₫4,000,000 |
| Food style / per day | ₫200,000 | ₫500,000 | ₫1,200,000 |
| Local transport / per day | ₫50,000 | ₫200,000 | ₫500,000 |
| Estimate / per day | ₫120,000 | ₫300,000 | ₫700,000 |
Estimate · VND · 2026-07-15. Figures in Vietnamese Dong, per room per night for accommodation (two sharing). Estimates drawn from widely consistent 2025 to 2026 travel cost guides rather than a single official source; peak season and the top resorts run higher.
Things worth knowing
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Hoi An?
Two to four days. Two covers the Ancient Town and the beach; three or four adds My Son, the Cham Islands or a cooking class without rushing.
What is the best area to stay in Hoi An?
In or near the Ancient Town for the evenings and walkability, or a riverside or beach resort a short shuttle away for quiet and a pool. Cam Thanh and the Thu Bon riverside sit between the two.
When is the best time to visit Hoi An?
February to July is the dry, comfortable window, with February to April the mildest. Avoid October and November if you can, when the Ancient Town can flood.
Do you need to stay overnight in Hoi An?
Yes if you can. The Ancient Town is at its best in the evening when the lanterns are lit; day-trippers from Da Nang miss that hour entirely.
Is Hoi An worth it for the food?
Very much so. Cao lau, white rose dumplings and com ga are Hoi An specialities, and the market kitchens and street stalls serve them cheaply and well.
Sources (4)
- Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site · unesco · 2026-07-15
- My Son Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage site near Hoi An · unesco · 2026-07-15
- Cu Lao Cham Hoi An is a UNESCO biosphere reserve · unesco · 2026-07-15
- Hoi An overview and practical travel information · tourism-board · 2026-07-15
