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Hoi An is often at the very top of people’s Vietnam bucket lists, and for good reason! The ancient buildings, dripping with beautiful vines and flowers, to the delicious food and the colourful lanterns lighting up every street. If you’re unsure of how many days is enough, this Hoi An itinerary will answer all your questions.
Below is a detailed 4-day itinerary for Hoi An, with the option to stay a 5th day. I believe anything less than 4 days won’t give you enough time to properly explore the city and get a feel for its rich culture and history. And have enough time to do some day trips from Hoi An.
Plus, most of the year Hoi An is very hot, to the point where it can become unbearable to walk the streets around midday. This Hoi An itinerary allows for time spent in your hotel, getting some much-needed rest from the heat.
Important: I wouldn’t suggest travelling to Hoi An from September to December. The city can experience intense flooding and it’s happened many times before that most of the buildings in Old Town can be completely submerged in water.
How to Get to Hoi An
Getting to Hoi An is relatively easy because it’s such a big tourist destination in Vietnam.
Hoi An is located on Vietnam’s Central Coast and is a 40-minute drive south of Da Nang. Also, Da Nang has one of the busiest international airports in the country.
Da Nang to Hoi An
Da Nang international airport is approximately 28 km from Hoi An Old Town, making it super accessible. I’ll list some of the options for getting from Da Nang to Hoi An.
Private Taxi: Leaving Da Nang airport and heading straight to Hoi An will make this option slightly more expensive, as transfers from an airport charge extra taxes! But it’s a safe & reliable option and shouldn’t cost more than 25USD.
I actually did this trip the other way around and hired a local taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang and this cost us 220,000VND total.
Private Transfer: If you would prefer the trip to be pre-booked and at a set price, Viator has a great option for less than $30. Check it out below.
Viator; Da Nang Airport/City – Hoi An City (vice versa)
Public Bus: This is by far the cheapest option, 1 ticket, including 1 piece of luggage, cost less than $2. The bus station in Hoi An is called Bến Xe Hội An and the front of the bus is clearly signed “Hoi An Da Nang”.
Although: these buses haven’t been operating since COVID hit but there is hope this route will resume. Check with locals for updated information before your day of travel.
Hire a Scooter: I found scooter hire around Central Vietnam to be around 120,000 VND per day and often transfers like this will include a car that will transfer your luggage. Between Da Nang & Hoi An, it’s a straight & easy drive and would be a piece of cake for those who have experience on a bike.
Hoi An to Mui Ne
After exploring Hoi An, Mui Ne is often the next destination for travellers who are heading south. Mui Ne is a coastal city with some beautiful beaches, secluded streams and rolling red sand dunes.
The distance between Hoi An and Mui Ne is 718km or a 13-hour drive. And to save some money and the cost of a night’s accommodation, a sleeper bus was once a great option for budget travellers to get between the two cities (even though it’s so long).
But unfortunately, since COVID this bus route isn’t operating, I still wanted to mention it as I hope that once tourist numbers fully return, this trip also will.
For this who love train travel this trip would give you just under 15.5 hours hour on board and tickets can be purchased at 12Go.
The third option (and the one I chose), take a flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City and then the bus from MCM to Mui Ne is only 4 hours. The bus station in Mui Ne is a 15-minute drive to the coast and there will be plenty of local taxies around.
The bus company I booked with to Mui Ne was Kumho Samco Busline (Ph. 1900 60 65) or check them out on 12Go.
Hoi An Itinerary; Where to Stay?
When it comes to booking accommodation in Hoi An I believe as long as you book within walking distance of Hoi An Old Town, it’ll be great.
Below are a few places I’d recommend for you to consider booking for your Hoi An itinerary.
Budget
Mid Range
Luxury
4 or 5 Days Hoi An Itinerary
Day 1
Highlights; Getting familiar with the ancient city & a lantern boat ride.
Morning
Start the day early when the outside temperature is pleasant. During the first morning in Hoi An, I suggest getting a couple of things organized so there will be no need to rush around during your last couple of days.
The Ancient Town of Hoi An is the same place as “Old Town” but there are specific ancient landmarks in the town that have a lot of historical importance.
Visitors can purchase tickets for 60,000 VND to visit up to 5 sites in the Ancient Town. There are 23 sites in total and once you have the passes you can visit whichever 5 you wish, at any time throughout your stay in Hoi An. There are well-signed ticket booths all over town where you can purchase these tickets.
Along with the ticket you will be given a pamphlet that gives a description of each of the 23 sites. Chose depending on your interests but these are the 5 we visited and I really enjoyed all of them. And, each site doesn’t take much more than an hour to visit.
Museum of Trade Ceramics
Tan Ky (Old House)
Minh Huong Communal House (built in 1820)
Phuc Kien Assembly Hall (built in 1757)
Performance at Hoi An Traditional Art House
Did you know that Hoi An is famous for high-quality tailor-made clothes & shoes?
Why not grab some screenshots of designer-made outfits that you’ve been dreaming of and get one of Hoi An’s talented locals to replicate them for you?
Finding a tailor is the first challenge, there are so many to choose from. And, this is why I suggest doing it during the first morning of your Hoi An itinerary. Plus, making the clothes takes time and it’s important to ensure your clothes will be ready before you leave.
To begin with, we visited the Cloth Market, this indoor market is full of stalls and wall after wall of material. To be honest, my experience here wasn’t the best, everyone was very pushy and I didn’t find the material very good quality.
In the end, we found a store in the centre of Old Town and absolutely loved our experience there.
The store was called Silk Road, and they also have excellent reviews on Tripadvisor.
The two ladies were a lot of fun, very attentive & happy to negotiate the price. For 2.7 million Vietnamese dong my husband and I got; Men’s suit pants, a men’s dress shirt, a female oversized shirt and a female silk skirt.
Afternoon
After all the mornings running around take some time to rest and escape the heat. And of course, have some lunch.
There’s a list towards the bottom of this post with the most delicious food spots in Hoi An.
You will also have time this afternoon to visit your first site as part of the Ancient Town ticket.
Evening
The streets of Old Town Hoi An come alive after dark and it makes the town even more beautiful. Colourful lanterns and fairy lights sparkle giving it a real magical feel.
But what doesn’t make it feel magical is the thousands of other tourists walking the streets now that the sun has gone down. I visited in June which is during the Vietnamese school holidays and walking along the river was like being in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Haha sorry, not trying to scare you! Just a warning that June is very busy.
After dinner is the perfect time to take a lantern boat ride along the river. Seeing all the different coloured lanterns shining along the river is stunning. You’ll almost immediately be approached by a local asking “do you want to go on a boat”, these trips are for 20 minutes and definitely barter with them. We were originally quoted 200k each, but in the end, paid only 150k total!
Then to finish off day 1 of your Hoi An itinerary, why not visit the night market and browse the beautiful local crafts or souvenirs?
The Hoi An Night Market is open from 6 pm – 9 pm and it’s a really fun and welcoming place to shop. This is also where you can get insta-worthy photos surrounded by the famous Hoi An lantern. Shopkeepers will charge for this but also ensure nobody else gets in your view.
Day 2
Highlights; Ancient Town sights & rooftop bars
Morning
For the second morning of this Hoi An itinerary head to Central Market to see a real slice of local life. The market is open from 6 am and during the earlier hours, the market is in full swing.
Witness all the colours and smells of fresh produce, seafood & meat. I always find local markets to be so photogenic and here you’ll see plenty of locals who really look the part and as if they belong on a postcard.
Although if taking photos of locals always ask first. Not just because it’s polite but some people will actually demand payment if they see you taking photos of them.
After breakfast check out a couple more of the Ancient Town sites, I always kept this pamphlet in my bag because it lists each of the sites you could see and also included a map.
Afternoon
If travelling to Hoi An during the hottest months, June to August, around midday the streets of Old Town are very quiet. This made it a great time to get photos without the crowds. But it really was so hot (averaging 38 degrees celsius), it became a struggle to stay out all afternoon.
So after lunch and a few photos head back to your hotel for a rest & a cool down.
During day 2 you will most likely have your first fitting with the tailor. Your items won’t be complete but this is a good chance for you to see the progress, try everything on and ensure you’re happy with how it’s looking.
Evening
To end your second day in Hoi An, head to one of the many rooftop restaurants for dinner and drinks.
One of the things I loved most about Hoi An was all the rooftop bars and restaurants. The views were always so good and it was fun watching all the busy crowds below.
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Day 3
Highlights: Coconut Village & basket boat ride
Morning
A 15-minute drive from Hoi An Old Town is Cam Thanh Coconut Village.
Step away from Hoi An city life and explore Vietnamese rural culture in an unspoiled environment. The village is surrounded by four rivers, all entwined together and the best way to experience coconut village is in a basket boat.
These tours are definitely very “touristy” but it was a lot of fun and I’m sure you’ve never seen boats like this before!
Upon entering the village you will see a number of locals near the entrance and I’m sure one of them will quickly approach you. These “agents” will direct you to the ticket booth and then encourage you to book your basket boat tour through them.
Entrance to the village cost 30,000 VND per person, and we paid 100,000 VND each for the boat tour.
You will only share the boat with the rower and the people you’re travelling with, each tour is the same so it’s only the price that may vary.
Over the next hour, you’ll be spun around, taken through the coconut palms, have the chance you partake in karaoke in the middle of a river and see the locals perform with more energy than you could imagine.
Their enthusiasm was contagious and this tour was heaps of fun. It’ll be one of the most unique experiences on your Hoi An itinerary and worth every dong!
If you would prefer this tour pre-booked, Viator has a half-day tour that includes hotel pick-up.
Cam Thanh Water Coconut Village Tour.
Afternoon
Once returning back to Hoi An, take some time for lunch and rest after visiting the Coconut Village.
By day 3 of your Hoi An itinerary any tailor-made clothes (or shoes) should be finished and you can visit the store for a final fitting and double check everything is ok.
Evening
Enjoy an evening of eating delicious food and shopping in Old Town.
Shopping here you’ll be spoiled for choice with an array of ceramics, paintings, jewellery, lanterns & souvenirs.
Day 4
Highlights: An Bang Beach
Morning
This morning after enjoying breakfast visit the final sites on your Ancient Town Pass. Remember your ticket allows you to visit 5 places throughout your stay in Hoi An.
Afternoon
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the beauty of Accent Town while visiting Hoi An. But only 15 minutes away is the stunning An Bang Beach.
When driving out to the beach you will pass quiet villages and lush farmlands. An Bang Beach is really big and maps will probably take you to the centre, there is a little area of shops, cafes & ATMs close to the beach and also a big parking area.
This car park cost 10,000 VND for the day and we were quoted 100,000 VND for two sun beds.
Before committing to any of that I would recommend choosing one of the restaurants along the beach. Then if you eat there they will also offer free bike parking and use of their sun beds.
This is what we ended up doing at a restaurant called The Fisherman An Bang (vegan restaurant).
The food was pretty good but the seating area is beautiful and gives you uninterrupted ocean views.
After lunch, spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach. The water was warm and clear (hardly any rubbish) and thought out the day it was reasonably quiet.
Evening
If you aren’t ready to leave the coast just yet, why not stay at the beach for dinner?
From around 4 pm onwards sun beds get swapped for tables and chairs. Many locals set up restaurants on the sand, serving up cheap local dishes.
Day 5
If you wanted to add a 5th day to your Hoi An itinerary… Go for it! It’s such a beautiful part of Central Vietnam so why not soak up as much as possible?
For the 5th day in Hoi An, there is nothing wrong with spending more time in Old Town. Exploring these picturesque streets, eating more good food & maybe even going on another boat ride.
There are also two amazing day trips that can be done from Hoi An; Marble Mountains and Hải Vân Pass.
Both of these trips are amazing, especially if you have your own motorbike to ride along Hải Vân Pass.
I’ve written about visiting Marble Mountains and Hải Vân Pass in detail as part of my Da Nang blog.
The Best Restaurants to Add to Your Hoi An Itinerary
After travelling for 1 month in Vietnam I can honestly say Hoi An is where I had the best food, there is so much to choose from and everything I ate was super delicious.
Hoi An is particularly famous for having some of the best Banh Mi in the country. And everywhere adds its own little twist.
Plus Cao Lau is a specialty of Hoi An. This noodle dish consists of thick chewy rice noodles, a small amount of aromatic broth, pieces of spicy barbecued pork (or tofu), fresh greens, bean sprouts and crispy croutons.
Below is my list of the best places to eat in Hoi An;
Banh Mi Chay – A small roadside cart serving Vegan Banh Mi and can also be found on the Happy Cow app.
Bahn Mi Phuong – This is another Banh Mi restaurant and is particularly popular because it was featured in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s show No Reservations.
Phi Banh Mi – They have a large Banh Mi menu and I highly recommend trying the avocado one.
Minh Hien Quan Chay – This one is a Vegetarian restaurant that serves plenty of vegan options. This is located a 5-minute drive from Old Town. I highly recommend their Cao Lau and Hoi An Crispy Pancake.
Plus this restaurant also offers full-day cooking tours, which go to rice fields and a 200-year-old organic vegetable village.
Ellie’s Cafe – This restaurant serves beautiful fresh meals & juices, and the seating area is in a quiet garden, plus the owners are very friendly.
Tam Quang Minh Vegetarian Restaurant – This one is a little bit out of Old Town and is a very local eatery. But we had read reviews on google that they serve the best Vegan Cao Lau, and I’d say I definitely agree with those reviews!
What’s Best to Drink in Hoi An?
One of the things I loved most about drinking in Vietnam is that every area has their own beer, so there’s always a new one to try. The best beer in Hoi An (in my opinion) is LaRue and this was recommended to us by our hotel owner.
For something non-alcoholic, you need to visit Mot and try one of their famous Herbal Teas. This refreshing tea is made with lemongrass and decorated with lotus petals. It’s particularly refreshing on a hot day exploring the Ancient Town.
Final Thoughts on Hoi An
Hoi An really is a destination in Vietnam that has it all, great food, shopping and beaches. The Ancient Town of Hoi An is absolutely stunning and you’ll never want to put your camera down.
In this guide, I have put together a 4 & 5 day Hoi An itinerary. Detailing how to spend each day and make the most of the attractions & history within old, plus surrounding areas.
As Hoi An is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Vietnam there are definitely some ‘cons’ to visiting, including, extremely busy streets at night, constantly being asked “want to go on a boat” and in certain times of the year Hoi An experiences server flooding.
But beyond this Hoi An is a fascinating city, rich in culture & history and really is so beautiful!
Comment below if you have any questions about this Hoi An itinerary.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels.
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
Hoi An is one of my favourite cities in Vietnam! It’s so lively and there is so much to experience
Vietnam is still on my wish list. I traveled a bit to neighboring countries: Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, but I haven’t reached Vietnam yet. Therefore, I will gladly use your tips on how to plan a trip to Hoi An. You’ve made a fabulous itinerary!
Thank you so much. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time when you finally get to go
I have never been to Vietnam, but would love to visit. After reading your article, Hoi An is definitely on the top of my Vietnam bucket list! Love your list of the best places to eat in Hoi An.
Oh I’m so glad, thank you heaps
I got a jacket made in Hoi An and got sooo many compliments on it for several years. I wish it still fit! The Ancient Town pass sounds like a good deal, and I don’t think we went to the beach so I’d like to do that next time.