Day 1
Old town & lanterns
Wander the yellow merchant houses, cross the Japanese Bridge and step into an assembly hall. Stay until dusk when the lanterns come on, and float a candle down the Hoai River.
Hoi An was once one of Asia's busiest trading ports, and its UNESCO-listed old town has kept the charm of that era: mustard-yellow merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls and the famous Japanese Bridge, all within walking distance. At night thousands of silk lanterns hang over the lanes and shimmer on the slow Thu Bon River.
But the town isn't only about the past. By day you cycle through rice paddies to An Bang Beach, have a suit tailored to measure and eat cao lau, a noodle dish that exists nowhere else. Hoi An is small enough to savour slowly and rich enough to fill several days.
Itinerary
Day 2
My Son & cuisine
Head out early to the Cham temples of My Son before the heat builds. In the afternoon get to know local ingredients in a cooking class or the market, then eat cao lau for dinner.
Day 3
Beach & coconut forest
Cycle to An Bang for a swim and a seafood lunch. Afterwards paddle a round basket boat through the coconut-palm waterways of Cam Thanh.
Highlights
🏛️Landmark
Japanese Covered Bridge
Built around 1593 to link the Japanese and Chinese quarters, this roofed bridge is so iconic it appears on the 20,000 dong banknote. Come at dawn before tour groups fill the narrow passage.
✨Experience
Lantern Festival on the Thu Bon
On every full-moon night of the lunar calendar the street lamps go dark and thousands of silk lanterns bathe the old town in glow. Buy a candle lantern for a few dong and float it down the Hoai River with a wish.
🍽️Food
Cao Lau
These thick noodles tossed with pork, crispy croutons and herbs exist authentically only here, made with water from specific ancient wells and ash from the Cham Islands. Order a bowl at the food stalls inside the Central Market.
🏘️Neighbourhood
An Hoi Island & Night Market
Across the pedestrian bridge from the old town, the Nguyen Hoang Night Market lines up hundreds of stalls of lanterns, snacks and souvenirs. Haggle gently for a handmade silk lantern, then eat grilled skewers on the riverbank.
✨Experience
Made-to-Measure Tailoring
Hoi An is Vietnam's tailoring capital, with hundreds of workshops stitching suits, dresses or coats often within 24 hours. Order on your first day so there's time for a fitting and alterations, and confirm the fabric grade in writing.
🏖️Beach
An Bang Beach
Just a ten-minute bike ride from the old town, An Bang offers soft sand, beach bars and fresh seafood served at your table. Rent a lounger from one of the bamboo shacks and stay for sunset over the bay.
Neighbourhoods
Ancient Town
The car-free heart holding most of the sights, cafes and tailors. Ideal if you want everything on foot and to sleep in the middle of the evening lantern glow.
An Hoi
The island opposite, home to the night market and a riverside promenade, just one bridge away. A little livelier and cheaper, with the lit old town in view across the water.
An Bang & Cam An
The beach district to the east, with boutique hotels, beach bars and sea breeze. Perfect if you'd rather swim and unwind than sit in the dense old town.
Cam Thanh
Rural greenery of coconut-palm waterways and homestays among the rice fields. Quiet, authentic and only a short ride from the centre.
Where to eat
Cao Lau
Thick noodles with pork, herbs and crispy croutons, made with local well water. Best from the food stalls inside the Central Market.
White Rose (Banh Vac)
Delicate translucent rice-flour dumplings filled with shrimp and crowned with fried shallots. Almost all of them come from a single family kitchen in the old town.
Banh Mi Phuong
The sandwich made famous by Anthony Bourdain at 2B Phan Chu Trinh Street, crisp and generously stuffed. Expect a queue that's worth it.
Mi Quang
Wide turmeric-yellow noodles with just a little intense broth, peanuts and rice crackers. A hearty dish of the Quang Nam region.
Good to know
Best time to visit
February to April is the most pleasant: dry, mild and less humid. Summer turns hot and sticky, while October and November can bring rain and occasional flooding along the river.
Getting around
Explore the old town on foot or with the hotel's often-free loaner bike. For the beach, My Son or Da Nang, take a cheap Grab motorbike, taxi or booked tour; plan around the full moon if you want to catch the lantern festival.
- Currency
- VND ₫
- Languages
- Vietnamese
How much does Hoi An cost?
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Backpacker₫500,000per person / day
Mid-range₫1,000,000per person / day
Comfort₫2,000,000per person / day
Hoi An offers a variety of options to suit different travel budgets.
Local tips
- ✓Buy the old-town combo ticket and save one coupon for an assembly hall.
- ✓Order your tailored suit on day one so there's time for fittings.
- ✓The lanterns shine brightest on the full-moon night of the lunar calendar.
