18 Best Things to Do in Hoi An Vietnam: The Ultimate Guide
There is something incredibly magical about Hoi An. From glowing lantern-lined streets and riverside cafes to peaceful rice fields and nearby beaches, this charming town quickly became one of my favorite places in all of Vietnam.
Located in central Vietnam, Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its beautifully preserved Ancient Town, colorful architecture, incredible food scene, and the kind of slow, unhurried atmosphere that makes you want to cancel your onward plans.
I spent two nights here as part of a longer Vietnam trip, and I will be honest: I wish I had stayed longer. Two nights is enough to fall in love with Hoi An. It is not enough to do it justice.
In this guide I am sharing the best things to do in Hoi An, from must-visit historic sites and hidden cafes to practical tips that will make your trip seamless.
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18 Best Things to Do in Hoi An
1. Walk Around Ancient Hoi An Town
The Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and genuinely one of the most beautiful places I have ever walked through. The streets are narrow, the buildings are painted in that signature faded yellow, and nearly every corner is draped in colorful silk lanterns. You’ll probably end up with far too many photos just from wandering around.
Go in the morning before the heat sets in, and again at dusk. Once the lanterns begin to glow, Hoi An’s Ancient Town becomes especially beautiful in the evening, with colorful lanterns lighting up the streets and reflecting onto the river.
The Ancient Town is highly compact and best explored entirely on foot. During the busier hours of the day, the area becomes strictly pedestrian only, which makes it even more enjoyable to slowly wander through the lantern lined streets, riverside walkways, cafés, and small local shops.
2. Cross the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau)
The Japanese Bridge is the most iconic symbol of Hoi An and absolutely worth seeing in person. It was built in the late 1500s by the Japanese community and has a small temple built into it.
There is a small fee to enter the temple inside the bridge, and it is included as part of this combined top attractions ticket (costs around $5 USD) that gives you entry into 5 of your selected heritage sites within Hoi An’s Old Town.
3. Visit Phuc Kien Assembly Hall (Fujian Assembly Hall)
The Phuc Kien Assembly Hall was built by the Fujian Chinese community in the 17th century and is dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of the sea. It is one of the most beautiful historic buildings in Hoi An, with ornate architecture, iconic pink triple-arched entrance gate, intricate dragon statues, incense coils, and peaceful courtyards.
To visit the inside, you’ll need to purchase the Hoi An Attractions Ticket.
4. Walk Through Ba Mu Temple Gate
The Ba Mu Temple Gate was originally part of a larger temple complex in the 1600s. Not it features a beautifully restored gate with soft pink walls and a reflective pond in front of it filled with water lilies.
I was quite surprised to learn that it is less visited compared to the other heritage sites in the old town of Hoi An. I walked by this gate a few times, and never found it to be crowded.
This is one of my favorite photo spots in Hoi An and is worth adding to your itinerary even if just for a quick stop while exploring the Ancient Town area.
5. Eat at Com Linh
I ate here twice during my trip because it was that good! Com Linh is a tiny, no-fuss restaurant serving traditional Hoi An dishes, but mainly known for their duck. Their roasted duck and pork dishes were so delicious, I’m drooling just thinking back. My favorite dishes were the duck pho, and grilled pork with fresh noodles.
6. Get Clothes Tailored
Hoi An is famous for its tailors. You can have almost anything made here in 24 to 48 hours at a fraction of what you would pay at home. Dresses, suits, linen shirts, custom bags. The quality varies between shops so do your research, read reviews, and go in knowing what you want. Bring reference photos. Most shops will show you fabric swatches and have you come in for a fitting the next day.
Budget at least one afternoon for this and factor the tailor-made clothes into your luggage weight.
7. Try Ubebe Shaved Ice
Listen, it is HOT in Vietnam. And after wandering the Ancient Town of Hoi An in the blistering heat, you’ll be desperate for something cold and refreshing. Ubebe is a multi floor cafe with ample seating and their speciality is the bingsoo, which actually is a Korean style shaved-ice dessert. I had the mango and dragonfruit bingsoo, and they gave so much fruit for the price! This is the perfect place to cool down while exploring Hoi An.
8. Do a Lantern Making Class
Walking down the narrow streets of Ancient Town, you’ll pass by hundreds of beautiful lanterns.
In a lantern making class, you sit with a local artisan and learn to assemble a traditional silk lantern from scratch, choosing your own colors and frame shape. It takes about an hour and you take your lantern home. It is hands-on, peaceful, and a genuinely beautiful souvenir. It’s a great way to interact and learn from the local people.
9. Have Coffee at Faifo
Hoi An is full of beautiful coffee shops and cafes, but my favorite ones are those with a roof top. Faifo Coffee is one of the most beautiful cafes in Hoi An, set in a beautifully restored old house with an open-air balcony overlooking the Ancient Town rooftops. The coffee is great and the views are better.
10. Explore the Night Market
The Hoi An Night Market runs along Nguyen Hoang Street every evening and is packed with handmade goods, silk scarves, lanterns, jewelry, and street food. The atmosphere is lively, colorful, and definitely worth experiencing at least once while visiting Hoi An.
That said, the market is heavily geared toward tourists and is really a huge tourist attraction, so I would personally skip many of the generic souvenirs and counterfeit clothing items. Instead, I think the real highlight is simply wandering through the lantern filled streets and soaking in the atmosphere at night.
You’ll find shops decorated with hundreds of colourful lanterns, often with a chair placed in the center for photo opportunities. Do note that many shop owners charge a small fee if you want to take photos with their lantern backdrops. Prices vary by shop, but I paid around 20,000 VND (roughly $0.75 USD) and was allowed to take as many photos as I wanted.
11. Ride a Lantern Boat and Release a Lantern on the River
One of the most iconic things to do in Hoi An is taking a lantern boat ride along the Thu Bon River in the evening.
As the sun sets, the river fills with small wooden boats surrounded by glowing lanterns, creating one of the most magical scenes in Vietnam. During the ride, you can also release floating lanterns onto the water for good luck while drifting through the illuminated Ancient Town.
While it is definitely one of the more touristy experiences in Hoi An, I still think it is worth checking for the atmosphere alone.
I recommend going at sunset. You’ll get to see the beautiful sunset from the river, and see the lanterns glowing against the dark.
If you’re not into boat rides, you can just buy lanterns from vendors along the riverbank, make a wish, and watch yours drift downstream among hundreds of flickering lights.
Note: Boat rides are about 10-15 minutes long. Lantern purchases are separate from the boat rides.
You can prebook the tickets here on Klook, and it includes one lantern per person.
12. Be Mesmerized by Tree Art Coffee at Uncle Huan Coffee
One of the most unique cafés we visited in Hoi An was Uncle Huan Coffee, which has become famous for its incredible tree inspired latte art.
The baristas carefully create detailed tree designs on top of the coffee, and honestly, the drinks look almost too beautiful to drink. Their egg coffee and salted coffee are especially popular, and each cup feels like a small piece of art.
There’s two locations, and they’re right by each other. I visited this location, which has upstairs patio seating with views of the Ba Mu Temple Gate.
13. Visit the Countryside and Roving Chill House
Just outside the Ancient Town, the Hoi An countryside opens up into rice fields, fishing villages, and quiet back roads. Rent a bicycle or book a countryside tour to get out of the town center.
My favorite stop was Roving Chill House, a coffee shop and restaurant set out in the countryside amongst rice fields with outdoor seating, great drinks, and one of the most peaceful atmospheres I found in Vietnam. We even saw some water buffalo grazing in the fields.
Although we only went for drinks, they do have a full menu as well as cooking classes.
To get here, easiest way is to just take a Grab, the ride-share app of Vietnam. Grab rides are very affordable. It took about 12 minutes from Ancient Town (I did have to walk out of the main area to the outskirts as it was pedestrian only during the day) and cost us about $2 USD.
14. Take a Basket Boat Ride
The round woven basket boats (thung chai) are iconic to this region and a basket boat tour through the coconut palm forests on the Thu Bon River tributaries is one of the most unique experiences you can do in Hoi An.
Some tours can feel overly touristy with loud music and boat spinning performances, and don’t fall for the scammers that try to sell you inflated price tickets on the streets. Avoid buying tickets from random sellers approaching you. Instead, pre-book via trusted providers on Klook, or book directly through a reputable local café/operator.
Our hotel Namia River Retreat offered complimentary basket boat rides daily for guests, and we really enjoyed the relaxing private ride down the river.
15. Take a Cooking Class
Hoi An is one of the best places in Vietnam to take a cooking class. Most classes start with a trip to the local market to choose ingredients, then move to an open-air kitchen where you learn to make local food like white rose dumplings, cao lau, and fresh spring rolls. It is a half-day activity that gives you real insight into Vietnamese cuisine and something you can actually recreate at home. Book ahead.
This tour includes a basket boat tour and a cooking class!
16. Try Mot Hoi An Tea
Mot is a tea shop in the Ancient Town serving traditional Vietnamese herbal tea. There are some seats inside, but most people grab and go. Priced at 20,000 VND (less than $1 USD), the tea was very refreshing and it’s supposed to help with digestion too!
17. Visit An Bang Beach
Just a short drive from Ancient Town, An Bang Beach is the perfect place to relax for an afternoon. We didn’t actually make it to this beach (this is why we needed more than 2 nights in Hoi An!), but it was on my list of things to do in Hoi An.
The beach is supposed to have a laid back atmosphere with beach clubs, seafood restaurants, and cafés lining the shore.
We definitely will be visiting on our next trip to Hoi An.
18. Take a Day Trip to Da Nang
Da Nang is only about 45 minutes away from Hoi An and makes an easy day trip.
Popular places to visit include:
• Marble Mountains
• My Khe Beach
• Dragon Bridge
• Son Tra Peninsula
• Ba Na Hills (about 45-60 min from Da Nang, 60-90 min from Hoi An)
Da Nang has so many great things to do that I actually think it deserves more than just a quick day trip. The city has a completely different atmosphere from Hoi An, with modern cafés, beach resorts, rooftop bars, and a more local city feel.
We personally split our stay between both destinations with 2 nights in Hoi An and 2 nights in Da Nang. Looking back, I honestly wish we had added another day in Hoi An and at least another day or two in Da Nang as well.
Where to Stay in Hoi An
Hoi An accommodation broadly falls into two categories: inside the Ancient Town, where you are steps from everything but it can get noisy, and outside the Ancient Town along the river, where you get more space, greenery, and peace.
Best Luxury Stay: Namia River Retreat
This is where I stayed and I cannot recommend it enough. Namia River Retreat is a stunning boutique property set along the Thu Bon River, a short ride from the Ancient Town. The design is elegant and thoughtful, the pool is beautiful, the breakfast is exceptional, and the staff are genuinely some of the warmest I encountered anywhere in Vietnam. If you are going to splurge anywhere on a Vietnam trip, make it here.
All rooms are private villas with its own pool. The bookings include a 90 minute wellness session per person PER NIGHT.
It’s a short 10 minute Grab ride to the Ancient Town (and again, Grab is super affordable in Vietnam), and the resort also has a complimentary boat that can take you back and forth to the Ancient Town.
Book Namia River Retreat here.
Best Stay Inside/Near the Ancient Town
If you want to wake up and walk straight into the lantern-lit streets, staying inside the Ancient Town is the move. A few well-reviewed options worth looking at:
Anantara Hoi An Resort
Allegro Hoi An
The Signature Hoi An
When to Visit Hoi An
The best time to visit Hoi An is February through April. The weather is warm but not yet at peak summer heat, rainfall is low, and the Ancient Town is at its most beautiful. March in particular is excellent.
May through August is hot and humid.
We visited in April and it was already getting very hot, with some days up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 celsius).
September through November brings the rainy season and the risk of typhoons. October and November can see significant flooding in the Ancient Town, which is something to be aware of if you are visiting in those months.
December and January are dry but cooler, which is actually quite pleasant for walking around. This is shoulder season and a good time to visit if you want decent weather without peak-season crowds.
How to Get to Hoi An
By Air
The closest airport to Hoi An is Da Nang International Airport (DAD), about 30 kilometers away. Da Nang airport is well connected to major Vietnamese cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) and has some international connections. From the airport, you can take a taxi or pre-booked transfer to Hoi An, which takes around 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.
From Da Nang
If you are basing yourself in Da Nang and doing a day trip, or arriving from the city, the easiest options are taxi (Grab is reliable and affordable), or private car transfer.
From Hue
Hoi An is around 120 kilometers from Hue. The Hai Van Pass road between the two cities is one of the most scenic drives in Vietnam. Many travelers hire a private car or join an organized tour to drive this route rather than taking a direct bus, and it is worth the extra cost.
From Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi
Fly into Da Nang. Direct flights from both cities are frequent and cheap. We flew from Ha Noi and took a Grab to our hotel in Hoi An.
Before You Go: Essential Tips for Hoi An
Currency
Vietnam uses the Vietnamese Dong (VND). Cash is king in Hoi An, especially in the Ancient Town, local restaurants, and markets. ATMs are available but have withdrawal fees.
Power Outlets
Vietnam uses Type A, C, and D plugs with 220V.
This universal travel adapter covers you everywhere and I travel with it full-time.
SIM Card / Data
Buy an eSIM before you leave home.
Airalo eSIM is my go-to. You can set it up before you even land.
Getting Around Hoi An
The Ancient Town is compact and best explored on foot. For anywhere further, bicycle rental is cheap and easy, around 50,000 to 80,000 VND per day. Grab (Vietnam’s Uber equivalent) works well for longer distances or if you are going to the beach.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Hoi An
Hoi An completely exceeded my expectations and ended up being one of my favorite destinations in Vietnam.
Between the glowing lanterns, peaceful rice fields, incredible food, and relaxed atmosphere, it’s easy to see why so many travelers fall in love with this town.
If you’re planning a Vietnam itinerary, I would absolutely recommend adding Hoi An to your trip. Whether you want culture, relaxation, photography spots, cafés, beaches, or luxury resorts, Hoi An truly has something for everyone.
USE MY CHECKLIST TO PLAN YOUR TRIP!
- Flights
- Search for the best flights on Skyscanner to get to your destination
- Search for the best flights on Skyscanner to get to your destination
- Hotels
- I use Booking.com for most accommodations
- For Asia, I prefer Agoda as they have the most competitive prices. I also compare prices on Klook (you can use my code MINYWANDER for a discount so see if that’s a better deal)
- For vacation rentals, especially for larger families, consider VRBO
- Transportation
- Trains & Ferries – book on Omio
- Rental Cars – I usually book on DiscoverCars
- For reliable airport pickups, use Welcome Pickups
- For Asia I use Klook (code MINYWANDER for a discount) – Japan trains for example
- Activities & Tours
- GetYourGuide and Viator are my go to’s.
- For Asia, I prefer Klook as there are more options – use code MINYWANDER
- E-sim
- Stay connected with Airalo E-sims.
