The Ultimate Guide to Visit Hoi An, Vietnam.

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I just returned from my third visit to Hoi An and I can confidently declare that it is my favorite city in Vietnam. It is charming, easy to navigate (unlike Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh), and has the most delicious food and coffee. 

While it can be a tad bit touristy at times, I am not going to lie, it is the perfect destination for a beach/city holiday in Vietnam. What to do, where to stay, and many more practical tips for your Hoi An visit in this post. 

Tips for yor visit to Hoi An 

How to get to Hoi An?

Vietnam has a great train network so if you are coming from Hanoi in the north or Ho Chi Minh in the south you could simply take the overnight train to Hoi An. My friend recently did the trip with her family and said that while it wasn’t the most comfortable journey ever it was definitely an adventure. 

That said, flying within Vietnam is quite cheap so if you are short on time or prefer to sleep in a bed and not a train compartment you may want to consider taking a plane. Da Nang is home to the closest airport when you visit Hoi An. It is an international airport so you can also get there from various other South East Asian destinations. 

On my recent trip from Bangkok, I arrived in Da Nang after a quick 1,5-hour flight. The only issue – immigration took a really long time so better pack some patience. 

How to get from Da Nang to Hoi An once you have landed? You can either take a shared minivan or a taxi. I asked my accommodation to organize a private transfer for me and it went off without a hitch. Obviously, a shared minivan will be slightly cheaper but my ride was $14 for the 45-minute drive and I was dropped right in front of my homestay – definitely worth paying a bit more especially if you arrive at night. 

By the way, while I love Grab to get around Hoi An, they seem to be pricier when going to the airport in Da Nang so I recommend you book a private car. 

How to get around Hoi An? 

The best way to get around Hoi An Old Town is to walk. In fact, cars are not allowed and even motorbikes won’t get you everywhere. A good alternative for longer distances is an actual bicycle or just for the fun of it a cyclo. That said, I always feel a bit bad for the guys paddling though I guess that is their job and they need to make money. Still, to me, it has some odd colonial vibes but maybe I am overthinking it. Decide for yourself.

For longer distances within Hoi An, I always use a Grab bike or if sharing with someone else a Grab car. Alternatively, you can take a taxi which is just as reasonably priced. When in doubt, check for an average price on your Grab app and then go for a regular taxi. 

A unique and fun way to get around town is the Hoi An shuttle buses. Hoi An GO offers basically fancy-looking golf carts for 6 or 8 people. They are goldish/brown and meant to look a bit old-fashioned to go with the architecture. You will see them everywhere circling the borders of Old Town. You can either rent a whole cart for a private tour around town, use them as a taxi, or as a hop-on hop-off shuttle bus. 

Hoi An accommodation

There is something for each taste and budget when it comes to the best place to stay in Hoi An. I’d recommend staying as close to the Old Town as you can. There are no hotels directly in the Old Town but you can stay on An Hoi or Cam Nam Island or behind Tran Hung Dao. From most of these areas, you can technically walk to the Old Town though I will say that some ways can feel a bit long especially on a hot summer’s day. 

One of the best hotels in Hoi An is without a doubt the Anantara Hoi An Riverside. Great location, a beautiful interior, and a stunning pool. If you visit Hoi An in the summer make sure your hotel has a pool! 

If you don’t want to pay quite as much don’t worry, I have tested some less expensive options for you. 

Nem’s House // This Hoi An homestay was the first address on my recent trip and a great choice. My room was quiet, nicely set up, and owner Anh so lovely and helpful. Their location is also superb as you are just around the corner from Madam Kanh, the banh mi queen. And if you were craving something non-Vietnamese there is a Greek gyros place right downstairs. 

• Check rooms at Nem’s House on Booking.com or Agoda

Hoa Vang Riverside Villa // This little boutique hotel in Hoi An was right by the river and had the biggest room – balcony and river view included. They also offer breakfast included in the room price and you just order from a small menu the night before. The only downside was the location – while good overall it was a bit far to walk at night. 

• Check rooms at Hoa Vang on Booking.com or Agoda

RÊU Hotel // One can debate whether the rice paddies of Hoi An are heading in a similar direction as the ones in Bali, but for now, RÊU Hotel is a welcome addition to the Hoi An hotel scene: it is a rural boutique hotel surrounded by endless green. 

Make sure to time your arrival accordingly though -I had just arrived after the rice was harvested and was looking at brown puddles. Still, RÊU is beautiful and intregrates nicely into the landscape. Rooms are cozy and a bit cave-like and the bathrooms resemble a small biotop. 

While the food is nothing to write home about, the service is lovely and very attentive and breakfast is an affair to remember. The hotel also has a spa on-site, a pool, and is only a short Grab ride away from town. 

• Check rooms at RÊU Hotel on Booking.com or Agoda

Tropical Home Villa // If you want to be close to Hoi An Old Town but still in a quiet part of town, you should stay at Tropical Home Villa on the Cam Nam island. Rooms are spacious and well appointed with a small balcony, and the bathrooms even come with a tub. Chances are if you are visiting Hoi An in the summer you may not need it though. 

There is a small pool on the property, perfect for a dip in the midday heat, but the highlight is the breakfast. You can choose between Vietnamese soups and egg dishes and they roll out a full buffet with a lot of choices – especially for such a small establishment. 

To get to town you just cross the Hoang Dieu bridge and you can either walk, take a bike or a car to get there. 

• Check rooms at Tropical Home Villa on Booking.com or Agoda

Ngo House Villa // Another Hoi An homestay located on An Hoi island. Again super friendly staff, a little pool in the courtyard, and everything you may need in your room. It’s probably not going to win any design awards, but the price was incredible. There is also a really good Mi Quang stall 2 minutes away and a few Mini Marts along the road.

•  Check rooms at Ngo House Villa on Booking.com or Agoda

Dechiu // If you are looking for a Hoi An beach hotel I cannot recommend Dechiu highly enough. It is located in An Nang Beach and has become my favorite hotel in Vietnam. The design is incredible and the interior is beautifully curated. If you are a boutique hotel lover this is the place for you. And just your luck, you can buy their candles and ceramics to take home. 

• Check rooms at Dechiu on Booking.com or Agoda

What to do in Hoi An 

Technically there isn’t a lot of sightseeing in Hoi An and the surroundings. Hoi An is one of those towns where you will be fine spending just a day or a week or longer because part of its charm is just slowing down, sitting back, and watching the world go by. 

Strolling through Hoi An Old Town 

Hoi An Ancient Town dates back to the 15th century when it became a trading port. Even before that, trade was the name of the game here though today tourism is the main activity, probably also thanks to its status as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site. 

You will find a mix of architecture in town – from European colonial styles to Chinese trade and shophouses. What sticks out is the color: Hoi An is also called the Yellow City of Vietnam. Why is Hoi An yellow? According to some smart people (aka the internet) yellow symbolizes royalty and luck in some Asian cultures. But it also has a practical reason since yellow absorbs less heat – perfect for living in hot and humid Hoi An. 

There are five heritage houses in the old town including the covered Japanese Bridge. Buy a ticket for VND 150,000 at any of those sites and you can access all five. Mind you, you can still enjoy the bridge from outside without a ticket and may even recognize it as it is featured on the VND 20,000 note. 

Otherwise, just stroll and get lost – Hoi An is magical like many heritage towns. I prefer it early in the morning when few people are around and the roads are empty or actually during lunchtime when most businesses close for siesta and most tourists deem it too hot. 

Hoi An Lantern festival

When I told my friends that we would be in town for the Hoi An Lantern festival they laughed. It seems there is a lantern festival every night, my friend Claire said. She is not wrong. Hoi An at night is a magical sight. You can’t see how dirty the river is anymore, there are lanterns and boats, and everyone is strolling – truly, there is magic in the air! 

But the actual Lantern festival just makes it all a little more magical albeit crowded as well. Check the dates before you visit Hoi An as it usually falls on a full moon. In addition to the regular boat rides people will take paper lanterns, light them, and set them free on the river to make a wish. 

The small boats charge VND 200,000 for a 20-minute boat ride for 4-5 people and each lantern is VND 10,000. You can’t pre-book your boats and they are all the same price but on the night of the Lantern festival don’t come too late as you will need to wait in line for your boat quite a bit. 

To be honest, I felt bad about polluting this already polluted river even more with my lantern. But to be fair, I never usually do stuff like this, and the lanterns are completely made from cardboard and paper. And once we put our lanterns in the water to watch them float away with our wishes my friend’s five-year-old declared this to be the best night ever. 

Hoi An markets

You cannot visit Hoi An and not visit the Hoi An central market. It sits right by the river and is the bustling heart of town. Outside you will find all the fruit and veggie stalls, by the river directly the fresh fish and seafood, at the hall entrance is the butchery section (skip that if you are a vegetarian or squeamish) and further in you eat with the locals. 

Once you have braved the belly of the beast you can find plenty of vendors who sell anything for the house: chopsticks, bowls, the Vietnamese version of Tiger Balm, ricepaper, coffee, phins, oils, fish sauce…pretty much anything your Martha Stuart heart could desire. While the vendors can get a bit pushy and they literally all have the same assortment, it is a good place to buy a few authentic souvenirs. 

Oh, and at the rear end of the market, you can admire the well where they get the water for Hoi An Cao Lau soup from. Allegedly. 

The Hoi An central market is open all day long but you will see that it closes down for nap time after lunch with plenty of vendors snoozing next to their wares. A market after my own heart. 

If you prefer to roam the streets at night head to the Hoi An night market. It starts late in the afternoon when vendors set up on An Hoi close to the Hoi An Bridge. In the middle aisle, you will find trinkets and souvenirs while the sides are left for the food stalls. Octopus on a stick, anyone? 

To be honest, I never ate there though I am sure the food is perfectly fine. I do recommend getting shaved ice cream! While it wasn’t the best ice cream of my life it is really cool to watch how they make it. 

Get pampered at a Hoi An spa

Getting pampered is a must when visiting Hoi An and chances are you won’t get far in town without hearing the offers everywhere: massage, lady? When in doubt just follow the footsteps or rather look out for the giant foot that seems to be the tell-tale of any spa in Hoi An. 

I walked by Non Spa and purely remembered it because the name made me giggle. When looking for a place with my friend and her little son I recommended going back there. We upset a few other spa owners in the process but were so glad we ended up at Non Spa. The chairs are comfy, the service is incredible and we got spoiled with a cold towel, coconut cookies, water, and iced tea. Not only little Jamie was living his best life! 

While there might not be a huge difference when it comes to treatments and prices in Old Town, Non Spa was definitely a notch above the rest when it came to service and setting. And while their prices are just a little bit higher than other spas in Hoi An Old Town, you will get a discount if you book a few treatments. We booked 3 foot massages and 1 pedicure and got 10% off. 

If you wanted a whole pamper session I recommend you head to Citrus, which my friend recommended as the best spa in Hoi An. They offer a free pick-up and drop-off service from the Old Town. While it is not that far, it was definitely appreciated. 

The spa itself is not going to win design prices any time soon but the staff is incredible, they have some very affordable packages, and the treatments were great. My friend and I went for a scrub, facial, and massage combo followed by a mushroom congee. Our packages came out to VND 1.200,000 per person and especially the massage and facial were wonderful.

The first thing I do is check if there is an ice bath option in any city I go to. I was in luck in Hoi An and found IceBath Hoi An. It is a lovely hidden place just outside of town. You can either book a whole breathwork and ice bath session or just book your own ice bath. It is inexpensive, the set-up is lovely, and best of all – there is a kitten!

Workout tip: If you want to pamper yourself by moving, I can highly recommend Hoi An Pilates Boutique in the Old Town. Tiny classes for mat work or individual sessions on the Reformer – teacher Meg is lovely and you probably won’t find classes for cheaper anywhere else. She recently moved studios – you can find her new spot here!

Visit Hoi An beach

I think during my first visit to Hoi An I never realized that there is a whole shoreline to explore and quite a few beaches. This time around I did and spent a few afternoons lounging on the best beach in Hoi An: An Bang. 

I am using the term ‘best’ lightly. If you are used to beaches in Indonesia, Thailand, or the Philippines you might be a tad disappointed. It is not picture perfect but can get rather crowded with people and sunloungers, especially on the weekend. The water is nice and refreshing but far from crystal clear. 

Still, I think when you visit Hoi An you should plan an afternoon on the beach. You can either take a Grab car or taxi from town which will cost you about VND 80,000 or a Grab bike which will be around VND 35,000. If you are very sporty you can also cycle, there is even a bike lane once you get to the highway of sorts and some picturesque photo stops with a buffalo in the rice paddies included. 

Once you are at the beach I recommend you get yourself a lounger at Soul Kitchen or any of the adjacent restaurants for a little lunch and some cocktails. The use of loungers is free as long as you eat and drink something. 

If you find the idea of spending your afternoon lounging away boring you can also do parasailing on An Bang beach though I can’t vouch for their safety record. 

Hoi An shopping

Of course, shopping is on most visitors’ to-do lists when coming to Hoi An. Honestly, I think it is more the atmosphere than the actual wares on offer that tempt people but I might be a bit cynical as I don’t like to shop very much. 

What can you buy in Hoi An? Personally, I think you should get a phin to make traditional Vietnamese coffee and all the Robusta you can carry but I might be biased. I am just so damn excited whenever I am in Vietnam and can buy 100% Robusta coffee! But still, I think coffee makes a great present from Hoi An as does anything silk. There are plenty of silk farms around town as well as traditional weavers where you can see how silk is made before buying a souvenir or two. 

Central Vietnam is known for its textiles though and silk is only a small part of it. In fact, tailoring has a long history in the area and eventually brought Hoi An the nickname ‘textile capital of Vietnam’. There are countless tailors in the Old Town and getting something custom-made is one of the things to do in Hoi An. I actually knew a girl who had her wedding dress made in Hoi An. Prices are so low that she wasn’t even engaged yet by the time she picked her dress. 

To be honest, she might have gotten a bargain on her wedding dress (and eventually got the groom to match) but prices are not that low anymore. However, the quality seems to be top-notch all around which has people coming back. 

So, how does it work to get something tailored in Hoi An? I tend to bring an item I really love and have it redone. This time I brought a dress that was made in Hoi An five years ago based on an old dress I loved and had this one copied in a different color and fabric. But you can also have a look through their magazines and get inspired while browsing. Once you have settled on something you love you will pick a fabric with your seamstress before they set to work. 

I like going to Yaly, one of the best tailors in Hoi An. They seem to have the most fabric choices though I am sure many others are equally good. I just like to be loyal once I find a shop I like. 

Before the tailors get started you will get a quote and usually have to pay a deposit. Turnaround time is fast – usually, it won’t take longer than a day or two. A good seamstress will usually ask you to come in for a fitting before they do the final touches to make sure you are going to be happy with the result. If you are in a hurry they can even send the final garment to your hotel. 

For beautiful local clothing, accessories, and interior design head to Hart Eco Fashion in the Old Town. They offer traditional hilltribe design and while I can’t vouch 100 % for them, they looked pretty authentic to me.

Attention chocolate lovers: Two famous chocolatiers have their own stores in town – Marou and Alluvia. 

Hoi An for foodies

Where to eat in Hoi An? Luckily I have eaten my way through the city on your behalf a few times and have come back with a collection of the best restaurants in Hoi An – from fast to fancy. You can check out this list here. 

Alternatively, foodies, have to do a cooking class in Hoi An and/ or a food tour to find some culinary treasures. If food isn’t all that important to you but you like a drink I can recommend the Secret Hoi An Cocktail Tour. It is such a unique and fun way to explore the city at night – think of it like a Pub Crawl for grown-ups! 

• Book the Secret Hoi An Cocktail Tour direct
• Book the Modern Culinary Experience via Viator

Perfect especially for solo travelers like myself who tend to cut their evenings a bit shorter because sitting in a bar on your own is just no fun. 

You will visit various stops where you experience some of the best cocktails in Hoi An with snacks to tide you over. The locations are so unique, chances are you won’t be able to get a cocktail at some when coming on your own. They also rotate their locations so you can do the tour more than once and won’t revisit the same places. 

Alternatively, try their Modern Culinary Experience. While a regular food tour is great, it might be a bit boring if you have already been to Hoi An. I joined this new and unique program and it was such a fun way to eat my way through the city. You won’t find the usual Hoi An classics on the menu but rather get a glimpse into the life and kitchens of local entrepreneurs as well as the heritage of the region. 

• Book the Modern Culinary Experience direct
• Book the Modern Culinary Experience via Viator

If you prefer coffee to alcohol (actually who says you have to choose) you should definitely do a coffee workshop with a factory tour in Hoi An. The coffee in Hoi An is simply the best and it is so fascinating to learn how Vietnamese coffee is produced and how it gets in your cup. And it is good to get an overview of the many different ways one can drink coffee in Vietnam. 

Phin Coffee in the Old Town offers sessions and otherwise, there are plenty of tours you can book. 

Tours from Hoi An

Need a break from your Hoi An visit? No problem because there are plenty of things to do in the area. If you wanted to go snorkeling or swim in crystal clear water head to Cham Islands and if you want to visit some cool caves Marble Mountain is the place to go. And if you are missing out on Angkor Wat head to My Son Sanctuary, often referred to as mini Angkor Wat. 

Since you will most likely be coming from Da Nang to check out the city – here is my Da Nang travel guide!