Hoi An is one of the most popular tourist destinations in central Vietnam. I visited this beautiful city several times, and in this post, I will share with you some of the must-see attractions and top things to do in Hoi An for tourists.
Hoi An is an ancient town located on the banks of Thu Bon River, 30 km from Da Nang. It is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage site old town, and beautiful beaches such as An Bang and Cua Dai.
You can spend days strolling around the old town, exploring narrow cobblestone streets, yellow wooden shop houses, and admire different architectural styles which were influenced by the Japanese and Chinese traders thousands years ago.
The town is also a food lover’s paradise where you can try famous regional cuisines such as chicken rice, banh my, or Cao Lau. Banh My Phuong and Com Ga Ba Buoi are popular places to eat in Hoi An old town.
The city is also known as a tailor’s paradise. You can find lots of tailor shops in the town which offer a Quick and quality tailoring service. You can have a custom-tailored suit or dress done in a day.
The nearest airport and train station in Hoi An is in Da Nang, 30-40 minutes drive away. You can easily travel between two cities by a taxi, Grab, private service, or hotel’s shuttle.
Once in Hoi An, you can explore the ancient town, the beaches, and the countryside on foot, by bicycle, or Grab. For further destinations, you can use guided tours or private drivers, which are reasonably priced and easy to find.
1. Hoi An ancient town
Hoi An was a bustling trading port town in South East Asia from the 15th to 19th centuries. It attracted many traders from China, Japan, and Europe to come to trade goods and exchange culture. As a result, the city’s buildings and streets display a mix of influences from the Chinese, Japanese, and French.
However, due to many factors, Hoi An port no longer exists, but ancient streets and historic buildings are still well-preserved. Today, Hoi An is a famous tourist destination where you explore its historic structures, try local cuisine, and find unique souvenirs.
Wandering around the old town is one of my favorite things to do in Hoi An. You’ll come across many historical buildings with a mix of European and Asian architectural styles. Don’t miss out on some highlights such as the Japanese Bridge, Tan Ky House, and Phuc Kien Assembly Hall.
There are also many cafes, shops, and art galleries where you can stop by for a drink or browse for souvenirs. The town is less crowded during the day but it can be very hot from April to September.
Hoi An is at its best at night when the streets light up with lanterns, attracting lots of people to gather along the banks of Hoai River. It is the most crowded time of the day, so be sure to take care of your belongings to avoid pickpocketing and have a memorial visit.
see more: Should you stay in An Bang Beach or Hoi An Old Town?
2. Go shopping for unique souvenirs
Hoi An is a shopper’s paradise, especially if you love to shop in small family-run boutiques. You can shop for silk, custom leather bags/shoes, traditional crafts, or textiles.
There are many tailor shops, specialty shops, and souvenir shops in the old town. You can check out the Central Markets or night markets for more choices of souvenirs. Remember to bargain as you do in any market in Vietnam.
3. Have your custom clothes made
Hoi An has many high-quality tailor shops where you can have your custom dresses, suits made within a day or two and at a fraction of the price you might pay back in your home country.
There are many shops, and it can be overwhelming to choose a good tailor. You can ask your hotel for the recommendation and do a bit of research, check the reviews beforehand.
4. Try local food: Cao Lau, Chicken Rice, Banh Mi
Hoi An is known for its delicious regional cuisine. I recommend trying local dishes such as Cao Lau (pork rice noodles), Com Ga (chicken rice), and Banh My. I tried Com Ga Ba Buoi on Phan Chu Trinh Street and recommend it.
Banh Mi Phuong and Banh Mi Khanh are popular places to try banh mi. For Cao Lau, you can check out Quán Cao Lầu Thanh, Morning Glory Original, or Mì Quảng Ông Hai – Mr. Hai Noodles.
There are many other dishes from Quang Nam provinces, Da Nang, Hue that you can try in Hoi An such as My Quang, Bun Thit Nuong, and Banh Xeo.
5. Cafe-hopping
Hoi An has many cute and quaint cafes. If you love coffee, you can check many trendy cafes in town. I recommend looking at places like Phin Coffee, Hoi An Roastery, or Hoi An Coffee Hub.
6. Take a Cooking Class
Taking a cooking class is a popular activity for visitors in Hoi An. You can join a cooking class in a guided tour, or trips to villages like Tra Que vegetable village or Hoi An silk village.
You can also leant to cook at many restaurants and hotels in Hoi An. Many classes begin with a market tour, where you learn about choosing fresh ingredients. It is a pretty fun and quite enriching experience.
7. Take a Craft Workshops
There are various workshops in Hoi An ancient town and surrounding villages where you can create your own handcrafted souvenir, learn about traditional crafts of the region.
Popular craft classes are lantern making, pottery making at Thanh Ha Pottery village, mask painting, or bamboo root sculpture workshop.
8. Take a lantern boat trip and a basket boat ride
Hoi An is surrounded by a river, so taking boat trips on the Thu Bon River is one of the great things to do in this town. You can consider taking a lantern boat ride on the Hoai River where you can release a paper lantern on the river and make a wish.
There is also a sun set cruise on Thu Bon river, or basket boat ride at Bay Mau Coconut Forest.
9. Hoi An night market
Hoi An Night Market is one of the top things to do in Hoi An at night. It is a vibrant market located on Nguyen Hoang Street on An Hoi island, very close to the busy An Hoi bridge.
The market has lots of stalls selling various goods including street foods, clothes, and souvenirs. It is open daily from 6pm to 10pm. You can find many restaurants and bars around the markets where you can enjoy the meals and watch live performances.
10. Cycling around different neighborhoods
In addition to walking, cycling is a popular activity in Hoi An, especially for active travelers. The ancient town is pedestrian and bike-friendly, so you can easily and safely get around with a bicycle.
You can cycle around the ancient town, to the countryside and the beaches. You can explore beautiful rice terraces, sandy beaches, and different neighbors such as Cam Thanh, Cam Nam, and Cam Chau.
11. An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach
Hoi An is not only known for its ancient town, but also famous for its beautiful beaches. The beach is located only 10 minutes drive from the old town. You can easily get to the beach by taxi, grab, bicycle, or motorbike rental.
An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach are located on the same coastline with My Khe Beach. They both offer white sandy and clean beaches. They are less crowded than the more popular My Khe Beach, making it great for relaxing beach vacation.
An Bang and Cua Dai have plenty of beach facilities such as beachfront bars, cafes, bedchairs, and umbrellas. The beaches are great places for swimming, sunbathing, strolling, or just relaxing. Some sections of the beach you can go for water sport activities like parasailing and jet skiing.
12. Day trips to Marble Mountains, Ba Na Hill
Hoi An is a great base to explore central Vietnam including Da Nang and Hue. Da Nang is only 30 km away from Hoi An, making it a popular day trip from Hoi An.
Marbles Mountains, Ba Na Hill, Lady Buddha on Son Tra peninsula, are must-visit attractions in Da Nang. Marbles Mountains have lots of nice caves, view points, and old temples.
Ba Na Hill is a nice complex where you can take the cable car ride, visit French village, walk through the iconic Golden Bridge, and explore the themed park.
13. Day trips to My Son sanctuary
My Son sanctuary is a popular day trip from Hoi An and Da Nang. It is approximately a one hour ride from both cities. It is an important historical ruin that represents the existence of Cham dynasties in Central Vietnam.
You can take a guided tour, ask for recommendations for a private driver from your hotel, or rent a motorbike to get to this complex. I suggest booking guided tours as it will provide both transportation and give a deeper understanding of the complex.
14. Day trips to Cham islands
Cham island is located very close to Hoi An and easily reachable by boat/ ferry from An Hoi island or Cua Dai Pier. It is a great place for snorkeling, diving, and trying fresh local seafood.
I summarize the top things to do in Hoi An in this video, you can watch it here:
See more:
- Best Time to Visit Hoi An
- Is is better to stay in Da Nang or Hoi An
- How many days in Hoi An is enough?
- Best places to stay in Hoi An
- 10 Best Family Hotels in Hoi An
- Hoi An One Day Itinerary
These are my suggestions for the must-see attractions and top things to do in Hoi An. My favorite things to do in Hoi An are just simply wandering around the ancient town, exploring different shops, old houses, trying delicious regional food, browsing the night market, and relaxing on An Bang Beach. Hoi An is at its best at night when all the lanterns are lit up, so be sure to explore the town in the evening.