Hoi An or Hue, which city is better?

Hoi An and Hue are good tourist destinations in Central Vietnam. Hue is renowned for its historical sites related to the last imperial families of Vietnam, the Nguyen dynasty.

Hoi An was an ancient port town, packed with 16th-18th old wooden houses, temples, and narrow lantern-lined streets.

In this article, I will compare Hoi An and Hue, focusing on their locations, accommodations, attractions, nightlife, shopping, food, and historical influences.

I’m Vietnamese and I have traveled around the country extensively, visiting many places including Hue and Hoi An. I hope to offer you some useful advice based on my local knowledge.

Is it better to stay in Hoi An or Hue?

In my opinion, Hoi An is a better choice for first-time travelers to Vietnam and those who want a mix of culture, history, food, and beach relaxation. It’s a photogenic destination and a great place to do tailor-made clothing.

Hue is a fantastic destination for those interested in exploring Vietnam’s imperial past. Once the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue gives you a taste of Vietnam’s ancient royalty by visiting Imperial City, royal tombs, and historical temples. It also has a unique food scene.

I enjoyed my stay in both Hoi An and Hue. Hoi An is a picturesque town with well-preserved ancient old houses, lantern-lit streets, museums, temples, and great food. Hue is a more laid-back city with an Imperial Citadel, ancient temples, and royal tombs.

Hoi An is a more popular tourist destination than Hue. The town is frequently featured in travel guides as a must-visit location in Vietnam.

Hoi An is just 45 minutes drive from Da Nang, the transport hub of Central Vietnam, making the town even more accessible for international travelers. From Hoi An, you can easily visit famous attractions in Da Nang like the Marble Mountains or Ba Na Hill.

One of the biggest draws of Hoi An is its world-famous tailor shops. You can have custom clothing made, whether it’s a suit, a dress, or even shoes, in just a day or two at a very affordable price! Getting a tailor-made outfit is a fun activity for tourists.

Hue is located around 140 km north west of Hoi An, so you can combine a visit to both two cities within one trip if your time is allowed. The journey is around 3 hours by bus or taxi.

It’s possible to stay in either Hue or Hoi An then take a day trip to another city. It’s a long trip on the road. There are many organised tours between these two cities, helping you optimize the time.

My top hotel picks in Hue:

My recommended hotels in Hoi An:

Location and How to Get There

Hoi An and Hue are located in the central region of Vietnam. Hoi An is 30km south of Da Nang, and Hue is around 90 km northwest of Da Nang. Hue is around a 3 hour drive north of Hoi An.

Hue has an airport and a train station, so you can get to Hue by airplane or by train. It’s just 1-2 hours from either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

The closest airport and train station to Hoi An is in Da Nang, around 45 minutes drive away. So if you want to reach Hoi An by train or air, you need to stop over in Da Nang, then take a taxi to Hoi An.

Hoi An vs Hue Accommodations

Both Hoi An and Hue have dozens of hotels and guest houses for visitors. Hoi An has more boutique options. And there are some nice resorts along the beachfront, in An Bang and Cua Dai beach.

Most mid-range and luxury hotels in Hue and Hoi have swimming pools, which are ideal to swim after a hot day exploring.

In both cities, you can find small-family run guest houses, which offer cozy and homey experiences. Make sure to book well in advance to have the best deals though.

Hue is a little quieter than Hoi An with less international visitors, so there are more options for cheaper accommodations in Hue.

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Hoi An or Hue for Nightlife

Both Hoi and Hue have good nightlife scenes. While they may not compare to larger cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Da Nang, these places still offer a great nightlife scene with delicious meals, drinks, and plenty of people-watching opportunities.

The nightlife in Hoi An is centered around the old town along the banks of Thu Bon river. There are many riverside bars, restaurants, as well as a night market, and traditional performances.

You can consider taking a boat ride on the Thu Bon River. You’ll glide through the river, surrounded by the glow of lanterns floating on the water.

Nightlife in Hue is centered around Hue Walking Streets and the city center on the south side of Huong River. You can find street-side beer bars, restaurants, and many stalls selling souvenirs.

You can also take a peaceful walk along the bank of Huong River, or take a boat ride in the evening.

Hoi An or Hue Shopping

Hoi An is a more famous destination for shopping. You can easily find custom-made clothing, unique souvenirs, crafts, and traditional goods. You can shop at the vibrant markets, or beautiful shops, and boutiques.

Hoi An is one of the best places in the world to get quality and quick custom clothing, and the prices are typically much cheaper than in the western countries.

Hoi An is surrounded by traditional craft villages, so you can find many craft shops selling ceramics, lacquerware, embroidered textiles, wooden crafts, and silk goods.

The Hue shopping scene has a more local atmosphere. You can shop at several tourist shops in the city center, in Dong Ba market, or at stalls at the night markets. There are typical Vietnamese souvenirs, traditional Vietnamese conical hats, Buddhist items, and silk products.

Hoi An vs Hue Food

Both Hoi An and Hue are great places to visit for foodies. Both places have their own unique cuisines. Some Must-Try Dishes in Hoi An are Cao Lau, Banh Mi Hoi An, and Com Ga Hoi An. You can eat at local restaurants, street food stalls, or at the night market in An Hoi island.

Hue has a deep connection to imperial cuisine. The food here is more refined, and there is a strong emphasis on presentation and complex dishes. There are some restaurants in the city center where you can try a full imperial banquet meal.

Popular dishes in Hue are Bun Bo Hue, Com Hen, as well as many kinds of rice cake such as Banh nam, banh Khoai, or Banh Xeo.

Historical Influences

Hoi An is best known as being the well-preserved port town dating back to the 16th-18th century. Hue is best known as the old capital city of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty. Both cities have deep historical and cultural heritage.

Ancient Champa Kingdom (2nd to 15th century)

Before being integrated into Dai Viet (now Vietnam) in the 14th and 15th century, both Hue and Hoi An were part of the ancient Champa Kingdom.

Champa was heavily shaped by Indian influence, especially Hinduism (particularly worship of Shiva), and later, Buddhism. They were skilled seafarers and traders who strongly connected to maritime trade routes across Southeast Asia.

Today, you can find remaining brick Cham structures around Hue and Hoi An. Around 11km from the city center of Hue, you can find the Cham ruins such as the Lieu Coc Twin Towers and Phu Dien Tower dating back to around the 8th century.

Within 40-50 km from Hoi An Old Town, you can find the My Son sanctuaries, which is the ancient Cham archaeological site with red-brick Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva.

Nguyen Lords and Nguyen Dynasty (15th century to 19th century)

In 1306, Cham King Che Man (Jaya Simhavarman III) married Princess Huyền Trân of Dai Viet. He offered the two provinces of Ô and Lý to Đại Việt as a wedding gift. These provinces include Hue and Hoi An.

Both Hue and Hoi An began gaining significance from the 16th century under the rule of the Nguyen Lords and then the Nguyen Dynasty.

The Trịnh-Nguyễn War occurred from 1627 to 1672 between the two big families. The Trịnh families control northern Vietnam and The Nguyễn families control southern Vietnam. The Nguyễn lords built a citadel in Phu Xuan (now Hue) and based it there.

Phu Xuan later became the capital of the Tay Son dynasty under Emperor Quang Trung rule, from 1788 to 1801. Nguyen Anh recaptured Phu Xuan in 1802, became the first emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty. It was the capital of Vietnam for nearly 2 centuries from 1802-1945.

The Imperial Citadel was built from 1804-1833, modeled after China’s Forbidden City. Today, you can visit many royal sites and ancient pagodas in Hue including Hue citadel, Khai Dinh tomb, Tu Duc tomb, Minh Mang tomb, and Gia Long tomb.

From the 16th to 18th century, Nguyen Lords developed Hoi An into an important trading port in South East Asia. It attracts lots of foreigners to come to trade such as Japanese, Chinese, and European.

Lots of historical attractions today in Hoi An dating back to its golden age such as the ancient houses, The Japanese Covered Bridge, and the Chinese Assembly Halls (Cantonese, Fujian).

Hoi An lost its status as an important port town in the late 18th century, when the Cua Dai and Co Co River silted up. The big ship moved to Da Nang, which has a deeper harbor.

French Colonial period (form 19th-20th century)

During the French colonial period, the French built the French Quarter on the south bank of Huong River, opposite with the Hue Citadel, which is located on the north bank.

They built administrative buildings and infrastructure such as the French Governor’s Residence and Trang Tien Bridge, two connected two sides of Huong river. Other prominent buildings are the Hue train station, Quoc Hoc High School, and Le Cercle Sportif.

The last King of the Nguyen dynasty, Emperor Bảo Đại gave up his throne in 1945. Hanoi became the capital of the new Vietnam government with the lead of Ho Chi Minh.

American-Vietnam War

Hue was heavily damaged during the Tet Offensive in 1968. It’s one of the bloodiest battles between North Vietnam and US/ South Vietnam. Many historical sites were damaged or destroyed.

Hoi An survived both the French colonial period and American wars, so it retains many of its ancient houses and historical attractions dating back to the 17th-18th. These buildings have a blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese styles.

Today

Today, Hoi An is a busy tourist town with ancient houses and lantern lit streets. It attracts tourists from all over the world to come to explore what Southeast Asia’s trading port town looked like a few hundred years ago.

Hue is a bit quieter destination and is a good place to visit for those who are interested in the history of Vietnam from the Nguyen Dynasty with citadel, tombs, and old temples.

Historical and Cultural Attractions

Both Hoi An and Hue are full of cultural and historical attractions, but they have a bit of a different atmosphere.

Hoi An Old Town was an international trading port from the 16th to 19th centuries. The town is home to many well-preserved buildings, temples, with the blending of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and European influences.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, before the Ho Chi Minh period. The city is home to the Imperial Citadel, many royal tombs, and ancient temples.

Some highlight attractions in Hoi An are the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Halls like Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Trieu Chau Assembly Hall, as well as many Old Merchant Houses that showcase how people lived in the past.

Major attractions in Hue are the Imperial City (The Citadel), Thien Mu Pagoda, and Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Emperors such as King Gia Long, Tu Duc, Khai Dinh, and Minh Mang.

Outdoor Activities/ Day Trips

From Hoi An old town, you can take trips to nearby beaches such as Cua Dai and An Bang. These are great places for swimming and enjoy water activities.

Additionally, you can explore the countryside, exploring rice farms, coconut villages, organic vegetable farms, and traditional craft villages. Taking the round bamboo basket boat Rides is an unique activity in Hoi An.

From Hoi An, you can take day trips to Da Nang visiting iconic sites like marble mountains, Linh Ung pagoda, Ba Na Hill and the golden bridge. My Son sanctuary is also a short drive from Hoi An.

From Hue, you can take a hiking day trip to Bach Ma national park. You can visit historical sites related to the Vietnam American war in Quang Tri province such as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Hien Luong Bridge and Vinh Moc Tunnels with its fascinating underground network.

Other activities from Hue are riding a scooter or jeep tours to the scenic Hai Van Pass, and visiting the beautiful Lang Co Beach. You can take the heritage train ride from Hue to Da Nang to enjoy the stunning views and listen to traditional hue performances.

Cost of Living – Is Hue cheaper than Hoi An?

Hue and Hoi An generally have lower cost of living than other major cities in Vietnam like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodations, food, and drink are much cheaper than bigger cities.

Hue has a more local atmosphere and is even cheaper than Hoi An. Hoi An Old Town can be quite touristy and expensive, but overall, it remains affordable.

Hoi An vs Hue Weather

Both Hoi An and Hue in central Vietnam have warmer weather than North Vietnam. They both experience flooding and typhoons in the rainy season, from September to December.

If you want to enjoy outdoor activities to the fullest, it’s wise to avoid Hoi An and Hue during the peak rainy season. January to August is generally the best time to visit this region.

Getting Around

Hoi An old town and Hue city center are quite compact, so you can easily get around on foot. Riding share services such as Grab Bike and Taxi are available in both cities.

Hoi An is a bike-friendly town, so riding a bicycle is a common way to get around. Additionally, there are dozens of cyclos available to take you around the ancient town. This is a unique way to explore the city.