How many days in Hoi An is enough? 2 to 3 Days Itinerary

I recently had 3 wonderful nights in Hoi An, so in this post, I will share with you my opinion about how long you should spend in Hoi An, and my itineraries for 2 to 3 days in Hoi An.

Hoi An is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Vietnam. It is known for its UNESCO-listed Ancient Town, beautiful beaches, quality custom-tailored clothing, and delicious local dishes.

Located in central Vietnam, in Quang Nam province, Hoi An is also a good base for day trips to nearby cities and attractions such as Da Nang, Hue, Cham islands, and My Son sanctuary.

How many days in Hoi An is enough?

In my opinion, two to three days are the minimum amount of time to spend in Hoi An. It is enough to get an introduction of Hoi An old town, the countryside, and the beach area.

Basically, with one full day, you can take a stroll around the ancient town, exploring old houses, temples, pagodas, and bridges. You can rent a bicycle to explore the surrounding area like An Hoi, Cam Nam, Cam, Pho, or the beachside such as An Bang or Cua Dai. You will have time to enjoy local dishes/ cafes, browse souvenirs at Hoi An Market, and have your custom clothes made here.

Hoi An is at its best at night when all the lanterns are lit up. Don’t miss out on enjoying the nightlife in this town by checking the night market on An Hoi island, or dine at one of the many bars and restaurants along the riverside to enjoy the atmosphere. The boat ride along Hoai River at night also creates a memorable moment for your trip to Hoi An.

If you have more days in Hoi An, you can take day trips to Bay Mau Coconut Forest, My Son Sanctuary, and Hue. If you don’t plan to stay in Da Nang, you can spend a couple of day trips from Hoi An to visit Da Nang’s attractions such as the Marble Mountains, Linh Ung pagoda, Ba Na Hill and Golden Bridge.

I already had a few nights in Hue and Da Nang, so I only explored the town itself when I was in Hoi An. I stayed one night in An Bang beach at AIRA Boutique Hotel, and two nights in Hoi An old town at Hoi An historic Hotel and Square Villa.

During my recent 3 nights in Hoi An, I was just wandering around the ancient town, relaxing at the beaches, enjoying the local food, and the nightlife. I didn’t visit Tra Que village, Bay Mau coconut Village, or My Son Temple during that time.

In addition to visiting popular attractions, you can have your custom clothes made in Hoi An. You can join a cooking class, lantern making class, or take a boat trip.

See more: is it better to stay in An Bang Beach or Hoi An Old Town?

How to Spend 2 to 3 Days in Hoi An Itinerary

Day 1: Hoi An ancient town

Hoi An ancient town was a traditional trading port in South-East Asia from the 15th to the 19th century. It is the top thing to do in Hoi An, so you should definitely explore this old town first thing when you arrive. The best thing to explore the town is just wandering around its cobbled stones street and getting lost.

You will see many ancient wooden shop houses, and come across many old structures such as The Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Ong Temple, Old House of Tan Ky, or Museum of Folk Culture. Don’t miss out on the huge Hoi An Market, where you can browse some unique gifts to bring home.

If you have plans for your custom clothing made here, you can go to the tailor shop on the first day in Hoi An. There are also many nice cafes and restaurants in the old town where you can try Vietnamese iced coffee, egg coffee, or local dishes like Hoi An chicken rice, and Cao Lau.

I actually spent just an afternoon walking all around the old town, part of Cam Nam, Cam Chau, and An Hoi area. The weather is extremely hot during late April early May, so remember to wear the hat to protect yourself from the sun.

In the late afternoon, when the weather cools down, lots of people come out creating a more lively atmosphere. It is very crowded, especially the area along Hoai River, at the section of An Hoi bridge.

There are lots of activities to do at night in Hoi An. You can just simply sit at one of the riverside cafes, bars, restaurants in the old town or An Hoi area to relax and watch people. You can take a traditional boat tour along Hoai River, drop a paper lantern and make a wish.

Don’t miss out on the Hoi An night market that stretches along Nguyen Hoang street on An Hoi island. It is a great place to try some delicious street food or buy souvenirs/ clothes.

Day 2: Bay Mau Coconut Forest and An Bang/Cua Dai Beach

After a day/ half day sightseeing the ancient town, you can venture a bit to the countryside, the craft villages, and the beaches. To do these activities, you can take a guided tour, rent a motorbike or bicycle to explore at your own pace. For me, I just take a Grab taxi/ bike to the destinations as I don’t drive and it was too hot for cycling.

You can use Grab, drive a motorbike, go cycling to Bay Mau Coconut Forest to take a trip in a bamboo basket boat. It is located in Cam Thanh, just a few km from the old town. It can be reached by road or by boat from the old town. Cam Thanh village is also a great area for cycling to explore the countryside, rural life, and beautiful rice fields.

After finishing the boat ride, you can head to the beach area. On the way you can pass through Tra Que Herb Village where you can watch farmers grow high quality vegetables.

An Bang beach is not far away where you can enjoy beautiful white sandy beaches. It is a great place for swimming and relaxing. Many beach bars, restaurants, and cafes along the beach. You can grab the drink and enjoy the ocean view. Most umbrellas and chairs on the beach belong to hotels/ resorts, and cafes nearby. You can bring your own beach towels but you can buy a drink and use their beach facilities.

You can cycle around An Bang Town, which is a laid back beach town with lots of facilities such as restaurants and cafes. It is not as crowded and hectic compared to the old town, making it a great base if you want a relaxing beach holiday in Hoi An.

Day 3: Day trip to My Son Sanctuary

My Son Sanctuary is a popular day trip from both Da Nang and Hoi An. It is located around 1 hour from both cities. You will have a chance to explore the historic ruins of the 13th century under Champa civilization.

To get to My Son, you can take a guided tour, rent a motorbike, or have a private driver. I skipped this attraction, as I visited many similar Cham architecture in central Vietnam including Ponagar Temple in Nha Trang, and Cham Towers in Quy Nhon and Mui Ne.

Day 4: Day trips to Marble Mountains, Linh Ung pagoda on Son Tra peninsula

If you don’t plan to stay in Da Nang, you can take day trips from Hoi An to Da Nang. The Marble Mountains and Son Tra peninsula are well-worth a visit.

Marble Mountains are only located in Ngu Hanh Son ward of Da Nang, 30 minutes drive from the old town of Hoi An. There are many tour agencies that can take you there as well as private drivers.

In the Marble Mountains, you can explore different caves, temples, and pagodas. You will have good views of Da Nang coastline and skyscrapers from its mountain’s peak. The most impressive cave for me is perhaps Huyen Khong cave where you can see a huge lady buddhist statue and cave.

Then you can drive along Da Nang’s coastline, pass My Khe Beach to head to Son Tra peninsula and visit Linh Ung pagoda. It has a huge lady statue overlooking the sea and Da Nang. If you have time, you can ask the driver if they can take you to Ban Co peak nearby, where you can have sweeping views of the city.

Day 5: Day trips to Ba Na Hill and Golden Bridge

Ba Na hill is another popular day trip from Hoi An to Da Nang. It is especially fun if you travel with your kids. There are many games that both adults and children can play at their fantasy park.

You will need to take a cable car to the complex. You can visit the golden bridge, the French village, and enjoy the cold atmosphere.

Day 6: Day trip to Cham island for diving, snorkeling

Cham islands are located only a short boat ride from Cua Dai port in Hoi An. It is a great place for snorkeling, diving, swimming, and enjoying fresh seafood.

To visit Cham island, you can take a guided tour where the agency will pick you up from your hotel and give you more information about the island and activities. You can also do it at your own pace, by taking a taxi, bike to the port then take a boat/cano to the island.

Day 7: Day trip to Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam

Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam and is known for its old imperial palace, tombs, pagoda, and delicious food. A trip from Hoi An to Hue will normally require a full day from early morning to early evening. A drive from Hoi An to Hue is around 3 hours and will pass through the beautiful Hai Van pass.

In Hue, you can visit the old citadel, Thien Mu pagoda, Huong River, as well as numerous tombs such as Khai Dinh tomb, Minh Mang tomb, and Tu Duc tomb. You will have a chance to try Hue food such as Bun Bo Hue, Banh Beo, Banh Nam (all the cakes are made from rice with ingredients like dry shrimp).

See more:

I summarize how long should you spend in Hoi An in this video, you can watch it here:

There you have it, how long to stay in Hoi An really depends on your interest, your pace, and your available time. I personally think 2 to 3 days is enough to see the major attractions in Hoi An such as the old town, the beaches, and some parts of the countryside. You will have time to try local food, have your custom clothes made, and enjoy the nightlife.

If you have more days, there are plenty of day trips that you can make from Hoi An. You can explore Da Nang, Hue, or the My Son Sanctuary. I hope you will have a wonderful vacation in this ancient city.