Your Rough Guide to Hoi An

It is located in the confluence of Thu Bon River about 30km south of Da Nang. Hoi An was known as an international market with many different names such as Lam Ap, Faifo, Hoai Pho and Hoi An. Being the unique traditional South East Asian port in Vietnam, Hoi An still remains almost over a thousand architectural monuments such as streets, houses, assembly halls, pagodas , shrines, churches, ancient wells, ancient tombs … The architecture has both Asian and Western style. Over centuries, customs, rituals, cultural activities, beliefs as well as traditional dishes are well preserved. It also has a natural peaceful environment, with lovely small crafts villages, such as carpentry, bronze, pottery…

History of Hoi An

Hoi An has an interesting history that can be traced back almost two millennia to the Sa Huynh peoples, before it served as an important port for the Champa Kingdom that extended over central and coastal Vietnam. The town grew in trade from there and by the 17^th and 18^thcentury, it had already become one of the most important Southeast Asian trading ports, harboring foreign traders, especially Japanese, Chinese and Dutch; partaking in all sorts of trades such as silk, china, pottery, and certain spices.

The culture and heritage evident in Hoi An are mostly remnants from the Cham people, however, it has also been majorly influenced by the Chinese, the Japanese and of course, the Vietnamese. Still to this day, few descendants of the initial foreign settlers remain. Their ancestors’ marks, however, are permanently etched into the city, history and culture, and are evidenced by contrasting yet perfectly-blended elements in the architecture seen all around. Pagodas, assembly halls, clan houses, shop houses, and tea houses line the ancient streets and most of these century-old gems have fared well in the years leading up to today. A casual stroll in town will allow you to witness their wonders and step back into a much simpler time.

In 1999, UNESCO formally recognized Hoi An Ancient Town as a World Heritage Site. This should come as no surprise – you will soon read and find out why.

When to visit Hoi An

1. Weather in Hoi An

Hoi An, just like the rest of Vietnam has its wet and dry seasons. When it comes to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, it doesn’t really matter during which season you visit. It is similar to Nha Trang and Da Nang – you will have plenty of activities to do during the wet season and dry season. Unfortunately, that is not the case for Hoi An.

2. Best time to visit Hoi An

The best time to visit Hoi An is from February to April every year, with little rain, pleasant climate. Moreover, you should consider about going to Hoi An in the summer because of rising temperature, which makes the weather very sultry. The rainy season from October to November also has the disadvantage is the wetness due to heavy rains. Moreover, if you come visit Hoi An on the 14th of the lunar month, you can to attend a special night occasion of the old town. You will have a chance to see the red lanterns flashing across the street, a unique scene of Hoi An as well as take part in a lot of traditional activities in that occasion.

a. Hoi An in spring (from January to March or April)

This is the spring time when the atmosphere in the town is very pleasant, less rainy and the scenery is very poetic as well. This is the most perfect time for you to explore Hoi An.

b. Hoi An in summer and autumn (from May to September)

It is also a beautiful time to admire the romantic and tranquil atmosphere of Hoi An. As the sky turns deeply blue, the roads are now “deep” and more prominent than ever with the golden leaves falling down. A deep space with the “yellow tone” will give you a lot of interesting experience.

c. Hoi An in winter (In the end of October and early November to December)

In this time, Hoi An immersed in the sudden rain. With some people, this time is not convenient to visit the town. But the city also has a different beauty under the rain – quiet and peaceful, so you just need to find a corner and sit to enjoy a cup of tea, watching the rain falling.

How to get around Hoi An

1. Getting around Hoi An on foot

As Hoi An is a small town which has narrow alleys so that walking is the most suitable way for you to get around this lovely ancient town. Additionally, you can leisurely explore the streets and take yourself into the rustic and peaceful life here.

2. Getting around Hoi An by bicycle

Another way for you to travel around the streets in Hoi An is by bike. Because the cars, taxis, motorbikes are prohibited several hours in a day in order to make sure about tourists’ safety, there are a lot of bike rental store along the street for tourists. It is also very affordable with a reasonable rental price. You can use a bike to get to the beach, or visit some quiet and unknown street corners.

Mr Trung

Ms Anh

Ms Loan

Ms Lanh

3. Getting around Hoi An by cyclo

This is a very interesting and easy way to explore the city. With reasonable price, you can join a cyclo tour from the center of the town to the paddy rice fields, fishing village and Bamboo Bridge.

4. Gettting around Hoi An by mortobike

It is very easy to rent a motorbike with a very reasonable price, about VND 100,000 per day. However, this means of transportation is prohibited during the day in the ancient town, so you should travel by motorbike to some nearby places around Hoi An such as Cu Lao Cham, Hai Van Pass, etc. Besides, you can also book online on Klook.com, both very nice and clear websites which allow you to use all the main global credit cards. Additionally, remember to get the driver licence before start the journey with a motorbike.

Hoi An Motorbike Adventures

Go Travel Vietnam

Thomas Vietnam Holidays

Read more: How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An (& Vice Versa)

Where to stay in Hoi An

When it comes to accommodation, Hoi An (Hội An) has an excellent selection of good value ones in different categories of price. Despite there are some hotels in the Old Town, there are a lot of options close by

1. Homestays in Hoi An

Hoi An is a perfect place for those who want to find a homestay to have a local experience. The homestays here are often meticulously decorated, which brings a nostalgic and peaceful atmosphere in the style of the ancient town. Homestays will give you a more individual experience as each homestay has its own character. Also, they are well designed to look good in photographs as well. The price for homestays is slightly more expensive, but it’s totally worth it.

Some of the best Hoian-style homestays: ViVi Homestay, Little Leo Homestay and Hostel, Cloudy Homestay and Hostel, Sunny Garden Homestay.

2. Hotels in Hoi An

There are two main areas that are preferred when choosing a place to stay in Hoi An: the ancient town area and the beach area. However, the closer to the central area or the sea, the more expensive it will be. This is the most affordable option for those only looking for a place to crash at night. Hotels in town provide all the necessary facilities such as wifi, hot/cold shower and bathroom items. Hotel prices could greatly vary, so make sure you compare the prices before booking.

Recommended Hoi An hotels in a really convenient location: Eco Lux Riverside Hotel, Little Riverside Hotel & Spa, Lantana Riverside Hoi An Hotel, Hoi An Chic Hotel.

3. Resorts in Hoi An

Resorts in Hoi An often come with a nice pool, beautiful sea view and all-you-ever-wanted facilities. You can spend your whole day retreating and relaxing in your accommodation after days of exploring.

Some of the best resorts in Hoi An: Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa, Anantara Hoi An Resort, Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa, Vinpearl Resort & Spa Hoi An

4. Villas in Hoi An

If you are not tight on budget and would like to spoil yourself with a luxurious stay (because you deserve it), villas would be an ideal choice. Villas basically offer you more private accommodation with a more personal experience. This type of accommodation is recommended for families or big groups.

Some of the best villas in Hoi An: An Bang Coco Villa, Vinci Villa Hoi An, Five Rose Villas

What to do in Hoi An

There are so many things to do in this tiny little port city. They will be as follows:

Ancient Town (exploring, shopping, getting an outfit tailored, indulging in delicious Central Vietnamese cuisine),
Tra Que Village (farming, fishing, visiting little villages, cooking classes),
An Bang/Cua Dai/Thu Bon (beaching, water sports),
Outskirts of Hoi An (cycling your way to other villages).

1. Hoi An Ancient town

Starting from the Ancient Town, there are a plenty of things to do. A big part of the visitor experience is to simply stroll through the alleyways, pop into old buildings, admire the architecture, savor a banh mi along the way, cycle along riverbanks and take in the ambiance of it all. To visit the historic quarters you must purchase a 120,000 VND ticket, valid for 24 hours, and with this you can enter any five places (there are 22 points of interest). The proceeds are reinvested into the old town, to handle renovations, fund folk events in the town, and to help families who actually live there.

Make sure to visit a few of these, take some photos, and walk around without a particular target in mind. You will find many hidden delights.

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Cau (Cầu) Bridge

Cau Bridge is the jewel in the heart of Hoi An. Built in the late of the 16^th century, this bridge is called as Japanese bridge. In the middle of the bridge, there is a small temple worshipping Huyen Thien Dai De (Huyền Thiên Đại Đế). The bridge has a unique roof with the texture and decoration representing the harmony between the architecture styles of Vietnam, China, Japan, and Western.

Fukien (Phúc Kiến) Assembly Hall

Location: 46 Tran Phu (Trần Phú) Street

According to legend, the predecessor of the Assembly Hall is a small temple worshipping the Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu) statue (the god bless for traders involved with the ocean waves) rescued off the coast of Hoi An in 1697. Through a few times of restoration, with the main contribution of the Fujians, this Assembly Hall has become more and more vibrant, spacious contributing to the architectural embellishment of Hoi An.

Chaozhou Assembly Hall (Hội Quán Triều Châu)

Location: 92B Nguyen Duy Hieu (Nguyễn Duy Hiệu) Street

Built in 1845, this Assembly Hall worships the three Ma Yuan (Mã Viện) tycoons – the god good at taming the waves helping the traveling on the sea be smooth. The hall has special values in terms of architectural structure with the finely carved wooden frame, the decorative wooden altar, and others.

Guangdong Assembly Hall (Hội Quán Quảng Đông)

Location: 176 Tran Phu (Trần Phú) Street

Established in 1885, Guangdong Assembly Hall initially worshipped Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu) and Confucius (Đức Khổng Tử), but after 1911, it turned into worshipping Quan Cong (Quan Công) and Guangdong’s ancestors. The rational combination and usage of wood and stone in the bearing structure gave this Assembly Hall imposing beauty. Annually, on Nguyen Tieu (Nguyên Tiêu) day, (June 24 according to Lunar Calendar), there is a festival celebrated here, which attracts a lot of participants.

Tran Family Chapel (Nhà Thờ Tộc Trần)

Location: 21 Le Loi (Lê Lợi) Street

Established for worshipping the family ancestors, Tran (Trần) Family Chapel is built in 1802. The architecture of this building reflects highly the influences of Chinese, Japanese, and vernacular styles.

In detail, the central door is reserved for the dead. On 11 November each year, the death anniversary is celebrated for the main ancestor. In traditional beliefs, women will enter from the left and men from the opposite, despite these distinctions seem to disappear nowadays. Situated on an area of 1,500 m2, inside the chapel, there are wooden boxes on the altar containing the stone tablets of Tran ancestors, with chiseled Chinese characters setting out the dates of birth as well as death, plus with a few small personal effects. It is said that one the anniversary of the death of each family member, their box will be opened, food is provided and incense is burned.

When visiting this chapel, after a quick tour, you will see the “antique” room in which there are lots of coins for sale, and another room which has full of souvenirs for sale.

History-Culture Museum

Location: 13 Nguyen Hue (Nguyễn Huệ) Street

Found in 1989, this museum exhibits 212 original artifacts and valuable materials made by paper, iron, ceramic, wood… reflecting the developing stages of urban – trading port of Hoi An from Sa Huynh (Sa Huỳnh) culture period to the Cham (Chăm) culture period, and Dai Viet (Đại Việt), Dai Nam (Đại Nam) culture

Tan Ky Old House (Nhà Cổ Tấn Ký)

Location: 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc (Nguyễn Thái Học) Street

Built nearly 200 years ago, Tan Ky ancient house has a typical architectural style of Hoi An with the interiors being divided into many apartments and each one has its own function.

The house has a large wooden door, but no window. There are two wooden bolts above the door, carved with the yin-yang symbol. Chinese poems were described in mother-of-pearl hanging from a number of columns which holding up the roof. The house’s back door overlooks a wharf by the river that was extremely convenient for loading and unloading goods.

There are four rooms in the Tan Ky Old House. All of them are small in size, yet packed with different beautiful antiques majorly made of wood. These rooms have different purposes: one for welcoming Chinese merchants, the second is the living room, the third serves as a courtyard and the last is the bedroom. Tourists could enter all of these rooms, except for the bedroom. You should look for a tour guide who can offer you interesting details of the house.

Hoi An Handicraft Workshop

Location: 9 Nguyen Thai Hoc (Nguyễn Thái Học) Street

The workshop brings together most of traditional handicrafts of Hoi An and Quang Nam, such as pottery, weaving, lacquer… Visiting the workshop, tourists will find a quiet, peaceful setting of a Vietnamese village, witness by themselves the skillful hands along with great skills of the artisans, creating exquisite and unique handicraft products. Tourists could also take a few steps in the manufacturing process of these fields and buy some products as souvenirs.

2. Tra Que

Tra Que vegetable village, about a 5-minute drive outside of the Ancient Town is an extremely tranquil organic vegetable village – the first of its kind in Vietnam. Here you will find rows and rows of colorful greens. All the vegetables and herbs in Hoi An cuisine are here. Farming and fishing are common activities for those visiting Tra Que. Travelers particularly enjoy cooking classes in Tra Que which combine visits to Hoi An Market, and then farming and fishing in the village. The produce and even fish caught will be then used in the meals you will prepare. If you prefer to join an organized trip, you can opt for a tour below.

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3. An Bang / Cua Dai Beach / Thu Bon

Cua Dai (Cửa Đại) Beach

Location: about 5km to the east of Hoi An ancient town

This is a beautiful beach with white sand, clear blue water, small waves and fresh seafood restaurants with cheap prices. Visiting the beach in the evening is also excellent and because at that time, the beach is vast and shimmering under the romantic oil lamps.

An Bang (An Bằng) Beach

Location: Hai Ba Trung (Hai Bà Trưng) Street

About 4 km away from Hoi An old town, and 30 km from Da Nang, An Bang Beach is one of the most ideal places to lay your hat. Go to this beach, you will feel the wonderful fresh when walking along the sand, pick up the rising sun, and watch the pristine beauty on the sea at dawn.

Because the coastal erosion has recently become a big issue at Cua Dai Beach, An Bang Beach now plays the role as the major beach of Hoi An. This beach is popular all year round with both local people and travelers alike. During the summer months, domestic tourists come here for sunrise swims and sunset barbecues, meaning that it is quiet during daytime.

From March to September, the beach has the temperature soaring in to about 30s and beyond. If beach lounging and tanning are your favorite, then you could hire a sun lounger with the price of a water bottle for the day.

Thu Bon (Thu Bồn) River

Thu Bon River, one of the most beautiful waterways in Vietnam, starts at an altitude of 2,598m in Ngoc Linh (Ngọc Lĩnh) Mountain. This river plays a crucial role in the geography, history and culture of Hoi An. Furthermore, it is not only the culminating point for the majority of events and festivals held in Hoi An, but also the main source of livelihood for a lot of people of the town. Today, the remains of the ancient port as well as the picturesque waterfronts could be seen along this river. You can take part in a boat tour along Thu Bon River. Two sides of the river, there are beautiful sand dunes and picturesque farm and mountain scenes. Particularly, the sunset on Thu Bon River could make all tourists impressed. From Hoi An, tourists could rent a boat and stop at the nice villages situated along this river.

4. On the outskirts

There are a few traditional villages on the outskirts of Hoi An that are worth a visit. The best way to see this is to rent a bicycle or even better, a motorcycle, and explore these yourselves. Plenty of tours in the city also include these outskirt villages, so it is completely up to you how you prefer to see them.

Kim Bong (Kim Bồng) Carpentry Village

Location: Located in Cam Kim (Cẩm Kim) commune, opposite the old town of Hoi An (Hội An), across Thu Bon (Thu Bồn) River. From the old town wharf, it just takes 10 minutes to get there by boat.

Artisans at Kim Bong carpentry village used to boast to his ancestors that they were invited to the capital of Nguyen Kings to construct and restore the palaces, works and mausoleums. Visitting this village, you will witness the procedures of manufacturing many sophisticated art products.

Thanh Ha (Thanh Hà) Pottery Village

Location: about 3 km away from Hoi An to the west

Thanh Ha pottery village is a renowned village having a long historical legacy and used to play a crucial role in Hoi An old town’s development. The pottery products of this village include animal shapes, jars, pots, bowls, in different forms and colors. They are lighter than the same products in other places.

Despite they have experienced many challenges overtime, foreign competition, economic difficulties; the locals are still trying to preserve their traditional profession, inherited from their respectful ancestors. They use unique techniques which are different from those prevalent in other places. Thus, this village is more of a live museum, and holds precious documentation resources for scientists studying about traditional pottery in Vietnam as well as Southeast Asia.

There are many others that do not have names, so just explore and don’t be afraid to say hi and make friends. Everybody is super welcoming and would love to share their talents and culture with you.

Read more: Adventures in Cycling Hoi An

What to eat in Hoi An

Hoi An Ancient Town is small but its food culture is very rich. Here are some specialties and addresses for you to enjoy whilst visiting this special landmark.

1. Cao Lau (Cao Lầu)

Many longtime residents said that Cao Lau (Cao Lầu) appeared in Hoi An since the 17^th century so that this dish was strongly affected by Chinese cuisine. However, Hoi An’s Cao Lau still has its exclusive feature and just Hoi An offers the right dish with high quality.

Address:

Price: VND 25,000 – 30,000/dish

2. White Rose, Banh Vac (Bánh Vạc)

Banh Bao and Banh Vac are two similar types of steamed rice dumpling. They are made of white paper rice containing shrimp, garlic, green onion with Banh Vac or minced pork, mushroom and green onion with Banh Bao. These dumplings look like elegant white petals so that they have the name “White Roses”. The softness and slightly chewy texture as well as the perfect combination of the inside would make you want to have more.

Address: Hoa Hong Trang restaurant, 533 Hai Ba Trung street, Cam Pho Ward

Price: VND 20,000 –  15,000/dish

3. Pho Hoi Chicken Rice (Cơm Gà Phố Hội)

With all of the clever and meticulous in the way of processing, Hoi An people created a dish of chicken rice enough to create a special name for its self: Pho Hoi chicken rice. This dish is eaten with onions, papaya, Tra Que herbs. Also, there is a bowl of soup mixture, including chicken heart, liver and kidneys, increasing the attractive feature of the dish.

Address:

Price: Around VND 30,000/dish

4. Quang Noodles (Mì Quảng)

Apparently, Quang noodles is almost like Cao Lau (Cao Lầu), but just tasting one times, you will see that these are two different dishes. Quang noodles are often served with shrimp, pork and quail eggs. All of the spices are infused. When you eat, crispy rice paper and vegetables are indispensible.

Address:

Price: VND 25,000 – 30,000/dish

5. Wonton (Hoành Thánh)

There are different types of wonton: soup wonton, noodle wonton, fried wonton, each is also divided into chicken, pork and shrimp. Empirically, chicken and pork wonton are easy to eat while shrimp wonton is sweeter and more aromatic and the fried wonton is a little bit sick.

Address:

Price: VND 20,000 – 40,000/dish

6. Smashing rice paper

This dish has a unique name because of the way to enjoy it – you have to smash the rice paper first and then dip it into the special sauce. Banh dap includes 2 pieces of rice paper – crispy and wet ones. The sauce is really special and has the flavor of rustic cusine here.

Address: Hoang Dieu street, Cam Nam village
Price: VND 8,000/dish

7. Minced clams

This is another famous rustic dish of Hoi An. Clams are fished from the river near Cam Nam village – Hoai river. To make this dish, clams are first boiled, cleaned and then fried with some ingredients such as chopped onions, some kinds of herb, chili and peanut. The softness of clam meat blends well with , which gives this dish a unique flavor.

Address: Hoang Dieu street, Cam Nam Village
Price: VND 20,000/dish

Things to do in Hoi An

1. Exploring the town by night

In the evening, Hoi An has a different and magnificent beauty with various kinds of acticity for tourists. When the sun goes down, all the streets are lit by the vibrant and colorful lanterns. After a long day of hard working, the locals people go down the street to relax and join in some nightlife activities here such as night market, live music venues, etc, which makes the riverside scenes look so bustling and busy. It would be a memorable experience for you in Hoi An.

2. Buying clothes in Hoi An

Clothes in Hoi An are nice and cheap. They are also made very quickly. In just a few hours, the tailor will make the clothes you want. If you can not wait, just leave your measurements and address, and then the shop will send the product to you. Here are some famous garment shops:

4. Catching a cultural show

Lune Production is known for staging world-class contemporary circus, dance and musical performances in Vietnam and around the world. Don’t miss the chance to watch a show at their new performance centre in Hoi An. The Mist, Lune’s first show to debut in Hoi An, is a gorgeous, riveting hour-long spectacle that’s as Vietnamese as it gets. From evocative scenes of countryside life to spellbinding ballets, you won’t be able to tear your eyes from the stage. Current show at Lune Performing Center Hoi An, including: A O Show, Teh Dar Show and Palao Show.

BONUS: Let’s take a ride down the memory lane with Hoi An Memories Show, an outdoor visual arts performance focused on the rich history, culture, and identity of Hoi An. The show celebrates and elevates Vietnam’s iconic ao dai into an artistic language to tell the story of Hoi An 400 years ago. It masterfully blends music, lights, visual arts, and performance to create an experience that will take you on an emotional journey. This is a show that you have to experience.

5. Getting a massage

While Hoi An has a lot to see and do, it can sometimes get a bit too much. If you find that the heat and crowds of the city are getting you tense, then why not relax with a soothing Vietnamese massage? It’s a great way to relax and unwind. Let’s explore spa and massage experience in Hoi An now.

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6. Joining in a cooking class

If you want to learn more about the life of the people of Hoi An, join this activity. Some restaurants in Hoi An offer cooking classes for tourists, from  street food to luxurious dishes of Hoi An. Of course, the cost will be higher if you want to study alone. After school, you can also get cooking utensils and cookbooks for use. Moreover, It is interesting that you will be cycling to Tra Que village – a place not to be missed when going to Hoi An, to learn how to choose vegetables. You will be instructed to make vegetables salad like Hoi An people and so on.

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7. Learning to make a lantern

You can find lanterns with different shapes and colors in everywhere in Hoi An. At night, the small town is brightened up by the vibrant light of the silk lanterns. Therefore, it would be a good chance for you to learn how to make your own silk lanterns. Some lantern stalls would give customs the lantern making service, and you will be instructed to make a complete lantern for yourself.

Check the price for Lantern Making Class in Hoi An now

8. Exploring the Paddy Fields & the Countryside

If when you think of Vietnam you imagine rice paddy fields, a great blue sky and water buffalos, you’ll find all that in Hoi An, and if you only have one day in Hoi An (but whyy??), make this the priority.

This is one of the top things to do in Vietnam: just grab a bike and ride outside town towards the beach: you’ll find out that the real Vietnam is just around the corner.

Don’t get scammed:  Along the road, among the regular workers, you’ll see at some point a water buffalo with a man, and another man on the road who invites tourists to get closer: if you want to go and take your picture with the water buffalo, know it won’t be for free. Make sure to haggle a price beforehand.

Check the price for Buffalo Ride Adventure

9. Exploring a crazy fun coconut basket boat

If you want to have fun and have unforgettable experiences while discovering Vietnam, then the basket boat ride is for you. Hoi An and its surroundings are ideal places to experience these boats or to see craftsmen at work. When you arrive in the city of Hoi An you can not miss the organized boat tours along the Thu Bon River or the 7-hectare tours of coconut aquatic woods, where you can discover an almost intact ecosystem, fish some crabs in creeks and see the exploits performed by the local rowers.

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