Issue 01 — Hoi An, the insider’s edition
Updated 09.2026
Hoi An guide by locals
Hoi An, without the guesswork.
Where to eat, what a taxi should cost, which show is worth the ticket. Read the local guide, then book the taxi, tour or class right here with suppliers we use ourselves.
Phan Chu Trinh Street, 18:10
15.8770° N, 108.3265° E
01
What to do in Hoi An
Hoi An by the hour.
Pick how long you have. Each plan puts the best things first, in an order that works with the heat and the lanterns. Every stop links to the guide and the booking.
Itinerary 1 of 3
24 hours: only the best
One day, the essentials only. Start early, rest through the midday heat, finish under the lanterns.
Day 1
The best of Hoi An
05:30
Sunrise at An Bang beach
Fishermen bring the basket boats in before 06:30. 15 minutes by bicycle.
07:30
Breakfast at the central market
Cao lau and banh mi from the stalls at the back, around 35.000₫ a bowl.
08:30
Farming and cooking class in Tra Que
Plant herbs with the farmers, then cook four dishes for lunch.
13:30
Coffee with a rice field view
Coconut coffee in a cafe on the paddies while the heat passes.
17:30
Ancient Town as the lanterns come on Best hour
Start at the Japanese Bridge. The old town ticket is 120.000₫.
18:30
Lantern boat on the Thu Bon
Fifteen minutes on the water is enough. Agree the price first.
19:00
Dinner at the night market
Grilled skewers and mango on Nguyen Hoang street, across the bridge.
20:00
Hoi An Memories show
500 performers on an island stage. Book a day ahead in high season.
Itinerary 2 of 3
48 hours: heritage and hands-on
Two days lets you add the temples, a craft village and a proper class, without rushing the old town.
Day 1
Temples, clay and lanterns
05:00
My Son Sanctuary at sunrise
Cham temples in the jungle, almost empty before 07:00.
11:00
Thanh Ha pottery village
Try the wheel with a potter whose family has done it for generations.
13:00
Lunch and a rest
The hottest part of the day. Everyone local is napping too.
15:30
Basket boats in Cam Thanh
Spin through the water coconut forest with a local rower.
17:30
Ancient Town as the lanterns come on Best hour
The best hour in Hoi An. Walk it slowly.
Day 2
Farm, craft and a show
15:00
Lantern making class
Build a silk lantern in two hours and take it home flat-packed.
18:00
Hoi An Memories or Teh Dar
Memories for the spectacle, Teh Dar for bamboo acrobatics at the Lune Centre.
Itinerary 3 of 3
72–96 hours: the full picture
Three days covers Hoi An, the countryside and the sea. A fourth lets you choose between Da Nang, the Hai Van Pass or a slow day in town.
Day 1
Old town and river
09:00
Ancient Town heritage houses
Assembly halls and old merchant houses, before the crowds.
13:30
Coffee-making class in the rice fields
Roast, grind and brew Vietnamese coffee, then drink it with a view.
Day 2
Temples, clay and the farm
13:00
Lunch and a rest
Back at the hotel through the heat.
15:30
Farming and cooking class in Tra Que
The afternoon session: you eat what you cook for dinner.
Day 3
Cham Island and the sea
12:00
Seafood lunch on the island
Fresh catch on Bai Chong beach.
15:30
Swim at Cua Dai beach
Stay on after the boat lands.
18:00
Teh Dar at the Lune Centre
Bamboo acrobatics and music from the Central Highlands.
Day 4
Optional: pick one
08:00
Option A: Da Nang day trip
Marble Mountains, Linh Ung Pagoda on Monkey Mountain, then the cable car to Ba Na Hills.
07:00
Option B: Easy Rider to Hue
Ride pillion with a local over the Hai Van Pass. Your bags follow by car.
09:00
Option C: A slow day in Hoi An
Wood carving in Kim Bong, a lantern class, then VinWonders Hoi An.
02
Hoi An recommendation, booked
Six things we can book for you.
Every supplier is someone we have ridden with, eaten with or learned from. You get a confirmed time, price and meeting point by email.
01
Taxi & private driver
Airport pick-ups, Da Nang transfers or private driver to tourist spots (My Son, Ba Na, Vin Wonders, etc..)
From $11.5 · fixed price
02
Tours & day trips
Discover unforgettable Hoi An tours and day trips to My Son, Ba Na Hills, Cham Island, and more. Experience authentic local adventures and create timeless memories with us!
From $19 – For both individual and small groups
03
Show tickets
Hoi An Memories, the Lune bamboo circus and folk music at Hoi An theatre.
From $20 per person
04
Classes
Cooking, lantern making, pottery in Thanh Ha, coffee making and more!
From $8 per person · 2–4 hrs
05
Private tour guides
Licensed local guides for the old town, My Son or a full custom day.
Fully explore the story of Hoi An
06
Travel shop
Tourist SIM cards, rain ponchos, adapters and the small things you forgot.
Delivered to your hotel in Hoi An
03
Hoi An travel blog
Read first, then book.
Every guide ends with the booking it talks about, so you never have to search twice.
Getting around
Grab, metered taxi, shuttle bus or a driver holding your name. We tried all four in one week.
By the Hoi An Fairy Tour team · 7 min read
04
Price check
What you should pay.
Fair local prices for the things tourists get overcharged for most. Screenshot it before you go out.
Service
Fair price
Walk away above
Note
Taxi, Da Nang airport to Hoi An
Fair: 250.000₫ – 300.000đ
Walk away: 400.000₫
Fixed price with a booked driver. Meter is similar.
Boat ride on the Thu Bon, 15 min
Fair: 170.000₫
Walk away: 300.000₫
Per boat, up to 2 people. Lantern not included.
(Row boat ticket can only be bought at official ticket booth)
Basket boat, Cam Thanh
Fair: 100.000₫ – 150.000₫
Walk away: 200.000₫
Per person. Tips for the singing rower or boat spinning are optional.
Bicycle hire, full day
Fair: 30.000₫
Walk away: 60.000₫
Many hotels lend them for free. Ask first.
Banh mi from a street stall
Fair: 25.000₫
Walk away: 50.000₫
The famous shops charge a little more, and that’s fine.
Tailored cotton shirt
Fair: $30-38
Walk away: $45
Two fittings. Pay a deposit only, the rest on collection.
Prices checked by our team in September 2026. 26.000₫ is roughly $1.
05
How booking works
Three steps, no app.
1
Read the guide
Find what you want to do and what it should cost. No sign-up, no pop-ups.
2
Send us a request
Use the form, email or Facebook. Tell us the date, time and how many of you there are.
3
Get your confirmation
We reply with the supplier’s name, the price, the meeting point and the cancellation terms.
Start with the guide. Book when you’re ready.
Most of our guests read two or three stories, then book their airport taxi and one evening out.
See you under the lanterns.
Hoi An Fairy Tour
A Hoi An guide written by people who live here. Read the guide, then book the taxi, tour, show or class with a local supplier we know.
Quick links
Book a service
Contact
- [email protected]
- facebook.com/hoianfairytour
- Hoi An Ancient Town, Da Nang, Vietnam
- Replies 08:00–21:00 (GMT+7), every day
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Made in Hoi An