Issue 01 — The atlas

15.8770° N, 108.3265° E

Explore
Hoi An.

The best things to do in Hoi An: 24 activities, sorted two ways, by place or by how much time you have. Pick the one that suits you. Distances are from the Japanese Bridge, the centre of everything.

By place11 areasFrom the Ancient Town to Cham Island, and what to do in each.
By time24 activitiesUnder 2 h 4Half day 9Full day 8Shows 22 days + 1

Areas of Hoi An

Hoi An Ancient Town at dusk – top things to do in Hoi An
Image: Yellow shophouses on Tran Phu street

i.

0 km · on foot

The Ancient Town

  • UNESCO World Heritage site
  • Lantern streets
  • Heritage houses
  • Tailors

Yellow walls, wooden shophouses and lanterns on every street. Closed to motorbikes 09:00–11:00 and 15:00–22:00, which is when to walk it. One ticket (120.000₫ (≈ $4.6)) covers five heritage sites.

Pair it with

Book an old town guide
Boats on the Thu Bon river, Hoi An
Image: Wooden boats on the Thu Bon river

ii.

0.2 km · on foot

Thu Bon river

  • Lantern boat ride
  • Photoshoot
  • Sunset

The river is why Hoi An exists. Take a short boat at dusk and float a paper lantern, or go upstream to the craft villages.

Pair it with

Book a lantern boat
An Bang beach near Hoi An
Image: Deck chairs on An Bang beach

iii.

5 km · 15 min by bike

An Bang beach

  • Sunrise
  • Beach bars
  • Swimming

Wide sand, beach bars with free loungers if you order a drink, and the calmest sea from March to August.

Pair it with

Basket boats in the Cam Thanh coconut forest
Image: Round basket boats in the coconut forest

iv.

4 km · 12 min by bike

Cam Thanh

  • Basket boat ride
  • Coconut forest
  • Crab fishing

A water coconut forest crossed by spinning basket boats. Go after 14:00 when the coaches have gone.

Pair it with

Book a basket boat tour
Herb gardens of Tra Que village
Image: Herb beds in Tra Que vegetable village

v.

3 km · 10 min by bike

Tra Que village

  • Farming experience
  • Cooking class
  • Organic herbs

The herbs in your cao lau grow here, fed with seaweed from the lagoon. Home of our favourite cooking class.

Pair it with

Book a cooking class
Cham temples at My Son Sanctuary
Image: Red brick Cham towers at My Son at sunrise

vi.

40 km · 1 hr by car

My Son Sanctuary

  • UNESCO World Heritage site
  • Cham temples
  • Sunrise tour

Brick temples built by the Cham kingdom between the 4th and 13th centuries, in a jungle valley. Arrive at opening to have it almost to yourself.

Pair it with

Book the My Son tour
Potter at work in Thanh Ha pottery village
Image: Potter shaping clay on a wheel in Thanh Ha

vii.

3 km · 10 min by bike

Thanh Ha pottery village

  • Pottery class
  • Terracotta park
  • Craft village

Families have fired clay from the Thu Bon riverbank here for 500 years. Sit at the wheel and take home what you make.

Pair it with

Book a pottery class
Riverside life on Cam Kim island
Image: Boat place at Cam Kim

viii.

1 km · 5 min by ferry

Cam Kim island

  • Kim Bong carpentry village
  • Local life
  • Bicycle ferry

Take the ferry across the river with your bike. Kim Bong carpenters built the old town’s houses and still carve by hand.

Pair it with

Book a wood carving class
Clear water at Cham Island
Image: Crystal clear beach at Cham Island

ix.

20 km · 20 min by speedboat

Cham Island

  • Snorkelling
  • Diving
  • Marine reserve
  • Seafood

A protected marine reserve off Cua Dai. Clear water and coral from March to August; boats don’t run in rough weather.

Pair it with

Book the island trip
Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills
Image: Golden Bridge held by stone hands at Ba Na Hills

x.

60 km · 1.5 hrs by car

Ba Na Hills

  • Golden Bridge
  • Cable car
  • French village

A hilltop resort reached by one of the longest cable cars in the world. Go early; clouds often roll in after lunch.

Pair it with

Book a driver
Da Nang city and the Han river
Image: Dragon Bridge - Da Nang

xi.

30 km · 45 min by car

Da Nang

  • Marble Mountains
  • Linh Ung Pagoda
  • Monkey Mountain
  • Hai Van Pass

Your airport, and a full day of its own. Climb the caves of the Marble Mountains, see the 67-metre Lady Buddha at Linh Ung Pagoda on Monkey Mountain, then drive or ride the Hai Van Pass for the coast views.

Pair it with

Book a driver for the day

02

Travel guide Hoi An

Things to do in Hoi An, by the time you have.

All the things to do in Hoi An that we can book, sorted by how much time each one takes. Tap a row for the details, all prices and the booking form.

Under 2 hours

Fit one in between lunch and the lanterns. 4 activities

Lantern boat rideBoatAncient Town · release a wish lantern20 min$8 – $30 (≈ 210,000–780,000₫)per boatBookBasket boat rideBoatCam Thanh coconut forest40–60 min$6.3 – $12 (≈ 165,000–310,000₫)per personBookCoffee making classClassBrew Vietnamese phin coffee1.5 hrs$14 (≈ 365,000₫)per personBookLantern making classClassMake a silk lantern to take home1.5–2.5 hrs$10 – $15.2 (≈ 260,000–395,000₫)per personBook

Half a day

Morning or afternoon, back in time for dinner. 9 activities

Street food tourTourAncient Town · 6 tastings, 4:30 PM3 hrs$26 (≈ 675,000₫)per personBookCooking class + basket boatClassMarket, coconut forest and 5 dishes4.5 hrs$18 – $22 (≈ 470,000–570,000₫)per personBookKayak & SUP toursTourThu Bon river, Cam Thanh, Cam Kim2–5 hrs$26 – $48 (≈ 675,000–1,250,000₫)per personBookWood carving classClassWith local artists in Dien Ban3 hrs$22 (≈ 570,000₫)per personBookBamboo root sculpture classClassCarve a bust with a local sculptor3 hrs$18 (≈ 470,000₫)per personBookVespa tourTourCountryside, villages or street food3.5–5 hrs$79 – $89 (≈ 2,050,000–2,310,000₫)per personBookMy Son Sanctuary tourTourMorning or sunset, with a boat ride5–6 hrs$20 – $24 (≈ 520,000–625,000₫)per personBookMarble Mountains & Monkey MountainTourCaves, Lady Buddha and Son Tra4.5–6.5 hrs$20 – $22 (≈ 520,000–570,000₫)per personBookSnorkeling at Son TraTourSpeedboat, snorkel, kayak and lunch5 hrs$32 (≈ 830,000₫)per personBook

A full day

Leave after breakfast, back around sunset. 8 activities

Marble Mountains + My SonTourCaves, Cham temples and a sunset boat10 hrs$38 (≈ 990,000₫)per personBookCham Island snorkeling & divingTourMarine reserve and a beach lunch8 hrs$52 – $96 (≈ 1,350,000–2,500,000₫)per personBookBa Na Hills & Golden Bridge tourTourCable car ticket not included6–9.5 hrs$27 – $32 (≈ 700,000–830,000₫)per personBookHue day tripTourCitadel, Khai Dinh tomb, Thien Mu12 hrs$52 (≈ 1,350,000₫)per personBookEasy Rider to HueTourHai Van Pass by motorbike, one way8 hrs$52 (≈ 1,350,000₫)per personBookDa Nang private tourTourPrivate guide, lunch included8 hrsfrom $80 (≈ 2,080,000₫)per personBookCountryside bicycle toursTour5 routes, from 9 to 45 km5–10 hrs$34 – $79 (≈ 885,000–2,050,000₫)per personBookVinWonders Nam Hoi AnTicketTheme park, 15 km from townFull day$16.7 – $27 (≈ 435,000–700,000₫)per personBook

Shows & evenings

Book ahead: the best seats go first. 2 activities

Hoi An Memories showShowImpression Park · show at 8:00 PMEvening$22 – $48 (≈ 570,000–1,250,000₫)per personBookTeh Dar bamboo circusShowLune Center · 6:00 – 7:30 PM90 min$28 – $67 (≈ 730,000–1,740,000₫)per personBook

Two days or more

For travellers with time to spare. 1 activity

Ly Son Island, 2 daysTourVolcanic island, hotel and meals included2 days$316 – $355 (≈ 8,220,000–9,230,000₫)per personBook

Prices are per person unless noted, as charged by our local partners. Need a car instead? Private taxi from 300,000₫ (~$12.5) per car →

03

Book a service

Book it here.

Prices are what you pay the supplier, with no booking fee on top. We confirm by email, usually within two hours.

Taxi & private driver

A driver meets you at Da Nang arrivals with your name on a sign, or picks you up from your hotel. Fixed price agreed in advance, luggage included.

  • Duration: 45 min airport to Hoi An
  • Car: 4, 7 or 16 seats
  • Meeting point: Arrivals hall, gate 3
  • Cancellation: Free until 12 hours before

From

$12.5 (≈ 325,000₫)

per car, airport to Hoi An

See prices and book
Or email us

Tours & day trips

My Son sanctuary at sunrise before the heat, Cam Thanh coconut forest by basket boat, or the countryside by bicycle with lunch at a farmer’s house.

  • Duration: 3–12 hrs
  • Group: Max 10 people
  • Meeting point: Hotel pick-up in Hoi An
  • Cancellation: Free until 24 hours before
My SonMarble MountainsBa Na HillsHueCham IslandDa NangFood tour

From

$20 (≈ 520,000₫)

per person

See all tours
Or email us

Show tickets

Hoi An Memories on its island stage, the Lune bamboo circus at the Hoi An theatre, and traditional folk music on Bach Dang street.

  • Duration: 60–75 min
  • Starts: 19:30 or 20:00
  • Meeting point: Venue entrance, e-ticket by email
  • Cancellation: Non-refundable after issue
Hoi An MemoriesTeh Dar

From

$22 (≈ 570,000₫)

per person

See both shows
Or email us

Classes

Cook four dishes in Tra Que herb village, make a silk lantern to take home, or throw a pot with a Thanh Ha potter whose family has done it for five generations.

  • Duration: 2–4 hrs
  • Group: Max 8 people
  • Meeting point: Workshop or hotel pick-up
  • Cancellation: Free until 24 hours before
CookingLanternCoffeeWood carvingBamboo root

From

$10 (≈ 260,000₫)

per person

See all classes
Or email us

Private tour guides

A licensed guide for just your group. Walk the old town with the stories behind the assembly halls, or plan a full day your way.

  • Duration: Half or full day
  • Languages: English, French, Korean
  • Meeting point: Your hotel lobby
  • Cancellation: Free until 24 hours before

From

$30 (≈ 780,000₫)

per group, half day

See full and book
Or email us

Not sure what to pick?

Tell us your dates and what you enjoy. We’ll send back a plan of things to do in Hoi An and the bookings to go with it.

Ask a local
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