Self-guided audio walk · Hoi An

Hoi An Audio Walk the old town, told as a story.

A GPS audio guide that plays by itself as you reach each place in Hoi An old town. Put your headphones in, walk at your own pace, and hear four hundred years of traders, temples and family houses come alive around you.

  • No app to install
  • Plays by GPS
  • English & Vietnamese
  • Walk any time
Start the free trial ▶  Listen to a sample

Free during the trial, then 149,000 VND (about US$6) per person. AI-narrated, no human guide, entrance tickets not included.

Illustration of Hoi An old town at sunset with the characters you meet on the Hoi An Audio Walk
Free trial

Press play · the welcome

Welcome to Hoi An old town

0:00

~1.5 kmeasy loop on foot
9 stopsplus stories on the way
1h15–1h30at your own pace
2 languagesEnglish, Vietnamese
Free trialthen 149,000 VND (≈ $5.7) / person

Hear it before you go

Not a list of dates. A story you walk through.

Each stop has a short story, then optional deeper chapters if you want more. Between stops, music and a few lines of narration carry the story from one street to the next. Press play on any sample below.

Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An old town
Stop · Narration

The Japanese Covered Bridge

Step onto the bridge and hear why it was named "the bridge for travellers from afar".

Sample · Covered Bridge

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Sketch of Kazik, the Polish architect who helped save Hoi An old town
Stop · Story

Kazik, an old friend of the old town

The Polish architect who sat on these kerbs in the 1980s and helped the world notice Hoi An.

Sample · Kazik Park

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Illustration of fishermen pulling nets on the river, the story of the song Ly keo chai
On the way · Music

Ly keo chai, the fishermen's song

Walking between stops, the music changes with the street. Here, a river song of net pullers.

Sample · On the way

0:00

How it works

Four steps, then just walk.

  1. Open the link on your phoneIt runs in your browser. Nothing to download, no account needed for the trial.
  2. Headphones in, allow locationGo to the start point at Phap Bao Pagoda car park. The map shows where you are and the orange path to follow.
  3. Walk, and the story starts by itselfWhen you reach a stop, the narration begins. Between stops, music and short stories keep you company.
  4. Pause, skip or go deeperStop for coffee, skip a place, or open the deeper chapters when something catches your eye.

The route

Nine places, one loop through the old town.

The walk starts and ends near Phap Bao Pagoda and follows the river, the Japanese quarter and the old trading streets. Stops marked "ticket" use the Hoi An Old Town ticket, which you buy separately at any ticket booth.

  1. Ba Mu Temple gate
    Ba Mu Temple gateThe Minh Huong villagers and the goddesses who protect children
  2. An Hoi Bridge on the Hoai River
    Hoai riverbankWhere trading ships from Japan, China and Siam once moored
  3. View of the Japanese Covered Bridge from the river
    Covered Bridge viewpointRed-seal ships and the legend of the Namazu catfish
  4. Japanese Covered Bridge
    Japanese Covered Bridge ticketThe bridge for travellers from afar
  5. Cam Pho Communal House
    Cam Pho Communal House ticketA Vietnamese village house in the old Japanese street
  6. Cantonese Assembly Hall
    Cantonese Assembly Hall ticketMerchants from Guangdong and the street that runs to the river
  7. Kazik Park
    Kazik ParkThe Polish architect who helped save the old town
  8. Tan Ky Old House
    Tan Ky Old House ticketSeven generations of a trading family under one roof
  9. Museum of Trade Ceramics
    Museum of Trade Ceramics ticketPieces that travelled further than any of us
  10. Letters with words, the closing story
    Closing: Letters with wordsThe last piece of the puzzle, no ticket needed
Illustration of trading ships sailing to Hoi An
On the way: the whole world sets sail
Illustration of the Japanese quarter in old Hoi An
The Japanese quarter
Illustration of the Minh Huong people of Hoi An
The Minh Huong people
Illustration of the Chinese quarter waking up
The Chinese quarter wakes
Illustration of old ceramics under the streets of Hoi An
Ceramics under your feet

Choosing how to see the old town

Audio walk or a private guide in Hoi An?

Both are good ways to see Hoi An. They suit different travellers, so here is an honest comparison.

Hoi An Audio WalkPrivate guideWalking on your own
WhenAny time, start when you likeBooked time slotAny time
PaceYours: pause, skip, go deeperAgreed with the guideYours
StoriesScripted from published sources, with musicLive, you can ask questionsSignboards and guidebooks
LanguagesEnglish, VietnameseDepends on the guide-
CostFree trial, then 149,000 VND (≈ $5.7) per personUsually the highestFree

The audio walk is not a guide and does not replace one. If you want to ask questions, need help with logistics, or travel with people who need special support, a licensed private guide is the better choice. If you like your own rhythm and a good story in your ears, the audio walk is made for you.

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  • The short survey at the end of the walk asks only your phone model and age group

Good to know

Hoi An Audio Walk: questions and answers

Do I need to install an app?

No. The Hoi An Audio Walk runs in your phone's browser (Safari, Chrome). Open the link, allow location, and you are ready.

Do I need mobile data?

Yes, a data connection is needed to stream the audio. A local SIM or eSIM works well; a full walk uses roughly the data of streaming music for an hour and a half.

Are Old Town entrance tickets included?

No. Five places on the route use the Hoi An Old Town ticket, which you buy separately at the ticket booths. The walk tells you when a ticket is needed, and you can skip those places and still follow the story.

How long does it take and where does it start?

About 1.5 km and 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 minutes at an easy pace, longer if you open the deeper chapters. It starts at the Phap Bao Pagoda car park and ends nearby.

Is it the same as an audio tour app?

It works in a similar way: GPS starts each story when you arrive. The difference is that there is nothing to install, the stories are written for this one route, and music changes with each part of the old town. Narration is AI-voiced and there is no human guide.

How much does it cost?

It is free while we run the trial. The regular price is 149,000 VND (about US$6) per person, one payment, no subscription.

What languages are available?

English and Vietnamese today. More languages may follow.

When is the best time to walk?

Early morning (before 9 am) or late afternoon are calmer and cooler. The ticketed places close in the evening, so start before about 4 pm if you want to go inside.

What if my iPhone makes no sound?

Check the silent switch on the side of the phone and your volume, then press play again. Headphones give the best experience in busy streets.

Written and produced by Vincent and the Hoi An Fairy Tour team. Vincent lives and works in Hoi An. The stories are based on published research about the old town, such as the book Kiến trúc phố cổ Hội An and site records, and were walked and tested on the streets many times. Narration uses AI voices.

Hoi An old town street at dusk with lanterns

Your headphones, your pace, Hoi An's stories.

Free during the trial, then 149,000 VND (≈ $5.7) per person. Open it on your phone when you are in the old town.

Start the free trial Ask a question